I left Willow's apartment in an even more anxious mood than before. It went better than I had anticipated. When I did get home Nonna was already there roasting me with questions on my first day of school.
"How was it?"
"Did you make friends?"
"Were the teachers nice to you?"
"Did you get any homework?"
"Nonna," I drawled out with an annoyed groan.
"What? I want to know." She said still in her salon getup, hands on her hips, gazing in pure exhaustion, doing very poorly on hiding it. "You're my only grandson, and this was your first day and step in a good direction."
Not necessarily.
Nonna sat down next to me on the couch smiling, "I'm proud of you Ace for-"
Right then her phone rang in a large purse she carried around everywhere. She got up to retrieve it from the dining room table.
Her face etched with a frown in wonder seeing the number on her flip phone then answered. "Hello?"
"Yes, this is she."
More silence.
From a curious frown to a pissed off expression, she leered at me while speaking.
"Did he now?"
Fear crept up and my palms were strating to get sweaty the more steps she took toward me. "I'll definitely make sure it doesn't happen again."
Her glare was sharp and if looks could kill, I'd be sliced in to multiple little pieces. "You skipped the majority of your classes on the first day of school?!"
When I began to speak, she hulted me, "Don't."
Her hand met her forehead with disappointment and impatience. "I thought you knew better ragazzo," her words were quieted and she looked down.
I started to feel immensely regretful, "No it's no-"
"Save it." She sighed audibly, her phone was put back into the turquoise purse.
Nonna sat on the couch defeated, with both elbows on her kness and face in hands. "I'm doin' all I can Ace. And you go out of your way to rebel against that."
I stood abruptly and knelted down to remove her hands from her face. "Nonna look at me."
She didn't spare a glance.
"Please Nonna, I promise it won't ever happen ag-"
That time her hands moved, eyes not convinced in the slightest, still tired. "After all you've said to me, I know your promises are never kept."
"I'm sorry Nonna," my words came out pitiful and weak.
"If you were sorry Ace it wouldn't have happened again. Just like in New York, the same thing occurred and while you weren't at school you'd do the same thing over and over again." She left the couch swiftly, arms crossed with an infuriated gaze.
"Do you think smokin' dope and drinking is going to get you anywhere? Huh? Because all it's going to do is have your tail still on that couch living off of the little money I can barely make now!" Nonna turned away from me.
From my knelted position, I stood after her painful words. They stung deeply.
"I....made a deal with someone today."
She faced me once again, "Ace I don't want that drug money to-"
"No Nonna it's nothing like that," I groaned bothered by how low she thought I'd go.
"Then what is it," she sounded curious but more annoyed.
"To not put you through it again," I reasoned and walked over to her catching her hands in mine. "Like you said I've fu-messed up times before, but this time I plan to change that for good."
Despite looking uconvinced, her eyes had hope in them, "And how do I know you're not going to go back out here and do it again?"
"Your phone is not going to recieve calls like that again. My grades will be better than they ever were. I'll get a job and help us," I firmly grasped her hands putting emphasis on 'us.' "It was my screw up that got us here and it's going to be me that gets us out."
I didn't get a chance to see her reaction because her arms were tightly around me. My hands wrapped around her comfortingly.
"You better prove it to me then ragazzo, this is the last time I'm putting my faith in you on this," she said, words muffled by my hoodie.
"I promise Nonna."
The crinkles around her face were evident when she smiled after our hug. "And who did you make this deal with?" She added knowingly.
I rubbed the back of my neck embarrased, "Willow."
A gleam shone in her eyes, "I see."
"It's not like that Nonna," I turned around as heat crept up my neck.
"Is that my grandson blushing?" She said and I could tell she was smiling without even looking at her.
Although, it was like that. A warm and exquisite feeling always set in when I even thought about Willow. She's beautiful in every aspect of the word.
The feeling was new and not at all anything I'd felt in such a way before. Something different and addictive.
She and I knew we couldn't just be friends. Instead, a more silent agreement that we were reserved for each other until all of the bullshit blew over. Atleast that's how I wanted to see it.
"Look at you all hot and bothered just thinking about her," Nonna smiled endearingly at me.
"Something tells me you want this time to be different," she continued hesitantly. "I hope it will be Ace. You're still young, but really all it takes is a slower pace and being on the same page with one another. Make sure it's felt from both you and her. Don't invest so quickly." Nonna said each word quietly and tentative like walking on egg shells.
Trying to deny it was pointless. All of it being too obvious, "Tell me Nonna, am I approaching this all wrong...again?" I blurted out not thinking too much about why.
She walked over and stood in front of me with remorseful eyes, "Only you can decide that ragazzo, whether you're ready or not. Love, like, hate, or dislike is all determined on our own agendas. No one can tell you how you should or should not feel."
I nodded steadily.
"How you choose to approach it depends on the person you're approaching."
Something I could always count on Nonna for was her damn good advice. Smiling softly at her, "Grazie (Thank you) Nonna."
We both went in for another brief embrace, "Il vostro benvenuto bambino (your welcome child)," she said endearingly.
Hours later, Nonna had gone into a deep slumber and I resided on the couch just thinking about how much shit went on in just one day. Maybe it wasn't abrupt inconvenience coming here. I could actually see an upside to everything instead of dwelling on hurt from almost eight months before...
An hour later, I felt a rough shake of my shoulders by someone. I knew it was a male judging by how strong this person's grip was. "Hey ese," a familiar accented voice said.
"What," I drawled out annoyed, hoarsely.
Tony chuckled at my behavior, "Come on Ace, you've probably been stuck in here all day."
My eyelids scrunched together and squeezed tight given the very bright light source coming from the kitchen to the couch. "Yes, and? How the hell did you get in here anyway?"
"That's not important, come one Ace get up."
A loud sigh left my parted lips, "What is it Tony."
Lifting my tired, drowsy eyelids, I saw him looking down at me holding in a laugh. "What's so funny?" I frowned at him.
"Nothing Mr. Grouch, now come on," he began to tug on my arm hurriedly, "Spend some time with your favorite Porta Rican." His signature playful smirk appeared.
My gaze averted to the corner when a female spoke, "Tony he clearly wants to sleep," her eyes rolled.
"Alyssa?"
She grinned, "The one and only." Her phone lit up and she stared down at it ignoring everything once again.
"You look like shit man," Tony joked, "Come on."
"Gee I'm touched jackass," I glared at him half-heartedly. Feeling my palms push me up to land both feet on the tan carpet. I waved my hands, "I'm up, I'm up."
"Alas," Tony started in fake surprise, "Scrooge has awoken!" He whisper-yelled.
Without even thinking about it, my middle finger shot straight up at his direction to which Alyssa smirked at discreetly. I pushed off of the firm coach grumbling at how uncomfortable it was on my back and yawned.
Tony still had stubble on his chin whilst wearing a polo shirt and dark ripped jeans that gave off a sophisticated rugged look yet again. Dark hair in untamed locks atop his head, simultaneously touching his forehead.
He looked slightly tired but the liveliness in each brown eye told me otherwise.
Alyssa looked up from her phone with the same wild, thick mane cascaded over her shoulders which oddly suited her. Green eyes sharp, no longer threateningly, but...friendly.
Tony lifted a hand unto my shoulder, "We're going to a cookout," he stated.
In the middle of November?
A frown of question etched itself in between my eyebrows, "Why? Where did this we come from?"
"Since we found out Mick is hosting one for his promotion and when I learned you caught feelings for someone." His elbow nudged me and a knowing smile found its way on his face.
My eyes rolled in their sockets, plopping back down on the couch, "You told him?" I directed to Alyssa in the corner.
"What'd you expect? Ofcourse Tony's nosy ass wouldn't let it go," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Hey," he called to her drawing it out feigning hurt.
Alyssa ignored him, "Look Ace, I know the last thing you want to do is go," she walked over to me sitting on the couch. Tall frame swaying side to side in her red form-fitting skirt with a split down the side. Black halter top and I assumed Tony's leather jacket, draped over her shoulders.
She sat at a respectable distance from me but leaned in and whispered, "Trust me I don't want to go either," she lifted a pointer finger up to silence Tony from interrupting.
"But," her voice at normal volume, "If you take this oppurtunity to get to know Willow and spend time with her at this cookout, that could possibly mean progress for the both of you." A convincing tone caught on to her voice. My stubborn attitude was wavering.
The grogginess from sleep no longer there, an exhilarating shot of adrenaline ran through me at the thought of seeing Willow again. A hidden grin stretched across my face, atleast I thought it was hidden.
"Well would you look at that, a genuine smile," she said with tinge of tease.
Tony gave a look that said, 'who knew someone finally cracked that hard exterior.'
"Alright, alright, I'll see if I can convince her. But if it doesn't pull through-"
"It will," she said assuringly, deep red lipstick placed perfectly on her lips in a smile.
"Yeah ese have a little faith," Alyssa pushed off of the couch and stood next to him, "You never know what it can amount to." He smiled adoringly down at her hugging her from behind, both arms wrapped around the tall girl in an embrace. And for the first time she actually smiled back welcoming it.
The sight made me incredibly envious, and practically screamed at me to bring Willow. Instantaneously making me miss her also.
I stood abruptly snatching my apartment keys from the wooden table as a rush of confidence set in. Tony and Alyssa caught completely off gaurd, looked confused after snapping out of their distracted gazes.
"Let's go to a cookout love birds."
***********************************
Hey Peeps,
This originally was just a filler chapter for Ace and Nonna. Reason being is I have a close relationship with my gramma and she's one of the most influential, motherly figures in my life whom I love dearly. I go to her no matter what. And it's always special to incorporate family. Also, I had just a tad bit of writer's block. Eventually the writer's block lifted and as I'm writing this, I'm at a cookout right now in the car to avoid being social. So I thought, why not?! Add a cookout in the mix. Pretty clever right? Yeah I know, sucks ass but oh well. Have a great day/night!
xoxo
-Bri