The Boy I Used To Know (The Mafia Family #1) [REWRITING]

Prologue

author's note: just a reminder to all the readers who read this story when it was published the first time! this story is not the same story you read and a lot of things have changed!!! please read 'the before you read' chapter if you haven't, it explains what has changed!

"Bye Dad," I jump out of the parked car, saying a hushed goodbye to my dad before running up the stairs of my school where I wait by the entrance doors. I swallow harshly when I make eye contact with him as he looks out the passenger side window from his spot on the drivers side.

We stare at each other for a couple more seconds until I look away when he narrows his eyes at me. I startle at the sound of his tires screeching against the pavement as he peels away from the curb and speeds down the street, letting out a relieved sigh when his car finally fades from view.

Since I was so focused on watching my dad leave, I didn't even notice the black SUV until I saw it leave as well. I turn when I hear the doors opening next to me and watch in shock as Gio ignores me and walks into the school building.

Gio is my best friend and has been since preschool. Today we are supposed to start seventh grade together, but it seems he's starting without me or maybe he just didn't notice me? Then again we always wait for each other at the front door until the second warning bell sounds and so far, no warning bells have gone off.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I quickly pull open the doors and rush after him, screaming his name through the hall hoping he will stop. My eyebrows furrow when I notice he doesn't show any signs of stopping. "Gio!" I call again before taking off towards him in a sprint. "Hey, Gio." I tug on his sleeve once I reach him, finally making him halt his movements.

As I work to catch my breath from all the running, Gio looks at me with irritation. "What do you want, Evangeline?" He asks, huffing out a breath of air.

His annoyance with me catches me off guard. "Did you not hear me calling you?" I ask, confused about his irritated tone with me when he's never spoken to me this way before.

"No, I did." He rolls his brown eyes as he answers which tells me he's extremely annoyed with me. As he watches me slowly take my hand away from his arm, an emotion unknown to me flashes through his eyes when he stares at my retracted hand.

"Well, why didn't you say anything?"

"Bec-because I don't want to talk to you." His admission strikes a small pain in my heart.

"D-did I do something wrong?" I ask worryingly, starting to fiddle with the small ring he gifted me on my ring finger.

It's my favorite piece of jewelry and I never take it off. Gio gave it to me when we were in the fourth grade. His parents helped him buy it for me as a birthday present. It's a simple silver band with angel wings connecting to a single diamond in the middle. He said he got it for me because it reminded him of me and the nickname he gave me when we were little.