Celia

20 The Gang Set Us Up

Celia

I like to think of myself as an intelligent woman.

But as I lie in my bed on a Friday night, I find myself waiting for Gio to show up with a grand apology.

Maybe on his bike, a helmet in his hand, fingers treading through his hair as he looks up at me and says, 'want to go for a ride?'

Then I refuse, but he puts me on his bike anyway and rides off somewhere, going fast and demanding, brutal and unapologetic, until I lose the ability to breathe and think and I forget what I was even mad about.

Is that too much to ask for?

I mean, I guess it's kind of him to not want to put me in danger, I get why he wouldn't want me involved in an illegal business.

But at this point, I'm going to need a jack-hammer for the walls he puts up, because every time I break one down, he builds a new one.

Whatever. Fuck him. I'm not interested.

My dad's coming back Sunday afternoon, so someone else is running the church sermon for him. My grandma's knees are in severe pain and my fingertips are sore from of us having worked all Saturday with trimming and collecting herbs.

We're sitting on the last aisle instead of the window, because I didn't want her to walk too far. Chanel's at the front, yet her strong perfume is like a punch to the nose. The worst part is that it's insanely hot and humid today, so overall, I'm not in the best mood.

Suddenly Gio's gang enters the church. Like a scene from a movie in a slow motion and the sunlight behind them as everyone turns and looks.

Gio's in a white button-down tucked into black pants, sleeves rolled around inked forearms with wind-tousled hair. Ari's in a white dress with a ballerina bun, shyly waving at Liam.

Then Chase with sunglasses on his forehead, winking and blowing a kiss at one of the housewives as he passes them by. Oscar just in awe of the architecture, secretly taking pictures with his phone.

Arthur waves them over from the front, the same aisle as Chanel. Gio is about to nod when he notices me from the corner of his eye. I look away, embarrassed for sitting like lonely outcasts while every aisle is full of murmuring friends.

But I don't get a chance to dwell because he sits beside me with the crew by his side.

I turn with an unmasked surprise and he gives me a smile that's both playful and gentle.

"Good morning," he says quietly as the sermon begins and everyone opens their Bibles.

"Morning..." I mumble. Even in this position, I need to look up into his eyes. His presence is overpowering.

"Morning, kitten!" Chase whispers aggressively, then bends across Gio and me to shake my grandma's hand. "Good morning, I'm Chase!"

"Good morning, I'm Marilyn," my grandma chuckles, placing her weary hand in his.

"Okay." Gio pulls Chase's arm away that was in front of my chest.

"We'll talk later!" he whispers, leaning back with a sheepish grin.

"New friends?" Marilyn asks, snorting when I roll my eyes. "I'll take that as a yes."

"What page?" Oscar asks me, holding a Bible and a notebook. I scowl at him, showing my empty lap. Chase raises his hand to ask the pastor, but Gio quickly pulls him down.