Within The Bonds

73: Cranberry Fruit Punch

"You know we're going to be throwing a party at my place next weekend, it would be great if you could make it." The other girl adds making me clench my fist as my brows creased in irritation.

'Can't these two get a hint?!'

"Ignore them," he suggests using his thumb to ease out the creases on my forehead as we lightly sway to the music taking occasional sips of our drinks.

"We could even-"

"Can't you two just take a hint and fuck off?" I snap cutting the pixie cut girl off mid-sentence.

"Who the fuck are you to tell me to fuck off," she sneers at me taking a treating step forward.

Alessandro immediately goes rigid beside me, his jaw clenches--which I find incredibly hot--as his hold on my waist tightens, but not enough to hurt me.

Rubbing soothing circles on the top of his hand that's around my waist, I wordless urge him to calm down and he does eventually. His impassive gaze softens as he shifts them to face me, offering him a small smile he mirrors my expression before turning to face them with a hardened expression once again.

"Well for one you are standing in my house giving me enough reason and authority to tell you to fuck off," I retort in an icy tone catching her by surprise.

Both their eyes widen in shock at my declaration, "you're Astoria Santos?" The one in the skater dress questions, nervousness evident by her shaky voice.

"No, I'm Jack Santos," I retort sarcastically rolling my eyes at their pathetic state. "Can you just leave us already?" I add curtly, fed up with them constantly checking Alessandro out.

Grabbing a hold of Alessandro's wrist when I see them make no move to leave, I pull him along with me while I visually scan the room for another quiet spot where we can be by ourselves.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Alessandro mumble into my ear, pulling me back to his side with his right hand resting on the small of my back as we maneuver our way through the wild crowd.

Moving to the next room in search of a less populated room, we have no such luck. "How about we go to the pond?" I suggest turning my head so that my lips are closer to his ear.

"Sure," he agrees and pushing past the sweat-drenched dancing bodies we make our way towards the sliding window that leads to the patio.

Stepping out of the half-open window, we're finally able to breathe air that isn't permeated with the stench of alcohol, sweat, and other bodily fluids. Sighing in relief, I scan my backyard for drunken teens and even find some in the far corners of the property, but thankfully nowhere near my pond.

"Come on," he urges, tugging at our interlocked hand snapping me out of my thoughts.

Racing towards the pond with excitement coursing through my veins, flashes of our previous encounter here, curve my lips into a fond smile. "Reminiscing Daffy?" He enquires giving me a knowing look, referring to our previous encounter here.

"Yeah," I breathe out, standing beside him at the edge of the pond observing the peaceful-looking ducks. The area untouched by the blaring music that's blasting through the mansion.

Claiming the rocks encompassing the pond, we get comfortable. The smell of fresh grass invades my senses as it laces itself with a hint of Alessandro's cologne drawing me even closer to him before I realize it.

"What the fuck is going on there?!" Shouts a familiar voice, disrupting the tranquillity and calmness of the air.

Startled by the sudden intrusion I almost fall of the rock I'm sitting on, but Alessandro grabs a hold of my hand in the nick of the moment, but my now almost empty glass of cranberry punch doesn't make it.

"Thanks," I mumble in gratitude to him, jumping to my feet to face a very pissed-off Jack.

"What's your problem, Jack?" I hiss at my older brother eyeing the red liquid that has now tinted our ever-green lawn.

"What the fuck are you doing here with my little sister Genovese?" Jack growls his fist and jaw clenched as his eyes flame up in rage, his demeanor livid.

"Will you just calm down?" I interject in attempts to diffuse the situation and most impotently break their heated staredown.

"I'll deal with you later," he grits out directing his furious gaze towards me for a fleeting moment.

"Excuse me?" I retort not at all happy with his tone. "Deal with me later?" I scoff, "who the hell do you think you are?" I scowl feeling my own rage surfacing.

"The one in charge right now. And don't you even think about cussing at me again," he grits through his clenched teeth daring me to say otherwise.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes, that's when I see two silhouettes lingering behind the patio wall. The shimmer on one of their dresses immediately reveals their identities, causing my fury to only increase.

"Oh, so what exactly did your snitches tell you?" I question with my hand crossed firmly across my chest.

"That's none of your business," he retorts.

"Well, if it's me they are snitching on, it damn well becomes my business," I argue.

"Jack, just calm down, man. You don't want to say something you might regret later," Alessandro suggests with authority evident in his tone, his tone calm as the sea before the storm and his gaze impassive leaving me with no clue to his emotions.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down, when I find you and my kid sister alone out here getting all cozy with each other!" he snaps.

"Who I get cozy with is none of your goddamn business!" I yell my rage now uncontrollable.

"I'll handle you later," he declares directing his words towards Alessandro and then he turns to face me. "You are coming with me," he says leaving room for argument pointing his index finger at me.

"I'm not going anywhere," I assert.

"Astoria don't aggravate the situation any more than you already have," he warns, but my rage clouds my judgment letting his warning fall on deaf ears.

His eyes narrow as his anger only intensifies, taking a treating step forward he moves to grab my wrist, but is stopped when Alessandro grabs a hold of his hand before he can reach mine.

"Don't." That is all Alessandro says, in a firm tone, but this only exacerbates the already heated situation and before I know it punches are being delivered by each of them.

Watching the exchange with a dread-filled gaze, I try to interject and stop this madness but with their speed and agility, it's almost impossible to step in. A crowd soon starts to assemble with people chanting 'Fight!' 'Fight!' as they hoot and scream with each punch delivered.

Inching closer by the second as the fight prolongs, the crowd makes breathing a strenuous task. The air densely permeated with the pungent smell of alcohol and BO, with the heat in the atmosphere around me intensifying.

All these factors only seem to worsen my condition as a brew of anger and worry causes my head to spin. My eyes start to sting will the invading lights of the flashlights emitted by the cameras of the teens capturing the fight in video.

Slowly my vision starts to blur too as my headache intensifies and before I know it, I start to see blackspot invading my vision before completely being surrounded by pitch-black darkness with a faintly audible voice muttering something incoherent.

Why do I feel numb?

Author's Note:

A little late so here's an extra-long update...I think this is one of the longest chapters I've ever written!

Leave your thoughts in the comments and don't forget to hit the start and vote on your way out!

Thanks for reading!

~Kia