Boys Like Boys [Nico di Angelo]

chapter two

A knock on my door threw me out of my daydream. I looked over at the plain brown wood.

"Come in," I called. The door opened and Veda walked in with a whole new set of flowers for my flower pots.

"What kind are those?" I asked and she smiled.

"They're the Star of Bethelehem. They resemble hope. I think you need something hopeful in your life," she smiled.

"Gee thanks," I replied sarcastically.

"You're a gloomy person. This should brighten up the room a bit," she potted them and watered them, grinning and making small conversation with me as she did so. "Have you ever considered learning the Greek language?"

"What's the point? I'm never going to Greece."

"What's the point of learning Italian, French, German and Latin? You're never going to Italy, or France, or Germany, and what even is the point of the Latin language?" she rolled her eyes and smiled gracefully at me.

"Many Latin terms are used in science and such. It's good to know them."

"Alrighty then, sunshine. But what's the point of German, Italian and French?"

"They're fun to learn. I like learning languages. Richtet nicht." I replied and she rolled her eyes

"I don't even know that that means," she muttered.

"It's German for 'don't judge'," I laughed. She pulled away, the flower potting done.

"I'm done with your flowers. It looks very pretty in here."

"Yes, muy bonita," I agreed and she rolled her eyes.

"Stop speaking so many different languages."

"How am I supposed to remember them if I don't speak them?" I asked and she huffed.

"Well, can you help me with my French homework then?" she looked at me hopefully.

"Bien sûr," I answered (which means: 'of course') and she grinned.

"Thank you."

---

That night, I fell into a deep sleep and had the scariest nightmare in my entire life.

'Cal, help!' I heard someone cry. Their voice was extremely familiar. My nickname is Cal. Why is my nickname Cal? 'Please,' they cried out in a broken voice and I looked around helplessly, but it was too dark to see anything. A piercing scream carried through the air and I ran towards it, hoping to find the person screaming my name.

'You'll never get them,' a voice called. 'It's too late. They're already dead.'

The lights came on and around me, dead bodies were scattered, each and every one of them familiar to see.

'It's all your fault, child. You killed them,' the voice rumbled again.

'No I didn't!' I said, defending myself. That's when I noticed the black smoke that was curling around everyone.

'It's your fault. It's all your fault!' halfway through the voice yelling at me, the voice changed. It was now a person that sounded so familiar, yet I couldn't place it. 'Why did you do this to us, Cal? We were perfect, you tore us apart!' it cried, the pain clear in its voice.

'I-I'm sorry,' I stuttered out, my stomach in knots as an emotional force squeezed my heart.

'We were perfect, Cal,' the voice whispered, now fading away. 'You destroyed us.'

'No! No, come back, I'm sorry! I'll fix this! I-I'll fix this, I promise!'

'It's too late,' a different familiar voice called and I turned around. The figure was shrouded in darkness except for their blue eyes, but they weren't cold like Bobby's. They were a soft sky blue. 'You destroyed everything, Calum. You can't fix this,' it's voice was broken.

I reached out to grab him, to apologize, to beg for forgiveness, but as I touched him, the life faded from his blue eyes and he fell down, dead.

'No!' I cried out, sobbing as I realized what I had done.

'You killed us,' a voice called.

'You murderer!' another yelled.

'You're a monster!'

Several familiar voices chorused into an eruption of name calling and screaming that it was my fault. I covered my ears and sobbed.

'I'm sorry!' I screamed, falling to my knees as tears rolled down my cheeks. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!'-

"Calum, wake up!" My mother screamed and I sat up instantly, looking around. No dead bodies. No black smoke.

No one was dead.

Except the pretty Star of Bethlehem's. They were all wilted.

"You were having a nightmare," Veda said, staring at me apologetically. "Are you okay?"

"H-How did the flowers die?" I asked, trembling as I curled into a ball and wiped my cheeks.

"Right as I walked in, they wilted. You must've been under a lot of stress," Veda answered. "I'll bring you new ones tomorrow. You should go back to sleep."

I looked over at my bedside table and realized it was two in the morning.

"I'm sorry for waking you up," I said and my mom smiled softly.

"It's alright, honey. Just go back to sleep, okay?" my mom muttered.

"O-okay."

"Goodnight, honey," she whispered and walked out.

Veda stood up.

"If you ever need to talk, Calum, I'm here," she said and I nodded.

"Can you...can you sing to me?" I asked and she sat on the foot of my bed.

"I don't think I can."

"I heard you singing in your room a few days ago. You're really good."

"Thanks, Calum. I'll sing if you want," she scooted closer and took a deep breath.

"Wandering child of the earth
Do you know just how much you're worth?
You have walked this path since your birth
You were destined for more

There are those who'll tell you you're wrong
They will try to to silence your song
But right here is where you belong
So don't search anymore

You are the dawn of a new day that's waking
A masterpiece still in the making
The blue in an ocean of grey
You are right where you need to be
Poised to inspire and to succeed
You'll look back and you'll realize one day..." she sung and I slipped into slumber once again.

(A/N: IM SO EMOTIONAL I DIDNT THINK ANYONE WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO LIKE THIS STORY)