Inheritance Redefined

Chapter Nine

The second nodded. "You helped. Coach saw it. Thiago saw it. The wjole damn team saw it. Don't let his ego ruin it."

Elara offered a tiny smile, warmth curling up in her chest.

The sandy-haired boy stared at her for a few seconds before smiling slowly. "I'm Leo and that's Andre. We'll see you around, Elara."

They didn't say anything else. Just nodded at her and skated off toward the lockers like it was no big deal.

But to Elara... it was.

---

Back at the Calviero estate, the house was quiet.

Elara headed to the kitchen for water, letting the cool tile calm her nerves. By the time she walked back to her room, the hallway was dark - too dark.

A strange, warm light flickered from beneath her door.

Her heart stuttered.

She pushed the door open slowly.

Elias stood near her dresser, crouched over a wastebasket.

A small, ornate box, pale blue with delicate inlaid flowers, sat in his hand. He struck a match and dropped it inside.

The flames caught fast.

"No!" Elara ran in, pushing past him. "What are you doing?!" But she was too late, the box was already surrounded by the yellow and orange color of flames.

Elias didn't look at her, he just stared at the fire like it was the only thing that made sense.

"I told you not to get involved," he said coldly. "I told you."

Elara yanked the bin away, beating out the flames with her jacket, but it was too late. The box had collapsed into ash, its contents gone.

"My contacts," she whispered softly, voice cracking at the end. "Elias... that box had my last lenses. I can't... my prescription's rare... and the stores..."

Elara looked at the clock.

Too late.

Everything was closed. And her mother was still at work, unreachable.

Panic crept up her throat like a wave.

Elias turned and left without another word, leaving her standing alone in the smoke-filled room, heart pounding.

Elara sat beside the trash bin, her knees pulled to her chest. The sharp scent of chemicals and ash clung to her clothes. She didn't move.

It was over. She couldn't hide them anymore. Not here. Not at school. Not from anyone.

She heard the soft crunch of footsteps behind her but didn't look up.

"Elara?"

The voice was low, unfamiliar for a moment - not because she didn't recognize it, but because she'd never heard it spoken gently before.

She turned her head just slightly.

Salvatore.

His usual icy expression faltered as he took in the sight - her trembling frame, the tear tracks already drying on her cheeks, the faint glimmer of the fire still burning.

"What's wrong? What happened? Why is there so much smoke in your room?" he asked, frowning.

Elara didn't answer.

She just stood up, stepped forward towards him, and flung herself into his chest.

Salvatore stiffened like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over his head.

"Uh-" he muttered, arms hovering awkwardly before slowly settling around her. "Okay. This is... happening."

Elara sobbed - not the silent kind, but the full-body kind, where the breath catches and the ribs ache. She clutched his jacket like she'd fall apart if she let go.

Salvatore cleared his throat. He had never comforted anyone before, but when she broke down, something in him shifted. "I... am not trained for this."

But his voice didn't sound annoyed. Just uncertain. More human.

After a moment, he murmured, "What happened?"

"Elias burned them," Elara whispered, voice muffled against his chest. "My coloured contacts. I don't have any more. Everyone's gonna laugh at me. They're all gonna call me a freak."

The oldest Calviero brother was quiet for a beat.

"That idiota," he muttered.

Elara pulled back slightly, sniffling. "Everyone's going to see my eyes tomorrow. They'll stare. They'll talk. It'll be like London again. I can't go back to that. I can't survive that again."

Salvatore studied her eyes for a moment. Breath caught in his throat because of her eyes. Extraordinary was the only word he could think of to describe them.

Then, calmly, "You don't have to run from what makes you different. You're not weak for being noticed. You're just... not like the rest of us. And that's not always a bad thing."

Elara blinked at him and smiled. "Was that... encouragement?"

Salvatore scowled. "Don't make me regret it."

But Elara could see the corner of his mouth twitched, almost like a smile. Almost.

Salvatore reached into his coat and handed her a clean handkerchief, grumbling under his breath as he did. "Come on. You will be just fine tomorrow. Calviero's don't cry about stupid things."

Elara wiped her face with a watery laugh.