I strolled into the classroom reluctantly. It should be forbidden to have chemistry on a Monday morning.
Jasmine was babbling next to me. I swear this girl is the bubbliest person I have ever met. She never has a bad morning let alone a bad day.
Everything has turned back to normal after yesterday's conversation with my brothers. Only two days had passed since I found out about them, but it seemed like a lifetime.
Nothing had changed between us, however they were more open about their work which lifted the secretive atmosphere in the house.
Not like I want them to involve me in their business, but it was nice to know they don't hide things for me anymore. It shows me I finally am a part of the family.
Yasmine left to her place next to Jay, and I headed toward Cora after greeting Jay.
I sank into my chair with a deep sigh.
"Bad day?" she asked with a grin.
"I don't think I can handle Mrs. Duchi on a Monday morning," I whined which made her laugh.
"How did the conversation go yesterday?"
"Better than I expected. I didn't think they would tell me everything. They proved me wrong," I said softly so no one else could listen in on our conversation.
"Good. It was normal to be afraid, the world doesn't have a very good view of us," she reassured me for the umpteenth time.
"I never really thanked you for everything you've done for me, so thank you Cora. I'm thankful to have you as my friend."
"Well after saying that you officially can't get rid of me anymore," she winked and I laughed.
Mrs. Duchi gave us an angry glare, warning us to be quiet. It only made us laugh harder.
Cora was texting the whole time and occasionally blushed when she read a message.
"Who are you texting with?" I asked her curiously.
Her blush increased, and she quickly hid her phone out of my field of view.
"Ooh I see. Cora is in love," I sang while winking.
"What? No, I don't know what you're talking about," she stuttered.
"Wow, you suck at lying. You're even worse than me. When can I meet him?"I joke.
She just waved me off and decided to change the subject.
The rest of the class we kept talking and giggling like we hadn't seen each other in years. We wanted to leave the room and go to our next class, but we were held back by Mrs. Duchi.
She put us in detention for constantly interrupting her during class, and she kept whining about the fact that we were a huge distraction to our fellow students who did want to pay attention. You know, the same nonsense every other teacher says.
'As if anyone was really listening to her' I thought while rolling my eyes.
I decided to text my brothers to let them know not to wait for me during lunch.
I headed to my next class with Jay. The others didn't take French.
"What did Mrs. Duchi want?" he innocently asked.
What a bitch.
He knew exactly why Cora and I stayed a bit after class and wanted to rub it in.
"She thought it's necessary to give us detention," I sighed.
"Have fun," he winked.
Some people were staring at me while I was going to my seat in the back. After weeks of going to this school, they were still shocked off my existence. It got on my nerves enormously.
"Can you see it?" I hissed at a boy.
I normally wasn't this harsh, but them staring at me made me uncomfortable. I hated being in the spotlight and being the sister of the infamous Romano brothers didn't really help.
The teacher started babbling about the 'Subjonctif', I already learned this last year in my other school. I guess it's time for a nap.
I had stolen one of Aiden's hoodies, it was just so warm and comfortable. The sound of the teacher's voice blurred into the background while I was snuggling my head in my arms.
I was dozing in and out of my slumber till someone harshly pulled the hood off my head. I quickly shot up and saw Jay grinning at me.
"Time to wake up sleepyhead, you have a detention to go to, remember?" he teased.
"Is it already lunchtime?" I asked confused.
When he nodded, I stood up and headed toward the detention classroom. I sighed again at the thought of sitting an hour in silence on the same spot.
Cora was already sitting on a seat near the window. Before I could choose a place I had to hand in my phone, I was going to get it back afterwards
Great, just great.
I decided to place myself next to Cora.I couldn't help but laugh when I saw Aiden strolling into the room.
His gaze met mine, and his eyes widened a bit.
"What are you doing here?" He whispered when he took the seat behind me.
"What are you doing here?" I shot back.
"I asked first."
"The old hag from chemistry gave us detention because we were a distraction for her and our fellow students," I rolled my eyes.
I expected him to be angry, or something like that, but he started chuckling instead.
"You are a true Romano sorillina."
I let out the breath I was holding while waiting for his reaction.
"Don't be relieved yet, just wait for Isaac to find out," Aiden smirked.
He's going to kill me.
Aiden suddenly tossed me a phone.
"Always bring a second one. You can use mine this time."
I smiled gratefully at him.
He said he was going to have a nap, and when I looked at my right, I saw Cora had already started her beauty sleep.
The hour passed awfully slow even if I had something to waste my time with. Eventually, the bell rang, delivering us from this hell.
Another four hours to go through before I could head home.
The next class was maths. First I had to get my books from my locker before I could head toward the classroom.
I started walking slower when I saw Sam leaning against my locker, probably waiting for me.
With all this stuff about my brothers over the weekend, I had completely forgotten about him.
My questions about his role in the mafia started popping up in my head.
I was too busy with my brothers to worry about Sam. It was clear he also had connections with the mafia, but the big question is which part he played.
"Did you have fun at detention?" Sam joked.
"Let me guess, Jay told you?"
"You know how he is." he grinned.
Sam cleared his throat. "I wanted to ask you if you would like to have a chat after school. I can imagine you have a lot of questions," he said while scratching the back of his neck.
I think he's nervous that I will reject his offer.
"I would like that," I reassured him.
The tension in his shoulders seemed to fade away at my answer.
"Ready for maths?" I asked while closing my locker.
"I have no choice do I?" he laughed.
°°°°°°°°°°
Finally.
Finally, the bell had rung, indicating us it was time to go home.
Sam had told me to wait for him at his car after school. He would drive me home after we had our talk. I walked over to his black Audi that was parked far away from Aiden's car.
If I had told my brothers Sam will drive me home, they would have dragged me to their car without a word. So I decided to text them while Sam and I took off.
After five minutes he arrived and opened the passenger door for me.
"Such a gentleman," I joked.
Sam was already sixteen and got his driving licence this summer.
"Don't wait for me. Sam is driving me home."
- Luna
I sent the text into the group chat with the twins. I created the group at the beginning of the school year, so that I didn't have to sent two messages at the time.
I immediately got an answer.
"The hell you are."
- Aiden
"Too late... See you at home."
- Luna
My phone was receiving a dozen of messages, so I decided to turn it off.
"Where are we going?" I asked him.
"You will see."
We drove for about ten minutes, there was no sound to be heard excpect the humming of the car. For some reason it wasn't awkward, it is never when I'm around him.
He parked the car and we stepped out. Before me laid the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. We looked over the whole city, which was laying under us.
"It's magnificent," I breathed out.
"I knew you would like it. I always come here to think, or in this case, talk without someone being able to eavesdrop," Sam explained.
I looked at him and give him a smile to show him I'm thankful he wanted to share his special place with me.
"How are you feeling after finding out?" he carefully asked."
"At first I totally freaked out, but luckily Cora was there to calm me down and talk some sense into me. My thoughts were all over the place. After having some space to think, I decided to let them explain. We had a long talk, they told me everything I wanted to know and promised we would have no more secrets," I told him.
"Are you alright with what they do?"
"Yeah, they only harm people who deserve it, people who have done inhumane things," I said.
People like Nick.
A shudder shot through my body when I thought of him.
'You are safe' I told myself.
"Are you part of the mafia?" I asked him.
The word mafia still felt strange on my tongue. You read about it in books or hear about it on the news, but it seems unreal to be connected to it.
"Yes and no," he confessed while looking into my eyes.
My brow raised, questioning him silently to explain.
"My father is the head of the Mexican mafia, which makes me the heir," he said without shifting his gaze from me.
My mouth fell wide open from disbelief.
One mafia seems unreal, but two mafias are just beyond imagination.
"Now is not the time to make jokes Samuel."
"I'm not joking Luna," he calmly said.
"How come you live here?" I ask.
"My father met my mother here, all her family lives here so she doesn't want to leave them behind. We also have a lot of business in America, it's much easier being this close than always travelling back and forth. However, Dad regularly goes to Mexico to supervise and things like that," Sam responded.
"So one day you will take over from him?" I wondered even though I knew the answer, I guess I needed the conformation.
"Yes."
"Did you ever kill someone?" I hesitantly asked.
"Yes."
"But you're only sixteen," I blurted out.
His eyes softened a bit and a sympathetic smile formed on his lips.
"It's a part of my job Luna. But I can promise you we follow the same rules as your brothers. There will never be an innocent life lost," he vowed.
"Good. Does Cora have an active role in the business?"
The questions kept flowing out of my mouth.
"She doesn't do dirty work, however she helps a lot with the more legal side. Her mother, my father's sister, wanted to keep her out of it because of her husbands death. It caused a lot of trouble between the two, eventually she agreed, only if Cora stayed away from the dangerous jobs."
My heart clenched painfully at the thought of Cora without a father because I knew how much it hurt to lose a parent.
"I didn't know she lost her father," I silently said.
"She doesn't like to talk about it. It's still a touchy subject for her and her mother."
"I don't mean to be rude, so if you don't want to answer I completely understand. But how did he die?"
"An ambush during a delivery, he died when Cora was only nine years old," he responded.
An ambush.
The same fate could have happened with Kayden. He was lucky enough to receive the bullet in his shoulder instead of his head or chest.
"How can we ever live a peaceful life knowing one of us could die at any moment by the hands of our enemies?" I hopelessly wondered.
Sam had slowly moved closer to me during our conversation without me noticing. Now he was standing before me, looking at my eyes filled with fear. Fear of my beloved ones dying in a cruel way.
He cupped my cheek with his large hand without shifting his gaze of me. Instead of flinching away from his touch, I leaned into it.
"We choose this life. There is always danger lurking around the corner, but we protect our family and friends with all we have. No one will hurt you ever again, not on my brothers watch, not on my watch," he emphasized the last part.
"That's not what I'm afraid of," I whispered.
I know he understood what I meant. I was afraid of my loved one's getting hurt not myself, I would happily throw myself in the crossfire to protect them.
He didn't respond, and I didn't try to say anything else. We stood there for god knows how long, enjoying each other's silence. I laid my hand on top of his that was still placed on my right cheek.
"Podría ahogarme en tus ojos azules como el océano y no haría nada para evitarlo," he muttered.
'I could drown in your ocean blue eyes, and would do nothing to prevent it.'
"Not you too. Why can everybody speak Italian but me," I sighed irritated.
"Technically it's Spanish and not Italian hermosa," he grinned.
'Beautiful'
"Zou je het leuk vinden als ik constant in een onbekende taal spreek?" I grinned back.
'Would you like it if I constantly talk to you in an unfamiliar language?'
His confused expression was priceless.
"I think we should head back before my brothers start a manhunt." I suggested.
I didn't want to leave this place nor Sam, but I knew I had to.
Again he opened the passenger door for me. This time he put on some music during the ride.
'Smells like teen spirit' started playing, and I squealed out of excitement. I have an obsession with Nirvana.
"You don't seem like the girl who loves rock music," Sam took his eyes from the road for a second to look at me.
Instead of answering I started singing along, hurting Sam's ears in the process.
After fifteen minutes of driving, we arrived at home. I was looking forward to going home all day long, and now I wanted nothing more than to stay in the car.
"See you at school hermosa," Sam said.
"Thanks for the talk," I thanked him and gave him a kiss on his cheek.
I rushed out of the car, so I didn't have to see his reaction.
I cursed myself when I realized what I had done.
When I heard Sam take off, I opened the front door, revealing an angry Aiden.
This is the day I officially die.
"Look who finally decided to come home," he grunted.
"Nice to see you too," I rolled my eyes.
I know I was making the situation much worse, but I couldn't help myself.
"Where were you? Do you know how worried we were?"
"I was with Sam, like I told you."
"No boys, remember our rule?" he angrily said.
"First of all the rule was imposed on me. It's a sexist joke because it only applies to me. Don't think I haven't noticed you toying with a few girls. You don't even have the decency to stay with the same girl. Second nothing happened, we only talked," I snapped at him.
I didn't mean to get angry, because it was wrong of me to leave without their permission. However, I was sick and tired of these double standards.
"People often use 'just talking' as an excuse," he glared.
My heart dropped into my stomach.
"Is that how you really think of me? Do you really think I could have sex with someone that quickly after all I've been through with Nick?" I raised my voice at him.
The stitches out of my mental wound were ripped open after I had said that.
"I-uh," Aiden searched for his words.
"I think you have said enough," I stated coldly.
I turned around and saw we had an audience. Kayden and Ethan were gaping at us.
"Why don't you go upstairs and take a relaxing bath?" Kayden suggested and gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze.
Ethan was already standing next to his other half, asking him to take a walk with him so he could cool off.
°°°°°°°°°°
Dinner was served an hour after the encounter Aiden and I had in the stairwell.
The tension that was hanging in the room could be cut with a knife.
I was playing with the food that was laying on my plate, my appetite let me down today. Every time I felt sad or angry, it seemed to have an influence on my eating pattern.
I laid the cutlery on my plate. I immediately felt the burning gazes of my brothers.
"You should try to eat a little more," Cole softly suggested.
"I'm not hungry," I said.
"Please Luna," Ethan pleaded.
"I'm not hungry," I repeated.
I was sure Cole and Isaac were notified of the situation between Aiden and me.
Why Aiden's words hurt this much was a mystery for me, it's not like he called me names or something. I guess it hurts he insinuated such things and the memory of Nick's multiple assaults didn't help the case.
"I'm going to bed," I said while leaving the kitchen.
A sigh escaped when I realized I was going to have a restless night.
°°°°°°°°°°