--- 3rd Person POV ---
--- 6.08 a.m. ---
--- Room 219, 3rd floor ---
--- LIVINGSTONE Orphanage, New Jersey, USA ---
The sun that peeked through the window and assaulted a black-haired and blue-eyed girl's face. Her calm and nice sleeping features broke down when she scrunched her face lightly, hoping to avoid the bright sunlight that destroyed her peaceful sleep. But of course, it didn't work. The young 14-year-old was forced to open her eyes and embrace the sun that shone to her face. She let out a lot grunt and tried to sit up but then she remembered that the 2 of her non blood-related siblings or best friends are sleeping beside her with their arms wrapped around her waist. The young girl, whose name is Raven, looked at her non blood-related siblings or best friends who are still sleeping despite the sunlight shining to their faces.
"How can the both of them still sleep?" She murmured to herself - her voice raspy because she hasn't drink anything yet.
Raven tried her best to get out of the twins' arm grip on her waist but it was too hard to escape. So, she did one thing that she usually do to them. She leaned into one of the twins, whose name is Rocky, and gave him a kiss on his forehead. Then, she leaned into the other and older twin, whose name is Rodney and gave him the same treatment as Rocky. The twins started to shuffle in the bed and soon, they open their sleepy eyes. The both of them yawn while Raven murmured something similar to 'morning breath'.
"Morning, what time is it?" The older twin, Rodney, asked as he is still laying on the bed sleepily.
"It's 6.12 in the morning." Raven answered the twin and properly sat up on the bed as the arms that snaked her waist left.
"Why did you wake us up so early?" Grumbled a sleepy twin, Rocky, who looks like he wanted to sleep more.
"Don't you remember that we have morning chores here, Rock?" Asked Rodney as he used his younger twin's nickname.
"Ugh, I want to sleep more." Whine Rocky even though he is already 15 years old.
"You'll get more sleep when you are done with breakfast and chores. Chop, chop! Get your ass off the bed." Raven, being the mother hen between the 3 (despite being a year younger than them), ordered.
"Yeah, yeah." The twins said at the same time before they got down from their bed.
"Just go have breakfast and do your chores first. I'll make the bed." Raven told them and the twins nodded at her sluggishly since the both are still sleepy.
When they are out, Raven started to tidy up the pillows, bolsters, bed sheets and the blanket. The bed is a king-sized one as it is made for the twins and her so it is quiet huge. After Raven's done with making the bed, she closed the door of the room (since the twins let it open even though the AC is still on) and opened 7 bricks from the wall. As soon as it is open, it revealed a medium-sized duffle bag that has $450 000. Raven took out $20 000 for the orphanage and after that, she closed the entrance of where she kept the money with the same 7 bricks she took out. No one knew about it except the twins. They knew where she got the money and what she is in The Underground since they are involved in it too as hackers. The Underground is the place where dangerous, powerful and rich people (such as the mafias, gangs, racers, businessman and others) gather and place their bets. The bets are for the street fights, street races, street dancers, street singers, street inventions and many others. Street fights are where most people place their bets at. Races and inventions come in second.
Street fight, dancing and singing happened in an underwater club that no one except for dangerous and powerful people knew about. Street races happened in a private island owned by the American Mafia, a friend of Raven's. Street inventions is held in a warehouse owned by the Mafia King. The Mafia King is the Capo of other mafia capos. So, it is like the king of kings. The Mafia Kings is sometimes seen in the underwater club and in the private island for street fighting, dancing, singing and racing.
--- Raven's POV ---
From what I've heard and seen, the Mafia Kings has a son named Blade Alexandric Damon. He is around 3 years older than me – making him 17 years old. Let's just say that I've met him once in the underwater club with the Mafia Kings himself.
--- FLASHBACK ---
--- 5 January 2021, 22.51 p.m. ---
--- RAVEN'S AGE: 13 ---
--- Raven's POV ---
--- THE UNDERGROUND CLUB ---
I was just done with the fight and got $30 000. It is one of my lucky nights. Some people here are still underestimating me. Although, there are some people who knows how dangerous I could be. I am friends with a lot of mafias and gangs but I never accept the offer of being in their mafia or gang. The reason why is because I still want to be free. I don't want to be under commands. I just want to be me. I unwrapped the hand wraps which consists of layers of tape and thin gauze. Once I finished unwrapping it, I flexed my fingers and thankfully, there isn't anything broken or dislocated. Yeah, I can be brutal sometimes but I ended up healing them. I mean, I just healed the guy I knocked out before by popping his right shoulder back and snapped his wrist back into place. There is a reason why I am called Red Death but sometimes, I am called as Angelic Death.
Suddenly, the door to my room opened and entered the feared man in the entire world, Killian Raphael Damon. He has the aura of dominance and looked around the room where I am at and stopped at me. Thankfully, I still have my mask on. It is a bit weird for him to look at me for a few seconds with just me being in a black sports bra and mid-thigh Nike pants.
Raven's mask ^^^
"What do I owe the pleasure of seeing you here, Mr. Damon?" I asked with a British accent as I stood up and placed my hand wraps in my duffle bag.
"Angelic Death or what they always call you, Red Death, I would like to offer you a place in my mafia. Would you take that offer? I won't ask again." He offered and then, the door opened again and a 16-year-old guy, who I know is Killian's son appeared.
"Who's this, father?" Asked Killian's son, Blade, asked as he saw me.
"I am just a person who your father tried to bring into the mafia," I answered him. "And Mr. Damon, I can't accept your offer."
"Why so?" He asked stubbornly because he didn't want me to slip from his fingers but I'm never in his fingers.
I took a deep breath, "Well, I want to be free. I don't want to be controlled by anyone or anything. And I won't."
With that said, I picked up my duffle bag and walked past the Damons. Before I could twist the door knob, I heard Blade told me, "This is one of a lifetime chance, Red Death. We can give you anything you want."
I stopped in my tracks and remarked, "You can't give me what I want."
"Well, what do you want?" Killian asked a bit impatient.
"I have everything I want and need." I answered them, not caring if they think that what I say is a lie.
I twisted the door knob and opened the door but before I could even get out, I felt a hand grasp me, halting me to a stop. Thankfully, my instincts to judo flip Blade isn't working up. If it does, I would be dead because for all I know, Killian will definitely plant a bullet in my head or torture me until I lose my sanity.
"What?" I asked patiently and calmly, not wanting to lose control.
"There must be something you want. Money? Mansion? Family?" He asked and I could feel his breath near my ear making something in me tingle. Why does this have to happen?
I came face to face with him and stare dead to his eyes.
"How about this? I won't fully join your mafia but you can call me whenever you are in need. But you aren't allowed to ask for my help from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m.. Got it?" I asked while my eyes flicker to Killian who is now staring at the both of us.
Killian seemed to think about it before replying, "We'll take that offer up."
I just nod at him before taking my hands out from Blade's grip and got out of the room to get back to the orphanage.
--- Blade's POV, still in flashback but his POV ---
After Red Death left, I have a weird feeling in my chest. When I touch her, I felt a tingle. It's weird. I have never felt it before. Is something... wrong with me?
"What is it?" Father asked me when he saw me rubbing my fingers against each other, wanting to feel the tingles again.
"Nothing, I just feel... never mind." I shrugged it off, not wanting to think of it further.
"No, no. Tell me." Father half-demanded curiously and seriously.
I hesitantly told him, "I... I felt tingles when I touched her."
--- END OF FLASHBACK ---
--- Still Raven's POV ---
The flashback ended and I sighed dramatically. Until this day, the Mafia King still asked for my help for a few things. One of those is becoming Blade's bodyguard even though he didn't need one. When I become his bodyguard, I still manage to hide my identity by wearing a cloth that covered my nose and mouth. As you know, I wear wigs when it comes to The Underground and their colors are black (for street fights), black and navy blue-dyed (for assassin) and honey blonde with pink highlights (for hacking). When I hacked, I sometimes have to bring my laptop to the person's (who hired me) house and whenever I go there, I would use gloves so that my fingerprints won't be in their belongings.
If my fingerprints touched their belongings, they could actually find out my identity and it won't be pretty because I'll have to kill them. It's not like I have a choice. Okay, truth to be told, I have actually killed hundreds of dangerous and evil people. Chill, I don't kill the innocent. I know who is innocent and who is not by having them a background check, watching their past and present, and getting information from different sources. I have ever killed drug dealers (who were trying to force children into drugs), woman traffickers (who are disgusting af), businessmen who tortured people for their own profit/gain, businessmen who cheated/killed people and the list goes on.
After I made the bed and everything, I decided to just go downstairs and have a short breakfast before going to work. Yeah, I have been working in the diner for 7 years now, almost 8. I became one of the longest staffs to work there. Harry is still grateful that I am there to take over the cooking sometimes. He taught me how to cook and bake so I could take over for him when he is having a break. I mean, there are 4 other chefs but he doesn't really trust them that much.
I went down the flight of stairs and I am not even panting. I have to thank myself for exercising and working out daily. As I arrived to the huge dining hall, which is only half as big and half as tall as the Great Hall in Hogwarts, I saw most of the orphanage children eating and sitting on the chairs. My eyes saw Rocky and Rodney, who is sitting in the corner of the table. I took a plate, along with the knife and fork, and pick up 3 pieces of blueberry pancake, add up a bit of butter, then I place bacon there too. I took a seat in between Rocky and Rodney after I have to avoid some of the kids from bumping onto me.
"Enjoying your breakfast?" I asked them as I took a tiny piece of pancake.
"Yweh." They replied with food still in their mouth.
After I swallowed the food, I scolded them (as usual), "Don't talk while you eat. You could've choked."
--- TIME SKIP, 12.03 p.m. ---
After working in the diner and baking my famous chocolate chip cookies, I went to work for the diner. I am still wearing my usual diner uniform but Cathy doesn't mind seeing me in the diner uniform. Oh yeah, I forget to tell you that the diner uniform finally fit on me. It is a relief. I walked to the library and tidy up my diner outfit. I never got to change because I never got the time to.
I shrugged it off and went inside the library to find some parents and kids reading here and there. I immediately went to Cathy and surprised her with my chocolate chip cookies.
"Afternoon, Cathy." I greeted her while I try to take the container full of chocolate chip cookies out of it.
"Afternoon to you too, Raven." She said a bit down because apparently, she and her husband got into a short fight.
"Here, this may cheer you up." I chirped and placed the container of chocolate chips on the desk.
Cathy's eyes widened and brighten immediately, making me chuckle, "Thank you! Your chocolate chip cookies are the best in the whole entire world!"
"Y'welcome, now I gotta go to work." I told her and sneak up a chocolate chip cookie for me to eat.
Cathy just nodded while she put on a hand sanitizer to make her hands clean enough for her to eat. I went to the storage and took the broom. I started cleaning from the lobby, then to the top floor, then to the private section, etc. I took 5-minute breaks every hour so that I am not too tired when I get back home. I am supposed to get my payment today because I would always tell Cathy to pay me every time the date is the 10th. I got paid every month and it is at least almost a thousand dollars. I am here for 3-4 hours and I got paid $20 for staying and cleaning here for every an hour. But since I don't want to be too tired today, I will just stay here for 3 hours. Not any longer.
--- TIME SKIP, 15.13 p.m. ---
I sighed tiredly and lean on Cathy's front table. She chuckled at my tired face and offered me one last cookie after I washed my hands cleanly. I took the chocolate chip cookie and felt my energy boost up for a bit. I then heard a car outside. It sounded like a quick racing car. From here, I could see through the front glass door and saw a black, silver-striped Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante parking in the parking lot. Why would some rich people come to a library when they have their own libraries?
Just then, I saw a glimpse of the plate numbers. AA**. That plate number is damn expensive in Italy...
I nudged Cathy to get her attention in which I did and she stopped typing. Her eyes caught mine and I spoke out, "There is an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante outside. I guess some rich people are coming to this library and are entering in 3... 2... 1."
As soon as I counted backwards, the door opened and in came 3 rich Italian-looking men. The 2 of them are wearing black business suit while the other wore navy blue business suit. Wait, hold it right there! Italian-looking, expensive car, business suit, dark aura and alerted looks. This is the Italian Mafia. I remember now... I have met the man in the black Armani business suit because he is the Capo of the Italian Mafia. My, oh my~ Why are they here?
"They are coming here." I whispered to Cathy and I saw her nod.
I heard their expensive shoes tap against the floor every time they took a step. As soon as they reached Cathy and me, Lorenzo Romano, the Capo of the Italian Mafia, coldly asked with a slight Italian accent, "Afternoon, may we ask where an orphanage is located at?"
"There's an orphanage called Livingstone Orphanage just a few streets away, sir. Raven here could take you there." Cathy said and I perked my eyebrow at her as she held the both of my shoulder from behind with a smile. I pursed my lips but then smiled at the Heads of the Italian Mafia.
Why does she have to involve me in it?
"Sure, I suppose I could take you there but forgive me... I rode a bus here and don't have any transportation." I innocently said while I slightly fiddled with my fingers– keeping up with the innocent and shy act.
Lorenzo then added, "You can ride in the car with us."
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to invade-" I told them with my slightly tilted head but got cut off.
"No, no. It's fine. The car is a 4-seater so we have an extra seat for you." The man with a blue Saint Laurent business suit assured me, still not making any visible emotions/expressions. His hair is slightly tousled but that didn't do anything to make his appearance bad. Their eyes pierced me so I acted more shy, despite of the fact that I wasn't exactly bothered.
"Um... okay. Bye Cathy." I bid my goodbye and went out of the library with the Italian Mafia's capo, second-in-command and third-in-command in front of me. I dropped my smile as I was behind them and inwardly sighed. I am expecting a peaceful and calm pace today but i guess fate is against me.
I can't believe that the Lorenzo Romano is interested in adopting. He knows that having or adopting a kid/(s) could be the weak spot/downfall of the mafia.