•|Their Joy|•

7.

She strolled inside the living room with her eyes roaming around the architecture and then at the curious eyes of her brothers.

She took a deep breath and then exploded, "You guys left me outside?!!"

Leo answered calmly. "We didn't leave you outside, bambina."

"Leo, stop cursing me! And you guys did leave me outside. And because of that I, couldn't even tie my laces. Which, by the way, I don't know how to tie." She whispered the last part.

Antonio chuckled and motioned her to sit beside him. "Don't laugh Antonio, I'm just 13. How much do you want me to learn in just 13 years?"

"Tying laces took only a day or so." Alexander retorted with a laugh.

"Then you shouldn't be the one talking, Alex," Alessandro, smirked.

"You took a whole year to learn that." And she erupted in loud giggles. Antonio bends down to tie her laces when she stopped him.

"Oh, don't tie my laces now. We are already at home."

Home. The word is foreign to the boys. An ugly yet soothing feeling erupted in the pit of their hearts.

Suddenly, the same petite women descend from the stairs with her arm hooked around a tall yet old man.

The Old couple strolled inside the living room where their grandchildren were engaging.

Leo stood up and so, does the rest when they saw their grandparents entering. "Hello, grandma." Leo's voice was deep with a hint of warmness.

The boys hugged their grandparents while Allegra looked at the antique piece sitting at the side table.

Must have cost them a fortune. Allegra thought while skimping her finger over it.

"Allegra." She jumped but turned around to face her family.

"Oh, hello. I'm Allegra, the one and only. Nice to meet you." She flipped her hair with a giggle but widened her eyes when she saw the old woman marching over at her with her arms spread apart suddenly, she was engulfed in her arms.

She was stiff. Allegra hates hugs. Despise even. She awkwardly patted the old women's back twice when she felt the top of her shoulder wet.

"That's enough crying for a day, Greta." The old man said.

When Allegra was free from the women's hold she exhaled in relief.

That woman got some arms. Thinking, she shuddered.

"Alle, she is grandma Greta and that's grandpa Giovanni Valentino."

She nodded. "Oh my Allegra, you have grown into such a pretty woman." Grandma gushed at the pretty woman in front of her, Allegra.

"Oh, don't mention it. You're prettier."

She smiled at her and then stepped back to her place beside her husband.

Grandpa Giovanni didn't like Allegra much. For him, she was too cocky. Doesn't like her, in a sense that he found her annoying. And he doesn't like annoying people.

Don't let Allegra hear that.

"She is too cocky and annoying." He whispered to the boys and his wife.

Spoke too soon

Allegra smirked at him and was about to say something annoying when Leo interrupted. "Allegra, you can't go around annoying them and don't even think about it," Leo said with a commanding voice.

Allegra looked at her brother and blinked innocently. "What? What are you talking about, Leo? And think about what?"

"Allegra, you know what I'm talking about, And don't think about annoying them with your annoying ideas."

Allegra looked at him and scowled. "You are no fun, Leo, and no promises."

But in return, the only thing she got was, "Stop scowling bambino."

She stumped her foot on the ground. "Stop cursing at me!"

"Little girl, bambino is not a curse." Grandpa retorted.

"Old man, then what does it mean?" Grandpa narrowed his eyes on her.

"Allegra," Leo warned her. "Okay okay, Jesus. You guys are going to kill me one day with your rules."

Something stirred inside the boys when they thought of her death.

Their inside's churned painfully as if they can't comprehend any future without her.

"But let me tell you this, I don't want to die so I'm not gonna follow your rules," Allegra smirked at them.

"Very good, Mia Cara. Queens don't follow rules." Her grandma retorted with a smile.

"Ha! Take that." She exclaimed and looked at her brothers. "Leo? you were saying something? Huh? I can't hear you?" She said with a cheeky grin. Leo sighed but stayed quiet.

She turned towards her grandma. "Did I tell you that you are my favorite? No? Well, now I'll tell you. You are the most favorite person ever!"

The old couple stared at their boys, The fond smile on their faces when their gazes land on the smiley face of Allegra.

Somehow they knew, she is going to be their Joy!

____

|Happy Reading|

And a very late birthday wish to Jungkook!

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