Forever family

Chapter 10

**

"Have a seat, Emma." I sit down on the chair across from Antonio's. "How was your first day?"

"It was actually really great! I made a friend in first period, and she's really nice. I think Enzo has a crush on her and, oops. Please don't tell him I told you that. anyway, we were sitting at lunch and her brother asked who I am in Afrikaans, which is a language from South Africa. Gio said I could be friends with him. Then-" Antonio's expression held a lot of amusement while I rambled on. "My day was great." I said in the end.

"Well, that's good to hear. The reason I called you here, was to tell you that there will be a ball held this Friday to celebrate your return along with Sofie's. This will give you a chance to meet the rest of our famiglia." (Family)

"I have more family?" He smirks.

"Oh yes. You have a lot more family."

**

"Hey Gio, do you mind if I go to the gym?" I ask as I walk into the kitchen wearing work-out clothes.

"Sure, you can use my pass until we get you your own." He hands me his key-card.

I walk into the gym, and marvel at all the equipment. There's even a fighting mat like the one I used at my old gym. Too bad I don't have an opponent. I warm up a bit, and then go for the punching bag, letting out all my frustration about the one thing that's been bugging me since the incident at the mall. He didn't fall down. He definitely fell in the end, but after I kneed him in the balls, he should have been on the ground. Only after I punched him in the nose, did he fall. I didn't do it properly. Agh! What if I'm in a situation where I need to protect Sofie? *punch* What if I don't do it properly... again? *punch* *punch* What if she gets hurt because of me? *punch* *punch* *punch* *punch*

"Woah, calm down there, sis." I didn't even notice Enzo walking in. He hands me a bottle of water, which I gladly accept. I have so much energy right now that I need to get rid of. My adrenalin is pumping like crazy. Enzo catches me staring at the fighting mat longingly.

"You want me to teach you a few moves?" I jump when I hear an unfamiliar voice behind me. I instinctively cower behind Enzo.

"Hey. You don't need to be scared of him. He's family." Enzo's voice is soft and soothing. I peek around him, and see a boy around Gio's age leaning against the doorframe, seeming sad that I was scared of him. "Emmalin, this is your cousin, Matteo."

"Emmalin? As in..."

"Yes. That Emmalin. You guys were supposed to meet her at the ball on Friday."

"Look at you, all grown up." Matteo looked at me in awe.

I blushed, but the I had an idea. "Enzo, can Matteo and I go to the mat?" He looks hesitant, so I give him the puppy-dog eyes. I've noticed all my brothers have a weakness for it, so I only use it when I really need to.

"Yeah man, I wanna teach my little cuz some moves." Matteo says.

"Listen man, I'm more worried about you."

"Me? Come on, man. Look at her."

"You know what? Go ahead. He needs a damper on his ego." I squealed and gave my brother a huge hug.

"Argh." Matteo groans for the fourth time, while Enzo laughs his but off along with Dante and Luca, who joined as a couple of minutes ago. I walked a circle around my cousin, still wondering why the other guy didn't fall. Maybe he was just strong? Or is it that Matteo is too weak? I find that hard to believe.

"I still don't get it." I mutter to myself, holding my hand out to help him up, but he declines.

"Nope. I am so done." He says, getting up and off the mat.

"But I wasn't done." I say, and he gives me a look. One that says really?

"Luca?" I ask, and he shrugs.

"Why not. I have to warn you, though. I'm not weak like Matteo." I nod my head, and stand in position. Five minutes later, Dante is laughing so hard, they can barely breathe.

"Why didn't he..." I don't understand. These guys went down easily, and I barely did anything. I finally conclude that either that guy was an alien, or he's been trained to withstand pain.

"Who?" Enzo asks.

"The guy from the mall." I say, drinking some more water.

"Why didn't he what?"

"Fall. I didn't do much and these two went down, but I kneed that guy so hard. Why didn't he fall?"

"I don't know, sis. Maybe it as the adrenalin coursing through him." I guess that made sense.

"Yeah, maybe."

"Matteo, why did you get that bruise?" Antonio asks, and the twins snicker. "You have one too, Luca." Well, that shut him up.

"Um, I'm sorry Antonio. That was me." His eyes snap to mine. "We were in the gym."

"Our sister got these two on his as-" Enzo looks at Sofie, "Butts in minutes. Our sorellina definitely has the Folliero genes." Antonio nods.

"Of course, she does. Luca, I need you to train more with Dante. Seeing as he doesn't have any bruises."

"What? You think he has no bruises because he's a good fighter?" Luca scoffs. "He was just too chicken to try. I say that after dinner, we see if he can take Emma."

"Um, actually, I'm pretty tired, Luca." Dante gives me a grateful look. I don't want to do this to embarrass anyone.