Five's A Crowd

forty

"So, the contract, you say," I sigh, wiggling down in my seat, so I can get in an even more comfortable position.

"Mmm," Matteo retaliates, leaning forwards in his chair, and pressing his hands together, so they laze against the table, idly.

"Does anyone want to tell me what part of the contract we'll be discussing?" I ask, sarcastically, rolling my eyes in boredom, even though I have been sitting down for less than a minute.

"Right, well we read through all of the documents you signed, and it appears that you are willing to partake in the required mafia training, as soon as possible," Axel exclaims, with a mischievous smile on his face.

Oh, no. 

"Yeah, and?" I drawl on, waving my hand in the air dismissively.

"You signed the contract, and didn't even look at the activities you'll be partaking in," Levi pipes up calmly, and it's the first time I've heard him speak since I sat down.

Matteo seems to be taking a slightly less calm approach. "That's right, Hazel. You didn't look at the training requirements, so you've signed up for a bunch of things you're not familiar with."

I cock a single eyebrow at my older brother. So what? I can learn things fast. Everything will be fine.

"Ze, you don't understand what you have to do to prove yourself," Chase suddenly exclaims, as he walks down the stairs, where I was standing only a couple of minutes prior. 

"What do I have to do, to prove myself?" I question and feel like laughing since my brothers are drawling on about stupid matters.

I only want to listen to the juicy stuff.

"Most of the training revolves around shooting and accuracy. Most of the time, the final test we do, to see whether a person can join our mafia, is shooting a person with the intention to kill," Matteo explains slowly, as his eyes bore into mine, trying to gauge the reaction that will follow his words.

As my big brother probably anticipated, my eyes widen dramatically, and if this wasn't such a serious situation, it would probably be comical.

"Kill someone!?" I stutter out in a quiet voice.

I'm now a shell of what I was a couple of seconds ago and have turned into the same little girl that lived with her mother. The same mother that got killed by a bullet through the head a couple of months ago.

And I wish to avenge her death, however, that's not the reason I'm joining my brothers' mafia. No, I plan on independence, throughout my life, and if this is a way to prove it, then so it shall be.

"Yes, Ze. The requirement to pass the final stage of training is to take someone's life, or at least attempt to do it. However, since you're our sister and have an unfortunate experience with bullets, and guns in your family members' heads, you won't have to take part in that activity," Levi says to me, gently, as a small smile curves against his lips. 

I can feel the sigh of relief that leaves me at the prospect of not having to kill someone, just to pass a stupid training course. But suddenly a thought intrudes my brain.

"So does that mean that you've all killed at least 1 person, during your training times?" I ask, in shock, trying to fathom the fact that my kind brothers have killed people, just to complete some silly training exercise. 

Well, I can imagine Charlie and Axe doing it, but not the rest of them. Okay, maybe Matteo as well, but that's all. 

"Not exactly," my oldest brother mentions, and his eyes become distant as if he's looking back at an ancient memory. "Dad used to make us kill 3 people, but the twins only lived under the rein of 1 dead person."

"Yeah, and we both got perfect shots. In between the eyebrows," Charlie exclaims excitedly as if he's talking about a new toy he got from Christmas and not the kill count he has. 

"Dad made it 3 people?" I whisper quietly like the accusation is inane, but I know that it is definitely true. 

"He sure did. Recently though, we have had a lead on his whereabouts. So who knows? Maybe you'll be able to ask him about this all, on your own. I'm sure that he'd be more than happy to answer your questions," Axels says softly, smiling softly at the thought of seeing his father again. 

Even though my brothers pretend to be tough and scary, I know that they are big softies on the inside. 

"Okay Hazel, you are dismissed, but remember to check what you're reading carefully next time before you place your signature underneath it." Matteo offers me a calculating look, and I don't respond, instead giving him a bored expression. 

When my oldest brother finally nods, I scurry off, and run back to my bedroom. Underneath my bed, the phone still lays silently, but flashes open when I receive a text message.

I furrow my eyebrows, and peel the phone off the floor. My eyes dart across the screen as I read the written words, before a gasp leaves my mouth, and I drop the phone, with a loud 'clank.'

How could anyone have gotten my number?

The only people who have it are Dolly, my brothers and Adrian.

So who's this?

Or the more important question is, what do they want with me?

I read the text through another time, checking to see if I interpreted it correctly, only to not my head in affirmation. 

It says: 'I thought you might me missing me. So I'd just like to remind you to stay away from your so called tough hockey boy. Wouldn't like him to end up missing.'

The contact is unknown, and there's no way for me to track the phone.

Suddenly, a new message flicks across the screen, and when I squint my eyes, I notice that it's a picture of me and Adrian at the ice cream store earlier today.

I'm laughing, while Adrian is running after me.

Whoever is sending this, isn't making my day.

A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for reading. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE, COMMENT, AND READ WHEN I GET A CHAPTER OUT TOMORROW. I have a plan for where this book is going, I just need a little support. Also, thank you very much for 18700 reads and 978 votes (I know that it's not a lot,) but to me, it means the world. Keep slaying in life, and I will see you tomorrow night- or day depending on where you live- when I update tomorrow. Bye <3