A friendship of nearly a lifetime, separated for five years. But when this duo is reunited, the childhood best friend chemistry is not the only thing they feel for each other.
But will she forgive him?
Will he confess his feelings?
Broken promis...
I've never been one to lie. It always got me in hot water, since my father was so good at reading expressions and my mother, well the woman I thought was my mother, did a good job instilling fear into me. A fear that reminded me that lying was bad. It was an action that could kill. It was something I was forbidden to do. But yet still, I lied to Ricco yesterday when he walked into Maya's room. Now the guilt was within me. At first it was just a wave, but now it's consuming me. I would be lying if I said it was purely because I lied to him as a friend, a part of me is certain it is far from friendship. That, and the guilt of lying has consumed me.
"Grace are you listening?" Isabel's voice flows through the phone.
"Yeah." I mumble, packing my carry-on bags. After Nonna found out about Maya and Marco, she booked a flight, because she swears by never using the Russo family private jet. She' going back to America with us, because she and I quote after the elderly Russo 'Need to teach my son a thing or two on how to be a parent.'
"I know you're nervous, but it's gonna be alright, just go home, talk to Gina and head to your room." Isabel says. I nod, as if she can see me.
"I'll be fine Izzi." I tell her.
"Shut up, I know you. If you need me, I'll be at your house when you land. You know what, I'm on my way-"
"Isabel, I'll be fine. Really, I mean it." I tell her.
"Are you sure?" She asks, caustiusly.
"Yes."
"Okay, well I'm gonna get ready, I have to go to Laurent Mansion with mama and papa." She says. I smirk.
"I hope you fall off the staircase and into Leo's arms." I tell her.
"Callate!" (Shut up!) She whisper yells and I chuckle. A knock echoes through my room.
"Posso entare?" (Can I come in?) Ricco asks in Italian.
"I'll see you when I get home Isabel." I tell my best friend.
"Si. Be safe. Love you."
"Love you too Izzi." I tell her, then hang up.
"You can come in." I tell Ricco, and the white door is slowly pushed open and the handsome Italian ex-best friend of mine walks in.
I grab my black heels and slip them on.
Honestly, I thought Ricco was angry with me. I basically lied to him and was prepared to continue leing to him.
"The jet is ready, we can leave whenever you're ready." He mumbles, walking warily close to me. So close the heat from his body embraces me and I fight the urge to hug him.
He's always so warm.
"Nonna leaves in half-an-hour, we can leave when she leaves," I tell him and he nods, kneeling down in front of me. Taking the air with him and leaving me struggling to breathe, he straps on my heels. His finger grazing my skin, knocking the little breathe in me right out.
"Are you upset with me?" I ask him.
"No Grace I'm not," he says, focused on the black straps between his fingers.
"I'm sorry I lied to you." I tell him honestly.
"Don't be. I have given you every right not to trust me."
"Ricco.."
"I deserved it and-"
"Ricco." I say a little louder, grabbing his warm hands and looking into his green eyes.
"I can't forgive you,at least not yet." I tell him.
"But I can't hold it against you forever," I whisper to him. His eyes come alive, with what I recognize as hope, happiness, and hope.
"Grace.."
"Let me finish. We were best friends for so long Ricco. A part of me will always want my best friend with me, but we can't be best friends right now. So, friends?" I ask him, but this time I'm the one with hope.
"Si, friends." He says, doing that tongue thing.
Does he really mean that?
"You sound uh, unsure." I tell him.
"That's because I am." he says flatly. Ouch. He gets off of his knee and I realise my heels are perfectly strapped.
"Oh." I say, also standing up.
"I don't want to be your best friend Grace. And I sure as hell don't intend to be your friend." He says and my heart shatters.
"I-is this because I took so long to come to this decision?" I ask him, internally slapping myself for stuttering. He walks up to me and takes my face into the palm of his right hand. His warm skin setting mines onto fire. Setting the air in the room to a temperature I'm sure isnt normal.
"No. But I'll take it. I'll take being your friend over being nothing to you at all." He whispers to me. His lips, so close to my ear, I can feel his hot breath on my earshell. My heart races in my chest and at that pace, I'm unsure how I haven't been hospitalized with a heart attack.
"So, friend. See you downstairs," he says, walking right out the door as if he didn't just set the room on fire.
"Rosa get the bags!" Nonno yells
"Aspettare!" (Hold on!) Nonna yells and I laugh as she walks into my room.
"Nonno and I are leaving, we will meet you two back home okay?" I nod.
"Grace, dear hear Gianna out, she has a good reason." Another nod. Maybe it was Ricco's presence or the fact that I have to face my mom-Gia, when I get back home. But I was at a lost for words.
---
Ricco and I landed a hour ago. The flight was eleven hours of Ricco constantly pushing water my way and me constantly refusing.
"Would you just drink the damn water Grace?"
"I don't need water Ricco."
"Yes you do."
"You don't know what my body needs."
"I know what it wants." He says smirking. I glare at him and continue walking to the front door of my father's house.
I push open the door and I freeze.
Red.
Everywhere.
The couch. The walls. The stairs. The tables. The floor.
Everything was covered in red. I hoped- no I prayed it was paint.
"Fuck." Ricco mumbles lowly next to me.
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