7

I V Y

I don't know for how many hours I've been lying down on my bed and staring at the ceiling. The only thing I could think of was the mafia.

Ace was part of the Italian mafia. Did Mason know? Was he part of it too? I had so many questions yet answers to none. I couldn't just go and ask them, 'hey guys, are y'all part of the Italian mafia?' I was not dumb.

They would ask me questions, like, how do I know of the tattoo? Where did I see it? And I wasn't ready to let anyone know that part of my life yet.

My eyes felt heavy and were beginning to close. I didn't bother to fight sleep. I let it consume me.

**

"Hold this gun and shoot that man." The familiar voice spoke dangerously close to my right ear. I took a deep breath and focused on the man in front of me, who was tied in a chair, his hands behind his back and his head lowered. I felt bad.

I don't know what he did. I didn't have the right to question my own boyfriend. My heart was racing and my hands were trembling. I felt a hand on my waist making me almost jump by the sudden contact.

"Scared, love?" He questioned, his grip tightened on my waist so hard that I was sure it would leave a bruise.

"I can't do this," I muttered softly before lowering the gun. I then turned around to face him. He had a scar running down the side of his face and another one that crossed his left eyebrow. "I can't kill someone. I want out."

He chuckled darkly making me gulp. It was never good. Whenever he'd chuckle like that, I'd fear he might do something I won't like. His hand moved from my waist and snatched the gun from mine then he placed it to the back of my head before he grabbed a handful of my hairs and pulled it which made me yelp in pain.

I then received a kick in the stomach but didn't fall backward because he was holding me still by my hair. It was painful. I could feel my scalp burning. He then grabbed my face in between his hands, forcing me to look at him in his haunting brown eyes.

"You are my girlfriend. You do as you're told, do you get that?" He asked to which I nodded. He then moved his hands from my face and gripped my shoulder, "words, bitch, I need words!"

"Yes," He then smirked and turned me around, handing me the gun again, "now kill the man. Pull the trigger."

And I did.

I pulled the trigger.

The man in front of me received a bullet right in his neck. While he was laughing, my heart sank. What have I done?

**

I jolted awake, sweat dripping off my forehead. I gripped the sheets, breathing heavily. My hand reached out to the bedside table, looking for a my bottle of water. But it wasn't there.

Frowning, I stood up and walked to the bathroom before rinsing my mouth and splashing some cold water over my face. Coming out from the bathroom, I glanced at the clock and saw that it was only one-thirty in the morning. I've been sleeping for three hours now.

I opened the door to my room and went downstairs to the kitchen. I didn't bother to turn the lights on as I made my way towards the sink. Grabbing a glass, I filled it with water and leaned against the kitchen counter before drinking it.

"Itsy bitsy spider c—oh hey Ivy!" Ace shot me a smile, walking towards the fridge. Was he singing that nursery? He couldn't be part of the mafia, could he? He had the attitude of a kid. He was immature or so I thought. He opened the fridge and took out a bottle of cold water, "why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why are you still here? Did your parents kick you out from your house?" I asked back, raising my brows. He let out a chuckle before shaking his head, "nope, Macy and I are playing games so I'm gonna stay over today."

"Macy?" I repeated, smiling at the familiar nickname that I also use for my brother. He nodded, opening the bottle, "yeah, he told me that's how you call him and he hates it so I started calling him like that too, to annoy him." He then brought the bottle to his lips before gulping down some water.

"Alright. Good night," I said, placing the glass aside. He stopped drinking and nodded at me, "night, Vy."

"You shortened my name more than it already is," I muttered and heard him hum in response, "I just realized that both our names have got three letters. I'm gonna call you Vy, your nickname. Hope you like it because I'm not changing it." He winked, closing the bottle.