Sophia's POV
"You coming or what?" Andre shouts from outside of the car. I'm the only one left, everyone had gone inside of the amusement park; I didn't. "Please? Do it for me, 'yer best pal 'ere." This time he pouts.
I sigh, chuckling at the desperation and got out of the car. "You are very extra cheerful today, Signore Orsini. What exactly is the reason why you brought us this amusement park?" I give him a playful smile.
He quickly threw his hands up in the air and sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay. But don't tell the guys, okay? I'm here for a girl. That's all I'm telling you. So, hurry up! I might lose her from my sight."
"Last one to get there is a rotten egg!" I laugh and ran inside, leaving Andre behind. But dashing really fast had it's misfortune. I bump onto someone's back leaving me to stumble, and fall flat on my but. "Oh, fuck. You shouldn't run so fast like that." Leo sighs, and offers me a hand.
"I'm sorry, signore." I take his hand.
"It's fine, Sophia."
"Where are the others?" I ask.
"They all went on an adventure," He says taking out his phone and began fiddling through his apps. "I told them we'll all meet at the French Fries Shack, by 5;30 pm. You should go and have fun, I'll just be there waiting."
"Nonsense!" I snort at him, and snatching his phone from his grasps. Almost instantly he snaps his head back to me, his eyes wide.
"Give it." He says in a serious tone.
I shake my head, giving him a face and hiding his phone behind my back. He takes a step and leans down closer to me, towering me with his masculine figure to the point where I could smell his cologne.
"Naughty, naughty, princess," He smirks at me, his eyes narrow and filled with intent. "You've been so far away from me for a long, long time. Recommending my stupid little brother to take care of you is now a decision I regret." He hums. I look up at him in shock, but I say nothing. That's right, this man, he was the reason why I came to meet Ethan, and everyone.
"Do you still remember our little game of punishments?" He smiles mischievously after getting out from his thoughts.
"Leonardo.." I look down, my fingers fidgeting. "Why do you do this?"
"Hm?" He gently lifts my chin for me to look at him. His gaze hard and serious.
I turn my eyes to look away from him. "Why do you do this? Ever since we were little—since I met you that day— you carried a huge chunk of the burden I weighed. When I was little, you made me laugh no matter how hard life seemed. You helped me ran away, you looked for a decent apartment for me. Even arranged me a good job at Jeremy's. You recommended Ethan, and everyone, to my grandfather. Now you come here, standing before a broken girl. Why do you always try to fix her again? Why do you always manage to succeed?"
"It has always been like that, Sophia," He smiles at me.
"But," I take a step back, my gaze fixated on the ground. "Do you like me?"
There is a long pause. "I do." He says, pain evident in his face. He never wanted to talk about this to me. I look at him but before I could say anything he cuts me off. "I've always been, Sophia. From the moment I saw you, when we were little till now."
"Then why—"
He cut me off again. "Why? Why I rejected you when we were in middle school when you finally realized your feelings for me? Sophia, we were young, I was young. And as the eldest son, the successor of the whole Familgia, I had to know my boundaries. I needed self-control. I had to protect my little siblings."
"Oh," I say. I dont know what else to say, nor do I want him to go further.
"But even if I can't say it through words—heck, mere words aren't even enough for me, but I fulfilled everything through actions, my love for you, I've always looked after you, Sophie. Knowing you're safe is already enough for me."
"But how about now?" I look at him, tears began streaming down my cheeks. "Why can't you be with me now? When I first saw you in that room, my whole soul froze. I remembered every bit, like my past rewinded to that very first night I bumped into you at that shabby hallway."
"I am, now," He pulls me to him and whispers. "I'm with you now— no, I've always been with you. Don't cry, Sophie. Please, stop crying."
"Every since that day you left me from that apartment, I felt lost. I seriously did not know what to do but decided I should live forward and hope for the better. I felt confused by everything, but I kept it in for the whole time." I sob. "But here I am now, confused.. I gave away my virgnity, I slowly became blind again. And now, I'm hurt. I feel so hurt. I wanted to have something to feel whole again— just to fill this stupid hole in my soul. To feel a brief moment of satisfaction. I feel dirty."
"I never left, sweetie," He smiles. "And you're not."
"I've changed, haven't I?" I rub my eyes.
"Sometimes we don't return to the people we once were. Listen to me, that's okay." He assures. "And you're growing. And evolution is a basic instinctive necessity whether we like it or not."
"Hey!" Hugh yells from a distance, interrupting us. We turn our heads only to find Hugh and Blenn running to us. "What's wrong, Sophia?"
"Nothing," A soft chuckle escapes my lips. "I'm crying because of how I blinded myself out of sheer desperation of not wanting to being left all alone."
"You're not alone, you never were," Blenn frowns. "Anywho, I knew from the very start this whole thing would happen anyways. This is my fault."
"Uh?" I look at him with my head cocked to one side.
"Alright," He sighs, and starts digging his hands inside his pocket. "I say, we go home and discuss some matters." He starts walking pass us and towards the exit of the amusement park. "Let's go."