His Obligation (Under Reconstruction)

Chapter Eleven

I toss the book I was reading on the coffee table and text Caroline. It's no point in spending a Friday night alone when my parents aren't home. She automatically responds and I smile. I tell her to come over and bring snacks, we are having a girls night. This is what I need. No school, no boys, no anything just us.

Approximately fifteen minutes and three burnt bags of popcorn later, there's a knock at the door. I run from the kitchen and check the peep hole before opening the door. Caroline sticks her nose up to the hole and smiles. I laugh and open the door. She's wearing a grey onesie with...panda ears attached to it?

"What are you wearing?" I laugh and she looks down at her outfit. It even has little panda bears on the feet.

"Hi to you too, and in my defense when you called me I was in the middle of a very heated discussion with a hot guy in the bathtub." She points a finger in my face and I laugh. I never know what she's talking about.

"Hi Caroline and what could you possibly be having a discussion about in the bathtub?" She looks at me like I've just grown two heads and hugs me.

"Oh Rachel. You have so much to learn." I push her off and pull her inside.

Over the next four hours we managed to scarf down all the snacks that Caroline brought and watch four movies. In between the movies we listened to music and talked. I haven't had this much fun since ever. I don't even tear up at the thought. Pathetic, I know.

"You've never had a sleep over before?" Caroline asks and squirts whip cream in her mouth.

"Nope. I never really had a lot of friends growing up." I take the whip cream and squirt some in mouth.

"Really? But you're freaking gorgeous! You could be a Victoria Secret Model!" I laugh at that and choke on whipped cream.

"Yeah okay." I wipe the cream off my face.

"I'm serious. You have a great figure-you know what let's have a photo shoot!" She squeals. I quickly shake my head no.

"No-"

"Aw come on it'll be fun! Let loose have a good time." She gives me the puppy dog eyes and shakes my shoulders. I drop my head and sigh in defeat.

I point an accusing finger at her, "fine, but we'll use my Polaroid to avoid anything being posted online."

"Okay," she cheeses.

I run up the stairs and into my room to look for my camera. I can't believe I agreed to this. I open one of the boxes next to my closet and dig around for my camera. I should really start unpacking. My arm hits something and I pull it out.

"Bingo," I smirk.

I open my closet doors to look for some outfits to throw on and pick out three each. She looks like she's the same weight as me. Oh well. I grab some film and rush down the steps.

"Okay Car I'm ready!" I'm actually excited about this. My smile drops when I see the front door open and Caroline talking to someone. She giggles and brushes her hair behind her shoulder. I look over to the clock in the living room. 11:30. "Who could be showing up at my door this late?"

"Hey Car who's at the do-or?" I push the door back to reveal Damian. As in Damian Castellano. My heart stops.

"W-what are you doing here?" I force out. I don't know if I should be happy or creeped out that he came looking for me.

"Rachel, you didn't tell me you were seeing someone." Caroline giggles. What? My eyes don't move from him.

"That's because I'm not. Caroline could you give us a moment?" I don't turn my head to look at her. She nods in understanding and turns to Damian.

"It was nice to meet you..."

"Damian." He gives her an award winning smile and I internally scoff. Caroline giggles and extends her hand.

"Caroline." He takes her hand and gives it a firm shake. She turns to me, but my eyes don't move from Castellano's. He has a lot of explaining to do. Let's start with how the hell he know's where I live.

"I'll take these." She takes the pile of clothes out my hands and walks to the living room. I push past Damian and close the door.

"How did you know where I lived?" I whisper angrily and walk over to the steps and then turn to look at him. He's already staring at me. There's an indefinable expression on his face.

"We both know you know the answer to that, piccolo." Here we go again with the piccolo thing. What does that even mean? I shake my head.

"I'm serious. You can't just show up here anytime you want, especially not this late. What if my parents were home?"

He doesn't answer, instead he makes his way over to me and ever so slowly pushes a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I force myself not to lean into his touch when his fingers linger for a little too long and push his hand away.

"Are you even listening?" I back away from him and his face hardens.

"Who was that guy that was touching you earlier?" Of course he wasn't listening. I take another step back.

"A friend. Now why are you here?" I sigh.

"Friends don't touch each other the way he touched you." His voice is filled with so much venom. Is he jealous?

"Wh- why do you even care?" He let me leave without uttering a single word to me and now he's being all overprotective.

"I-you can't trust him." He spits out and walks over to me.

"Why? He's a really nice guy and he hasn't tried anything." I argue.

"That doesn't mean he won't." He counters.

"Is this what you came here for? To dig on me about another guy? Seriously?" I shake my head and turn to look at the neighbors unloading their car. He stands in back of me.

"No-"

"Then why are you here?" I don't turn to face him.

"Becaus-"I don't let him finish.

"Because what?" I don't have to face him to know his jaw is clenching. I bend over the railing and continue to watch my neighbors. How haven't they finished unloading yet? He groans and then speaks.

"Non avete idea di quanto male voglio avere la mia strada con. Perché devi sempre discutere-" What the hell?

"English dammit. You know I don't understand Italian." I snap.

He grips my waist and turns me around to face him. A whimper accidentally leaves my lips and he stares down at them. If it's possible, his eyes turn even darker than they were before. His jaw clenches so tight that his throat pulsates. He takes a sharp inhale and speaks.

"I said, must you always have to argue with me, I'm trying to protect you piccolo." I frown and look at the buttons on his shirt. He's still wearing a suit. I swear this man owns nothing else.

"Then tell me what you know." I whisper. If anyone else was standing around I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to hear me. I play with the buttons on his shirt. I can feel his eyes burning a hole through my skull. I look back up at him and whisper again with a frown.

"Stop shutting me out."

His eyes soften and he opens his mouth to say something when a vibration comes from his jacket pocket. I look down and he answers it. Something in me breaks.

"What? Well did you talk to him- I'll be there in ten minutes."He ends the call and I back away from him, but he grabs my wrist. I look down at where our bodies connect. He forces me to look up at him.

"Hey, this isn't over. Remember what I said." I nod and he drops his hand. That warm feeling goes away again. I turn to open the door and he walks down the steps. I turn to look at him one last time, but he's gone. I bring my hand up to feel where he just touched.

When did I become so needy of one persons touch?