Chapter 7: Chapter 7

“But what the hell is this?” Liam asked again, not letting go of my arm.

“It’s nothing,” I replied, realizing that when I changed my blouse, I put on one that left my arm exposed, and there was the bruise left by Dub’s hand when he grabbed me tightly. Although a week had passed since then, the mark of his aggression was still there, faint but still visible.

“You can’t say something like this is nothing, dear,” Ethan said. “You better tell us who did this to you because I’m sure it wasn’t in gym class.”

It was as if Ethan had read my mind because I was a second away from using the previous day’s incident to justify what now caught the twins’ attention.

“You know what? This is none of your business. Why don’t you mind your own affairs? Now, I have to work, excuse me.”

I let go of Liam’s hand on my arm, and as I turned around, I felt both of them standing up. Liam’s hand, which was closer to me, grabbed me by the shoulder and didn’t let me go.

“This place is ours,” Liam said when I turned around and after I asked him to leave me alone because I needed to attend to other tables. “You’ll serve us when I say so.”

“But who do you think you are? Enough is enough! Leave me alone!”

“You’re ours, doll,” Ethan said, who had already positioned himself beside his brother, determined not to let me go.

Mine? Had I heard that right?

“Now you have to tell us who caused that mark,” Liam insisted. “Don’t be stubborn with us, little girl. Tell us now who did it to you.”

I was tired of their game. One moment, they acted like two savage macho men who thought they owned me, and in the next second, they were gentle and tender, even treating me as if I were a little girl in need of their protection. But I wouldn’t let myself be manipulated that way, no matter how attractive they were or even if I enjoyed their closeness.

“I can’t stand you anymore!” I shouted with all the anger I could gather. I shook Liam’s hand off my shoulder and ran towards the kitchen.

I hadn’t realized the chaos I had caused in the restaurant until I saw Aly’s face, who looked at me as if the police were outside, waiting for me because I was accused of a serious crime.

“What was all that?”

“I want to leave. I can’t stand this anymore.”

Aly looked at me now with understanding.

“I’ll talk to Angelo. I’ll be right back.”

Aly didn’t take long to return.

“Let’s go. Angelo agreed. I’ll take you home.”

We exited through the back of the restaurant, and I only felt safe when I closed the car door.

“I think you went too far with them,” Aly said when we were halfway there.

“But didn’t you tell me yesterday that I should do everything possible to get rid of them?”

Aly nodded.

“Yes, I know, but… forget it, you’re right.”

I couldn’t get them out of my mind. How was it possible that even after what they had done to me at school, by the lockers, and now at the restaurant, I still felt such a strong connection with them and even had the sensation that I belonged to them in some way, both of them. But wasn’t that sick? Why did they consider me their property? And both of them? Ethan had made it clear: “You’re ours, doll.” What did he mean by that? What kind of macabre game was this?

“Are you feeling better now?” Aly asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied as I searched for the words to tell Aly that I didn’t understand what the twins had meant by considering me one of their possessions. “It’s just that even after what just happened, I doubt they’re going to leave me alone.”

Aly didn’t say anything for a few seconds, as if she were processing the words that had just come out of my mouth.

“How does that make you feel?” she asked.

“Weird,” I said without thinking too much.

“Well, weird is better than nothing,” Aly said.

I was surprised.

“You think this is okay?” I asked, puzzled. It was as if, after what had happened at the restaurant, Aly’s position was now very different from the one she had the day before when she lectured me about the importance of staying away from the twins.

“Well, supporting might not be the right word, but, you know, they’re not as bad as they seem,” Aly said.

I looked at Aly as if I were analyzing her after suspecting that she wasn’t the same girl who had warned me so much about them. She noticed and quickly justified herself.

“I was their friend when we were little.”

“People can change a lot,” I said. “From childhood to adolescence, we change too much.”

Aly shrugged.

“Yes, what you say is true, but I know they’re not bad people. That doesn’t change, ever.”

Aly stopped the car in front of my house, and I was surprised to see that Lia’s car was already parked there.

“I’ll think about what you’ve told me,” I said before getting out.

I watched Aly’s car drive away, and it wasn’t until she turned the corner that I decided to go inside. I just wanted to lie down and not think about what had happened anymore, but I had barely taken two steps when Lia approached from the house.

“What did you do?” she asked, annoyed.

It took me a few seconds to react.

“They won’t deposit the money anymore.”

—Oh! That’s it.

—Don’t you think it’s little? Your father left me and I got stuck with you. You know I deserve that money.

I shrugged my shoulders.

—It doesn’t matter if you think you need it or not. It’s done. You won’t receive it anymore.

I turned around and entered the house, barely paying attention to Lia’s protests.

I lay down on the bed.

Somehow, Margaret, the social worker, had managed to get in touch with the man who had abandoned me before my mother.

Now, that was a surprise.