Diego POV.
Eli had finally managed to tell their brothers about what happened to them, which was better than I would ever get. Whenever they published a new song, I went over the lyrics which meant, I knew some things, but I also knew, Eli would never tell me everything that had happened to them. I don't think they ever even told Carlos, so them opening up to their brothers even a little bit was a miracle.
I would be lying if I said I hadn't been scared to meet them, but they seemed alright. They cared about Eli a lot, which was basically all I needed. Also, Gabriele was really cool. He showed me the proper ways to use oil paint, which was amazing. He told me, I could use anything in the art room, to which I quickly thanked him and ran to get a canvas. I had never painted on a real canvas, so it was challenging at first, but Gabriele helped me get started, and he said I learned really quickly.
After Eli called me downstairs to watch a movie, I saw how most of the boys looked like they had been crying. It must have been a rough chat.
We put on Dear Evan Hansen, which was never my favorite, but Carlos liked it for some reason.
When You Will Be Found started playing I could feel Eli shaking slightly, I turned to see them fighting tears, while looking down at their hands. I leaned over and placed my head on their shoulder. Slowly, their head landed on top of mine, and I reached to take their hand in mine. That song was always Carlos' favorite. He saw the beauty in it and sang it to us when he tried to calm us down. Me, when I had a nightmare or just a bad day, and always to Eli, when they came crying to our apartment after another incident with their parents.
I could never describe, how much I missed Carlos. He was my brother, my family, and the one always looking out for me. He sang to me, when I was down, and always laughed with me when I was happy. He brought me to the beach and bought me ice cream, even tho we really couldn't afford it.
I don't think about him a lot, because every time, he flashes in my mind, I start to cry. I remember all the things we did together, all the silly faces he made, and remember, that they will never happen again. He will never chase me around the apartment with that stupid grin on his face again. He will never give me a piggyback ride to the store again, and I will never get to hug him again.
For the longest time, those memories were tainted with my brother's blood, as he died in my arms. Whenever I remembered him, that was the only thing, I could think of. His last breaths, Calling Eli, flushing the drugs, staying in the bathroom to cry my eyes out, while my brother was bleeding out in the next room because I was too weak to see it.
Only Eli was able to help me with that. They made me remember the good things, and work through what happened that day. They pointed out places, where we went together with Carlos, and even tho it hurt to remember, those good memories overcame the bad ones.
In that way, I was lucky. I still had Eli to take care of me. They came over every day and spent every night with me after Carlos died. They sang to me, just like Carlos, when I woke up from a nightmare, and they cooked for me and made me eat, even tho it felt like forcefully stuffing more things into an already full suitcase.
Eli, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. I knew, I could never be to them, what Carlos was. I was just nine for fuck's sake. So, when they lost Carlos, they not only lost their brother but also the thing holding them together. I could see how much they tried to be there for me, but they just couldn't. They fell back into hard drugs, and when Carlos wasn't there to pull them back, they spiraled right off the DuSable bridge.
Eli POV.
After the movie, my brothers looked at me and Diego, who were basically cuddled up as a shay, teary blob on the couch. None of them knew what to do, since I didn't really know my emotions, and Diego was new to them all, so they just decided to sit there.
We ended up talking about school, which wasn't nice, but I knew they were just trying to steer our thoughts from whatever was making us sad.
"Oh yeah, I need to come up with new stuff for you," I suddenly remembered turning to Diego.
"Nah, I'm good without school," he said with a sly grin.
"No," I just simply said ruffling Diego's hair once again.
"What school do you go to?" Matteo asked Diego, who just shrugged.
"None, Eli taught me everything I know, and they make me do god-awful schoolwork," Diego groaned.
"Eli always says, that at some point, they'll have enough money, to send me to school," Diego explained with a smile directed at me.
I could see my brothers shocked expressions, that they were trying to hide. I know, most eleven-year-olds are at school, but we simply never had enough money. We barely survived with the money I was paid.
"Now, with the crazy allowance, you guys gave me, we might be able to buy you the textbooks," I said with a huge grin.
"We'll pay for your school," Alessandro said out of the blue.
it seems like every time he talked, it was a surprise and shocked everyone.
"Really?" Diego asked with wide eyes and a smile, that started growing on his face.
"Yes, we'll find you a good school, with a good art program, and we're going to enroll you," Alessandro said with finality in his tone.
I felt my face stretching into a huge smile, as excitement grew in me. Diego could go to school. He could get a good job afterward, and move out of that awful place he lived in.
I saw Diego practically jumping up and down like the little kid he was, as his eyes started watering over with happy tears.
"Are you for real? I get to go to school?" he said still processing Alessandro's words.
Alessandro just nodded, which was enough for Diego to take off, and land right on Alessandro, giving him the biggest hug ever.
I quickly joined them whispering a quick thank you to Alessandro, as I finally let go.
Lorenzo POV.
It was really bittersweet meeting Diego. He was a good kid, and I really wanted to meet him, since he was a big part of Eli's life. On the other hand, I felt growingly guilty about not having that same kind of bond with them. It was a glimpse into the life, we couldn've had with Eli, if they hadn't been taken away from us.
Seeing them care so much about this little kid, was heartwarming. It was great knowing, that even tho we weren't there, Eli still had a family. The way they cared for Diego was like he was their own kid, which was really confusing to my emotions. They had to grow up so fast. They had to take care of a child when they were still just a kid, and with everything we now knew, that wasn't the only reason.
Everything they told us made my blood boil, and I could practically see steam rising out of Antonio's ears. I was practically a doctor, and I had already committed to do no harm, I was ready to kill each and everyone, who ever laid a finger on our little Eli.
They didn't tell us exactly what happened there, but I gathered enough to want to rip some heads off some bodies. If I felt like that, I could only imagine, what Antonio or Alessandro felt like.
When I had asked Eli what happened at the camp, they had simply said, that the worst thing I could imagine. I knew, that they knew, what I was thinking at that moment, after reading the words to the Devil In His Church Suit. Hearing them confirm my thoughts, made a stone drop in my throat. I felt sick to my stomach and was ready to run to the nearest bathroom, but I kept myself together, for Eli.
Eli POV.
That night, I couldn't sleep. For the past few nights, my mind had been too preoccupied with thinking about Carlos, to sleep. That night was no exception. A long time ago, I had dragged the little bench at the end of my bed, to the huge glass door in my room. The door led to a balcony, which I had never used, so the bench blocking the way wasn't a nuisance.
That time, the door was open, letting the cold October wind blow onto my face. I was wrapped in a blanket, I had always carried with me. It was pink and it had Kello Kittys all over it. It was so soft and warm, that I didn't care what it looked like.
The trees around the estate, and in the woods had turned to a gorgeous auburn color. I couldn't help but think about Jess. She loved autumn and walking in the forest with the lease falling around her. One day after school, we had gone on a walk, and just talked about everything. Jess reminded me of Mia in only one way. I was pretty sure I was falling for her.
I was lost in thought when I heard a quiet knock on my door. I didn't have the energy to move, so I just called:
"Come in!"
As quietly as I could. I didn't want to wake up all my brothers.
Soon, the door opened a bit, and a tired-looking Diego squeezed through the tiniest crack. He was used to doors creaking, so I guess he thought that one would make an evil screeching sound too.
"What's up?" I asked as Diego closed the door behind him.
He was in his nightclothes, with his teddy bear in his left hand, hanging sadly behind him.
Carlos had gotten him that bear when he was three, and whenever he missed his brother, he slept with the worn-down ball of fur.
"Couldn't sleep again," he said walking towards me.
"Yeah, me neither," I hummed turning back to the window.
Diego walked over to me and curled up on the bench next to me. He had his head resting tightly on my shoulder and his feet bent under him. I inclosed him under my bright blanket, and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him even closer to me.
He seemed so tiny in my arms. I saw the little kid, who always got excited when he got to show you his drawings, and not the boy, who had to grow up too fast and learn to survive. God, I wished I would've been able to give him a better life, than the one he had. he deserved the world, and if only I could give that to him, I would in the blink of an eye.
"Did you have a nightmare?" I asked as I rubbed circles on his back.
He just nodded, the exhaustion slowing down his movements. I already knew, what the nightmare was about, there was no use in asking him.
"Do you remember that time, when we all went to the park for a picnic?" I asked trying to get Diego's mind off of that day.
He just hummed as a response.
"And we climbed that tree together? And you went higher, than me or Carlos? I had never seen Carlos more scared, than when you pretended to fall down," I chuckled at the end.
Diego smiled a warm smile remembering the day, he got his first good scolding, while I just laughed behind Carlos. Afterward, Carlos was furious at Diego for scaring him, but I bought him a chocolate bar for pulling a good prank.
I kept on telling Diego stories about us three while playing with his black curls. It always calmed him down.
After a while of me telling stories, and Diego silently crying with a smile on his face, I could see him starting to fall asleep.
"Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same, if I saw you in heaven? I must be strong, and carry on, 'cause I know I don't belong here in heaven..." I started humming silently, hearing my voice break a bit.
By the time I sang: 'and I know there'll be no more tears in heaven', Diego was fast asleep n my arms.
His head was now on my lap, as I stroked his hair off his face. His mouth was a bit open, and I heard the quiet snores coming off of him.