Chapter 18

'You not riding a bike, we'll go in my car, I'll pick you up in the morning to get your bike." Ren stops Kylie in her tracks. Her shoulder-length hair flips as she spins around. Her black vest and ripped loose denim makes her look like a biker as she leans on her left side, jutting out her hips. Kylie is the girl who exudes confidence. She is the girl in school who keeps a tight circle, but is loved by everybody. Kylie is the one who is too good to bully someone for the sake of it. She is a lot like us, except we kill our enemies. 'You say the sweetest things, sugar." Kylie winks at him as she makes her way to the passenger seat of his jeep. No questions asked. 'I thought you need to be 21 to drink or buy alcohol," Elisa says as Kylie and Ren jump out of the car and head to the bottle store. 'We're from the South, if you don't have a drink by 13, then there's something fishy going on. It's the unspoken law of the South," Sienna tells Elisa, who is sitting between us. 'I've never heard that before," Elisa mumbles as I hold my tongue. There's one thing about Elisa that a lot of people caught on too quickly - She's easy to fuck with. 'Now you have. If you ever in the South or near Liston Hills, you let me know. I still got another 18 months of school left." Sienna shifts her body to face Elisa as I see Ren and Kylie walking toward us with lots of booze. 'Liston Hills? Okay, now you talking shit, that town is a myth," Elisa accuses as her brow furrows. 'Na ah, it's pretty darn real. Our whole family lives there, we heading on over tomorrow. If your folks say it's good, you ladies are welcome to join. It's church and lunch. Uncle Marcus is coming back this side. He'll drop you home after." Before we can answer, Ren and Kylie, jump in. Ren hands three bottles of Jack to Elisa as Kylie places the two bottles she brought on the floor by her feet. 'I'm telling you that it was unnecessary, a hundred dollars for a tip is too much," Ren argues as he slams the door and starts the car. 'And I'm saying it's fucking paper, worthless," Kylie fires back. 'I don't see how it's worthless if you just used it to bribe a 60-year-old man," Ren informs her in a sarcastic tone, he usually used with Mero when he spoke shit - Which was a lot of the time. Kylie puts her seatbelt on as the car makes a noise indicating she needs to straps in. 'It's money, rule number 1. They don't teach this stuff in school. Money is paper. It has no value, it's just a false way of brainwashing people. If you want to know value, show me your assets. Silver, gold, diamonds, and land is just the start. Now, to taste the bliss of real money, I say you get into software development or better yet find minerals." 'There she starts," Sienna mutters, making a frustrated sound at the back of her throat. 'Well, somebody needs to enlighten you guys about finance. You wanna be better, you oughta think better. If you not smart, then how the hell do you expect to beat the taxman?" Kylie rambles as we drive to the fraternity house filled with footballers. I've never been privy to any kind of sports, but Landon Walker is our latest football sensation. College football is my dad's thing. And Landon is a big deal. After another 40 minutes, we finally arrive at our destination. My cheeks hurt from the laughing, my ears ringing from the aftermath of Sienna's screaming when she and Kylie got into it on the way. Sienna didn't have any qualms about telling Kylie to shut her big mouth, her words not mine. I jump out first and wait for Elisa and Sienna, who are both straightening their dresses. Sienna has on a flirty knee-length blue cotton dress that does wonders for her breast while still screaming classy. Elisa is wearing a check black and white skirt with a Chinese collar black vest. The outfit looks great paired with black stockings and a flat red leather pump. Elisa's newly red hair is the highlight of her outfit. I catch Ren's eyes on her before he walks up to me, flicking my nose, 'Don't get into any shit, have fun, but not too much. Oh, and Leonardo is around, you should talk to him." My face heats up as my vision goes red, followed by a burst of life and nerves. 'You failed to mention that this morning," I hiss, whisper as my fingers pinch his arm. 'Ow, what the fuck Yana?!" 'And she got claws; you seem to amaze me Liya," Kylie muses as she saunters over to us. 'This is not over, you lied to me." I glare at him as he leaves to get the booze from the car. 'Evading and lying are two different things, Yana." He says as he walks toward me with four bottles of whiskey. 'Yes, and you were lying," I point out. 'Whatever you say, Yana," Ren mutters. His smirk is screaming, ‘he doesn't care how pissed I am.' My eyes roll, feigning disinterest as my stomach twists in knots. I have the biggest crush on Leonardo Catelli. I wish there was a way I can talk to him without sounding like a complete idiot. Tonight might just be the night to change that. Maybe, he will finally notice me, and when he does, I won't make a bigger fool out of myself as I have done in the past. Yes, today will be the beginning of a new ###Chapter in my life. My small pep talk now over with, I survey the area around us. Spotting a jock walk out of the white mansion, I can't help the smile on my face as the excitement of standing here fills me with the same adrenalin rush as the thought of Papa catching me. The music coming from inside is a mixture of techno and house. The jock guy finishes the drink in the red cup and throws the empty onto the hedge, which I notice is filled with red cups. A tall brunette wearing a white vest and tight jeans walks up to him and kisses his cheek. He slings his arm over her shoulders, half hanging on her, half hugging her. She repeats his earlier action, throwing her cup on the hedge before walking back inside with him. 'The designated bin. I can't wait for college." Sienna's voice goes wistful as Ren, Elisa and Kylie start talking about Landon Walker. Kylie apparently knows the guy from a racing event she attended last year. "I was looking for an in with Mercedes Benz, so I could get blueprints to one of their unreleased cars, and then bam, I met Landon. His dad builds Mercedes engines," Her voice rises the closer we get to the noise. 'He's the cliché version of Small-town boy gone pro," Kylie finishes as I stare at her a bit lost. 'What does that look like?" Elisa asks, loving the story more than me. 'Sex on sticks and a double shot of strong good ole fashion Moonshine," Sienna responds seconds before she starts laughing, Kylie following in on her joke. 'He's like that hottie you were talking to the other day," Kylie explains as she clicks her finger, but I draw a blank. 'The one with the black and red mustang," Kylie clarifies. 'Deno? I highly doubt he can be a Deno. Maybe a Gabriel," I tell her. Our world is different, but Deno is different in our society. Our future Capo, and the underboss. He's the 2nd eldest brother from Capo Marcello Catelli. Deno isn't a man you compare anyone with. Something is missing in him, he is warm but hollow at the same time. His smile comes quickly, as the small pinpricks of fear, he instills in many by just his presence alone. He spent 6 months in a prison cell, and while he's been on the news one time too many, part of me knows that it's more than his time in the pent that defines him. No, there's something he keeps locked away, and every day it eats him a bit more inside. The eldest brother akin to a ghost, Marco, who no one really speaks about him, not even Ren, and it's his brother, remains a mystery. He's either really scary or not important. I'm going for the latter. I've been friends with Ren for years, and I've never seen him. My Papa mentioned Marco was a soldier. Maybe he chose a different lifestyle for himself. That was an impossibility even as the thought fitted into my head. No one in our world had such power, not even a devil without a face. 'Maybe a Gabriel without the brooding mood swings. But Landon is scorching. Too bad he ain't my type." Kylie voices as she puts her arm into the side of Elisa's free one. 'Can you get me an autograph?" Elisa asks her as Ren, Kylie, and her walk down the manicured garden. 'Have you decided what you gonna study?" Sienna queries as we walk behind the trio. 'I've been considering business or accounting. My father suggested I major in art, but art is more of a hobby to me." I study the house as the music gets louder, my gaze drifts to the sky, and the light dust of stars visible, yet, hidden with the glow of the full moon. A chill in the air nips at my naked flesh as Sienna grabs my hand and pulls me into what I would say is chaos. The whiff of alcohol, weed, and cigarettes hit me as I take my first inhale of the indoors. The place is filled with people. Less than a meter away from Sienna and I is a set of stairs leading up to the top floor where Elisa, Kylie, and Ren seem to be heading. I hear the catcalls as Kylie's name is screamed by various people. Unfamiliar hands touch my own, which is still locked on to Siennas'. She is pulled to the side by a beautiful girl with thick red and blue-braids capsuling a fine-boned face. 'Sin, what on earth are you doing all the way over here?" The girl yells loud enough to be heard over the music. 'Mason wanted to come and watch the game. Kylie and I joined for the after-party." The girl laughs as Sienna turns to me, those brown eyes still not looking right as she tilts her head in a notion for me to come closer. 'This is my friend Liya, she's coming to UW next year," Sienna introduces me as the music goes quiet for a few beats before the next song plays. 'This is Makena, she's a 3 times state champion in the National Cheerleading League." 'Hey." I move my hand to shake hers, but she has other plans as she hugs me. She's super tall, like Sienna and Kylie, so my short form has my face by her very well-endowed chest. 'Come on, let's go upstairs, I can't even hear myself breathe. I'm glad we met Liya. I've seen you around at Azure a few times. Nice place." My cheeks heat up as she gives me a confused yet knowing look. I'm not precisely Italian looking, taking in my straight nose, pale skin, green eyes, and blonde hair, but my chin and the slight accent I inherited from the Italian part of my bloodline isn't totally lost. And if that didn't give it away, the company I hang around with, sealed the deal. We take the stairs, pushing our way through. Two guys make out on the left as a really wasted girl sleeps on the top two steps. The rest of the people scattered around the upstairs area remain by the corridor and one of the rooms. The music dies as the strong whiff of weed hits my nose. 'If my uncle smelled me now, I don't think any amount of holy communion and repentance is gonna be saving my hide when he gets a hold of it," Sienna whispers in my ear as we walk down the corridor to the end door that's currently open. I laugh because I understand exactly what she means. My Papa will turn my skin rainbow. Another staircase which leads to the bottom floor is made visible as a light is switched on. 'Kylie's hide might just be next if she's caught smoking." The male voice from behind us has a distinct tone to it. Sienna spins around so fast she almost trips. I barely catch her in time with both my hands wrapped on her upper arms and my tiny body pushing her up. 'Whoa. I wouldn't want you falling on the face now, Love." I look up at the guy, and I want to fall at the square jaw and full thick lips, I'm sure has caused many to fall in his presence. Short, light brown, unkempt hair glows under the warm lighting meant to map our route through the corridor. 'Aren't you going to introduce me to your little friend?" His dark green eyes pierce me, as a small smile plays on his lips. I hear the hint of an accent I can't really place, however, if given a chance to guess, I would say Scottish. 'What are you doing here?" Sienna walks up to him and pulls the guy by his grey V-neck t-shirt. 'I thought you not coming this side until next fall," Sienna carries on talking when he doesn't respond. His eyes stay on me, and for some reason, I can't place, there's this nagging sense in the pit of my stomach telling me this moment is essential. 'Actually, funny, you should mention that. I had a bit of an emergency, you see," He explains. Sienna frowns, releasing his clothes from her tight grip. 'Is everything alright with Maralese? I spoke to her this morning, she seemed good." I watch as his gaze softens when he studies Sienna. He taps her nose in a familiarity that can't be replaced for anything besides intimacy. She is almost as tall as the mysterious man. 'She's fine, Sin. I'm here to see Aliyana." If I didn't before, I now have his full attention, as my heart rages war equal in fear and nerves. Those eyes of his don't help. Breathe Aliyana. Breathe. What would he want with me? 'Why would you want to see Liya?" Sienna asks as my concentration turns to the one walking up behind the mysterious stranger who knows my name - Ren. Though, I have to wonder just how mysterious he really is. He must see my question in my gaze as it settles back on his smiling one. 'Where are my manners, I'm Xander Moretti. A half-blood like you, except my mother, is Scottish." 'Well then half-blood, What business does a Moretti want with a Capello? Because right now, it looks like you are trespassing on our side of the streets," Ren interjects, still stationed behind Xander. If Xander Moretti is scared of Ren, he doesn't show it. Calvin Harris, Dua Lipa- One Kiss starts playing through the surround-sound, causing the people around us to explode with life. It also reminds me of where we are. We are supposed to be partying. Why is it that a Moretti is out to get us? "Well?" Ren questions Xander who doesn't turn his head to acknowledge, he heard Ren behind him, or that he has a Catelli at his back. I have to give him points, he has balls. Balls I would love to cut off. 'Alec Russo. My cousin disappeared a couple of months back, his parents think he jumped ship, but I happen to believe someone helped him over. I'm here to get answers. You know, the usual." He tilts his head to peer at me from an angle. He is handsome, I give him that, still, there is something I recognize in him. Something innocent. Something unlike me and a lot like Ren. 'And what does that have to do with Liya? Surely you have more sense than to insinuate she knows anything about your cousin's whereabouts?" Ren points out. "Xander, Alec was and still is an asshole, and I have only met the guy once," Sienna defends me by pointing out a mutual fact. She also unknowingly reminds me that we have a lot of witnesses, and the reason I liked her off the bat - She's loyal as a fault. But shouldn't her loyalty stand with this Xander guy? Unless I have read their relationship wrong. My attention doesn't deter from Xander's perceptive one still on me. Yet, I don't miss the shadow of Ren's head jerking. 'Alec was never my friend if that's why you here. You should ask Matteo, they were attached to the hip." Even as his name leaves my lips, I know the words for the lies it truly tells. Forgive me, father, I have sinned. 'I did, he sent me here. I wondered why until I saw you. Tell me, Aliyana, where's the rest of the Misfits? Did your little crew finally split?" Xander questions as it takes every bit of my will to remember to breathe, to look at him dead in the eyes, and to not slice a blade across that mouth. Sometimes the past is only forgotten for a short while. In our world, the past can be the only reason for a thousand lives to be lost. This isn't one of those times. 'Since Matteo knows so much, you should run to him. Maybe he'll do a better job at answering your questions." I shrug my shoulder, as my heart races in my chest, just thinking how easy it will be to end him. I know my anger is misplaced, and Xander Moretti is not the root of it. No, my deep loathing is for Matteo Di Salvo. The stupid fool who saved my life.