WALKING INTO THE HOUSE felt magical, well by the looks at least. The entryway was a big open space, giving you a view of the many doors and halls around the place. There were hardwood floors and white walls, with dim lighting making the place feel very cozy.
"Lets go to the kitchen, I'll explain some things and get you some food," Leo tells me as he starts walking forward, Metteo and I follow quickly behind. We walked ahead for a little bit before reaching the living room which had very high ceilings, a fireplace and a view of the pool and ocean in the backyard.
We turned and Leo opened the door, leading to the kitchen which had a small table and a door leading outside. The cabinets where white while the countertops were white marble, most of the handles all over where a gold color and I wouldn't be surprised if they actually were.
"Take a seat," Metteo gestures as he points to one of the bar stools at the island. I quickly go over and sit down, my gaze looking all around the place with my hands carefully placed down in my lap.
"I hope leftover Mac and cheese is ok, our normal cook is taking these next few days off," Metteo says, placing the container in the microwave before turning it on.
Leo is standing on the other side of the counter, his eyes going to me then to his phone every so often. A steaming bowl is placed in front of me and i'm first bombarded my the magnificent smell the dish holds. I now realize how hungry I actually am so I quickly pick up the fork and start putting the contents in my mouth.
I quickly eat the first bite and continue to scarf down the meal, i'm sure I look like I haven't eaten in ages. Leo shifts catching my attention, I look up at him right when he looks up at me, he takes a few steps back and crosses his arms across his chest.
"You look a lot different then you did as a kid," He says right when a hear the door to the kitchen gently closing and realizing Metteo is no longer in the room.
"What are you talking about?" I asked him, confused on how he could conclude that.
"You lived with us until you were two years old and until your mom ran away with you," His voice held anger, very silent anger and I was worried about when he would finally release it.
"Isn't she your mom too?"
"By blood yes," He lefts out a silent scoff, shacking his head and looking down, before looking back up to me, "But she turned to a stranger when she abandoned the rest of the family and I.
"Anyways, enough with that talk I'm sure you are very confused as to why you were handed into my care," He raised his eyebrows waiting for me to agree to his claim, I slowly nodded my head not knowing if I was truly ready for the words that would come out of his mouth next.
"Your father, Josh, died in a car crash. The police found a heavy amount of drugs in his system that was very concerning to them," He waits for a reaction, which I wasn't ready to give to him, whether I should or shouldn't. He takes a few steps forward and leans in, so both his elbows are resting on the very cool counter.
"They wanted me to ask how your living was while with him, I don't know why they couldn't come and ask but that's unrelated. Did he ever try to hurt you or ever show any signs of child neglect towards you, or did he separate that life from you," It felt like my entire world was crumbling down, it felt like I was already caught of a horrible, horrible crime.
I know I wasn't in the wrong here, well other than the lie that would painfully slip through my mouth.
"I didn't even know he did that type of stuff," I knew he didn't believe me, I wouldn't have believed me either but instead he stood back straight up showing his very tall hight than adjusted the cuffs of his suit.
"Very well. Now I'll go show you to you're room, Metteo will come get you when it's time to have dinner," I slipped off the stool following him out of the room, I took another peek at the living room knowing I would never be able to get used to this life.
We descended up the tall, long staircase that brought us to two more hallways and a door ahead of us.
"The oldest's rooms are on this side," He pointed to the right, "And the youngest are on this side," then pointed to the left, "But unfortunately there isn't and open rooms on the youngest side so you'll have to be over here," He turned to the right and started walking down to the end of that hallway until he stoped at the last door.
He reaches down and pulls the handle open revealing a very dark room, including a black dresser, desk, bedspread, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
"At some point someone will take you shopping, you can get some new decoration, this used to be someones old room and we never had the time to change it," He tells me as I walk farther into the room, I'm happy that there are many big windows to make the room feel less scary.
"Who's room was it?" I turned back and look over at him.
"Doesn't matter, now settle in. I'll go grab your bag and send someone up to get you when its time for dinner, and with that he closed the door leaving me all alone.
UNTOLD
A soft knock sounded on my door making me look up from where I was sitting, on a couch near one of the windows. It opened shortly after, and I was met with Metteo's face which had a small smile plastered on it.
"Hey come down for dinner, you can meet everyone else," He pushed the door open wider as I walked over to him, "Don't worry, they aren't too bad," He signed. I closed the door behind me as we walked though the halls and down the very large staircase that I would definitely slip on sometime soon.
We didn't walk through the kitchen instead went to the table that was behind the living room, the tv was playing softly in the background. Leo is seated at the end of the table already looking at me, the spot to his left remained empty and there was someone who looked a little younger than Metteo sitting on his right, he offered me a small smile.
Next to the empty chair, two boys sat, they looked to be the youngest out of everyone. Next to the one on his right sat someone who looked to be around eighteen, but there was really no confirmation on that.
The only other spot open, other than the one directly on the other end of Leo, was the one sitting next to him. I walked over and sat down and I could see him instantly scoot his chair away from me. Metteo sat in the empty chair next to Leo, giving me a reassuring smile.
"Lets get to the introductions, first off I'm Leo as you know and i'm twenty-seven," I didn't take this as a surprise that he was in fact more that ten years older than me, more as I was surprised as how my mother used to have such a different life.
"And as you know i'm Metteo, and i'm twenty-five," He says to be, then reaching over and grabbing a glass of water that was already in front of him.
"Hey Bella, I'm Mattia I'm twenty-two, its great to have you back," I leaned over the table so I was able to see him, when our eyes met he gave me a smile.
"I'm Riccardo, probably the most fun person in this house considering all of these people are lame asses, anyway i'm seventeen," I gave him a smile at his words, already feeling very welcomed by him.
Rolling his eyes the one next to him spoke up, "What Riccardo mean's to say is that he's the most full of himself, moving on i'm Enzo and i'm sixteen," Again I felt a sense of happiness when he spoke, I was repeating all there names in my head hoping that my memory wouldn't betray me.
"Aundre, nineteen," Finally the one who was seated directly next to me spoke, and sadly it was not in the tone I wanted it to be in. I shouldn't have expected them all to be nice and welcoming to me, but it was hard not to.
"Aundre," Metteo warned, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Can we just eat already? I have other things I want to be doing," He mumbled, running his hand down his face.
"Yeah i'm sure," Riccardo rolled his eyes.
"I'm going to go grab the food, I'll be back in a minute," The one I remember as Mattia said, standing up and walking through the doors and into the kitchen.
"Where is Sandy anyways?" Enzo asks.
"She is taking the next few days off, while we get Bella settled in," Leo answers just as Mattia returns with a hot bowl of spaghetti in his hands. He placed it down in the middle of the table and I watched as everyone grabbed there share of food before going in and grabbing my small portion.
"Bella once you finish I want to go over some rules with you, we'll go to my office," Leo tells me before taking another bite of his food. I already felt full after the few bites I consumed, while everyone else seamed to eat the same amount as me in just a few seconds.
"Bella you need to eat more than that," Metteo declares, noticing that I have put down my fork and was sitting silently waiting until everyone else was finished eating.
"I-" I started to speak just for my voice to be caught in my throat, as nerves came at my body as everyone watched.
"Just leave her be, she just got here I'm sure she's a bit nervous, she can have something else later," Mattia says, shifting the uncomfortable air off me. I let out a sigh of relief as everyone continues eating, forgetting about me.
Suddenly Leo get up from the table, his chair scraping against the floor in his acting.
"Well if you aren't going to eat anything let's go have our talk," He says, I take that as my time to get up and push my chair in behind me and I follow him out of the room. He walked towards the entryway where a long hallway is on the right side.
Loads of doors align the hall all having keypads next to them, having the enter a code to enter them. He walked up to one before entering a set of number and pushing it open once the light turned green.
The aura inside the office felt different from the rest of the house, his desk was at the center and two chairs were placed in front of it. A couch was against the wall on the right side and an empty bookshelf was next to that. There were multiple paintings around the room but I couldn't tell what they were of.
I took a seat on the chair in-font of his desk while he walked around and took a spot on his chair. He grabbed a few of the papers that were scattered around his desk before shoving them into an already overflowing drawer.
"I don't want to give you to much rules to follow, because in all honestly I don't care much about rules because I don't even follow them myself. But in this case and with all the people under eighteen in this house rules are something I have to make.
"I tried to make them the same as your youngest two brothers, though a few a had to change due to the age difference," He takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Firstly I expect you to keep good grades in school, it seams as you have already been doing fine with that so just keep it up. There will be no drinking or smoking, as well as no arguing with Mattia, Metteo, or I, you can argue with the younger one's all you want.
"There will be no need for you to go down this hallway, so just stay out of it. I do like verbal responses so I can understand that you understand. I would rather you not date, boy or girl, but you are four-teen so in the end just be responsible," He raise his eyebrows at me, "Any questions or things you would like to change?"
"No these are all good," I quickly tell him, all of them were very reasonable.
"Very well, now go get some rest I think someone will be taking you shopping tomorrow," I mutter a small 'thank you' as I get up from the chair and exit the room closing the door behind me.
I arrive after my room after what feels like a mile long hike, I turned the light on and closed the door. Walking over to one of the doors I open it, seeing as it reveals a huge empty closet, other than my bag that I had placed in earlier.
I grabbed a pair of sweatpants, opting to stay in the sweatshirt i'm already wearing. I walk to the other door just to see a huge bathroom, it felt like the rest of the house with marble counters and hardwood floors, it was very different from my bedroom.
I quickly changed and washed my face then went and turned on a lamp located next to my bed, then turned off the ceiling light. I slowly walk over to the bed pulling the covers over the sliding inside, my head hit the pillow and a wave of tiredness hit me. I turned off the lamp leaving me in darkness before I quickly doze off to sleep.
UNTOLD
love you<3
(2413 words)