A little while later, the dumbwaiter dinged. Will walked over and opened the little door. He looked back at me in amazement and I just shrugged. He brought the tray over and set it on the bed. It had two plates of lasagna and two glasses of lemonade as well as a bottle of ibuprofen.
"Wow. This looks amazing," Will exclaimed.
"Yeah, Marie's a really good cook," I told him, downing two ibuprofen with a swallow of lemonade.
We ate our dinner in silence. About half way through the ibuprofen kicked in and the pain in my leg turned into dull throbbing. When we were done, Will took our dishes back to the dumbwaiter and grabbed his guitar case, flipping it on its back. He opened it and pulled out his guitar. It was a simple wood color but it wasn't solid like most guitars. It looked like someone cut down a tree, sliced it into tiny thin slivers, stained on of them, and stuck it onto the front of the guitar. It was beautiful.
"I wanted to play you something," Will said, coming to sit back on my bed.
"Alright," I shifted nervously.
Will starts singing "I woke up in a stranger's bed, with pins and needles in my head, and the clock ticking off the wall. Oh yeah, oh yeah."
I listen closely as he continues to sing "Something's Gotta Give" by All Time Low. Will's voice floated over the notes like he's been singing the song all his life. He looked down at his fingers that were pressing into the strings. He glanced up and noticed me staring. I caught his glaze and held it for the rest of the song. I felt a strange desire to lean in and kiss him, which was stupid because he was probably straight.
Will finished the song and the last notes faded out, leaving behind still air. I suddenly realized how close Will and I were sitting. I backed up a little bit. I could've sworn I saw disappointment flash across Will's face.
"What did you think?" Will asked, looking back down at his guitar.
"That was amazing," I told him. It was my turn to be astounded. Will had the voice of an angel and I was pretty sure his fingers were magic. "Could you-could you teach me to play like that?" I asked. I really wanted to be ale to impress him and the only way I really knew how to convey a meaningful message was through music and I felt like t would just mean more if I sang a song instead of playing one on my stereo.
"Of course. Here," Will handed me his guitar and adjusted it on my lap so I was holding it right. He started going on about the parts of a guitar and how the sound works. He told me about his specific guitar, which was an acoustic/electric. It had a built-in tuner and could be hooked up to an amp.
For the next couple hours, Will continued to guide me through the basics of playing the guitar. My whole body tingled whenever he touched my hand the correct the chord I was trying to play. I tried to ignore the feeling. It wouldn't help me in any way. It wouldn't help Will either. In fact, if I wanted to make his school life at least bearable I ought to have pulled myself away. But I just couldn't bear to.
I finally put down the guitar at nine-o-clock that night. I fell back on the bed after handing the guitar back to Will. He was sitting with his back against my headboard.
"Tired Sunshine?" Will asked. I could hear the smile on his voice.
"No, but my back hurts a little,"
I admitted. The dull throb in my leg hadn't lessened, but it hadn't gotten any worse. Bella lifted her head from the carpet where she had been dozing peacefully for the entirety of my guitar lesson.
"Hey, girl," I sat up and leaned over to scratch behind her ears. Bella crawled towards my hand, dragging the carpet with her. "Why don't you go get Hazel to let you out really quick?" I motion towards the door. At that, Bella got up and trudged to the door, nudging it open with her muzzle. I swear that she understands English.
I reached towards my nightstand for the pen and pad of paper I keep there. Will noticed and handed them to me. I quickly scribbled Can you let Bella out for me? -Nico onto a sheet and tear it off.
"Can you send this down to the second floor in the dumb waiter?" I asked Will. He nodded, took the folded note from me and got up.
"So, what do you want to do now?" He asked, sitting back down on my bed.
"We could listen to some music," I suggested. Will nodded and walked over to my stereo.
"You can just plug my iPod in and hit 'shuffle' on the dock," I instructed. Will did as I told and Hold On Til May came blasting through my speakers.
"That's really loud," Will commented, "won't you annoy your family?"
"Nope. The floor and the walls are sound proof," I stated proudly. Will chuckled and looked around my room.
I watched as his beautiful blue eyes scanned my walls. After a while I started to take in the things tacked up there too. Most were black and white pencil drawings of Italy and my house from when I was little, but there were a few portraits of Hazel and Bella and Marie. There were also Polaroids that Bianca took that miraculously survived that awful plane crash. I rubbed my wrist, remembering the IVs that had protruded from it when I woke up, dazed and confused, in a hospital bed. I read some of the phrases I had written near my bed. "Si ottiene solo meglio da qui" "Stelle smussano brillano senza in po 'buio". There were a few others but these were my favorites. I can still remember writing them as soon as the paint was dry in the first month we moved in.
Suddenly, the song switched on my iPod and Soldatino started to play. I scrambled for the stereo remote and was eventually unable to find it. I reached for my crutches, desperate to turn the song off while trying to stifle the tears forming in my eyes. The chorus started and the Italian spilled out of the speakers I finally found my crutches and hobbled over, abruptly stopping the beautiful lullaby, but not before Bianca's voice echoed in my head "Sogni d'oro, il mio piccolo soldato" sweet dreams, my little soldier. I hurriedly wiped the tears from my eyes and turned around to face a bewildered Will Solace.
"Nico?" His voice was full of concern. "Are you alright?"
I had barely managed a tiny nod before Will's arms enveloped me. He gently picked me up, letting the crutches clatter to the floor, and carried me bridal style over to my bed. I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his neck because I was so overcome with emotion that I couldn't function. If Will hadn't picked me up, I don't think I would've been able to move.
I expected Will to just set me down on the bed but instead he sat down with me still in his arms and rocked me gently. Will mumbled comforting words in my ear and eventually my tears lessened.
When I finally raised my head from Will's shoulder, I was met with comforting, concerned gaze.
"Tell me the truth," Will started, "Are you alright?"
I shook my head, afraid that if I said the words out loud I would fall apart again. Will gently removed me from his lap and I scooted back so I was leaning against my headboard. Will started soothing rubbing little circles on my socked feet, which were still in his lap.
"Why does that song upset you?" He asked after a couple of minutes.
I took a deep breath and whispered "My sister used to sing it to me every night back in Italy. And she always used to whisper Sogni d'oro, il mio piccolo soldato when she thought I was asleep."
"Your sister?" Will asked. I could tell he didn't want to press but curiosity got the better of him.
"My sister, Bianca," I was unable to make my voice go any louder than 'barely audible' "She-she was really badly injured in the plane crash that killed our mother." Silent tears slid down my cheeks and Will crawled over and wrapped his arms around me again. He didn't have to say anything. Just knowing that he was there, that I wasn't alone this time, was enough.
Eventually I cried myself dry and Will got up to get changed, but not before leaning my crutches back up against the bed. I was left with the strenuous task of trying to change while Will got ready for be in my bathroom. I took a deep breath and sat up, situating my crutches under my arms. I stood up and carefully crutches over to my dresser, attempting to open the drawer. Just then, Hazel walked in with Bella pushing her way through the door. Hazel clucked her tongue and walked over, pulling the dresser drawer out and handing me a pair of pajamas.
"Do you need any help putting these on?" She asked, waving the clothes slightly.
"I don't think so, but if you could help me with my brace, or braces, that would be wonderful," I told her, making my way back to my bed and propping my leg back up.
Hazel came over and immediately began loosening the Velcro on the straps of my ankle brace. Once that was off, she started working on my knee brace. When she was done, I instructed her to turn around as I wiggled my way out of my jeans. I slipped the knee brace back over my leg and tightened it the best I could before sliding on my pajama bottoms.
"Okay, you can turn around now," I told her.
"Well, finally," she teased, "geez grandpa how long does it take you to get your jeans off?"
"Hey, you try taking off skinny jeans with a dislocated knee and a sprained ankle while sitting down."
Hazel laughed and started gently easing my foot back into its brace. I then rolled up my pant leg so she could tighten the one on my knee. When she was finished, she poked me in the side.
I jumped a bit and glared at her. "Don't do that," I scolded. Hazel giggled and kneeled down next to my bed, resting her head on my lap. I kissed her forehead and she closed her eyes, humming a song I didn't recognize.
I heard the bathroom door open after a little while and looked up, nudging Hazel lightly. She opened her eyes but didn't lift her head.
"Hi, Will."
"Hi, Hazel?" Will said, asking for conformation that he got her name right.
Hazel nodded and got up, saying "Well, I'm just going to leave you two to whatever it is boys do at sleepovers," and she walked out, shutting the door with a click.
I tried to quickly change my shirt but it got stuck on my head. I let out a huff of frustration and, after struggling with it for a minute, finally got it to where it was supposed to reside.
"Ready for bed?" I asked Will, who nodded and started looking through his stuff, obviously trying to find something.
"I can't find my sleeping bag," Will said, looking up after a moment.
"That's okay. We can just share my bed," I suggested, trying to keep the butterflies in my stomachs under control. Will looked like he was trying to keep a smile off his face as he climbed over my and pulled the covers back.
I grabbed my crutches and, after encouraging Will to make himself comfortable, made my way over to the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came back, I found Will with his arm around Bella, who had hopped into the bed next to him on top of the covers, sound asleep. I smiled to myself and crutches my way over to my rolling desk chair. I sat down, grabbed my clipboard and pencils and rolled my way over to the bed, propping my foot up on my top of the bed frame when I get there.
I immediately set to work on the drawing. I wanted to get every detail perfect, because that was the only way I could do this flawless boy justice. Will looked so cute, just peacefully sleeping, his hair half buried in dog fur, that I had to resist the urge to kiss his cheek every time I looked up.
I finished the drawing with my curly signature in the bottom right corner, where I signed all my artwork, and slipped the clipboard onto one of the shelves of my nightstand. I wheeled myself back over to my desk, where I left my crutches. After a every exhausting journey back to my bed. I slipped under the covers and fell asleep.
"Nico, hurry up, we're going to miss our flight," Mamma said in a brisk tone. Ten year old me was trying to cram his sketch book and pencil case into a little backpack.
"Here, let me, fratellino," Bianca took the sketch book and pencil case from my hands and expertly slipped them into my bag.
"Ready, Mamma," she called and soon we were at the airport, boarding our plane.
After what seemed like many hours of flying, drawing, and practicing English, we finally heard the pilot's announcement that the plane was going to land. I nervously gripped my mother's hand and looked up at her.
"It will be alright, il mio Tesoro," Mamma said kissing my hand seven times. She always did this. For some reason she thought that seven was a lucky number. I slipped my hand into Bianca's and she smiled down at me.
"Ciao, Be-be," I smiled, swinging my legs.
"Ciao, Gattino," she looked down at me and started swinging her legs too.
There was a big bump and the plane tilted downward. I smiled, thinking it was all part of the fun, but Bianca's and Mamma's faces went white. The plane bumped again and something clattered and all thoughts of this being a game or part of the ride left my mind. I squeezed Mamma's hand tighter and shut my eyes tight and suddenly the plane got very hot and it bumped for the last time before skidding along the pavement. My eyes were still squeezed shut when I felt Mamma's arms around my sister and me and then everything went black.
I woke up in a cold sweat with someone shaking me.
"Nico! Nico, are you ok? Please wake up!" Will's voice cut through the remaining haze of the dream. That's all it was, a dream. But I felt so real.
I reached up and put my hands on top of Will's to let him know I was awake and slowly opened my eyes. I reached up and slipped my arms around Will's neck, hugging him to me. Will hugged me back, pulling me onto his lap slightly. I liked being in Will's lap. It made me feel protected. I let the silent tears fall down my cheeks and felt my body shake with sobs.
"It felt so real," I cried into Will's shoulder. Will just kept rubbing my back and whispering soothing things in my ear.
"Shh, I know. I know. It'll be okay. You'll be okay. I promise. I'll make it better," Will said over and over again. He didn't even know what he was comforting me from but he knew exactly what to say. Will rubbed my back in slow, calming circles and I eventually stopped crying.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled into Will's shirt, now soaked with my tears.
"Why are you sorry? Because you had a nightmare?" Will asked, still rubbing my back.
"And for waking you up, and soaking your shirt and-"
"Shh, it's ok," Will cut me off, "I don't mind."
"Are you sure?" I ask, finally pulling back. I look into his eyes, searching for any hint that he was lying.
"Absolutely positive," Will assured me.
He continued to rub my back for a few more minutes, making me drowsy. I laid my head on Will's shoulder and breathed in the scent of him. He smelled like lilacs and laundry detergent and it was quite calming.
"You should probably go back to sleep, Sunshine," Will whispered after a while.
"Okay," I was too tired to argue so I laid down and flipped over so I could look at Will. He was sitting up against the headboard and humming a tune softly. Will noticed me looking at him and began to sing out loud.
"The sun'll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, come what may. Tomorrow, tomorrow. I love ya tomorrow, you're always a day away," Will repeated the song over and over, rubbing my back until I was asleep. He stopped right before I drifted off completely and kissed my forehead.
"Goodnight, Sunshine," he said before lying down and slipping and arm over me, pulling me into his side.
A/N: OH MY GODS IM SO SORRY. Ok here's my excuse. I was at camp all last week and on vacation all this week and I didn't have any time or motivation to write last week at all because everything was so crazy and this week I didn't have a laptop and I still don't and won't for another week and so I typed most of this on my phone and I'll see what I can do about getting Soldatino as a media on the next chapter but if it doesn't work please look it up because it's a really beautiful song. Well, it's almost two am so I should probably get some sleep.
Goodnight my lovely uNICOrns,
-Queen Liz