Fleeting Steps

Chapter TWO

Ella

"Honestly Mr Russo, everything is okay here. You've gone above and beyond for the two of us. We don't need anything else" I said looking down at the programme in front of me
"Please Ella, Call me Matteo, or Teo. And it was least I could do, your father was as much as a brother to me as my actual ones. I can't begin to imagine how you are sweetheart. the entire Russo family will be stood by your side on Saturday" He said making take a deep breath in letting my shoulders sag

On Saturday we'll be burying my parents, I need them both more then anyone right now. I don't know what I'm doing or how I am supposed to cope with all of this alone. 

"I have also heard you met those son's of mine today" Matteo said making me zone back into the conversation
"I did?" I asked, in all honestly I try to blend into the shadows as much as I can at school and don't really bother anyone

"Gabriel, Luca and the twins Marco and Nico. Their lockers are next to yours" He said making me widen my eyes slightly remembering exactly who they are
"If they give you any trouble sweetheart, you call me okay?" He asked, trouble? What had I just got sucked into 

Before I even had the chance to answer the stir on the baby monitor was enough for me to remember all the responsibility I had laying in the next room. I can't be getting sucked into any trouble 

Walking into school late the next morning was not my plan, what not at all what I wanted but I couldn't help it
Callie had just hit the 6 month marker and is taking sleep regression to a new level so we slept through all of my alarms some how 
"Nice of you to join us Miss Morrison. Please take a seat next to Gabriel" Mr Luton said making me instantly cringe
Of all the places I could have to suffer today, it had to be next to him 

"Wake up a little late Ella?" Gabriel said making it known that he now somehow managed to figure out my name, all I did was roll my eyes putting my head down to focus on the work in front of us
Not that Gabriel did, I could feel him staring all hour.

All I wanted to do right now was go and collect Callie from daycare and crawl back into bed with her tucked in close 
At least there nothing will happen to her, I can protect her from that at least 

"Hey mute" A voice said making me snap around to see a blonde guy walking directly towards me with his friends in tow. I honestly had no idea who this guy was, nor did it seem like I wanted to 
"Mute?" I asked 
"Oh she does talk" He laughed right into my face practically covering me in spit
"Yes? I just never needed to talk to you and I would rather keep it that way thank you" I said attempting to leave
But the moment I went to turn his hand gripped tightly onto my wrist pulling me back to him
"I think you need to rethink who the hell you are talking to" He growled right before his face snapped left as another fist made contact with his cheek making me yelp in surprise 

As I took a step backwards I crashed into two chests making me snap up to see Marco and Nico stood there with Luca slightly off to the side while Gabriel tried to recover from the punch he just landed on the blonde

"What the fuck" He yelled looking back at Gabriel, the moment he did he paled
Like I'm talking went ghost white at the mere sight of his
What the hell is going on? 

"Did your mother never teach you not to lay your hands on a woman. Did you Dad never show you what happens if you were to do that?" Gabriel barked making me looking back at his brothers before shaking my head walking straight out of the doors I had only walked through an hour ago

--

I laid a small kiss on Callie's head leaving her to nap in her nursery while I headed back to the living room, dropping Matteo a text to let him know I went home early. He got me into that private school and is helping with Calls day care, the least I could do was let him know when I waste it

Looking around the flat that Matteo was funding I couldn't help but think that I was being nothing more then a charity case at this point
I can't provide for Callie alone, I shouldn't be alone period. But a stupid drunk driver didn't give me the choice
They didn't give my parents the choice to be grandparents for longer then a couple moments
They didn't give me the choice of having my Dad walk me down the isle, having my mother crying with me at graduation 
It was all ripped away from me before I had the chance to blink
It's another reason why I refuse to let anything happen to Callie, so I hope to god this little fixation Gabriel seems to have runs it course and he leaves us both alone

A small knock at the door sent chills down my spin instantly, I don't have friends here, I don't have anyone who would show up unannounced, even Matteo calls prior to dropping in 
So who the hell was at the door