Little Mafia Boy (BoyxBoy) #1

Chapter Five: Exhaustion or Determination

"Right." Dylan said awkwardly. They still didn't know how to react to the death of my mom since I never really showed sadness after her death. Of course, I was sad. Devastated, in fact. Though, I also knew that crying wasn't going to accomplish anything. It wouldn't bring her back.

I hadn't meant to make the mood turn bad. I was going to tell them not to worry but the teacher walked in as the bell rang.

"Ms. Sander. Get off the table top and sit in your chair like a proper lady." He said clapping his hands to get everyone's attention.

Everyone shifted in their seats to face the front. Dan mumbled under her breath and got off the table. She sat in her chair and flipped her hair back. Dylan sighed softly and took out his books for the next lesson. I did the same and yawned again softly.

Class went by incredibly slow. It felt like the teacher was talking slowly on purpose to make me fall asleep. Incredibly, I actually managed to stay awake the entire lesson. I even managed to write down a few notes on things I didn't understand to ask him at a later time.

The bell sounded letting the school know that classes for the day were finally over. Dylan got up and stretched his arms. "Is it just me or is our professor super boring?"

"It's not just you." Dan said grabbing her bag off the floor and tossing her things inside.

I closed my notebook and did the same. Do you guys have activities?" I asked wondering if I was going home alone today as well.

"Yeah." Dylan said adjusting his backpack over his shoulders. "I've got a meeting today and basketball practice." Dylan is the Vice President so he often has meetings with the student council to talk about ways to better the school and such.

"I've got cheer practice." Dan said standing up and holding her backpack from the strap. "Coach will kill me if I'm late again." She said rolling her eyes. Even though Dan didn't look or act like the stereotypical cheerleader, she really did love cheer. She's been on a cheer team since she was a little kid. She even told us she's won a few competitions with her old team.

We walked out of the classroom and down the corridor. I didn't have any after school clubs or activities. They were a waste of time when I had other things to focus on. Besides, I had to get home and help dad take care of the flowers.

I said my goodbyes to Dylan and Dan as they went off in different directions. I walked out of the school and through the gates. I needed to stop by the store and buy groceries for the week.

I yawned again when I was halfway to the store. I was next to the park my mom often brought me to when I was younger. I stopped and looked at the park with a small smile remembering how she would push me on the swings and sing a lullaby to me. I walked instead towards the park and sat on the bench. Some kids were there with their parents. It felt very nostalgic to sit there. I felt my eyelids getting heavier as I leaned my head on my shoulder.

***

I woke up suddenly, "Shit!" I said getting my phone out of my bag. It was a crappy flip phone but I didn't need those new smart phones. I didn't even talk to a lot of people anyways. It was already six in the afternoon. I had fallen asleep on the bench for three hours. I looked through my missed call and found more than twenty calls from my dad.

I was about to call him back to let him know I was okay when I heard a familiar voice beside me. "Sleeping Beauty awakens without a kiss from the Prince. What a shame."

I looked to my right and jumped a bit from the surprise. None other than Nico was sitting next to me with a teasing smile on his face. "Are you stalking me now?" I asked frowning at him.

"Nah." He said keeping his smile on his face. "I just saw a small defenseless princess sitting on a park bench and thought you looked familiar." He said with a small shrug. "What kind of a person would I be if I left without seeing you were safe?"

I frowned deeper. What was he getting at? "I'm not a defenseless princess. I was just napping."

"On the bench? Do you do that often?" He asked making fun of me.

"What do you care?" I asked harshly. "Not like I was doing anything that could harm other people."

"Okay, don't bite." He said putting his hands up in mock surrender. "You should take your safety more into consideration. It's dangerous after the sun goes down." He looked at me closer and said, "You look exhausted."

"It's called determination." I clarified.

"Determination for what? To die on the streets? You should take care of yourself-"

"I'm leaving." I said shaking my head and grabbed my things as I stood up. Something about Nico just irritated me. He was just some rich, cocky brat who thought himself better because he had more money.

"Wait!" Nico said standing up and grabbed onto my wrist. "Have you been getting enough sleep, seriously? You look horrible. No offense." He added quickly. "What about eating right? Your wrist is so tiny."

His eyes at the moment looked so honest. Like he was really worried about me. I pushed that thought out and yanked my wrist out of his grip. "What do you care?"

"I'm worried about you. Why are you being so hostile?" He asked genuinely shocked.

"I never asked for you to pity me."

"I didn't say I-"

"I don't need your help. I've got everything under control. If you excuse me." I said putting my backpack on and turned around. "If you want your money back, take it up with my father. It's his business after all." I said quickly and left.

My heart was beating quickly. It felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. I was sure that it was just the fear of talking rudely to the a Mafia kid.

I hurried down the street, trying not make it seem like I was running away from him but I just wanted the beating of my heart to slow down.

I kept telling my self over and over that I was imagining his honest facial expressions. No way could someone from the Mafia have such a soft personality, right?"