mafia prince

Chapter 11

A

Antonia tossed and turned all night, not being able to sleep at all. The pillow was too hot, too hard. Then it was too cold, the pillow was too soft. Blankets off, blankets on. It was horrible. She took a chance and sent Vin a text. 

"Hey, I haven't heard from you in forever. Are you o.k?"

She patiently waited for a response, and paced her room. There were so many things going on, and she wanted to talk to vin about it. When he didn't answer she decided to text Dani. It was only 1 a.m. There had to be other people up right? She scrolled through her phone and found Dani's number. Texting her as well, she waited. 

"Hey, Antonia this is Joe, are you ok?"

Antonia was confused. "Joe, I thought this was Dani's number."

"She must have given you the wrong number. Our numbers are brand new, she probably copy and pasted the wrong number."

"O.k, sorry then,"

"Hey, its okay. Whats going on? Are you o.k?"

"Yea, well, I just sent a text to my friend, but he didn't answer. I just wanted to talk to someone about everything going on. I cant sleep."

"He?"

"Yes, my best friend is a guy, she grew up together and he moved a few years ago. I think he has a girlfriend now, and he hasn't been answering my texts much."

"Gotcha, I'm not your best friend, but I'm here, and you can talk to me. Funny, I cant sleep either."

Antonia tossed the idea around . She liked Joe, and he was the only one that had been around lately to listen to her. She felt she could talk to him about things. He was on the outside, so maybe he would see things a little bit differently. He gave her butterflies in person, and she thought he was cute. Maybe it would be easier to communicate with him through text. Since Vin wasn't answering her, she figured, why the hell not?

"I am supposed to hang out with my "Dad" tomorrow. I am meeting him at his house, and I am nervous and mad and upset all at the same time."

"I can understand that, they kept a secret from you for a long time. You missed out on lots of life changing events with him. I am sure there were plenty of times where you wished you had a dad around."

"Yes, so why did I have to miss out."

"Everyone has reasons for doing what they do. Im sure that your dad and your mom had their reasons, and it probably surrounds the idea of protecting you. In their minds, they did what was best. What they thought was best."

"Yes, I guess."

"Give him a chance. You cant go backwards, only forward."

"Yea, Dani said the same thing the other day."

"We see most things the same."

"I'm nervous. I don't know what to do or say, or how to act around him."

"Listen instead of talking, and be yourself. He probably just wants to get to know you. I'm sure that he is just as nervous as you are, and I bet that he isn't sleeping right now either."

"So, why aren't you sleeping."

"I had a convo with my boss tonight about things, and the conversation is weighing heavy on my mind,"

"That sounds bad."

"Yea, I don't trust someone that he works closely with. I don't want to tell him yet, until I have more info on it. Something just does not fit right with him."

"Sit back and watch him, until you know whats going on. I say trust your instincts."

"I always have. It has been working for me my entire life."

Feeling more as ease speaking to Joe via text than in person, she continued.

"I'm so tired, and nervous. I don't know this man at all, and I'm not sure what to expect."

"Lay in bed, I will too. Maybe we will get sleepy talking, lol."

"Good idea."

Antonia opened her window letting the breeze push through her curtains, and onto to face. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself, and got into bed. propped up on the pillows, enjoying the breeze she awaiting his reply.

"He will be just as nervous as you, so try to remember that. How are your classes going?"

"They are o.k, they just started so I'm not sure how the work load will be. Do you have a lot of work to do tomorrow?"

"I kinda just started too, so I'm not sure what to expect either. I'm not real nervous though. I know for the most part what I have to do. I just need to make sure that I do things in the right way."

"I'm sure that you will do things the right way. You seem like a really nice guy. I mean, I know we just met. Dani speaks highly of you as well, and I've only experienced you being super nice to me."

"Awe, you are super sweet. You are not like most girls your age, or any other girls I know for that matter."

Antonia felt herself blushing, even though Joe wasn't even in the same room with her.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

She had no idea why on earth she would ask him that question. She interrupted him.

"Sorry, I don't know why I asked that. I don't want to come off as nosey. I just don't feel comfortable speaking to a guy at 2 a.m who has a girlfriend. I wouldn't want to upset her."

Antonia wanted to bang her head on the table? What was wrong with her? Being tired was making a mess of her thoughts and her mouth apparently. 

"It's cool, I don't have a girlfriend. I wouldn't be talking to you like this if I did. I'm a loyal kinda guy."

"Awe, that's sweet- you will make a good boyfriend I bet."

"Maybe, one day. Haven't met the right girl yet, although I know I will."

"I'm sure that you will, and she will be lucky to have someone as sweet and loyal as you."

When Antonia didn't get a text back from Joe, she assumed he might have fallen asleep, so she dozed off herself.