AUTHORS NOTE: 3K!!! Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading, voting, and commenting!! Again, it means the world to me knowing that there are people who enjoy my story <3 I hope you enjoy this chapter!! Can't wait to see what y'all think :))
p.s. don't forget to check out the other stories on this account! Tale of Two Stories and Butterflies are worth the read, I promise!! <3
-Badger
Valentina Amato
"So...you know...." I say to Apollo after he comes back with my copy of Les Mis.
"I already spoke with Lorenzo about it, and I won't say anything...just be careful, Valé, okay?" Apollo says and pulls me into a hug.
"I promise I'm being careful," I say in our embrace.
"Valentina! You zoned out again," Colette laughs and then points at me with her spoon, "your breakfast is getting cold."
"Colette, it's cereal. It's already cold," I say and we both laugh, finishing up our cereal. I hear a thud from behind me and Colette and I both turn in curiosity.
"Did a shoe just fly past your window?" Colette asks with a raised brow. I walk towards the shoe and see that it has a note attached to it. This looks familiar I think to myself.
Come over for an early lunch and then we'll see where the day takes us? See you at 1, darling x
Love,
Your Lorenzo
"Please let me help you get ready!" Colette cheers and I give her a nervous smile and nod. Does this mean I'm going to meet his friends?
As Colette rushes to the room to pick out my outfit, I make a pitstop at Apollo's room and knock on the door lightly.
"Come in," I hear his voice say from the otherside of the door.
"Apollo, I think I'm meeting Lorenzo's friends today... I'm a little nervous," I admit and sit next to his lying figure, "you met them...kind of...were they nice?" I ask him.
"I'm not going to sugar coat it," he sits up and stretches his arms, "they're...different to say the least. I mean, I can't fully judge them because they grew up differently than we did, different customs and lifestyles, but I'd be careful around that blonde prick" Apollo's eyes glare slightly.
"What do you mean?" I say biting my lip nervously.
"He's a little more hostile than the other one, that's all. I know you know how to stand your ground and not let people treat you unfairly, which I'd like to take credit for," he laughs and lightly shoves my arm, "but, still be careful" he pats my head. I thank Apollo and head to my room, not ready for what I entered into.
"There you are!! Okay, so I couldn't decide between these two, so you choose" Colette says and stands next to me, laying her head on my shoulder.
I lean into her and look at the two options spread on my bed. I bring my hand up to my mouth and bite my nail, a nervous habit I have, and use my other hand to point at the option on the right.
"I was thinking that one too," she smirks at me and then sits me down on the chair near my desk.
I tell Colette that I want something very simple and natural, and she does just that. She styles my normally wavy hair in a voluminous blowout and I put the outfit we chose on.
(A/N: NOT THE BAG!!)
The brown corset fit me perfectly and accentuated my curves, and the matching brown pants added to the monochromatic look. I adorned the outfit with a small cream coloured cardigan, just in case it got colder during the nighttime.
"Is there a reason you're so nervous? I mean how bad can his friends be?" Colette asks and she crosses her arms.
"They're not bad! I just-They've never really hung out with someone like me before," I try to say as vaguely as possible. Colette's brows furrow as she gives me a look.
"What, they've never met a girl before?" she snorts at her joke and I laugh along.
After saying goodbye to Colette and Apollo, I grabbed some of the cookies Colette and I made last night and put them in a tupperware to take with me. Holding them in my hands to keep me from fidgeting, I walk across the street to Lorenzo's villa. I ring the bell and wait until someone answers the door. After a minute or two, the door opened and I let out a sigh of relief. I'm met with Lorenzo's warm brown eyes and beaming smile.
"There you are! I knew you'd get my message," he laughs and I smile at him, "come in, darling" he says opening the door wider for me.
"Thank you," I say in a quiet voice and he raises his brow at me.
"Where's my confident girl at? I know someone this stunning has to have her usual cheeky banter and confidence" he winks at me and I let out a giggle, feeling myself loosen up.
"Well I thought I'd dress up for the occasion, I mean it's not everyday that I get to meet dashingly handsome british guys," I smile teasingly at Lorenzo who opens his mouth in surprise shock.
"Did somebody say dashingly handsome?" an unfamiliar deep voice says from the top of the stairwell. I look up and see a guy who is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome.
"This is Blaise," Lorenzo motions towards the guy who makes his way down the stairs, "finding someone who has an ego as big as his would be near impossible" he jokes and Blaise scoffs.
"I thought you met my brother?" I joke and they both let out a laugh.
"Where's Draco?" Lorenzo asks Blaise.
"Being stubborn, as usual," Blaise says rolling his eyes while pointing upstairs, "he said he would be down in a few"
"In the meantime, do you need any help preparing lunch?" I say, offering to help. They look at each other and then laugh.
"I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to intrude," I stutter, feeling my cheeks warm.
"No! Darling, we're not laughing at you! It's just, we've got it covered. Magic, remember?" Lorenzo boops my nose and I cross my eyes looking at his finger.
"There you are!" Blaise exclaims at a blonde haired figure that appears to be sulking as he descends the staircase. That's probably who Apollo was talking about.
"You must be the-" Draco's voice says, but Lorenzo clears his throat, "the girl who's captured our friend's heart. Valentina, right?" his cool voice says, the emphasis on the word girl slightly putting me off edge, but I shake it off.
"Yes! And you're Draco, I'm assuming?" I smile at him, but he only stares and examines me.
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's...a pleasure" he says and then his eyes shift to the container I'm holding.
"Oh! I-uh, my friend Colette and I," I say and look at Lorenzo then back at Blaise and Draco, "made cookies last night! I brought the ones that were left over. Thought you'd enjoy them," I smile and hand the container to Lorenzo.
"Thank you, love" he smiles and takes it from me.
"So, I'll finish preparing lunch-" Lorenzo says, but Blaise interrupts him.
"I'll help you set the table!" Blaise says and they both walk into the kitchen, leaving me and Draco alone.
"Do you play chess?" he asks me all of a sudden and I look up to meet his silver eyes.
"I'm familiar with the game," I smile, but he just nods his head and turns to lead us into the living room area. We walk into the quiet room and he sits on one of the chairs next to the chess table. I follow along and sit across from him.
"So, what are your intentions with Enzo?" Draco asks me without a glance my way, instead he moves his white piece.
"I don't have any bad intentions if that's what you're implying," I answer him and move my black piece.
"I just find it hard to believe that a wizard would settle for a muggle, that's all," Draco shrugs and I tighten the hand I have rested on my lap into a fist.
"I'm not with Lorenzo because he's a wizard. We got together before I even knew he was one," I say trying to stay calm.
"Check," Draco says with a smirk and moves his piece.
"You know, I see that you're trying to be intimidating and implement a sense of superiority between us, my kind specifically, but it's not going to work," I say and pick up my black queen, "you see, I could care less that you possess the ability to use magic. At the end of the day you're a human just like me. We both breath the same, eat the same, and bleed the same. I'm trying to be the best for Lorenzo and I know that I make him happy. As his friend, you would be wise to start accepting the fact that I'm in his life," I set my gaze to meet his, "checkmate." I say and bump his king piece over.
Draco scowls and is about to open his mouth when Lorenzo's voice calls us to the dining room.
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"Where did you say you were from, Valentina?" Blaise asks me from across the table.
"Well, I go to boarding school in New Hampshire, but my family is from here, Lake Como," I answer. Lorenzo's hand makes his way from the table and he rests it on my knee, smiling at me.
"How long have you guys been friends with Lorenzo?" I ask, directing it mainly to Blaise seeing as Draco still hasn't spoken to me since our chess debacle.
"We've known Enzo since first year! He was the smallest little boy and oh he was just the sweetest," Blaise coos in a fake baby voice to tease Lorenzo.
"Alright, enough with the teasing! Try not to embarass me too much will you?" Lorenzo laughs along with Blaise.
"I find it quite funny imagining a little Lorenzo running around a big castle trying to impress and woo the little girls," I tease, Blaise letting out a laugh.
"You find it funny do you?" Lorenzo asks me with a raised brow. I smirk and nod my head and turn my head to face Blaise who's already started telling me a story about the time they snuck sweets into their dorm and Lorenzo had a sugar rush.
As I was listening to Blaise's story, I felt Lorenzo's hand move from my knee to my thigh, but I don't give him the reaction he wants. Instead I nod along Blaise's story pretending I didn't even feel it. At this, he moves his hand up further my inner thigh. It's a good thing I'm wearing pants, I think to myself. But why do I wish I wore a skirt? Shaking my head of any dirty thoughts, I clamp my legs shut and his hand gets stuck.
"And then he jumped so many times on the bed, he just threw up everywhere!" Blaise finishes his story with a loud laugh and I laugh along, taking this chance to part my legs for him to remove his hand. Lorenzo playfully rolls his eyes and puts his hands up in surrender.
"I'll clear the table-" I begin to say.
"No, I'll do it," Draco's voice interrupts, "Enzo, give me a hand will you?" he says. Lorenzo sighs almost as if he knows something is happening and nods his head. They excuse themselves and go to the kitchen with our plates.
"I've actually got to use the restroom and write a quick letter to another one of our friends, Onyx. You'd love her! She's actually pretty great...anyways, I'll be back" Blaise clears his throat and excuses himself.
I'm left alone at the dining table, but I hear hushed voices come from the kitchen. I shouldn't be nosy...whatever it is, is not business... I try to tell myself. I look back at the creak of the kitchen door and I get up and stand beside it. It won't hurt to listen in...
"Why can't you just be happy for me?" Lorenzo's voice raises.
"You can't be serious right now," Draco scoffs, "be honest with yourself Enzo! Where do you seriously see this going? Summer ends in less than a month, and what happens then? You keep a long distance relationship with a mudblood?!" his tone raises.
"Stop calling her that!" Lorenzo pushes Draco's shoulder. Draco catches his hand and holds it firmly.
"My beliefs aside, you know what I'm saying has some truth to it...there's no future for you two, not with how our families are and you know that," Draco's voice surprisingly softens at the end.
It grows quiet and I take this as my cue to step away. He was right. I may love Lorenzo, but isn't it selfish of us to be together knowing that there won't be a happy ending...I know I would hold him back from many things that he can accomplish with his life. He could become a successful wizard, and I don't want to hold him back from that... Draco said it himself, summer was ending in less than a month. I may have won the chess game, but he won this round.
Checkmate.