I turn off my straightening iron and look at myself in the bathroom mirror, I hope that today goes as good as yesterday did.
You: I'm leaving.
I grab my phone and a room key and start to walk to the door as everyone comes and tramples me with hugs.
You: What's this for?
Mark: We just wanted to wish you good luck.
Grace: Not that you'd need it or anything.
Alex: Just don't do something dumb.
I nod and walk out of the room and to the elevator.
As I get in, I see alondra standing right next to me, shit. I glance over at her and smile but she just rolls her eyes in response.
Alondra: Funny seeing you here.
She looks down at her phone as she speaks.
You: Yeah, you as well?
She smiles a painfully fake smile.
Alondra: So, can I ask you those questions now?
She's now facing me with crossed arms.
You: Yeah, sure?
Alondra: What's your last name?
You: Montes.
Alondra: Which organization do you work for?
You: Organization?
She looks at me confused.
Alondra: Ok not in the mafia, noted. What are your intentions with my brother?
You: Not sure yet, just seeing where this takes us.
Alondra: And where are you from again?
You: Uhh London, England.
The doors open as I finish the sentence and she rushes out, that girl is so annoying, I know she thinks it's me but I'm not letting her figure that out right away. I walk up to the small cafe and look around until I see Mattia, he's with Kairi and Alex, fuck. I smile as I sit across from him, he smiles and kisses the top of my hand lightly.
Mattia: The boys wanted to get to know you better.
You: Ok, that's 3 this morning.
Kai: What do you mean?
You: That girl that's with you, she was questioning me as well.
Mattia: Oh I'm gonna kill her, I told her to leave you alone.
You: No it's ok—
I place my hand in his lightly.
You: She didn't say anything bad, she just wanted to get to know me better.
He smiles.
Kai: Ok, question 1. are you in the mafia?
I shake my head.
Alex: Question 2. are you our age?
You: I'm 17.
Alex: Ok yes.
Kai: Do you know about Layla?
I nod my head.
Alex: Are you Layla?
I nod my head and then immediately understand what I did and shake it really fast, but they already got the answer they wanted.
Alex: What are you doing here dude?
You: I'm sorry, I didn't want to keep it from you but I had too, for my mission...
Kai: What mission?
You: Long story short, my men brought me here so that me and Mattia could fall in love again. And now they're talking about killing your dad or something?
Mattia slightly nods his head.
Mattia: Ok 1. I didn't know they did that, that's actually really nice of them. And 2. Yeah we need one of your people to kill my dad.
You: Not the best way to convince your people that my people aren't as bad as they've been told, Tia.
Kai: I told you.
You: What if one of my people does it, but we blame it on another gang?
Mattia: That'll start a war.
Alex: Ok hear me out, what if we don't kill him and wait till Mattia becomes head master and then just unite the groups? We could all have a crazy big organization meeting and get everyone to be on the same side.
You: But what about his dad? He won't let that happen.
Mattia: We've got ways of getting shit done without him knowing.
He winks causing my stomach to full with butterflies.
Kai: He's right, don't you worry your pretty little blonde head.
You: I hate you.
Kai: Lies, you love me.
I smile as I roll my eyes.
——
Mattia and I walk along the shoreline hand in hand, nobody has any idea how much I've missed this.
Mattia: How long has it been?
You: Since?
Mattia: Since we've actually talked like how we've been talking?
You: Easily 8 months.
Mattia: I've missed this.
You: Same here.
Mattia: I'm keeping that promise.
You: What promise?
Mattia: The one I made the first time we told each other we loved each other, I really wanna marry you.
I stop right in front of him and look up at his adorable face.
You: Let's get married then.
Mattia: Not here princess.
You: I know that, but I'm all for it is what I'm telling you.
He hugs me and lifts me off the ground, planting tiny kisses all over my face.
Mattia: Stay with me tonight? Please?
I look at him, still in the hug, and peck his lips.
You: What about the others?
Mattia: We have a connecting room since there's literally 6 of us here, I get the one that nobody shares with me.
He smirks as he puts me down on the ground.
You: Ok then, I'll stay with you.
Mattia: I'm gonna fuck you so good tonight.
You: Don't push it.
I lightly push his chest and start to walk away but I'm pulled back into another hug, he rests his chin on top of my head.
Mattia: I love you Layla.
You: I love you too.
Mattia: Do you mean that?
You: Of course I mean that, I never stopped loving you, even when I convinced myself I was mad at you.
He tightened the hug a little bit.
Mattia: That's all I needed to hear.
His voice was low, almost a whisper, but I could feel his energetic shift.
He's happy, I love when he's happy.
He and I walk into the room with everyone and they all look at us like what are you doing here? We just smile and go into his room and hear muffled talking as the door closes. He and I lay on the bed, my head on his chest and his arm around my waist, and just talked for hours until Mari texted me.
You: Oh shit, come with me to my room real quick, Mari has something to tell me.
Mattia: Are you sure they want me there?
You: I don't give a fuck if they want you there, I want you there.
He smiles and grabs my hand as we leave the room.
——
The elevator ride is short as is the walk to my room, I knock on the door and am greeted my Luca's smiling face.
Luca: There you a—
He looks at Mattia who has a nervous smile plastered on his face, but Luca reaches his hand out and shakes Mattia's.
Luca: Welcome back Polibio.
He sighs in relief as we walk into the room, we sit on the bed as Mari hands me a file.
Mari: Emergency mission, Polibio—
He looks up at her.
Mari: I'm sorry...
Mattia: For?
You: We have to kill her?
Mattia reads over my shoulder and looks up at Mari.
Mattia: My sister? You have to kill my sister?
Mari: It's the mission Polibio, I'm sorry.
Mattia: No way, you're not killing my fucking sister.
You: We won't kill her.
I look at Mari as she rolls her eyes.
Mari: Lay, it's the mission.
You: Fuck the mission, we're not killing her and that's final.
Alex: Sis, it's the—
You: That's. Final.
They all nod and shred the file.
You: I'll meet you back at your room, ok Tia?
He nods and kisses my forehead before leaving the room, I turn to face Mari.
You: Seriously?
She shakes her head.
Mari: We needed him out of here, this is the real mission.
She hands me a Manila folder and I read the contents of it.
You: The mission is to kill Giacomo? We already knew that.
Mari: Now it's a priority, the mission requires anyone but you to do it, so who are you picking?
You: No, I came to a mutual decision with the boys this morning.
Reese: And that decision is?
You: Wait till Mattia becomes their leader, unite the groups and ban Giacomo from interfering with the system.
Alex: That's not bad, but how are we gonna get along with Jags? They hate us and we hate them.
You: Alejandro presented an idea of a large organization team meeting, meaning everyone from their organization and everyone from ours having a discussion about the future.
Grace: Not a bad idea, just a challenging one.
You: I believe we can do it, now if you'll excuse me—
I grab a small bag and stuff some clothes and shoes in it.
You: I have a date.
Max: Use protection!
I giggle as I walk out of the room.
I'm walking down the hall to Mattia's room when I bump into someone.
You: I'm sorry.
I look up into Alondra's smirking face.
Alondra: I fucking knew it.
You: You caught me.
I playfully raise my hands up and she tries to reach for one of them but I get her into an arm bar.
You: Look, I don't wanna hurt you, I just don't want you interfering with me and your brother ever again. Do you understand?
Alondra: I don't like you and you know that.
I push her to the ground and firmly press my foot against her cheek, squishing her face against the carpet.
You: I don't care if you don't like me, you will not interfere, do you understand?
She sighs.
Alondra: Fine, can you get off of me now?
I get off of her and continue walking until I feel a sharp pain in my leg, I look down and see a bullet hole.
This bitch shot me again.
I pull my silent shooter and aim for her stomach, missing by just a tad and hitting her pelvis. She falls the the ground and holds her side as I limp to the door, I'm losing a lot of blood.
I'm almost there when I feel her grab my ankles, knocking me to the ground. I kick her in the face and try to pull myself up but she's holding onto my leg tightly, digging her jagged nails into my skin.
Alondra: You think I'm just gonna let you get away that easy?
She pulls out a pocket knife and stabs my leg twice, I wince in pain.
You: Fuck.
I kick her with all my force and watch as her face becomes covered in blood, I finally manage to pull myself up and look down at my blood covered leg. The room is slowly starting to spin, but I'm not letting this bitch get away with this shit again. I limp up to her and kick her in the ribs with my good leg and watch her groan in pain before I pick her up by her hair and slam her face into the carpet.
You: Fuck you alondra.
I knock rapidly and try to hold myself up as Kairi answers the door.
Kai: Holy fuck.
He picks me up and carries me into the room.
Kai: What happened.
You: She...
I'm trying my hardest to hold my head up.
You: Shot me... and... stabbed me...
He slaps my face a little to keep me awake.
Kk: Ok, ok, I'll get you to the hospital. MATTIA!
Mattia comes running in the room and turns ghost white as he sees me, I try to shoot him a small smile but I can't even hold my head up at this point.
Mattia: GET HER LEG WRAPPED UP NOW!
Alejandro and Carlos put pressure against my wounds and Kai calls an ambulance as Mattia sits next to me.
Mattia: Who did this to you?
You: A...londra...