𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓, chris sturniolo

(003) seven

"what the fuck!" he hissed.

"hey! language! just cause she curses does not mean you can." she scolded.

"you think i care about my choice of words right now?" he scoffed, digging through his pockets to fish out an ice pack.

"where did you get that from?" she gaped.

"i'm very quick on my feet." he mumbled, putting the ice pack on her face.

"enzo, there's literally nothing you can do about this. it's just a slap."

"it was hard enough to create a bruise." he said, wincing when she hissed at how much it hurt.

"enzo, go sleep. i'm fine." she held the ice pack to her face.

"fine. put this on your face for a minimum of 10 minutes, but not over 30. okay?"

"okay..." she trailed off, "where'd you learn all this shit from?"

"you." he said honestly, "i know you think i don't remember all those times you helped me after mom and dad came home drunk and started beating me up. but i do." he walked out without saying another word

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10 years ago...

stella had gone over to the sturniolo's for a playdate, she was only 7, but she had known the triplets for a while now. she and the triplets were playing around with a ball inside the house, when nick accidentally threw the ball at a vase and it fell and shattered.

out of impulse, stella hid in some random cabinet. she was all balled up in a circle, silent tears streaming down her face.

once the door opened, she closed her eyes, waiting for whoever opened the door to start yelling at her and slap her.

once she realized that she was not being scolded, but carried carefully, she opened her eyes.

the triplets and justin were staring at her weirdly as marylou sat her on her lap.

"isn't mr. jimmy gonna be mean?" she gulped.

"no? why would he?" chris asked cluelessly.

"yea. it's just a broken vase. i already apologized to mom." nick shrugged.

"stella... is dad mean to you at home?" marylou asked carefully. when stella nodded, marylou gave jimmy a worried stare.

"how- how is he mean, estella?" jimmy asked.

"um.. he gets really really mad." she emphasized the 'really', "he sometimes hits me and my siblings. but- i'm a big girl now! so i let him and mamma hit me instead of the others." she said proudly. once she saw that none of them were applauding her, her smile immediately dropped. "papa told me not to tell anyone."

"you can trust us, stella." marylou held onto her tighter.

"um... ella," chris walked up to her. "i think i figured it out."

"figured what out?"

"i think the reason your dad is mad is because your house is haunted!"

marylou and jimmy practically melted. they loved how innocent children's hearts were.

"oh no!" she gasped, sinking into marylou.

"that's why you and your siblings should come live here! with us! we can play pirates all the time then! and it would be soooo much funner because of how many people there are. alex might be too little, but he can be the treasure!"