Adelina POV:
A few people rush up to get paper towels but there's no telling who exactly because my eyes become transfixed on a larger piece of glass that lands towards me. My contact with reality slowly dwindles as my eyes zero in on the shard and my hearing dissipates.
Hands reach out to pick up varying sized pieces and the one I'm staring at is no exception. I follow it through it's journey in the air until it comes to a stop. The faint ringing in my ears disconnects me from my sourroundings as I look up towards the person holding the fragment.
I stare into the eyes that are now switching between the honey brown eyes I've recently learned I share with some of my brothers and the all too familiar cold lifeless ones of Michael. The dull ache that starts to radiate from the cut on my cheek only further transporting me back into my memories.
My mind becomes hazy, not being able to define the what's infornt of me. I clearly see Michael stalking up towards me with the bit of glass in his hand exactly how my nightmares replay the events of that fateful night and a moment later I see the honey brown and inviting eyes that Michael never had.
I lose sight of my surroundings even if I haven't been completely pulled under by the wave of fear washing over me. Suddenly, I could feel his hands on me. I could feel his lips attaching themselves to my collarbone and the stinging in my cheek increases.
My heart beats faster by the second and this time, I can't move. I'm frozen in place, not being able to fight back. Not that it ever worked anyways. I could hear commotion around me, fuzy yelling of some sort.
A hand is placed on my shoulder and my heart wrenches, wanting to pull away from the vile hand of Michael's. He stares at me, mocking me, while I wallow in my frozen fear.
I'm nudged and a distinct scent soon hits my nose. I grip onto the smell I can't pinpoint, not knowing who or where it came from but firmly know it is not Michael. It doesn't take long for the smell to bring me back to calm and the world around me. I hold on to it, feeling as though my life might literally depend on it.
I take a deep but silent breath and shut my eyes before reopening them again and focusing on what I could now see.
After a couple seconds of this, I notice the mess is almost gone and while Valentino, Raffaele, Angelo and Valerio are still rushing around to to tidy everything, the rest are staring at me intensely. Valerio aswell as Valentino, who are both taking care of the remaining four pieces of glass, are applying the minimum amount of effort.
I could see Valerio, the only one next to me, staring out of the corner of his eye. Not trying to be subtle but trying to observe me while still completing the task he was so obviously forced to do. The rest of the boys, unoccupied, stare intensely at me.
"What," I spit out.
Valerio rolls his eyes and I want nothing more than to ask what stick he has up his ass but refrain from doing so as Francesco speaks.
"Didn't you hear us?"
"Huh?" I question.
"We were calling you," he specifies.
"My bad, I was a bit zoned out," I speak with an edge of finality in my tone. I couldn't keep the slight waver out of my voice,however, my heart still beating wildly.
None of them seem to believe me.
"Are you sure?" Franceco questions.
"Yes," I say with a duh tone trying to make my story plausible. Valentino, who I know is listening looks to believe me while the rest are hesitant.
"Liar," Valerio mutters under his breath.
"Fuck off," I mutter back.
"Sapete tutti che sta mentendo," Valerio starts in the language he thinks I don't know. (You all know she's lying.)
"It's rude to say something I can't understand," I quickly point out but they all ignore me.
"Perché dovrebbe esserlo?" Valentino innocently questions. (Why would she be?)
"Lo si poteva sentire nella sua voce," Valerio continues. (You could hear it in her voice.)
"Non saltare alle accuse Valerio," Valentino defends. (Don't jump to accusations Valerio.)
There's a small silence.
"Perché avrebbe dovuto mentire?" Angelo speaks up. (Why would she lie?)
"You guys are irritating," I butt in.
"Stiamo parlando della nostra sorellina. Non è qualcuno con motivi per mentire," Angelo pipes up once again.(We are talking about our little sister. She is not someone with reasons to lie.)
"Ã completamente vero. Non sa niente di noi, non pensa che siamo pericolosi. Non avrebbe dovuto mentire. In teoria," Francesco agrees. (That's completely true. She doesn't know anything about us, she doesn't think we're dangerous. She wouldn't have a reason to lie. In theory.)
"Dovremmo interrogarla," Valerio pitches in.(We should question her.)
"Ascolta te stesso! Non è una cliente idiota," Francesco scoffs. (Listen to yourself! She's not a client idiot.)
"Enough," Domenico's strong voice booms in perfect english.
Everyone goes silent.
"Are you sure you're alright?" he says looking at me with a softer but still piercing gaze.
"Yes, I'm fine. Why are you all acting like this? Jesus, I get caught in your thoughts and suddenly I'm a liar," I say, aiming the last part at Valerio.
He simply shoves me and I do the same back, liking messing with him.
Domenico gives a stern look but nods.
"Well, if that's the case, you should head upstairs now. I'm sure it's been a long day,"
Just like that, I obediently bid my brothers goodnight and went to find my room. I'm not in the mood to argue. It feels like the energy has been drained from me and I could feel flashes coming back to haunt even with the light on.
I don't know how long I waited to hear the footsteps of the last of my brothers travel to their rooms but it must have been well into the early hours of the morning. One thing stayed on my mind, I just wanted to get high. So I did. For that limited amount of time, I just forgot and it helped get me through the night.
The next day was uneventful, I mostly avoided interaction with all of them as they did me. There was thick tension looming through the house and I hadn't had half the heart to deal with it. The image of Michaels dead body, his sliced neck was popping up in my mind unannounced.
I found myself wanting to leave th house many times over the days that followed. Everything returned to normal, whatever normal was, and everyone returned to school and work with the weekend finishing.
This morning I woke up how I recently normally have, high. The current events have been a bit much for me to handle and I've felt more haunted than normal. I never thought my ghosts would chase me in broad daylight.
I think maybe it's the house that's driving me mad. So I'm planning to leave today. Not run away, I don't have the money yet though I was informed I would be receiving an allowance soon. I'm simply planning on going for a walk, I'm counting on the fresh air to help.
I'm sure someone is home, I've found I haven't been left completely alone. I don't quite know what their playing at. I throw on my shoes and step outside checking the weather. Finding it's a bit chilly, I run back upstairs and throw on a hoodie. Once I'm finally ready, I leave.
The neighborhood's rich but am I surprised? Don't know which I would prefer honestly, I don't want to be quick to judge but I've never had the best experience with the wealthy. I walk until the scenary around me changes.
I reflect on the conversation had a couple days ago. Everyone kept reminding each other I was their sister and I had no reason to lie. Honeslty, I found it strange but it statred to align with my prior theories. Gang or mafia.
Sure it sounds silly, but I've known people like them. I've noticed more about them than I think they've realized which only means I've done my job right.
Domenico is typical. Secretive, radiating authority and danger he's cold and emotionless which only makes sense for being the oldest. Francesco is a textbook right-hand man, anyone could tell he's loyal to Domenico. He does his dirty work in a way, they assess things together and Francesco asks all the right questions when he wants to know something. Angelo and Raffaele confuse me. They don't fit in. Angelo is caring and emotionally available and Raffale is timid. I could picture Valentino and Valerio being a part of it too. They make their presence in a room known from what I've seen. Valerio is agressive in nature and so is Valentino but Valentino's charismatic smile and dorky jokes cover it up.
They all radiate power, one way or another. I wouldn't have thought anything of it if I hadn't found the guns and heard them speaking. Not to mention the feeling I got. I'm silently thanking those above that I was initially warned one way or another.
I don't know how long I've been walking for but the the sky has not yet started to dim, so I should be fine. I come up to a bridge. It's a wooden bridge, one you'd probably find in a movie somewhere, that passes over a creek. I hadn't even noticed being surrounded by trees until now.
I quite like it here, it's peaceful. The light of the sun shines through the branches and leaves making it feel magical. It falls onto the water and the surface glows looking beautiful. I sit there for a bit, not feeling anything but content until I realize everyone should have returned from school by now.
I have no idea where I am and I don't worry about it. I just sit comfortably, enjoying what nature is offering me.
I could faintly hear branches snap in the distance and footsteps coming near. I look up to see a boy, probably around my age approach the small bridge I am on. He looks surprised to see me but after both acknowledging each others' presence without a word, we both turn to our own thoughts and little worlds.
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Her pretending not to know italien is coming in handy, huh?
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