toxic love | mattia polibio

♕ T H I R T Y - O N E ♕

Vera's POV

"I don't understand... You died in front of Kairi," I frown as she pulls away from the hug.

"I know, I know. I owe you an explanation and I promise we'll get to that tonight—but how much of your memory do you have back?" She asks and I realize that my memory has been coming back a lot.

So I think...

And think..

I gasp.

"Oh my God, Lani! I remember everything! I remember everything except what happened that night," I frown.

"You do! Vera that's great news! Call up the boys and tell them!" She cheers and that's when my parents come back to the table.

"We were getting some napkins—what'd we miss?" My dad asks as he and my mother sit down.

"Vera got her memory back!" Lani says enthusiastically and my moms jaw drops.

"No way!" My dad laughs in disbelief and him and my mom exchange a hug.

"There's something else though," I say and my eyes widen.

"I remember seeing the person who hit us and I remember knowing that person," I say confused.

"Who was it, Vera? I'll kill him." My father frowns and I'm left in a blank.

"I don't know—I don't remember!" My eyes widen.

"Vera, relax—you'll remember soon," my mom coo's and Lani nods.

"Papa, I don't wanna go back to New Jersey—I don't think that I'll be safe there," I say with full honesty.

"You're entire life is there now," Lani says.

"Papa, I want to stay here for a couple months," I say and he hesistates.

"Habibi, let her. She's our only child—she wants to do this with you," my mom encourages.

"I don't know..." My Papa trails.

"Just for three months or so... Then, I'll go back to Jersey and I'll continue living there. I just want us to get to know each other again," I persist.

"You live with a Polibio and I don't like this Mafia mix up," my Papa says and I nod.

"My alliance is to myself and Mattia and I are just friends," I inform him.

"You're not involving yourself in any of this Mafia business—you're only here to stay for protection," he says and I nod in agreement.

"I guess you're staying here then," he says and Lani and my mom cheer.

We all finish up our Ice Cream and head back home.

I go into my room and I decide to FaceTime Mattia.

He answers on the first ring.

We talked for a bit and I tell him about my memory situation

Then, I tell him the news.

Mattia

Vera

Mattia, I'm not coming back home...

Yea—wait what?!

I'm staying here for a couple months to fix my relationship with my dad...