Alessia Ferrari
I would like to think I'm a strong person, I didn't really have a choice otherwise, the only person that truly saved me is me and if I folded where would I be?
Sure I had Manuel but it's like the saying goes, 'you can't help someone that doesn't want to be helped,' if I wasn't so clearly screaming for help there wouldn't have been anything he could have done for me, there was always a small part of me that couldn't stop fighting even if I didn't realize it at the time.
I think that's why I survived the relentless abuse from Jasper with minimal physical damage, I think that's why I survived the overdose, and I think that's why I survived being shot by the Polish mafia after we discovered my father was still alive.
Almost like there is some part of my subconscious that won't let me entirely give up, like it's waiting for some big epic twist of events or it's own happy ending that I am still unaware about.
Your mind tends to do crazy shit to keep you alive even when you just want your heart to stop, your brains one job is to keep everything in your body functioning, perhaps it's like the motherboard of a human body.
Or maybe I'm just rambling like usual.
"So you're telling me, if I were to get kidnapped in this place you would just sit back and watch?!" Manny exclaims continuing our thirty minute long debate on whether or not I would save him from being kidnapped by a bunch of sketchy mafia men and women.
"We went over this Manny, if somebody in this place really wanted to kidnap you they will get tired of your 'which place as the best doughnuts' debate and bring you back."
"This isn't a movie Angel, if I annoyed any of them they would just kill me, not bring me back." He deadpans.
"Either way..."
"Woooooooow okay, I see how it is."
"I'm just fucking with you ManMan, don't get your panties in a twist. I'd murder any of the people in here that even thinks about harming a hair on your stupid head." I seethe.
"How can you be so sweet while continuing to insult me?"
I shrug, "you love me."
"Of course I do, even when you decide to be a bitch for no reason." He says, his tone remains light just like this entire conversation for the most part so we both know we're are only fucking around. "Not as much as I love doughnuts though..."
"Asshole."
"You two need to shut up and stop being immature, this is not a place for your childish bickering." Lorenzo said, his tone is cold and harsh and it almost put me on edge... Almost.
"Aye, in case you forgot... You don't run things anymore," Alessandro spoke up before Manny or I had the chance to say anything which is probably for the better, the last thing we need is Manny causing a huge scene with Lorenzo in the middle of a crowded fight club. "You're seriously lucky that papa is back in the dressing rooms giving Niccolò one of his famous 'pre-fight speeches', otherwise he would have your damn head for speaking to the kids like that."
"We aren't kids." Manny and I stated at the exact same time causing us to randomly start laughing and Alessandro smiles fondly at us.
We are currently at the fight club that is owned by our Nonno that he always refused to pass down to my dad when he took over many years ago, it's also the club that Alessandro, Luca, and Niccolò fight in because our family could control what happens, not really control the win... They win because they are good fighters but they have more power here and can prevent dirty fights with a high success rate than if they fought in some random underground fight club owned by a smaller local gang, if that makes sense.
Matteo isn't a huge fan of the crowds so he hangs out in the private back rooms where he can watch the fight on a large monitor without having to deal with all of the yelling, pushing, and shoving.
Romeo is just outside the opening gate on standby just incase medical intervention is needed, and Max is at home with their daughter, she is far too young to be in a place like this but knowing him, he probably got into the security camera's and is probably watching from his iPad while Lisa does whatever she does to occupy her little mind.
Luca is out on a mission that should only take the day to get done but it just means he can't watch the fight.
Lorenzo likes to follow Manny and I, I think he just likes to try to lecture us over any minor thing. Alessandro acts as our bodyguard through the crowded building because even though we have body guards on standby just outside neither one of us is the biggest fan of them breathing down our necks so Sandro agreed to sticking by us and him just being near is enough to make people avoid breathing in our direction.
I'm convinced he just likes to piss everyone off though because there is no damn way one person can be so fucking insufferable twenty-four fucking seven.
Perhaps he's just an idiot, or maybe he makes it his life goal to just fuck with everyone and be an dick about literally everything.
I choose all of the above.
My teacher back in middle school used to tell me that if 'all of the above' is an option than that is always the answer and 'none of the above' is just a trick question... That tip hasn't failed me yet so I suppose I will just go with that.
"What are you doing in a place like this?" A new voice questioned, breaking my out of my thoughts in the process.
I instantly spun around only to meet the gorgeous hazel eyes of Ryland Carson, he seems to be everywhere these days.
"Call it moral support," I reply vaguely, ignoring the questioning gaze of Alessandro. The last thing I need right now is for him to find out who my family is, granted he can't be squeaky clean if he's here to begin with but it's a bit different to be in a fight club because you enjoy the fights or the sweaty drunken atmosphere and being here because your family owns the building.
"Moral support?" He repeated while raising a questioning brow.
"Mmhmm, why are you here? I'm starting to think you're obsessed with me." I joke in a low tone, so low I wasn't sure he could hear me but I definitely didn't need my brothers hearing.
"Maybe I am." He smirks. Dammit he's sort of adorable.
"I could ruin you." I often ruin good things and he seems like a good thing... I blame trauma.
"For you, I would ruin myself a thousand times over to save you the grief."
"That was so damn cheesy Carson."
"Maybe." Ryland shrugs before his phone dings, "shit I gotta go, my friend needs my help with my... something... See you around Ferrari."
"What was that about?" Manny questions as we both watch the sight of Ryland Carson's retreating figure.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Yes, nothing."
"So there is absolutely nothing going on between you and Ryland fucking Carson?"
"Absolutely nothing." I whisper, "I guess we are friends... barely."
"I'm sorry to break it to you Angel, but friends don't look at each other like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you're not even the center of his universe. You are his universe."
**
Author's Note
Fun fact: When I first started planning Ryland's character I had him planned as a sort of hotheaded bad boy with a soft heart, he was originally meant to be a little rude to Alessia at first and then somehow he was going to warm up to her... But honestly? I'm kind of digging the softy in a leather jacket vibe going on.
[Words: 1331]