O L I V I A
The sun is especially bright this morning and I can already feel myself dreading the day. I reach over and snatch my phone from my bed.
7:02 am
The only good thing about today was that it is finally Friday. I had completed my first week at Westview.
It wouldn't have been so easy without Kimberly, Austin, and Sierra. The three of them had made my first week here a total blast.
Each morning I would go through my morning routine and walk to school with Kimberly. She shared with me recently the latest rumor mill gossip about her ex who had been sleeping with some cheerleaders.
I assume she's pissed because it had been the morning topic for three days.
I climbed out of my bed and slid my dress Kimberly had gifted me on. It was black and strappy with an open back.
Even though she has a much larger chest it seemed to fit me nicely.
I had been so used to wearing the same school uniform back in New York, it still felt strange to have to really think about my appearance every day.
I hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen where my bag was and my mother who looked like she was ready to explode.
"If I find another chipped dish," She growls under her breath, "I'm going to kill that man."
I clear my throat and she glances over at me with a smile.
"Good morning, Liv."
"Hi mama."
"You hungry?" She asks and hands me a plate of food.
I nod and grab two pieces of bacon from it before getting my water bottle from the fridge.
"I'm probably going to be late tonight, "I tell her as I shut the fridge door, "I'm taking a resume to school and printing out a few more. Kim said she'd walk with me a few blocks down from the school so I could apply to a few places near there."
"Oh, wonderful!" She cheers. "I'm so glad you found such a good friend here."
I laugh at her, "She has helped me quite a bit so far. She said she'd even put in a good word for me at the coffee bar she works at down the street from the school."
She smiles again and wraps her arms around my shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks," I tell her and kiss her cheek.
I yell a quick goodbye as I step out onto the front porch and spot Kimberly near the sidewalk waiting for me.
She looked up and smiled. I notice her glossy lips and big gold hoops she had added for the day.
Possibly looking to make some men swoon or girls jealous.
"Mornin' gorgeous." She smiles and pops her gum.
She hands me a gloss from her purse. "Add this."
I grimace but swipe a bit of the goopy lip gloss to my lips.
Kimberly looks me up and down, "No bra?"
I look down and my cheeks flush. "Fuck!"
"You look hot! Don't worry about it."
I roll my eyes and give her a playful bounce before the two of us start down the sidewalk. Before long, I notice there's a car that is creeping up on us and turn back to the sound of a loud engine roaring nearby.
Alessio Romano.
He slows down a bit in his sleek silver Porsche and comes to a steady crawl near the curb.
I watch in awe as he leans out a bit and smiles. His dark eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.
"Good morning, ladies."
"Hey, handsome!" Kimberly beams at him.
Alessio nods towards her but his eyes never leave mine.
"Olivia Moore, right?"
I stammer, "Y-yeah."
"I just wanted to properly introduce myself...I'm Alessio Romano," He says and I notice he has a heavy Italian accent. "I hope you are enjoying San Diego so far."
"It's been great so far." I smile sheepishly.
He chuckles. The sound rough and deep. "Well have a good day, girls. See you around, Olivia."
Kimberly and I watch in silence as he pulls away and continues to drive off down the road.
"Oh...my...god! I can't believe he stopped and talked to us. He is SO hot it just blows my mind." She gushes in her girly voice.
"Yeah, real crazy," I mutter out. "So...do you know a lot about him?"
"Not really," she shrugs as we start walking. "I guess his family is really rich and really crazy. Lot's of illegal things they are apparently involved in.
"What kind of things?"
"Well...I guess you could say...drugs? guns? Just a rumor though."
I frown and look back towards the sidewalk in front of us.
Everyone seemed so sure that Alessio Romano was just bad news.
I had to find out for myself.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡
"Olivia! Hey!"
I smile and turn towards Austin as he wraps me up in a tight hug. My feet leave the ground as he spins us around.
"How are you today?" He asks and releases me from the unexpected embrace.
I look into his pretty hazel eyes and get a flutter of butterflies in the pit of my stomach.
Austin had been really great so far. He would always go out of his way to talk to me during school and even spent hours with me just texting after school.
He had shared a bit about his family and how he was majoring in Computer Science. All around he was just such a nice guy.
"I got you something," He says randomly and his cheeks redden. "That's not weird right?"
"Of course not!"
He grins and puts a little box in my hand with a red ribbon on the top.
I pull it open and reveal a charm bracelet with two charms on it. One for New York with the city skyline and the other a palm tree and sun showing CA at the top for California.
"Oh, Austin. You didn't have to get me anything! This is so pretty." I tell him and he takes my wrist in his hands.
He laughs nervously and turns it over to clasp the jewelry on me.
"Where did you get this?" I ask.
"My family owns a tiny shop not far from here." He shrugs and holds onto my wrist. "I figured you deserved a welcoming gift."
"You're the best. Thank you!" I beam at him and pull him in for a hug.
Austin squeezes me back and stares down at me almost as if he has something else to say. I wait for a few moments but stop as Kimberly and Sierra hurry up to us.
"You ready?" Kimberly asks and eyes us both suspiciously.
I nod, "As I'll ever be."
"You have nothing to worry about. I looked it over and your resume is solid." Sierra reassures me.
I thank her for the review and the four of us head out into the bright sunlight. My nerves were already a damn trainwreck so when I caught those dark eyes, I was about ready to pass out.
Alessio looks up from the canopy pole he's leaning against and lets his eyes travel up and down my body.
I watch for a moment in silence before he glances over at the girl next to him and nods to whatever she said. She's the girl who had been with him the other day.
As they continue to converse, I watch as Beto comes up to them. Kimberly had mentioned he was Alessio's cousin and apparently a major flirt.
He looked like a smaller version of the others but with more of an Abercrombie and Fitch look.
You never would've known the king of khaki pants and polo shirts would be related to the gorgeous, dark-haired Italian always wearing leather and motorcycle boots.
Suddenly, the big man next to them started yelling something at Alessio before storming off with the girl.
"Come on, Liv." Kim says and tugs my arm.
I start to follow her down the sidewalk. She starts up some small talk about some guy she was flirting with today.
I try to focus on her but stop when a Green truck comes flying into the parking lot nearly taking down several students.
Three men pop up from the bed of it and start waving guns around in the air.
Everything seems to slow down at the sound of the first gunshot.
I feel Kimberly pull me to the side and throw us into a bush. My face smashes to the dirty ground as several more gunshots fire out loudly followed by several screams of terror.
Two more shots ring out from behind us. I keep my face smashed to the ground, trying hard not to eat dirt and twigs.
I hear voices getting closer and peek up from my hiding spot to find a bald man with several tattoos on his skull staring at someone behind me.
He starts to say something in Spanish before looking down and catching me watching him.
"STOP!"
A deep voice booms from behind. I'm frozen in terror and can't bring myself to look back. I can hear Kimberly crying next to me.
The tattooed man leans towards me a little. A gun in his hand.
"Hermosa." (Translation: Beautiful)
My stomach turns as he addresses me and I close my eyes. I wait for the moment the gun will rest against my head.
Seconds pass. Minutes pass.
He is taking way too long.
The pain never comes. I look down at myself and I'm free of any blood or wounds.
I look up and notice the tattooed man had taken several steps back and his eyes were locked on someone else.
"Watch your fucking back!" He spits and looks down at me again. "Hermosa."
A shaky breath escapes me as the guy runs back to the same truck that had been waiting at the entrance. I watch in shock as they peel out quickly.
The sound of police sirens coming closer. Students still panicking and teachers running around to make sure nobody has been injured.
Kimberly pulls me to her side and starts to hyperventilate.
"I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay, Kim. It isn't your fault." I rub her shoulders.
"I don't want this to be your impression of this school," She says with a sob. "I swear that was not normal."
I give her a tight squeeze again and pull both of us up to our feet.
"A-are you okay?" A breathless voice asks from behind the two of us. I turn around and find Alessio staring down at me.
He's unharmed but looks angry.
"Uh...I think so." I whisper out.
He nods a little and looks around at the chaos still unfolding before us.
"Did...did anyone get killed?" I ask him.
He looks back down at me and his expression softens. "No."
"That's good."
He takes a step forward and wordlessly reaches out to brush some twigs out from my hair. I hold my breath as his fingertips move across my cheek.
"Be careful..." He whispers.
Alessio takes a few steps back and looks over his shoulder at the sound of others running towards us.
"Kimberly! Olivia!"
Sierra and Austin shout loudly as they reach us. Their arms wrap around the two of us and begin looking us over to make sure we were unharmed.
"I'm glad you are both okay! That was fucking insane." Sierra says and holds Kimberly close.
Austin looks down at me with a look of concern. "Me too."
He releases the girls and pulls me in for a hug. His mouth and nose nuzzling my neck.
"I was so worried about you." He whispers into my ear.
I stand there silently and let myself melt into him. I turn my head to the side a bit and notice Alessio stepping into his car.
He doesn't look thrilled.
A L E S S I O
"Te l'ho detto! cazzo!" (Translation: I told you! Fuck!)
Anna is standing next to me and shouting loudly as she reads off texts from Alejandro. Before they arrived at the school she had discovered that he had been keeping our entire cut from us and lied about the money that was made.
He was really trying to fuck us over.
"What do you want to do?" I ask her.
"Sai cosa dobbiamo fare." (Translation: You know what we have to do.)
I nod a bit and look around as the crowd of kids continues to pour out of the building to enjoy their sunshine-filled weekend. It doesn't take long for me to find the one that stands out.
She looks amazing.
Olivia walks out of the doors followed by her new best friends. Her womanly body dressed in a black sundress.
No bra. Her skin soft and exposed.
I just can't stop staring at her. I kept imagining having her in every way I possibly could.
I want her so bad. I need her.
She finally looks up as if she heard my thoughts. Her bright, blue eyes burning me.
"Che stai facendo?" Anna yells angrily and I look down.
I roll my eyes, "niente di calmo". (Translation: Nothing calm down)
Suddenly Beto walks up to us with Giovanni following close behind. Without hesitation, I'm having his cellphone screen shoved in my face.
"This is fucking bullshit!"
Alejandro had declared an attack on our club. The news had been intercepted by our guards.
"I'll kill him tonight," I announce to them.
"Fuck that," Giovanni snaps and points his finger at me. "You shouldn't of let him in this. I'll clean your mess up, Alessio. You better start acting like a fucking boss if you are going to live up to Adolfo."
Giovanni motions for Anna to follow as they storm off back towards their car. I sigh loudly and look over at Beto.
"What a fucking day."He hands me a cigarette.
I light the end of it and look back over at her. Olivia's cheeks flush with pink as she watches me studying her every move.
I let the flame of the lighter flick in the wind for a moment before the end lights up. Smoke blows out in one strong cloud.
"Alejandro! Pezzo di merda!" (Translation: Alejandro! You piece of shit!)
My head snaps up and I look over where Anna's voice came from.
They are both already across the parking lot and moving towards a green Truck. I spot Alejandro standing at the front of it.
Guns were drawn and ready to go. They were ready to start a turf war here.
"This can't happen here," I tell Beto urgently.
Before either of us have time to process anything we start moving just as Alejandro yells something in Spanish at the two of them before several warning shots are fired into the air.
Screams of panic and terror erupt around us and chaos breaks out.
"This is not the place!" Anna shouts at him.
Alejandro is barely paying her any attention. His gun pointing right at Giovanni's head.
He's a small guy with a lot of shitty tattoos all over his body and bald skull. I had hoped he would've been a good alley for us considering his gang ran a large part of San Diego.
Beto and I move closer to them but I stop in my tracks when I hear the sound of Kimberly's voice nearby.
I look over and see her tucked behind some shrubs with Olivia.
I tell Beto to continue and start to move towards them. Hopefully, I can get them out of here before this gets any worse.
I get a little closer to her and realize Alejandro had spotted me. He had his gun on me now and was smiling widely.
His eyes following my gaze to where Olivia was hidden.
He's closer and it makes my stomach turn. I watch as he reaches out towards her and she catches him in the act. Her eyes are full of terror as he leans towards her.
"Hermosa." He purrs out.
"STOP!" I shout and pull my gun out on him.
Alejandro cocks his eyebrow and looks down at her. His smile shows he has pinpointed my exact weakness.
I don't know why I felt like I had so much care for this random girl. I can't get her out of my head.
Would I really risk myself for this girl? My family?
He starts to make a move towards her but stops when he hears shouts from his men back where Giovanni is.
The two of us look back and notice Giovanni has them all on the ground. Each one a gun pointed at their hands.
Alejandro flares his nostrils and looks over at me.
"Watch your fucking back! "Alejandro growls out and looks back towards Olivia. "Hermosa..."
I keep my gun locked on him as he runs back to his boys and they get back into their truck. The car roaring loudly as they disappear.
I sigh and take a few steps towards Olivia. She's now standing with Kimberly as they both cry out of shock and confusion.
"A-are you okay?"
"Uh...I think so." Olivia whispers. Her blue eyes are wide.
She looks me over. Almost as if she wants to know I'm not harmed.
"Did...did anyone get killed?"
"No." I reply robotically and scan the lot.
Teachers were moving fast and checking on students. I could already hear the police sirens coming to the school.
I need to make my exit fast.
"That's good." She says slowly.
I catch sight of something sparkling and silver on her wrist. A new charm bracelet.
That wasn't there this morning...
I take a step towards her and reach out to remove some twigs and dirt from her. It seems as if she is holding her breath.
Her skin is soft to the touch. Just as I had imagined.
She gazes up at me nervously. Her cheeks pink.
"Be careful."
She swallows and tries to nod a little. I stare down at her a little longer and want to freeze time.
"Kimberly! Olivia!"
I groan internally at the sound of her friends coming over. I regretfully pull away and start to walk off just as they ambush the girls with hugs.
I make my way over to my car just as the police start to show up. I glance back and see Austin holding Olivia close to him.
I struggle to break my eyes from hers and get into the driver's side.
If I don't leave now, I know I'll do something I regret.
⟡ ⟡ ⟡