ARIEL
"Why did you say we were late for dinner? We don't have dinner plans." I ask my mom when we leave the Louis Vuitton store. We weren't in there for 5 minutes and she made us leave.
"No reason." She brushes me off. I frown. We were just having so much fun. Why is she in a bad mood all of a sudden. "How do you know them? The Moretti's" She asks me as we walk down the street, to the car I think. Im just following her.
"How do you?" I ask back.
"I asked first honey." she chides.
"I don't know them that well." Atleast not all of them. Just one. I smile. "Just from a party. I met Alana and she invited me to her baby gender reveal. Just acquaintances." I shrug.
"Well they're not your friends. Not even close. I don't want you to fraternize with anyone here, sweetheart. Getting too close will not be wise." she says, we reach the car and the driver opens the door.
"Why not?" I frown.
"You're here temporarily. Making permanent attachments is futile. It will only make leaving harder." She pats my hand when we're sitting in the car. "People in this city are dangerous Ari, we don't know who they are and what they do, it's better to keep a safe distance."
"Elaborate." I squint. She smiles.
"No. Just come back home soon honey, I wasn't to keen on you coming here but I am still keen on keeping you safe." She squeezes my hand.
When I expressed that I wanted to spend some time in Italy, my parents had very different reactions. Dad was supportive and planning everything to a T and mom was completely against it.
She understood that she can't say no and make me not go, so she decided to 'let me see for myself'. I think she anticipated that I would hate it. But I don't, if anything I love it here. But I won't tell her that.
"Let's get gelato, it's the only thing about Italy that even made me consider living here." She teases making me laugh. Silly.
_____________
"This is impossible." I groan. The endless pile of paperwork stares back at me.
I was off on Saturdays and Sundays, but so was everyone else. How the hell did they accumulate that much work over a weekend.
My mom had left early this morning and I was back at work. Mondays are the worst.
My phone rings and I groan again, answering without checking the caller ID.
"Hello." I sigh.
"Ariel." The voice makes my stomach plummet then soar with glee.
"Griffin." I sound like a love sick cartoon character.
His low chuckle rings over the line, the butterflies that lay dormant in my stomach since yesterday came alive at the sound.
"My voice is quite recognizable." His rough drawl causes warm honey to coat my insides, its warmth spreading everywhere.
"Not great for the malicious impassivity." I say, holding back my laugh.
"No micetta, it's not." he sounds mirthful.
"What does micetta mean?" I ask him.
"It means kitten." his deep voice settles somewhere deep in my chest.
"Why do you call me Kitten?" I question.
"Your wit reminds me of one." he says. I laugh at that.
"Maybe I'll give you a nickname." I tease, sitting down in my chair, letting out a tired sigh. My back is killing me today.
