His Obligation (Under Reconstruction)

Chapter Ten

Rachel

Three days...that's how long its been since I've been home. Away from the Castellano house. Away from him. Some would be happy about the mafia letting them go home without so much as a threat, but for some reason i'm not. Call me crazy. Is it weird that I still remember how we parted? It feels like just yesterday I was saying goodbye to him.

"Well, I guess this is good bye." I smile awkwardly clutching my bag in my hands.

"Yes, I guess it is." He socks in a breath and looks past me at Nicholi who is warming up the car. He hasn't looked at me since I woke up this morning. I guess he really doesn't care about me. I shake away my thoughts and hold my head up high and clear my throat.

"Well thank you for your hospitality Mr.Castellano. I guess Ill see you around...but hopefully not in the same condition as last time." I chuckle and turn to walk away. He smiles, but it doesn't touch his eyes. He mumbles a wait and grabs my arm. A warm feeling runs up my arm. I turn around expecting him to tell me to stay but he doesn't. He opens his mouth to say something but quickly closes it and slides his hand back down my wrist breaking contact. The warm feeling goes away and suddenly I'm cold. He rubs the back of his neck and takes a step away from me. Well now I know what rejection feels like. I turnamd walk away to the car where Nicholi is waiting before the tears fall.

Nicholi gives me a reassuring smile and I shrug my shoulders in return. I glance one last time at Castellano who's face is emotionless. Figures.

Nicholi takes my bag and opens the car door for me like a gentlemen. I nicely thank him and slide in. He winks at me and runs around the front of the car and hops in the driver seat. I don't even bother turning back. With that we're off.

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"Rachel!" Caroline runs up to me and snaps me out of my thoughts. I continue to stuff my things in my locker. Heh i've never really been a person to have neat and organized things. She waves a hand in my face then grabs my shoulders and forces me to face her. She looks pretty today. She's wearing a white crop top with high wasted shorts and brown sandals. Her make up is light, but you can she still tried and her hair long and golden. How are we friends again?

"Hey." She waves her hand in my face, "Earth to Rachel. What the hell has gotten into you girl? Ever since that morning you came back to school you've been acting really weird and not the good weird. Plus you still haven't told me about what happened to you that night you went home. Holden said he offered you a ride and after you turned him down you disappeared." She chuckles and stands beside me inspecting someone else's locker rambling on about how some guy she used to date used to own that locker.

I still haven't anyone about what happened. Not like I actually could because if anyone from the mafia found out they would kill not only me, but my family and i don't think you've noticed but i value my life. I just hate lying though. I scrunch up my face and lie through my teeth.

"I'm fine I've just been really...tired. Ya know from the move and stuff. I still haven't unpacked everything and my parents are like never home to help with anything so it's kind of just me and a gigantic stack of boxes." See that wasn't so hard was it? Um yes now go away.

"Well I could come over later and help you unpack. Not like we have a full schedule of classes since we're seniors." I smile at that. It's funny if it weren't for my mom being friends with the dean, all of my credits would have failed to be transferred and I would be forced to re-take a whole day of classes again.

"True, but I don't want to make you-" She cuts me off and grabs my shoulders again.

"Its fine I don't mind, really. I have nothing better to do and it'll give me a chance to go through you're things." Okay now i know who she reminds me off. Kimmy from Full House. I laugh and close my locker.

"Ha okay, but you have to promise not to judge me. I still own half of my things I used in middle school."

"It's fine I still use half of the things I used in preschool." I give her a weird look.

"How is that even possible?" She simply shrugs and we walk to class.

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Four excruciatingly long classes and a car ride later; we are currently seated outside of the same cafe that I was abducted in three days ago. Ya know the day that I met Damian. Ironic right? Apparently Holden thought that it would be a great idea to leave school for lunch since we finished all of our classes. I honestly wouldn't have came if I knew Natalie wasn't tagging along, but he asked nicely and he really is a sweet guy. Just not the guy. He is currently rambling on about something now.

"Yeah I haven't been there in a while we should go some time. What do you say Rachel?" Wait what? I look up and see Holden waiting for me to answer his question. Dammit I wasn't listening. Lie. No i'm not good at that. Fine then nod.

"Uh-sure why not."His face lights up and I smile awkwardly. Great now I don't know what I just agreed to.

"Great I can pick you up t-" My gaze goes from a now happy gesturing Holden to a man in dark black jeans and a white t shirt with head phones slowly approaching our table. His black floppy hair bouncing every time he moves. Wait I know that hair! Nicholi? My face lights up, but quickly goes back to normal when he walks into the cafe mumbling along to the music coming from his headphones. Wait if he's here then where's Damian?

I turn to look for him and frown. He didn't care that I left. I turn back to face Holden, but not before I spot a black car sitting in front of a small pizza shop across the street right behind him. And of course who is sitting in the drivers seat you ask? The one and only Damian Castellano.

We lock gazes and his jaw clenches when he sees Holden sitting across from me. Is he following me? Yeah not in a million years.

I refrain from biting my bottom lip when his tongue sweeps out and swipes across his bottom lip. I'd do anything to have tha-Stop it, he didn't care that we left. I frown and turn back to Holden.

"So tonight at 7 I can swing by your place and pick you up if you want?"

"Um- i'm sorry I forgot that my dad is making us have a family dinner tonight because he's been working late night's at the hospital, but I definitely do look forward to a rain check?" I smile and grab my bag signaling that i'm ready to go. I get up when he stops me.

"Rachel wait. Is everything okay did I say something wrong?" Hurt is evident all over his face.

"No why would you think that?" I glance over to the car where Damian is currently watching us. A smirk is plastered on his face. Can he hear us?

"Well for the past twenty minutes you haven't said anything to me. Like you're uninterested in everything that I say. And when I asked you out you looked like you wanted to blow me off, yet still said yes. If I said something-" I stop him and put my finger to his lips. I just want to go home. No what i want is for Damian to get out of the car and take me away from here. Seriously where do you come from?

"Please stop. You didn't say anything to offend me. Like I said earlier I'm just tired and stressed. My mind has been focusing on something else, i'm sorry." He is extremely close to me now i look at him like he;s crazy, but i don't move. My breathing has eradicated. He gracefully lowers my hand from his lips and holds it to his heart before saying something that almost makes my heart leap out of my chest.

"Is it something? Or someone?" He whispers only for me to hear and leans down to slowly yet lightly place a kiss on my cheek then murmurs, "I don't care how long it takes. I won't stop until i'm the one who has your heart," and with that he walks away and leaves me there breathless. What the fuck just happened. I refrain from touching the cheek he just kissed. My face is crimson. I turn to see if Damian is still there but he's long gone. Great.