"Hey can I ask you a question?" I ask Kate. I'm laying on my bed, folding a tiny piece of paper and making it even tinier, while Kate is facing the mirror getting ready to go to a party tonight at Alpha Sigma. She asked me to go with her, and even though I promised that I would, I just wasn't feeling it because of the conversation that I had with dad last night. Kate saw the tiredness and sadness on my face and immediately dropped it, not wanting to push me into going with her. That's what I love about her. She doesn't pry. I have too much shit going on in my life and it's refreshing not having to talk about it all the time. Of course I've told Kate some of the issues I have with my dad because it's nice to confide in someone, but I definitely keep most of the personal shit to myself.
Kate is finishing up her makeup when she replies, "What's up?" Putting her mascara away and fluffing up her hair to add volume, she turns her attention to me and smiles.
"If you didn't have good relationship with your parents, why did you decide to attend college in the same town?" Her smiles falls and now she's looking down.
I immediately add, "I mean, I only ask because you've told me stories about them and how they were so hard on you how you would always argue with them." I pause, "And you also told me that you got accepted into a performing arts school in New York. Why stay?" I hope that I'm not overstepping when asking this. I'm only curious because I absolutely despise my dad and I wanted to get as a far away from him as possible. Kate also can't stand her parents so I wonder why she decided to attend a school in the same vicinity as them?
Kate sighs and starts walking up to me to sit at the end of my bed. I sit up all the way to let her know that I'm listening. She then says, "You're right. I did get accepted into a performing arts school in New York and I was this close," she pushes her pointer finger and thumb together to show them nearly touching, "to going because I couldn't wait to get out of this stupid town. My parents were never on my side on anything and sometimes, they would pretend I'm not even there. Which is funny considering on how strict they were about what I could and couldn't do." she lets out breathy laugh, "But the look I saw on their faces when I told them that I was going to go to New York, they looked so....hurt. And it broke me. I may not have gotten along with them and I may never will, but that look on their faces did something to me. I'm not a very selfish person and knowing me, I just knew I was going to miss them too much if I actually were to leave. So I decided to stay. And we ended up working things out. I now smile when I see them calling me." she's looking down at her hands playing with the hem of her dress and she's smiling like she's really happy that she's finally gotten to connect with her parents.
"That sounds so nice" I smile at her not knowing what else to say. I wish I had that. I never met my mom. My dad told me that my mom left us when I was two. But, he's also told me that she died from a freak accident. I sometimes wish for the latter because I would hate to think that she left me with my father. My father isn't a good man, and if she did actually leave us, leave me, than I wish she was dead. But deep down I hope she isn't. I would like to meet her one day.
I'm suddenly snapped out of my train of thought by Kate asking about my father. "How was the phone call with your dad last night?" She asked, now putting on her black heels that match her spaghetti strapped black dress that stops mid thigh.
"It was good." I lied. She doesn't know the depths about my situation with my dad, only what I want her to know. "He was just asking how my first day of school was. You know, parent stuff" I do a little laugh to lighten the mood a bit. I really don't want to be in my dorm room all night. But I also don't feel like going to a party. Maybe I'll go to the coffee shop and start on my statement for my business class.
"Well that's good. I'm glad he's acting like a parent for once" She squeezes my knee giving me a tight smile. If only she knew.
"Yeah...I'm actually going to go to the coffee shop to do some school work. I don't feel like being cooped up in here all night." I start getting up from my bed and grabbing my school bag. Once I put on my shoes I realized something. "You know, I never see you do any school work." I stare at her with a raised brow. She laughs, "Well nosy ass, I actually do the majority of my school work in class since I only have three classes." Right. Her parents made her take some courses during the summer so she could be ahead. Now I feel stupid.
"Wanna walk together since I'm heading in the same direction as Alpha Sigma?" I ask as she starts collecting her phone and purse. Kate then turns to me and says, "Adam is already here. You want us to drop you off at the coffee shop?" My smile slightly falls but I immediately shake it off and reply with, "No, it's fine, I actually like walking at night" And it's true. I love to walk at night. It's always so peaceful and quiet and sometimes, if I look extra hard up in the sky, I can see the stars. There's no open body of water around here so the stars aren't as vibrant unfortunately, but I can still see a few and that's enough for me.
We both head out of our dorm room and starting walking downstairs toward the front door. Once we're outside I see Adam, Kate's boyfriend. Kate runs to him and jumps into his arms smashing her lips to his. I smile. Adam is always sweet with Kate. It makes me happy. And sad. After their little make out session, Adam shifts his gaze to me and smiles a friendly smile which I return.
After dropping Kate back down on the floor, Adam asks me how I'm doing. I shrug and say that I'm doing fine and that I'm just heading to the coffee shop.
"Are you sure you don't want us to drive you? It's about a 15 minute walk to the coffee shop and it's already dark out." he asks almost concerned. Adam is a junior while both Kate and I are freshman. He treats me like a little sister which is nice considering I'm an only child. I then sigh and say, "I'm okay, Adam. Don't worry about me. Go have have fun, I don't mind the walk." I give both Adam and Kate a genuine smile and start walking toward the direction of the coffee shop.
"DON'T GET KIDNAPPED" Kate shouts.
I turn around and say, "DON'T GET PREGNANT" I then blow her a kiss and wink. I hear Adam laugh and Kate flips me off and gets into the passenger side of the car. I giggle and turn back around to start walking to the coffee shop.
I'm gonna make this statement my bitch.
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***ELIAS WOLFE'S POV***
I'm sitting at one of the booths at the coffee shop working on my laptop when I hear my phone start ringing. I pull it out of my pocket to see who it is to find that it's Stefano. I immediately accept and am about to speak when he says, "Turn around." I quickly snap my head back to see that he's standing a few feet behind me smirking.
What the fuck?
He was just in Italy yesterday.
"What are you doing here?" I say staring at him as I hang up the phone. He puts his phone in his back pocket and starts walking towards me. I've known Stefano since I was 10 and he was 8. We grew up training together and soon became best friends. After I turned 18 and moved to America, we still kept in contact. Only because it was mandatory. My dad didn't approve of me leaving Italy, so he made Stefano keep an eye on me. Stefano is extremely good at hacking things so I've known for years that he's been keeping track on me. I didn't care. I wasn't hiding. I just wanted out, even though I know that's not possible.
"Well amico, I've come bearing gifts." And with that he drops a Manila folder in front of me. I go to open it to see Mia's name. "I couldn't find nearly anything on this Leo dude." Stefano says sitting down across from me. "It's like he doesn't exist. But, what I did figure out is that Leo is this chicks ex-boyfriend and found a charge on him but was dropped by a David Wells. The girls father."
I stopped looking through the file and shoot my head up to face him. "What was the charge?" I urge.
"Sexual Assault"
He's a dead man.
"Cazzo!" I shout. Slamming the folder shut and tossing it back to him.
"And you couldn't find anything else on him?" I ask. I then hear the bell to the front door ring, announcing that someone walked in but I ignore it.
This is more important.
"Niente, Elias." (Nothing) "It's like he's a ghost" he huffs. "Why is this so important anyway? Who is this chick?" I was about to tell him that it's none of his fucking business when I hear someone at the front of the shop and I freeze.
"Hi, can I just get an iced vanilla latte please?" A girl asked the cashier. That voice. Mia's voice.
I turn to look at her and Stefano follows my gaze. "Cazzo è bellissima" (Fuck she's gorgeous) I glare at him but he's not looking at me. He's still looking at Mia, gawking at her. I don't think he knows that she's the girl in this folder. He turns back to me and says, "Let me go work my charm on that piece of ass" he then winks at me and starts to get up from his seat to walk over to her. I shoot my hand out to grab his arm and yanked him back down. "Don't even fucking think about it that's one of my students." I say sternly letting go of his arm. He sits back down and asks, "Why? She's at least 18 right?" He turns back to look at her again then turns back to me, "I mean, shit I hope so" He says, his voice full of lust and mischievousness, it's making me angry that he's even looking at her.
Why the fuck is it making me angry?
I noticed that she hasn't seen me yet, which is good considering that I have her entire life story spread out on the table and knowing her, she would want to walk up to me to say 'hi' if she sees me. I quickly tell Stefano to put the folder away and to leave because this conversation is now over. He hesitates but then decides to listen and is now folding up the folder and putting it in the inside pocket of his jacket. I am also packing up my things not wanting Mia to see me.
Following Stefano out, I peak one last glance at Mia to see that she already has her coffee and is now heading upstairs to the second floor of the shop. She's wearing a dark blue dress with spaghetti straps that cross in the back. The dress tight on her upper half with the cut being low enough to where I can see some of her cleavage.
Fuck.
Right at her hips, the dress flows down until it hits just above her knees, exposing her toned legs. Her upper half looks girly, but when I look down to her feet, I see that she's wearing black and white checkered vans. That makes me smile. She looks so innocent and yet breathtakingly sexy.
She's your student Elias. Stop.
But then I remember what the file said about Leo and the sexual assault charge. The urge to punch something, or someone, is seeping through my pores and my blood is now boiling to the point to where I need to unbutton the first two buttons of my shirt.
I need to calm down.
I guess that I'm taking too long because Stefano calls out for me. "Elias come on" he shouts. Sensing his annoyance, I leave.
I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Wells.
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