He wasn't smug or triumphant or pleased. He wasn't angry or mad or furious. He was hurt.
After his dance with Rosetta, he had endured another thirty minutes of nonsense conversations with prowling women and pride filled disdainful comments from jealous high school mates. After the thirty minutes, he had gotten fed up and he sent a quick text to Marino with the new phone he acquired earlier that day,
'I'm heading home. Find another ride or die trying." And he left for his car.
He was still sitted in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly with white knuckles.
He was hurt. All his swagger and act and pride didn't chase away the vulnerable boy in him seeking acceptance. He was accepted alright but for all the wrong reasons. The women were only after him for looks and for money and the men either didn't even spare him a second look or spat pride all over him
What was he expecting anyway? Warm hugs and friendly kisses? Friendly conversations and people actually concerned about his welfare?
What was he expecting after riding a Ferrari and dressing to kill?
His bullies hadn't even come up to him, like they knew his weakness. They had not even spared him a glance. Leonardo and Arman.
He had quite a good number of bullies, intentional and unintentional but he knew only those two attended Colland.
Rosetta.
He wouldn't deny, at least to himself, that he had felt a little attraction to her. Tall elegant Rosetta, beautiful Rosetta with the sea blue eyes that had you enchanted at one glance. Apart from her eyes, it wasn't her heart shaped lips that caught his fancy or her slender nose or her smooth spotless baby skin though he had noticed those too; it was her hair. Her long very dark hair that framed her face and tumbled down her back. It swayed when she danced, bounced when she walked, he had made sure to feel it when they danced. Silky, soft, smooth, full black hair.
But that was it, her eyes and her hair. The main emotion he had felt after meeting her was irritation. He could read her very well. He had read the look her eyes. She just wanted him for the looks, another pretty boy to add to the collection of ones she had dumped. Asking him about his disapearance was just for show.
Also the women that came after.
He released his grip on the steering wheel and leaned back in his seat.
She would come again.
He hadn't cared much for her in highschool nor did he now. She had been with her upper class group and he in his lower class group.
She would come again, he could tell. She was a persistent one. When she came, he would keep her hooked. He would make her long for him but never get him, he would bring her close but keep her far. He would make sure he was the center of her life, make himself her daily food and water, make her forget all but him. He would make her chase him, hunger for him until it destroyed her. After all, what else did lust bring?
That series of emotions that corrupted one's mind and mode of thinking and made one act like a crazed being, that curse that made one a murderer, a murderer of human emotions, a murderer of relationships.
Her lust would be her downfall.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Rosetta watched the black Ferrari drive away through the window. He had a Ferrari.
"I saw what happened."
She glanced at Aryanna but kept mute. She still hadn't recovered from that blow to her pride. Who was he anyway? Just because he managed to look so good, he thought he was better than all the men she had charmed.
The Ferrari had disappeared from sight but she still stared out the window. There was that tightening in her chest, the burning feeling, the restlessness. She knew what it meant. She would not rest until she had him, wrapped around her thumb, doing her every will.
"You can still get him, you know?" Aryanna remarked.
"What did you see?"
"You flirting with him and he refusing you. Don't worry, it was very subtle, not many people would guess what was going on. I know you so I know how you act."
She kept mute.
"Really Rosetta? Are you letting dumb Domenico get to you? Even if he has brushed up on his looks, he can't change his personality totally. He is still that same Leonardo's toy."
"I know." Was her reply.
"Then what is wrong? Why are you worried?"
She thought about it. Why was she worried? Perhaps it was because she knew what Aryanna said wasn't entirely true. The Domenico she had met and talked to an hour ago was entirely different from the one that got bullied back in high school, very different in every way. His aura alone intimidated her and made her weak at the knees, something only one other man was capable of, his rejection had eaten deep into her pride and into her mind, and despite her anger, she recognized deep within her that it wasn't all of it. A small, very little part of her was afraid. Afraid that this was going to be somehow different, afraid that she might fall too deep, afraid that he might win.
She was afraid of failing. Her chase for him wasn't shallow, it burned within her and intoxicated her... it was all she could think of.
"Rosetta?"
She straightened, turning to Aryanna and schooling her features.
"I'm pretty, right?" She asked.
Aryanna have a sarcastic laugh.
"Are you kidding me?" Aryanna asked in a disbelieving tone, "mamma mia, Rosetta, you are beauty itself. What is all this for?"
"That is good?"
"Perfect."
She blew out a breath, looking out the window again as if expecting to see the Ferrari. She looked back to Aryanna who had a smirk on her face.
Aryanna exhibited the whore character. She exposed body parts, wore the skimpiest dress available and slept with any man that blinked an eye at her.
"You'll go shopping with me." She ordered.
"Why? You just went sho..."
"I know. I need to get more sophisticated, the best then I need to get a haircut, like yours, my hair's too long and then dye it. Red, pink, purple, blonde, which?"
"Red or purple, bold is the key."
"Pick one."
"Red." Aryanna answered.
She caught Leonardo coming towards them through the corner of her eye, "Okay. I need to do my nails and from today, you do my makeup. Do I need contacts?"
Aryanna nodded quickly.
"Yeah. Your blue eyes are lovely but I think black would be much more beautiful. Grey, grey, it is."
"We'll get contacts. We are leaving." She started walking away, ignoring Leonardo who just reached them.
"Che cosa! Now!?"
"Aryanna, do not waste my time."
She smirked to herself. When she was done with her makeover, Domenico would fall at her feet.
Domenico ran a hand through his hair. First day of college or rather his first day of college after 6 months away from school. He wouldn't deny he was a bit nervous but at the same time, there was the thrill of excitement of the unknown. He stepped into the first lecture of the day. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "Hey, Fratello!" He turned back to see who the owner of the unfamiliar voice was. He just took the last stairs off the civil engineering department building. He was hungry, he wanted to visit the bar Marino had told him about that was somewhere in the school. He had checked it on the map and it was a trekkable distance. He adjusted his bag over his shoulders, tapping his sneaker clad foot on the ground impatiently. "Scusa." The boy, his agemate but with softer features that made him look younger, panted out when he reached him after practically flying down the stairs. They shook hands. "I'm Clemente." The grey eyed boy with hair that fell all over his face offered. "Do.... "Domenico de
"Hurry, Aryanna, we need to get to the mall as soon as possible." Rosetta ordered finishing her bottle of moretti. She caught the fleeting look of protest in Aryanna's face before it dissappeared. She was being overbearing, she knew but she was too far gone to care about anyone's feelings at the moment. What she wanted, she must get. Milena looked between the both of them. "Why do you need to go to a mall when you..." Milena paused staring at something behind her in surprise, "Is that Domen?" Her head whipped back since she was backing the entrance to the bar. Domen? Domenico? "Who?" She asked, her eyes still prowling around. "Domenico de Cerintti, he's heading for the terrazzo." Milena informed just as her eyes zoomed in on his broad back. "Domenico." His back view was exquisite. He exuded power and coolness at the same time. Why was he so cool? So her type of man? Where was he all these years? She had spent the last fourty eight hours wondering about him. If she had suspecte
Domenico glanced at the clock on his desk, it was past 2am and then noticed his phone screen had lit up. He cracked his knuckles and picked up the phone. Five hours of reading. He was getting better. Andrea was calling. He sighed, he didn't feel like talking to her and he also hated being disturbed when studying. He had put the phone on silent for a reason. The call ended and he was about to put down the phone when his eyes caught the call notification. 20 missed calls, all from his sister. He called her back in a flash, she picked up immediately. "Sister, are you okay? Is everything alright?" He asked hurriedly, his forehead creased in worry. Her sobs was what he heard. "Sorella? What happened?" "Talk to me, Andrea!" He raised his voice when she still didn't say anything. "Marco." She cried in-between choked sobs. "What happened to Marco? Talk to me." Her cries increased. He swallowed down his impatience, running his hand through his hair. Something was obviously very wrong.
Rosetta tapped her car keys against her palm, tapping her foot impatiently. She wanted to get home and rid herself of the suffocating clothes she had on and have a good long bath. However did Aryanna survive? “Finally.” She sighed when she sighted Marino walking towards her. “You do know I’m a busy woman, right? I don’t like being kept waiting.” She said when he was stood in front of her. He eyed her down and she eyed him feeling invaded. “Eyes up here, Mr.” she snapped her fingers in his face. He chuckled, finally looking her in the eye. “Domenico is one lucky man.” He said amusedly. She glared at him, why were the men she related with animals? Domenico would never ogle her so boldly. “Result?” she demanded. “A big no.” he told her, coming to lean against her car. Her heart dropped. “I thought you said he needed a cook? Why…” “Isn’t it obvious?” Marino cut in mischievously, “Because it’s you.”
He laughed loudly, in spite of himself, ushering her into his house, thankful that he had cleaned it already early that morning. “Wow” she breathed out, looking around his home, “splendido. I love that rug.” “Everybody loves it.” He said confidently, his smirk still on, his hands in his pants pocket. She shot him a glare. “Really Domenico, your look scared me. I would never have rambled so much if I wasn’t in doubt of myself and I am almost never in doubt of myself. I hate you.” He chuckled, “it seems like that phrase is being used a lot these days.” “What? I hate you?” she asked distractedly, walking around the small sitting room. “Yeah.” He answered, watching her. “No surprise, you're so annoying. I hate you.” She said with a little more venom than expected. “My pleasure, il mio amore.” He spoke. She wagged a finger, her back still turned to him. “No way, Domenico. I have a boy friend. That ton
He stood, paralyzed to his spot. His heartbeat pounded wildly in his chest as the cold chill of terror washed over him and all he could hear was the frenzied beating of his heart. He saw her lips move but didn’t hear what she spoke out until she opened her mouth wide and a sharp piercing scream shattered his immobilization. He was on his knees in an instant, his eyes frantically searching her body, his hands unable to even touch her. “Come on, help me up!” she shouted, looking at him with wide eyes. He hastily placed his hands under her legs and at her back and then carried her to the living room, setting her comfortably on one of the sofas. “Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly while she looked at him with… was it amusement? “Ugggggh, I hate you” she grimaced, “My butt hurts.” She had landed on her buttocks. “I'm sorry, I’m really sorry.” He apologized profusely, running a hand through his hair as he peered down at her, his body hunched
"A very good starter, I must admit. You are ahead of the class in just a week of your arrival, splendido!" He nodded curtly at the academic head of the civil engineering department. He was standing in the office of the short pudgy man despite the fact that he had offered him a seat. He stood just so he didn't seem too far from the academic's desk and hence seem rude but also quite close to the door so he could make his escape quickly. He had been standing for over 20 minutes now while the academic wowed over the result of the test that was conducted three days before, on Friday. "This is squisito! I can't believe it! A 25!" The academic announced, peering over the rim of his glasses at the sheet of papers that was his. "Thank you sir but can I leave now? I have other classes to..." "Yes, Mr. Cerintti. Of course." "Goodbye Signore." He turned quickly, his eyes catching something on the academic's desk. He shook his head and
"Domenico de Cerintti." He recognized that voice, the voice that was once his nightmare. Leonardo. He was just out of his last lecture for the day, it was past 5pm and he was really hungry. He had not eaten anything throughout that day, Mr. Academic and Rosetta's fault and now in his cranky mood, Leonardo thought it best to confront him. Typical Leonardo to confront him in the presence of a crowd. The crowd in this case were his fellow mates who were heading out also. He turned around, hands in pocket to behold the almighty smirking Leonardo. "So nice to see you." Leonardo spoke, stretching his hand out for a handshake. "Nice to see you too, Leonardo." He responded but kept his hands in his pockets. He never liked shows especially one where he was the main actor but that was in the past. They wanted shows? He'd give them shows. Leonardo seeing he would not take his hand dropped it back to his side, nodding like an agama lizard,