Viciously in Love

Twelve.

Song for this chapter: Rescue Me - OneRepublic

   I put my hands around my waist trying to ameliorate the pain, but nothing. I look up from my laptop look around the walls hoping that I will miraculously stop laughing.

"You should've been there. I really thought your father will start kicking his ass."

Says Lucca making me laugh even harder.

"Shut up. I'm begging you. Shut up." I say wiping my tears off.

   He laughs again and raises his hands meaning he gives up. It takes us a couple of minutes and a few more rounds of laughter but eventually we stop giggling.

"Enough about us. I want to hear about you. How are things there? Did you make friends? How's the family you're staying at? I hope everything's good, otherwise I will have to take the next plane so I can offer them lecture à la Danieli." he says making me laugh again. God, I miss him so much!

"Everything's good. I did make a few friends. They're great. I've even been to a party." I say and he raises his eyebrows shocked.

"Way to go, Danieli! Be a fucking bad girl!"

I burst laughing again and he laughs so hard he starts to snore, which makes things worse.

   This. This is how I want things to be. Even if I miss them like hell. I want them happy. I want us to be able to make jokes about it. Which is why I won't tell them the bad parts. They don't need to know that. They don't need to worry about that. It's my life. These are my problems.

   Jake and I have been avoiding each other since our last fight. Our rides to school and back home are quiet. No one says anything. We don't even look at each other. I once asked Nate to give me a ride but Liz asked too many questions. Questions I didn't have the answers to; or I simply didn't have the guts to say them out loud. I hate lying to her. But I just know she'll end up hurting again.

   "And? You didn't say anything about the people you're living with. How's William?" he adds making me frown. 

"Warren." I correct him. I really don't want to talk about it. He can tell when I lie.

"Warren. Right. So?"

"Everything's great. Liz is amazing. She's so thoughtful and kind. I love her." I smile. It's true. She really is great.

"Ok... but didn't you say she has a son? About our age?" he asks raising his eyebrows again. He's getting suspicious.

"Yeah."

   "And? How are things with him and why are you being so weird about it?"

   "He's not important. And I'm not being weird." I smile and raise my shoulders trying my best to convince him. We're on different continents and he can still tell when I lie.

   "Nicole Alma Danieli." he says frowning and looking at me like I am in trouble.

   Fuck!

"I hate him! Ok?" I say almost yelling. "Are you happy now? He's a horrible person. And I can't understand how a person like him can be related to someone like Liz. He's an ass. He's so arrogant and stubborn, irrational and... He's an idiot!" I yell again.

I lay down and look up at the ceiling trying to calm down, but I hear Lucca laugh and I get even more pissed. 

   "What the hell is so funny?" I ask him getting up again.

"You." he answers still laughing. "You're so dramatic."

   "What? Me? Dramatic?" I burst.

"Yes. You. Dramatic." he continues laughing. "Why are you giving this guy so much attention? You said you hate him... Then just ignore him. Don't waist your time with this kind of people. It's toxic."

"I wish it were that simple." I sigh. "We live together. We go to school together. Liz keeps asking me a lot of questions because she is so thoughtful and cares a lot about me and she doesn't want me to get hurt by her idiot son. I can't just tell her that her son is an ass."

Lucca laughs again and I make faces at him. I know he thinks I'm just being dramatic... But Jake is the exact type of person he used to try to keep me away from. He would hate him. Just like I do.