Chapter 3
I was making dinner, while Hazel was talking excitedly to her friends about what their college lives are gonna be over the phone. I was just about to call Will to check if he was coming for dinner, when my cellphone buzzed. I smiled at the caller ID.
"I was just about to call you," I said into the phone.
"Awww you thought about me. " the annoying voice of Will's fire fighter friend came from the other end. I could hear Will asking Leo to give him back his phone.
"Can I talk to Will?"
Leo laughed. I imagined Will trying to reach for the phone, but Leo dunking down out of his reach. Hazel came up from behind me and took a piece of tomato.
"Your significant annoyance told me you were cooking." I could hear Will in the background telling Leo to stop, "And he also invited me over."
"He invited you over?" I repeated slowly.
"Who invited who over?" Hazel asked me, as she took another piece of tomato.
"Yeah. In case you burn something. " I could hear a rustling of the phone. I waited for few seconds to hear Will's cheery voice. "Hey, sunshine!" I could hear Leo in the background asking if Will was in trouble.
"Will. You know Reyna is coming over tonight?"
"Yeah, I know, but he will behave. Won't you, Leo?" Leo in the background swore on his mother's grave.
"Who's coming over?" Hazel asked me again, listening in on my conversation.
I held up a finger to Hazel, "Remember last time when those two were together in a room? Leo almost burnt down a house."
In the background, Leo yelled something in his defence.
"I remember clearly. I was in that house. But listen, I was thinking we could get them together. Make them be civilised. Just before the wedding? I mean we do have to pay for any damages if they occur, and..."
"Leo's coming?" Hazel asked, I nodded.
"You couldn't give me a heads up?" I sighed, "Fine, he can come over. BUT no cop jokes, no hitting on Reyna or asking for Hilla's number. I'll talk to Reyna."
"Thank you. We'll be there in... half an hour or so."
"Can you stop by the store, on your way. I think I forgot my charger in the back."
"Yeah, no problem. Love you."
"Love you too."
After the line went dead, I dialed Reyna to tell her what to expect. Hazel helped me with the salad. Reyna was first to arrive. Her hair was braided to the side, she still had her badge around her neck and her police issued guns around her waist.
"Hi, Nico, Hazel. Are Will and imp here yet or?"
"Still on their way." Hazel said. She was bouncing on the heels of her feet. Reyna noticed and smiled at her, "I hear congratulations are in order. Hazel, I am so proud of you!" The two girls hugged. Hazel squealed into the hug.
Will and Leo arrived few minutes later. Will picked Hazel up and twirled her around. Leo awkwardly congratulated her with a fist bump. Leo and Reyna behaved, civilsed. Leo refrained from telling stupid cop jokes, Reyna didn't poke fun at fire fighters. Most of the dinner the two pretended they weren't a cop and a fire fighter. The conversation revolved mostly around Hazel's college and our wedding plans. Will gave me a reassuring smile from across the table. I was content at that moment. My sister got into college of her choice. I was having dinner with my fiance and best friend, and also my fiance's close friend. We were having fun, drinking whine, telling jokes. All that normal stuff. And of course right then is a perfect time for a ghost to send me a message.
I felt cold and numb. I dropped my whine glass, spilling the red whine on the table and floor. I had the same feeling of being alone and cold like when I had the vision of being drowned. Then I saw a clear symbol infront of me. It was like a deformed F. When I came to all eyes were on me. Hazel, Will and Reyna gave me a look, silently asking if I saw something. I didn't want to talk about ghosts infront of Leo so I quickly made a joke about my clumsy fingers, and excused myself to fetch a cloth. Hazel followed me.
"Nico? Are you okay?", she asked once the kitchen doors were closed.
"Yeah. Can you find me a pen and something to write on? " I asked her. She nodded and quickly got me what I needed. I drew the symbol I saw and put the piece of paper in my pocket, making a mental note to go to Jason first thing in the morning.
When I went back out, I could tell Will and Reyna wanted to question what I've seen. Will had gotten all the glass pieces and threw them away. Reyna knew about my ability when I started showing up at the police station, either to look for information about gruesome murders, or to point them into a direction where they could find a body. At first she tought I was playing to her fear of ghosts, but she came around. Now that we were best friends she was less afraid of the afterlife.
When they were leaving Leo promised me he would organise an awesome bachelor party for me and/or Will, if we'd give him a chance.