ALESSANDRO: Book 3 of The De Luca Brothers Series [COMPLETED]

17:

"Did you hear what happened?"—"It was apparently really bad, like from a horror film"—"heard he fell of that balcony"—"suicide?"—"someone pushed him!"—"that dodgy balcony?"—"knocked unconscious"—"under the influence"—"yeah that dodgy one nobody goes to"—"wonder why he jumped"—"I hope he didn't"—"what a waste of eye candy"—"he's now a vegetable"—"I wonder if Toro will replace him—"

"He's fine guys, he's just in the medical wing."

My head snaps up from my bowl of cereal to the bitchy red head from the other day. Adelaide? Amy? Ash? Whatever it was, she stands confidently at the dining room door at the head of the long table, hands on her hips and a knowing grin on her glossy lips. She wears a pair of high waisted shorts, Dr. Martens, crop top and a denim jacket over.

"How do you know?" Asks a buff guy with tattoos, skinhead and beady brown eyes.

"Since I was the one who found him."

"How did you find him?" Asks a random brunette.

She furrows her brows, "I just did, ok? Haven't you heard of wandering?"

Seems pretty suspicious to me, I sip my orange juice before finishing, swiftly standing up with plates in hands to move out of the room.

"Hey Angel?" Comes Audrey.

"Yes Alexis?"

She scolds, "It's Ashley. Where were you last night? Seems pretty suspicious that you weren't in your room on the night of the accident."

"Haven't you heard of wandering?" I throw back at her and saunter out of the room, the light chuckles greeting my ears, sending a prideful tingle down my spine. Dropping my plates off at the appropriate area before slipping out of the public area, pulling out my pack of cigarettes just as I exit to the garden. With shaky hands I light the cig and quickly put it to my lip, taking a lungful of nicotine. The buzz soothes my nerves as I exhale slowly, a grey cloud forming from my parted lips.

"Angel!" Exclaims Chloe, rushing from the interior of the house to my side. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Oh?" I ask, taking another nervous puff.

"It's about the offer you made yesterday," she explains. "I want to take you up on it."

"Well aren't I surprised."

"I know, it's totally unlike me," she shrugs off. "But I need to get Gufo's attention, since I tried talking to him last night about mutual parenting, your offer seems like the stupidest but most eye-catching option."

"You're turning to the dark side."

"I—well—yes. Yes I am," she nods to herself. "I have a schedule regarding Dylan, Leone already said he wants to spend more time with her so he can help out. Especially since our doctor told him he has to take time off."

"Um, Leone? Seriously? Why can't Topo help out?"

"Topo and Toro said no for tonight claiming they have something on. I'm sorry I have to thrust this on you, I just think as the calm before the storm... I want to do this for myself."

I exhale yet another puff and allow the cig to fall, treading on it, "Liking the self love thing you're going for."

She beams, "I guess."

"Right I don't mind tonight, it's not like I have much on after last time. So I'll take Dyl Dyl, if Leone tags along he tags along."

My mind races at the thought of him, the way his lips touched mine and a million fireworks exploded on impact, the sheer sensation of our kiss is unimaginable, unexplainable- unwanted. A thousand things could go wrong, only the idea of the small chance of something going right is more addictive than my cigarettes.

"Your stink of smoke, get a shower before this evening please."

I nod, "Do you need help with what you're going to wear tonight?"

"I was planning on going shopping actually."

I smirk, "We're going to make him wish he didn't stop trying."

—•—

Chloe walks out of her en suite in a short, body con emerald piece with a pair of small heels, clutch and curled hair. The ombré has since dispersed leaving her to her natural brunette root, a smokey gold eye compliments her hazel irises whilst her small, plump lips are painted with a nude. Bracelets adorn her wrist, a simple silver chain decorated her neck whilst small diamond studs are glistening in her ears.

I whistle, "Damn."

She flushed red and glances at Dylan, nibbling her bottom lip pensively, "This was a mistake."

"No, no it wasn't," I reprimand. "No going back now."

"Gufo isn't going to be impressed. This is so out of character for me, I just don't know whether I should just shut up and give him the cold shoulder or pretend like nothings wrong."

"Neither," I grip her shoulder's tightly and peer into her stressed eyes, trouble bubbling beneath the surface. "You are going to go out, have fun, forget that you're a mother and remember that you are in your early twenties."

"But partying alone is a little sad, don't you think?"

"Hence why we're here," Topo tugs Toro into the room with a beaming smile. "It's date night anyway and I was getting a little bored of dinner dates and cinemas."

Toro scolds.

"So I decided 'hey, why not party?' And when Angel told me about your plans I put two and two together and BOOM! We have ourselves a little gathering."

Chloe has a small smile, wrapping me in a hug engulfing me in a pleasant perfume, "Thank you."

"No need, go have fun, Dylan and I are going to have the time of our lives aren't we Dyl Dyl?"

"Yup, yup, yup," she nods repeatedly. "Fun, fun, fun."

"Okay," Chloe breathes sending me one last grateful smile before locking arms with Topo, whispering something in his ear which he giggles at. Toro purses his lips and holds the door open for the two of them, allowing the chuckling friends to exit before continuing out.

I turn to the little girl sat at the centre of her mum's bed, "You prepared to have the time of your life?"

"Yup, yup, yup!"