Chapter twenty - three

                                    

                                          
I woke up with a slight headache. I stretched, getting off the bed. I was still in the dress from yesterday, I quickly took it off. Hurrying into the bathroom, my mind started to come together and I began to wonder. How did it end last night? 
                          
Stephano surprising us at the club, dragging me back home. Me trying to tease him, him pressing his hardness against my ass. My eyes widened instantly.
                          
"Oh my goodness." I gasped, covering my face with my hands, I felt so emberassed.  
                          
I shook it off, I was going to act like it didn't happen. I hopped into the shower quickly, scrubbing my body and brushing my teeth. 
I kept it in mind to teach Stephanie for lying to me. 
                          
I put on my black jeans and a long sleeved blue top with black stripes. I combed my hair backwards, walking out the room. 
                          
I walked out the same time Stephano walked out of his room. He looked groggy, like he hadn't slept well the previous night. His hair was rough and messy, his blue eyes met mine, I felt my heart skip a beat but I hid my nervousness.
                          
"Good morning." I greeted, keeping my face and voice as neutral as possible. 
                          
"Hey." He smiled lightly, briefly, it almost seemed like he didn't. 
                          
I walked behind him downstairs where everyone was seated for breakfast. 
As usual, Quinn and Sophia were seated together, holding hands. 
                          
Stephanie looked up at me, she smiled, giving me a wink, I rolled my eyes at her. 
                          
Grandma sat at the end of the table.
                          
We all exchanged greetings, I took my seat beside Stephanie, the smell of deliciousness enchanting my nostrils. 
I whispered into Stephanie's ear, "I would never forgive you for last night you know."
                          
She smiled, pleading with her eyes. I shook my head in disbelief. 
                          
Grandma as usual, made us hold hands together and share the grace. 
                          
After breakfast, I and Stephanie as usual went to do the dishes. I enjoyed helping her with it, she would usually talk while we did so, about a movie she watched, a book she read or her celebrity crush. She was quite interesting to me, like the little sister I never had.
                          
"I didn't think you would come along if I didn't lie about him knowing." She laughed, scrubbing the ceramic dish in her hand. 
                          
"Well why would I? You have no idea how much trouble you put me through." I replied. 
                          
"Well duh.... I could see how jealous he looked seeing you dance all over that guy like that last night." She giggled childishly, wiggling her brows at me. 
                          
"Oh shut up...." I rolled my eyes at her.
                          
"Tell me, did you guys do it?" She wiggled her brows again, winking at me.
                          
I groaned, "oh goodness, no! That is so improper."
                          
"Well that should make it more fun." She laughed. 
                          
"You're not serious." I shook my head.
                          
"My dad is going to be coming over today, he is not going to sleep over but he is going to come grab somethings." she said. 
                          
"Oh..." I replied. 
                          
"Grandma says I should clean his room up. I will be going to do so after clearing the dishes." She spoke. 
                          
"Alright.... You want me to come along?" I asked. 
                          
"Yeahhhhhhh....." She drew. "So we can talk while I am at it." 
                          
"About?" I asked. 
                          
"This guy I like..." She winked, smiling broadly. 
                          
"Mmmm.... Who is it?" It was my turn to wiggle my brows. 
                          
"Giovanni." She replied. 
                          
"Giovanni...." I thought, "sounds familiar."
                          
"The blonde guy at Sophia's birthday." She blushed. 
                          
"Ohh.... But doesn't he like work for your dad?" I asked. 
                          
We were done with the dishes, she was carrying a broom, mop and some water. 
We were headed upstairs, the floor above the part where my room was. 
We stood right at the door, she slid a key through the door, unlocked it and pushed it open. 
                          
"Yeah he does. But it doesn't matter." She smiled. 
                          
She stepped into the room, I entered alongside her. 
                          
I looked around the room, it was huge. There was a king size bed with red sheets in the middle. The red curtains were down and a dresser by the side. There was a study table and a lamp beside the bed. 
                          
I felt my breathing halt as I gazed upon the pictures on the wall. The world around me seemed to be non-existent, I felt suffocated for a moment, memories came hitting my brain hard. Slamming into my mind and blossoming. 
                          
The woman held unto her little daughter as their door was being consistently banged at. She looked frantic, her brown eyes full of fear. She held tight unto her daughter as she heard the front door being kicked open. Her husband on the other hand paced around the room, he was equally scared, he was holding a cigeratte in his hands. 
The door fell open with a loud thud, immediately, the man rushed into the other room, jumping out through the small wooden window. 
                          
"Get him!" The intruders shouted, three men ran after him. 
                          
The other three remained in the room.
                          
The little girl could hear her mother breathing frantically. The men carried guns, their faces hard and their eyes murderous. 
                          
"Please, leave us alone we have nothing to do with this." The woman pleaded holding unto her daughter. 
                          
"Get her." The tall dark man with a cut on his chin motioned to the woman's daughter. 
                          
Both mother and child screamed. 
"No! Leave her alone." 
                          
One man grabbed the woman, tugging her off the little girl. she screamed, struggled and pleaded to no avail.
                          
"Mum don't let them take me!" The little girl pleaded. 
                          
"Please mum!" She screamed as the other man hauled her unto his shoulders.
                          
I gasped, tears gathering at my eyes as I looked at the woman in the picture, she was smiling ever so lightly, her warm brown eyes a replica of her curly hair. She was beautiful, in the red dress she wore. She was looking at something beside the camera, her attention anywhere but there. 
                          
"Ariana! Are you okay?" Stephanie held unto me as I felt my knees get weak and my breath quicken. 
                          
I fell to the floor. 
                          
"Stephano!" She called out, "come quick!" 
                          
I felt strangled by the cries threatening to spew out of my throat. 
                          
I put my hand in my pocket. Pulling out a picture of the same woman. 
                          
"Who is she?" I managed to ask. 
                          
"She?" Stephanie asked pointing at the woman on the wall. 
                          
I nodded my head ever so lightly, I heard loud footsteps and soon Stephano barged into his room, worry written all over his face. 
                          
"Oh..." She said, "that's our mother." 
                          
I gasped, impossible. 
                          
"What is wrong with you?" Stephano squatted, touching my sweaty forehead with his cold fingers. 
                          
"That's my mother." I threw the small, slightly torn picture in my hand to the floor. 
                          
Stephano's eyes widened. He starred at the paper bewildered, like he had just seen a ghost.