Nic's POV
The tension around this house since last night has been very tense. Almost everyone has spent time in the gym at some point except Ale which is unusual. Actually, I haven't seen him at all, but he's either in his room or left last night. I can't stand to be in the house doing nothing much longer, but I can't be alone with my thoughts either. I pull out my phone hoping it's not too early.
Hi, are you still up to get coffee with me? I text Annie after a bit she texts back.
Of course. Where do you want to meet? she texts.
Sweet smiles on 22nd Street. I text.
See you there at 9. She texts.
Sounds good.
I get ready and leave before anyone can ask me any questions. I get to the cafe early and sit at a table with two chairs beside the window watching the rain pour. Some say the rain makes them sad because it's the sky crying, but I think it's the best weather a close runner-up being snow in Italy. After a bit more of watching the rain, I see Annie walking by. Her blonde hair curled at the bottom flowing perfectly behind her as she quickly walks to get out of the rain. When she walks in I go over to greet her. We walk up to the counter and order our coffee and I pay before she can even get her wallet out.
"Oh thank you," her beautiful voice says.
"I invited you," I justify myself although I don't know why. We sit back down at the table I occupied earlier.
"Let's get to know each other better," she says.
"Okay ask me a question," I tell her.
"Where are you from?"
"I was born in Italy but I mostly lived here," I say.
"I love Italy and that's why Charlotte is so good at Italian," she says.
"Where are you from?" I ask.
"I grew up in Colorado in the mountains and went to Ole Miss and fell in love with the south, but I missed the mountains so I decided South Carolina gives me a bit of both," she says. I listen closely to every word she says.
"What's your favorite color," she asks.
"Green but like a dark emerald, and you?"
"Purple now you ask a question."
"Favorite place you visited," I say.
"Italy you?"
"Europe in general but I love Spain," I say. "Favorite animal."
"That's hard either a dog or monkey. What about you?" She says.
"An elephant," I say. We keep asking each other questions agreeing that the best sport is football hockey the second. Pasta is the best food and fall is the best season. Before I know it three hours have passed. That's when my phone starts blowing up. I don't want to go home so I turn it off.
"You can answer it if you need to," she says politely.
"No, it's my brothers they can wait," I say. "Do you have any siblings?" I ask.
"I have an older brother who's three years older and a sister who's two years older," she tells me. "I know you have a lot of siblings how many in total?" She asks.
"Get ready," I joke. "I have seven. Giovanni is the oldest and guardian for the younger six, Vincenzo is two years older than me. Then Matteo is two years younger than me then the twins are seniors in high school, Bruno is a junior, and Charlotte is a sophomore," I say.
"Wow, I always wanted a big family I bet it's a lot of fun," she says smiling.
"It has its moments but it's a lot of fun," I say smiling back.
"If you don't mind me asking why is Gio the guardian for the last six," she asks so politely.
"My mom left with Charlotte when she was two and my dad got very sad and gave up so he left us and went back to Italy when I was 14 leaving Gio in charge of us and we haven't seen him since."
"Oh gosh, I'm sorry that's so sad," her smile from before is now gone.
"It's okay my dad was never really around he always worked and it's helped us brothers get close," I say trying to brighten the mood. We continue to talk for two more hours before saying bye and that we'll do it again sometime. I think I met the girl I'm going to marry. I head home my mind only thinking of her. I walk in the door and head into the kitchen to be met with an angry Gio and a confused Charlie who is sitting next to Ale. I'm kinda surprised they aren't fighting.
"Where the fuck were you I called and texted you," Gio says mad. I look at my phone and I do have a bunch of missed calls and texts from everyone. Oh well.
"I was out," I say.
"You just left without telling anyone for five hours. What were you doing?" He asks.
"Stuff." I'm not ready to tell them about Annie especially the younger four who have her as a teacher.
"That's not an excuse you have to tell us or at least me when you leave."
"No I'm an adult not a fucking teenager anymore," I yell back getting mad now too.
"Ale Charlie out now," he yells at the two. They get up and leave. Ale practically pulling Charlie.
"Listen I get it you have your own life and can do whatever I'm just worried about these people threatening to hurt Charlie what's gonna stop them from hurting you and if I don't know where you are how can I protect you," he says.
"I get that but I can protect myself. I'm sorry," I say.
"So do you like her?" He asks. I guess he forgives me but what?
"Huh?"
"Annie, do you like her?"
"Oh yes." Of course, he knows.
"I'm glad but have fun explaining it to the younger four," he laughs as he leaves the room. Love his support. The rest of the day goes by fast considering there are only two hours before I start dinner. After I finish I call everyone down and we are soon digging in.
"Everyone ready for the hockey game later this week?" Vince asks. No one really seems very excited. Not even Charlie and I know she's excited. She is really quiet today. I know making her tell us everything was a bad idea. After dinner ends I go back to my room and fall asleep to the only thing on my mind all day Annie.
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Charlotte's POV
After dinner, I go back to my room trying to finish the History homework I am working on before everything happened last night. I still have no idea how to do this stuff. Ask me anything about any other place and I can give you its history. This assignment is stupid. I remember Teo telling me to ask Luca for help. The thing is I hate asking for help, but I'm desperate and I would google the answers but the assignment asks the weirdest questions that even google can't answer. I grab the paper and pencil walk to Luca's door and wait for him to say come in.
"Hi," I say opening the door.
"Oh, Charlie you okay?" He asks taking off his headphones.
"No, I need help," I say.
"Okay hold on. Hey guys I have to go," he says into his headphones.
"If it isn't a good time I can come back," I say turning to leave.
"Charlotte sit down right now," he says patting his desk chair and pulling up another. "What is it?"
"This stupid History we have to know the specific people of this state and in-depth questions that even google can't answer," I say.
"First careful with Google Gio checks every once in a while to make sure we don't cheat so find the loopholes and let me see." Good to know. "This is easy."
"That's what everyone who grew up here says." Turns out it is simple knowledge people know if they live in a place for a while, but since I haven't he pretty much does my work for me, and hey I'm not complaining. I wake up early and am soon back on the wonderful routine that school is.
"Darlin'," he says as I sit down. The day has been too long, but I'm ready for practice. Playing hockey has been so much fun I missed it. Ms. Chimes looks extra happy today.
"Does she look like really happy or is it just me?" I ask Elliot.
"She does everyone who's had her today says it's because she met a boy, but no one knows who he is," Elliot tells me.
"I'm happy for her, she deserves it." The class ends and right as the bell rings Elliot and I are on our way to the locker rooms. "Why are you going to the locker rooms?" I ask.
"Because I play hockey," he says.
"Oh, really I had no idea."
"Yeah, I missed tryouts because I was sick, but the coach knows me so it worked out." Apparently, very well as he's captain with my brothers. I also found out the school realized how much money they could make off of hockey so they built a second rink that just wasn't finished during tryouts. It's a good thing because now my brothers have practice at the same time and we can hold tournaments because the rinks are next to each other. It's like a baseball complex, but for hockey. We can still see the guys practice from where we are.
"Hey ready?" Fi asks me.
"Yes let's go," I say grabbing my skates. We put ours on and get on the ice doing four laps before Coach O blows her whistle to signal the start.
"On Friday we play Lone Oak one of the best schools we'll play all season. They are very good offensively but not so much defensively. We will start with offense, but focus majority on defensive," Coach O says. We set up and start with passing, stick handling, and shooting. We run a few of our plays before switching to defense. Both Fi and I play both offensive and defensive meaning it's a lot. We work on plays, blocking, speed, stealing, and watching for our other teammates. At this rate, I think we have a very good shot.
"Nicely done. I expect you all to take care of yourselves and to-" she is interpreted by yelling from the boy's rink. We look over to see two of them pushing each other and yelling. Not any two by fucking brothers Sandro and Bruno. A whistle blows.
"Both of you off the ice and in my office," their coach yells.
"As I was saying watch the film of their game and see you tomorrow," Coach O says after dismissing us.
"Were those your brothers?" Fi asks.
"Unfortunately yes."
"Good luck see you tomorrow," she says as we grab our stuff and leave the locker room. I look around and find Luca.
"What was that about?" I ask.
"I wish I knew, but last I saw Coach is yelling at them," Luca says. "Word of advice don't let them get you involved the best is to act like you have no clue they are fighting." A bit later they walk out of the locker room and we are soon driving home. The rest of the week has been boring. Bruno and Luca have had serious tension whenever in the same room, but anytime one of the older three is in the room it becomes less obvious.
Thursday night comes and I'm feeling a bit nervous for tomorrow. Girls varsity is at 5 and the guys varsity is at 7. If I keep on sitting in my room alone I'll drive myself mad. I make my way to the game room knowing at least one of my brothers has to be there. I walk in to find Sandro and Bruno yelling at each other.
"Oh yeah because Mr. Perfect has it all under control," Bruno yells.
"Better than you can," Sandro says back.
"Yeah right."
"Come on you're still a baby."
"Sorry I am younger, shorter, and haven't dealt with things before, but you're only a year older and still stupid."
"I'm the stupid one. If I was the stupid one I wouldn't have let him- Charlotte," Sandro stops mid-sentence and looks at me.
"Sorry to interrupt I was just leaving," I say.
"No, I have a question. What is the stupider thing to do, tell someone a very important secret meant for only family to so call protect people," Sandro asks.
"Or do nothing leaving the person you care for most at a very high risk of danger," Bruno asks.
"I don't know and I don't want to get between this," I say.
"No you have to answer," Bruno says.
"But I don't want to."
"Well-"
"Well, she doesn't have to. I need your help," Luca interrupts Bruno and takes me out of the room.
"Thank you."
"No worries. Wanna watch a movie it helps to take your mind off of the game." Can everyone read my mind? I don't know when, but I did fall asleep last night and I woke up in my bed. It is 4 in the morning but I still get ready anyways. I go to the kitchen to find it empty. It is still empty by 6.
"Morning," Luca says as he enters. I give him a tight-lipped smile. "They'll be at the game," he reassures.
The other two come down a bit later.
"Charlie, do you need someone to tie your dress?" Sandro asks. I nod. Apparently, for every home game, the players dress up. The guys all wear button-up shirts and a tie. I have a dress on that is just above my knees. "You're sure this is long enough," Sandro asks for the millionth time.
"Yes now let's go," I say. The day goes slow and I don't know if it is nerves or because it is just long. At least now another week is over.
"Let's go to Starbucks before the game," Fi says. Agreeing I get in her car. We get our drinks and do some homework before heading back. Unfortunately in both our families school comes before Hockey which I guess makes sense, but Hockey is fun, and school is boring. We get to the school and Varsity watches JV for a bit. During their halftime, we go to the locker room and get ready. JV has done amazing today with them winning 4-0. I guess we have a very strong JV team which means a great Varsity team in a few years. As soon as the JV game finishes we get on the ice and start to warm up. I scan the crowd and don't see my brothers, but it's okay there's still time. After warm up we meet with Coach O to talk strategy.
I skate to the circle to meet the other team captains and the ref. We talk about what side we want first and everyone leaves while I get ready for him to drop the puck. He blows the whistle and drops it. I successfully get it and pass to Molly. I take another second and still see none of my older brothers. The younger three are here which makes me feel good because I know they don't have to yet. I have no idea why I so badly want them here I never needed anyone before. I put that anger and emotion into my game. I skate to the left end of the rink and Peyton passes me the puck which I hit very hard and make a goal. The first quarter ends and in the second Sky scores a goal for us, but the other team also gets a goal. Half-time comes quickly and we head to the locker room. I sit alone knowing I can't talk to anyone. My phone lights up with a text from Luca saying they will be here. It's bullshit though.
"Charlie are you good," Coach says to me.
"Fine," I say leaving the room and heading back to the ice. The game starts again and I score another goal along with Fiona. The other team scored 2 more bringing the score to 4-3 us. I am so mad and the fourth and final quarter has just started. I skated past an opponent who kept getting in my way and pushed her not in a mean way but just to get her off me and because she was weak. She almost fell so the ref gave me a penalty. I am now in this stupid box for five fucking minutes and I'm fuming. I look to the side of the box and in the crowd are my brothers staring at me. They better stop giving me that look because I'm so glad they showed up for the very end just to watch me sit in this box trying to keep my cool. The five minutes ended and luckily nothing happened. I have so much anger in me I need to get out. I head to the girl with the puck steal it and skate quickly down the ice two minutes remain. I pass the puck to Iris and she skates around a few players. She has some of the best control on the team. She passed it to me and I passed it behind the net to Molly who gave it to Quinn who was in the perfect spot she scored and the clock ended a few seconds later. Final 5-3 we did it. We head back to the locker room as the Guys JV warm up to start their game.
"Very well done ladies. Great passing and offense we did let them get us on defense when we got tried, but we did manage to fix that at the end. Rest up and great job," Coach O says. She talks to a few kids before coming over to me. "Care to explain what happened out there?" She asks.
"Nawh."
"Charlie, you're one of the best if not the best, but I can't have you acting like that. Hockey is physical, but not that much and your brothers warned me you may get angry. We need to work on keeping that in check because if so there may be great opportunities for you soon. I know a few people," she quietly says to me.
"I'll do my best."
"Thank you and great job." Fucking brothers can't keep anything to their selves. I get dressed in leggings and a sweatshirt with a tank top under. I head out of the room and into the gym which has a punching bag. I wrap my hand and go at it unable to control it anymore and I need to get it out.
"You got it all out?" Luca asks from behind me.
"I think so," I say breathing heavily.
"Wanna talk about what happened out there?"
"I was mad and it got bad."
"I saw," he says laughing. "Gio was not happy, but don't worry we convinced him it was hockey and the ref was bad and I know he feels bad for being late." There it is. The real reason he was late.
"I know part of it was because they weren't there, but they wanted to be they tried to trust me," he says.
"Thanks," I say leaving the room. I grab my sweatshirt put it on and get my bag from the locker room. Boys JV was fun to watch we won. The guy's Varisty was fun but like any typical game. Elliot is really good though. I get why the coach let him be on the team still. There are a lot more penalties in this game though. My brothers included but for minor things and nothing like mine. Fiona and I have been talking through the whole game while still paying attention. It has saved me from having to talk to my brothers. The game ended and we of course won. I went into the hallway to wait for the younger three while the older three left to go back to work I assume. Bruno is out first.
"Good job Charlie," he says.
"You too." Sandro comes out next and the tension starts. Luca is taking his sweet time in there. Luca finally comes out and we get in the car. Sandro and Bruno start yelling about something again before Luca tells them to shut up or they will walk and I can tell he's not joking.
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It's safe to say the fighting still hasn't stopped and may never at this rate. Even everyone at school has gotten involved. The fight between the Giordano brothers is the only thing people can talk about. I don't get how everyone can be so obsessed with them. It's just two guys that are good looking just don't let them know I agree. And no it's not weird like I like them it's just hard to deny. I don't think I got the same genes even though I look a lot like Gio. Still, no one really seems to look at me the way girls look at them, but who cares I'm better on my own.
The tension at dinner tonight was so bad. Gio and the rest try to have a conversation, but I can only focus on Bruno and Sandro having a staring contest across the table. Gio and everyone else sensed it too because Gio finally said something about it.
"B and Ale you better get over whatever this is. You're brothers for heaven's sake this is not how we treat family." I doubt it worked, but it got them to stop the staring contest which is a start. This better end soon for everyone's sake.
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Chapter 32!
Thanks for reading. Please comment and vote.
❤️Lexi