Alessia Ferrari
"Angel!" I hear Manny shout from down the hall, did I forget to mention that he still calls me that stupid nickname? I thought it would start to annoy me by now but instead it gives me a strange amount of comfort. My door slamming open broke me from my thoughts.
"Jesus Christ, ever heard of knocking, what if I was naked?"
"Nothing I haven't seen before-" He shrugs, "By the way did you know you have a birthmark on your ass."
"What?"
"Never mind, that's not important, your brother is a meanie." Manny huffs like a child as he invites himself to dramatically plop on my bed.
"What happened this time?" I swear I'm their mother most days.
"He took my favorite knife but claims it was his, mine was engraved with an A."
"Why the hell would yours have an A when your names literally starts with M?" I questioned, I think he has officially lost it.
"It's not just a normal A, It was a gift from your papa after we got you back from the polish. He wanted to make sure I could protect you if it came down to it and it's easier to hide than a gun, so I engraved an 'A' with angel wings coming off of it."
"As cute as that is, was there an A with angel wings on the knife?"
"Well... No... I don't think so."
"Then it's not yours Manny." I stop and question the last time he lost his knife and realize he was wearing the same pants...
"Did you check your pockets?"
"Did you check your pockets?" Manny mimics "Of course I did, I'm not an idiot."
"There's a hole in those jeans, did you check there?" I continue to ask, trying to avoid making him uncomfortable by shoving my hands in his pockets when I know his often loses smaller items in those jeans.
"Again... I'm not an idiot."
"Stand up." I demand while rolling my eyes at his immature antics.
He obliges.
"I'm going to put my hand in your pocket, okay?" I wait until he gives me a clear indication that it was alright.
I reached into the left pocket of his baggy jeans and felt for the hole I remembered was in the side of the pocket, it didn't quite reach the exterior of the jeans but it did create a much smaller pocket that things tend to slip into.
I noticed I was taking too long when Manny's breath hitched.
Finally pulling the knife out and placing it in his hands, "You need to either let me fix that or stop wearing those pants, and next time, thoroughly check," I replied, "Are you okay?"
Suddenly broke out of his thoughts he randomly pulled me into a hug which led me to believe he was stuck in his own past.
"Couldn't be better." He whispers.
"I love you, hermano."
[brother]
"I love you too, hermana, thank you."
[sister]
"Why are you thanking me?" I question as I suddenly pull away.
"For everything, for listening to me, for keeping me grounded, for being my rock, you always say I saved you but I think it's you who saved me."
"Manny, there is no need to thank me, you're my best friend, I'd give my life for you if you asked."
I know the last few years have been a bit difficult for him, he wasn't used to being away from home for so long, although he enjoyed traveling I think there were times he just wanted to go home and even though I kept telling him our pilot could bring him back at any time he would always decline.
Plus I think the silence he has been receiving from Luca has affected him more than he would ever admit.
There were some nights he would randomly lay on my bed in the hotel room and lay his head over my chest without saying anything, seeking some form of comfort without speaking, so that's what we did, we would just lay there without uttering a single word.
"Please don't joke like that."
Who said I was joking?
"Enough of this emotional shit, do you want to watch spider-man with me?"
"Fuck yeah."
**
The past is in your head while the future is in your hands.
But what if your hands constantly shake at the thought of what could come, what great opportunities are you letting slip through your fingertips?
Fear can be your biggest set back while one decision can completely change your life forever. It's not a challenge if there isn't some part of you that holds onto the fair of what if, the question is... Is it worth it?
The bubble of nerves emitting from your fingertips, while your heartbeat quickens and the beads of sweat begin to form on your forehead.
You shouldn't let your life be a series of 'what ifs', that would only cause the best of opportunities to pass you by, instead make it a series of 'what's next'.
Once you finally accomplish each goal one-by-one I promise it will be worth it.
"Ally!" My twin shouting brought me out of my thoughts.
"What did you do this time?" I question while allowing my gaze to shift to his eyes.
"Why do you assume I did something?"
"Answer my question."
"I actually didn't do anything this time, I was trying to ask if you were ready since you mentioned you wanted to go to campus with us to check out the library while we are in our lecture but you weren't responding. Are you alright?"
"Oh..Yeah I just got lost in thought." I reply
"Are you sure? I can always stay home."
"I'm not a child Niccolò, let's get going."
"I know you're not a child Fiorella, I just don't want to lose you." I hear Niccolò mumble as I walk to the door, throwing my bag over my shoulder.
I take a deep breath, I know he means well but I don't think he realizes I don't enjoy digging up the past, maybe it would be best if it remained buried. It's not like anything that happened in high school would happen again. Things are different now.
"You worry too much, if you're not careful you are going to end up going grey before the age of thirty."
"Take that back."
"Just telling the truth fratello."
[brother]
"Angel and dumbass we got to go before I'm late."
"Why are you still so sweet to her but so rude to me" Nic whines.
"She still hasn't pissed me off yet, now let's go."
"Lead the way, your highness."
"Don't make me slap you."
"Manny stop threatening my brother, Nicky... just get in the car." Fucking childeren.
**
Walking down the long corridors side-by-side with the two people I'm blessed to call my brothers.
You know if you told me four years ago that one day I'd walk through college with Manny on one side and Niccolò on the other, I may have laughed in your face.
"Hey I have to pee, we still have fifteen minutes before the lecture starts." I suddenly stopped.
"Go ahead Angel, we will wait here."
"I can speak for myself dickhead. We will wait here."
"I need another three year vacation at this rate." I mumble as I enter the bathroom.
Finally realizing the insane amount of fluids my twin and wanna-be Triplet shoved down my throat claiming I looked dehydrated whatever that means.
As I finished washing my hands, attempting to look at myself in the mirror which is something I still struggle with most days.
It's hard to look at myself and not see the same girl who walked around with her skin painted purple just to go home and find comfort in her own blood.
'I'm not that girl.' I think to myself as the bathroom door flings open, my hazel eyes meeting the girls brown ones.
Eyes that seem almost familiar yet I failed to recognize, that was until she spoke.
"What a pleasant surprise little sia." She says, I feel my body stiffen at the nickname he gave me.
"Sally." I replied coldly.
"This is going to be a fun semester." I hear her whisper under her breath before speaking again. "I didn't realize they allow murders to just walk around doing whatever they please."
"He deserved what was coming to him."
"Oh I don't give a single fuck about that son of a bitch, I'm referring to Tiara."
"What are you talking about? She's not dead, it's not my fault if she decided to cut contact with you. I could have told you she only cares for herself."
"I'm the one who had to identify her body, she's dead. She was so depressed when you stole her boyfriend that she decided to party and drink her sorrows away. She needed to continue driving if she wanted to get to her final destination after you forced her boyfriend to threaten her.
She was far too drunk to drive but was scared Niccolò would somehow find her so she kept going.
She drove off a cliff because she was so in love and you had to take that from her."
"How is it my fault she was an idiot? We weren't even chasing her, she could have stayed in the states as long as she didn't stay in the school, she isn't Katherine Pierce who had to go on the run for hundreds of years."
"I don't even know what that means and quite frankly, I don't care. You killed her. You took that away from me. I promise I will make your life a living hell."
"I already lived it babe but I'd like to see you try." I reply, shoving down the panic feeling bubbling in my chest before walking out of the bathroom without looking back.
Something tells me this won't be the last Sally encounter.
"What took so long?" Nic questions as I turn the corner.
"Girl stuff." I reply, although Manny gives me a look like he doesn't quite believe me.
**
"Hey you!" A male voice shouts from down the corridor causing my brothers and I to turn around.
As a guy I vaguely recognize approaches I feel myself get tucked behind Manny as Niccoló stands protectively in front of the both of us.
"Ryland." I say once it clicks into my head who the mysterious stranger was.
"Wait, you know him?" Nic questions.
"Sort of, we ran into each other yesterday."
"Literally." Ryland adds in.
"Angel... I'm the only one you get to run into." Manny whines.
"Your name is Angel?"
"No!" the three of us yell simultaneously.
"Well damn, no need to bite my head off. If you don't tell me your name I will just continue to call you Angel."
"Her name is Alessia." Manny said before I could reply.
"Seriously..."
"What? He already took how we met, he doesn't need to steal my nickname too."
"Manny I s-"
"Ry!" A shout from down the hall interrupted.
A guy I have never seen before stood next to Ryland while staring directly at me.
"Oh shit I forgot I was meant to meet with you, Andrew this is Alessia and bodyguards. Alessia, this is my best friend Andrew."
My gaze lingered towards Andrew's eyes when I noticed something strange.
Staring into his eyes almost felt like staring into Jaspers and in a matter of seconds... I couldn't breathe.
[Words: 1925]