Disclaimer: All Italian language in this book are from Google Translate. If it's wrong, blame them. Private message me the correction and I'll fix it up :)
(Picture : Sienna Kettle H)
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I Hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
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"You need me to walk you to the door?" Max asked.
"Aren't coming back in?"
"No, I've got ... Things to do" he responded vaguely, before flashing a smile to cover up his words. I gave him a tight smile and nodded, before carefully getting down from the van and limping towards the pathway to my house. I refused to call it home. A house is just a structure. A home is where you feel safe, happy, and most impotantly- loved.
I watched the scene unfold in front of me with a heavy heart. The party was still raging. I felt reluctant to reenter the hellhole, but the cool air nipping at my neck indicated otherwise. I looked down at my feet. They were glued to the spot. I slowly lifted one foot and dramatically to a step forward,trying not to hurt my sore ankle. I then lifted my other foot, and really slowly placed it in front of me, taking another step. I then lifted my tight foot again, with all my will power and took another step. Then I -
"Oh my god, this is painful to watch" I heard a groan behind me and whipped around to see Max leaning against the van, his hands crossed on his chest. I frowned.
"What are you still doing here?" I questioned, slightly embarrassed. The booming music was still audible from out here, which clearly was an indicator that the music was way too loud.
"I was being a gentleman and waiting for you to enter the house before leaving, but after that display I just witnessed, it would've taken another decade" he replied, running a hand through his brown hair. I shrugged.
"I don't really want to go in there" I mumbled, shrugging my shoulders and pushing my hair behind my ears.
"Oh really?" Max said, clearly being sarcastic. I rolled my eyes, trying my best to fight a smile from breaking through. The breeze was starting to pick up I hugged my sweatshirt closer to my torso. For a second, he looked at me through narrowed eyes, like he was having an internal dilemma, before he sighed. "Get in the car, Kettle" he huffed. I quirked an eyebrow and looked down at my wrist-watch. I was also somewhat taken aback by his nickname, but at the same time, I felt giddy at the sound of my dad's last name. And my real one.
11:36 pm. The party would be raging until 3 am, minimum.
"I thought you had stuff to do" I mumbled, playing with the sleeve of my sweatshirt. "Plus, how do I know you won't rape me in that creepy-ass van of yours" He responded with a chuckle, filled with amusement.
"Firstly, I'll cancel the stuff, you remind me too much of someone, and she would've hated it if I just left you here" he said, and a reminiscent smile flashed on his features, before he was back to his goofy self. He bent down and reached into his boots suddenly, "Secondly, don't run, but," and he produced a very sharp knife. He pulled it right out of his boot. With horrified eyes, I put my hands up and took a steady step back. "No, no, this knife is for you. Take it, if you're scared I'll rape you. Use it against me if I try anything" he smirked, holding the knife out to me. I slowly reached out and grabbed the cool metal of the knife.
"Do you want to get into the van?" He asked. I nodded cautiously, the knife still in my grip. I looked down at it and shifted it in my hands, watching as the moon glinted on it's shiny blade. He just gave me a knife. For all I know, there could be weaponry workshop in his van. I shivered.
"I'm slightly worried that you have a knife in your boot" I uttered randomly. "What's in the other boot, a gun?" I said sarcastically.
"Actually, yes" he said, dead serious as he reached into his other boot, an my breath caught. After a second he looked up at me and burst out into laughter. "I'm kidding, Kettle"
"Stupid" I muttered angrily. Usually, this was my cue to angrily stomp away, but that wasn't happening with my sore ankle. He looked down at me and chuckled.
"I keep a knife there so I'm prepared for danger. I'm trained in self-defence, so I know how to use it." he mused, glancing across at me. I looked up at him furrowed my brows, trying not to smile. "Ladies first" he gestured, opening the door to his van. Using his shoulder as a balance, I climbed up, into the passengers seat. Once I was seated comfortably, the belt latched in, he revved the engine up.
"So, how do you like Mr Hadley? Is he a little... Icy towards you?" He asked curiously. I turned my head to look at him, shocked as to how he figured that out.
"How'd you know that?" I questioned, my grip on the knife unintentionally tightening.
"Let's just say I've run in to him on more than just a few occasion" his voice had had turned tight and his blue eyes concentrated on the road ahead. "Anyways, how long have you been here?" He quickly change his trail of thought, obviously not keen on dwelling on the Hadley's.
"Two weeks, I think? I'm starting school at the end of Summer" I sighed. School, not something I was looking forward to at all. And I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm actually going to miss wearing my uniform every morning. I mean, that way, nobody was better than anyone else. Mum said that I'd have to 'dress like a Hadley to school'. I looked out the window, my heart feeling heavy again. Judging by Tracy's fashion sense, I think wearing less fabric than a handkerchief is what I'm supposed aim for.
Great.
"That's next week," he muttered. "Looking forward to school?"
"Nope, not the tiniest bit" I answered without a thought.
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Age: 5
"Look at you in your uniform, darling!" Dad exclaimed as I scampered down the stairs and into his open arms. He caught me and flung me around in the air. "My princess is all grown up!"
"I don't want to go to school, I want to stay home" I mumbled, hiding my face in his shirt. I felt the tears pooling in my eyes, and before I knew it, I was bawling.
"Oh honey, don't cry" My dad cooed, running his hands through my hair. I slowly calmed down. "School is awesome, honey. Yes, there might be some bad parts, but at the end of the day, everyday is a gift. Take advantage of that" he mumbled, puling back to look me in the eyes.
"And remember, if anything goes wrong, Daddy's here for you, okay?" I pouted, but still nodded.
"Let's go Sienna" I heard Mum's voice coming down the stairs. Dad leaned over and kissed her before bending down and kissing my cheek.
"Have fun SeaFrog"
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I didn't even know I was crying until the car came to a halt and I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, tugging me back to reality.
I wish he was here for me.
"Sienna, I'm sorry" Max whispered, his voice filled with worry and awkwardness, obviously confused as to what was wrong. He was rubbing soothing circles on my back as I sniffled. He obviously was confused, but nonetheless, he comforted me.
"No, I'm sorry" I sighed, rubbing away the tears with the sleeves of my shirt. The area around my eyes are very sensitive, and started to ache when the rough material of my clothes scratched against my skin. I hissed in annoyance. "I'm an emotional wreck" I whispered, closing my eyes and sighing deeply through my nose to calm myself.
"New beginnings are tough, I know. But hey, I'll help you get through school. And I'm sure Tracy will help" Max said thoughtfully. I scoffed at the 'Tracy' part. As if she'd want her nerdy, new sister to spoil her pristine reputation. He peeked at me with sorrowful eyes and shrugged. "Well, you can't change the past, but you can make the best out of now. When life gives you rotten lemons, make lemonade and get food poisoning, just to prove your might" he chuckled and I glanced at him with a small smile.
"Yeah, Rotten, maggot infested, disease carrying lemons" I responded, my mood lifting. He chuckled and nodded, leaning back onto his seat.
"Sure" He restarted the car and quietly continued driving, letting me sit in the passenger seat and recollect myself. The stars in the night sky kept me busy and at peace, as they reminded me of simpler times. I sighed and turned to study Max.
He was good looking, for sure, like someone had pulled him out of MODELS.com, but he didn't scream arrogant. The easy-going smile he flickered at me every few minutes assured me of that. His brown hair whipped in the wind entering the car through cracked windows. I looked down and smiled at the knife in my hand.
He definitely was different.
"So where you taking me?" I broke the silence.
"To my dungeon" he said in a deadly serious voice. He took a sharp right turn, glancing at me. He probably saw how hard I was trying not to laugh and he burst out laughing. Soon enough, I joined him. Once the laughter calmed down, I noticed the car was coming to a halt in front of a small cottage.
The house looked like something that was plucked straight out of a fairytale, like a house Hansel and Gretel would wander off too (not that there is a witch inside). It looked small and cozy, and much more like a place I'd love to stay at than the mansion the Hadley's had. The red, brick walls of the house gave the house a very homey touch, with small, square windows draped with curtains on either side of the bright red door.
"Nothing too special" Max muttered, looking embarrassed. "I mean, compared to what you've gotten used to, I guess..." I halted him continuing when I hopped out of the van, with Max's help, and trundled down the stone path.
"This house is beautiful" I whispered delightfully, my eyes wide with awe. Max looked shocked before he chuckled and unlocked his door. "Don't you think it's too early to be 'bringing me home'?" I said cheekily as he pushed open the door, letting me enter first.
"I'm sure my mum will understand" he said, without missing a beat. It somewhat made me jealous, that he felt so confident about his mother. I wanted a relationship like that with mine.
"Maxy, is that you honey?" A frail voice question. Following the noise, my head turned to my right to see a lady appear, hugging a jacket close to her torso. She looked very fair and the only sign of age on her were the splattered wisps of white hair on her head. When her eyes made contact with mine, I immediately blushed and looked away. And then her eyes narrow cautiously down to my hand. Following her gaze, I cringed when I saw that I was still grasping onto the knife.
"Umm..." I awkwardly said, shifting on the spot, watching as Max and his mother (I assume) had a conversation in some foreign language "I can go..." I butted in, snapping them away from the debate. I looked back at the lady, who was now sporting a sweet smile.
"Sienna, this is my mother, Therese. Mum, this is Sienna. She's escaping her sister's party and needed somewhere to go" he quickly explained after introducing us. Therese's eyes seemed to wash over with pity with those words.
"You can stay here and watch movies with Max" she smiled, before engulfing me in a warm hug. I immediately stiffened. I wasn't used to such 'lovable' gestures. She pulled back before I could react and smiled.
"Perché mi ricorda Gemma" Therese added, obviously talking to Max. I only caught the name 'Gemma' amongst the gibberish they spoke. His face slightly dropped and he sighed, giving her a rueful nod, before quickly glancing at me.
"Yes Ma, she does" he whispered. Feeling like I was intruding in a private moment, I took a step back and took a second to admire the inside of the house. The place screamed 'homely', from the scented candles scattered around niches and coffee tables, to the numerous photo frames hanging on the beige walls. We were standing in the hallway that seemed connected to every room, giving a view of the whole house.
"So," Max's voice snapped me out of my 'sightseeing' "Which movie would you like to watch?
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Song: Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
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Movie: How To Train Your Dragon
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QOTC : What is your favourite flower?
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