New Year's Resolutions

Date: January 1

    Hazel yawned. It was past ten, but she had slept in for a good reason; she had stayed up till midnight alongside her brother. She had invited Frank over, but he had come down with a flu. Hazel hoped he enjoyed the gumbo she had made and sent over to him. Her mother used to make it for her instead of chicken noodle soup whenever she was ill, so Hazel had fond memories of it.

    She texted Frank and got up, changing from her pajamas into jeans and a purple t-shirt. She finger-combed her hair and spread some cream over her locks; her curls often got dry in the winter. By the time she was ready for breakfast, Frank had texted her back, saying he was worse than yesterday and planning to binge-watch the new Peter Johnson series. 

      Hazel ended up going to a park with Will and Nico. It was snowing and they only had two sleds, though Hazel suspected Nico had done that intentionally. She smirked as Will's hand clasped around Nico's waist and both boys blushed.

    They spent half an hour sledding. Hazel enjoyed the thrill of sledding, but nothing could compare to the utter euphoria she felt when she went horseback riding. Well, maybe Frank's kiss might, but horseback riding came close.

    After they made snow angels and Will joked that Nico was a fallen angel, they had a snowball fight. It was nearly three by then and all three of them were shivering. Will told them that they needed to get inside soon to avoid frostbite or hypothermia.

     On the way back to Nico's car, Nico managed to trip over a patch of ice. He went skidding and ended up in a half-frozen pond. The snow crunched beneath Hazel and Will's feet as they ran towards Nico, their rapid breathes making small clouds in the frigid air. Together they pulled Nico out of the pond. He coughed and was soon violently shivering. Hazel removed the soaked coat from Nico's torso, but she kept his wet pants and undershirt on. Will took off his own coat and put it over Nico's slight form. Hazel wrapped her own scarf over Nico's colorless lips; he looked paler than usual. His eyes were closed and his breathing shallow as Hazel and Will carried him to Nico's car.

     After they opened the car door and set Nico down in the back, Hazel started the engine and headed towards the hospital. Will sat in the back beside Nico. He was stroking Nico's hair and checking Nico's pulse.

     "He's still breathing," Will said as Hazel parked outside the hospital.

    The two of them carried Nico between them to the Emergency Room. A nurse named Hygeia soon took Nico back to a room. She checked Nico and gave him blankets  and a warm bottle of water. When Nico woke up, Will nearly crushed him with his hug. Hazel squeezed her brother's hand.

    "I decided what my New Year's Resolution will be," Nico said. "I'll try to avoid getting sent to the ER again this year."

    Will and Hazel laughed. Nico was going to be alright. That was all Hazel wanted right then and she suspected Will felt the same.