Okay, I will start by saying how sorry I am for disappearing! Truly sorry! The emergency with my family is kind of over now and my step dad is out of hospital thankfully. Then I went on holiday, then I had exams and I literally haven't had the time to do much else!

Thank you so much for your wonderful messages telling me to update :) I warn you, I haven't checked through this chapter since I have an exam in…2 hours :/ Also there are many cheesy chat up lines which may make you cringe…you have been warned…

Please forgive me? :D

Pandora's POV

'Papa!' I shouted, running down the stairs, taking two at a time.

'Inside voices! Please!' Daddy shouted back from the kitchen. I skidded to a halt outside the door and saw him talking to Vinny over a drink.

'Daddy could I borrow like 20 dollars? Pretty please?' I begged, fluttering my eyelashes.

'What for?' My father asked suspiciously.

'I'm hungry, I am going to get food,' I grinned.

'Nina will make you food,' Daddy frowned. Nina was our cook, housemaid and general domestic goddess of the house. Originally from Mexico, Nina's English wasn't very good but that didn't matter since she was lovely. Plus, she made the best chocolate cheesecake I have ever tasted.

'I sent her home, Papa.'

'Why would you do that Pandora?' Daddy frowned at me.

'Her daughter is sick so I sent her home so she could look after her,' I told him honestly.

Daddy stared at me for a few minutes and I held my breath, bracing myself for the shouting, however it never came. A huge smile broke out on my father's face and he stood up to hug me tightly.

'Dora you are such a kind girl! Are you not?' Daddy exclaimed, kissing the top of my head.

'I take after you, daddy,' I smiled back but my father shook his head sadly.

'Ah not at all, piccine. You are beautiful inside and out,' Papa told me earnestly before fishing out 50 dollars from his wallet and putting it in my hand. My Italian wasn't very good but I think piccine meant little one or some other pet name.

'Thanks daddy!' I smiled and went up on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on my father's cheek before turning to walk out of the kitchen.

'Hey! Hey! Does your favourite brother not get a kiss too?' Vinny called and I laughed and spun around. I ran over to where Vinny was sitting and kissed the top of his head, like father does for me.

'Much better, lil' sis,' Vinny laughed. He was in a strangely good mood this morning and I liked that. Normally Vinny was the more serious sibling but today he seemed pretty happy. He probably beat someone up this morning. That makes him very happy.

The Italian gene within all of us made our family a very loving, affectionate family. I loved all of my brothers and father equally and I knew I could depend on them for anything. People think that my brothers and father are scary but once you crack past that hard exterior, there is nothing but love and kindness beneath.

'Ciao Papa!' I called, running out of the front door.

'Ciao! Be careful Dora!' Daddy called back.

I lived in the suburbs of Chicago in a small town where you get to know a few characters around town. Unfortunately, my family had a bit of a reputation around these parts. Everyone knew to stay away from us Menecillos, even to the point where they would tell their children to stay away from me at school.

Not that I mind having no friends…all I need is my family. Besides, anyone too cowardly to talk to me doesn't deserve my friendship.

My thoughts were interrupted when someone roughly walked into me from the side at such a force; I fell onto my hands and knees.

'Oh crap! I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!' A frantic voice said and I looked up to see who the voice belonged to.

A tall, handsome looking boy was staring down at me with a worried expression. He had long dark hair that was so perfectly imperfect, it gave the impression that he just rolled out of bed but managed to look as though he just left a modelling shot.

'Watch it,' I warned, remembering what he had done. He may be drop dead gorgeous but he still caused me to scrape knees.

'Let me help you?' He offered, holding out a hand to help me get up but I shook my head and pulled myself up on my own. I was Pandora Menecillo, I didn't need help from anyone.

'Come on…at least let me take you out for dinner or something to apologise,' the boy grinned cheekily and I felt blush creep up on my cheeks. Who was this boy and why did he think he could talk to me like this? Doesn't he know my brothers would beat him up if I told them?

'Toby! Jeez I can't take you anywhere without you chatting girls up,' the boy beside him groaned and the girl with the long silvery hair giggled.

'Only the pretty ones,' Toby said with a grin before shooting me a dazzling smile.

'I'm not hungry,' I replied quickly and walked off around the corner listening to the other boy and girl laughing at their friend getting blown off.

I couldn't work out if this Toby boy was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid.

I hung back around the corner to listen into their conversation, curious to find out more about this boy.

'Damn dude, you better start planning you funeral now,' a male voice chuckled and I immediately recognised it as David Filler, the boy who sits behind me in History.

'What?' Toby replied, sounding confused as hell.

'That's the Menecillo girl! Her family are so going to murder you!' David Filler laughed along with more male voices that I can only assume are the jocks he hangs around with.

'Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about…We've just arrived here from Colorado,' Toby replied.

'Well you're screwed. Her brothers will literally turn you into a punching bag if they find out you've been flirting with her, let alone the fact that you knocked her over,'

'It was an accident!'

'Try telling her father that!' David Filler laughed and with that, I took off down the street, not wanting to listen to people talking about my family in that way.

So maybe this Toby person was just new and naive. The poor guy didn't know the consequences of his actions. Thankfully for him, I decided against telling my father, taking pity on the handsome boy from Colorado. My reason? Simply because he has a beautiful smile.

My father was right…I am the nice one of the family.

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Toby's POV

'Wait…I'm still not following?' I shook my head at the random boy and his friends who started talking to us about planning my own funeral and a Menecillo girl. I glanced over at my smarter brother but he seemed just as confused as me.

'That girl you just knocked over….and flirted with….that's Pandora Menecillo,' the boy said slowly as though I was stupid.

'And?' Matt frowned.

'Wow…you really are new. The Menecillo family are this massive family who go around beating people up and stuff…Well actually, I don't know what they do but I know their bad…and dangerous. Like the mafia or something. That girl was the daughter.'

'So? I'm not scared?' I shrugged but the boy just laughed.

'Whatever man, just watch your back,' he laughed before him and his friends walked off, leave Matt, Ally and I standing dumbfound.

'Well that was weird,' I shrugged.

'Do you think it's true?' Ally asked.

'Who knows,' I replied, not sounding too bothered.

'Yeah…It's probably nothing,' Matt said, not sounding too sure.

We made our way down the street to a small café for a bite to eat since we traded breakfast for a lay-in in bed.

'This place is cute! Look at the cupcakes on the cake stand!' Ally grinned and Matt laughed.

'Yeah…Cute…' I replied distantly buy I wasn't talking about the café. The girl I, quite literally, bumped into was sitting on her own in the window seat of the café. She was beautiful. She had long dark hair and sun kissed skin which looked so soft and tempting.

'Guys…will you order me some fries or something…I'll only be a second,' I said quietly before Matt could react.

'Toby I don't think that's a good idea,' Ally cautioned but I was already making my way towards the beautiful girl. What was her name again? Oh yeah, Pandora.

'Hello,' I grinned, taking the vacant seat opposite her.

'Did you follow me?' She replied, raising her eyebrows at me.

'No babe, I just followed my heart,' I winked at her and she laughed at my cheesy attempt at a chat up line.

'That was shocking,' she shook her head.

'Do you want me to try again?'

'Please don't,' she smirked.

'I have one that will really knock you off your feet,' I grinned.

'Purr-lease, you've done that already! There is blood on my leg,' she pouted.

'Sorry about that,' I winced.

'It hurts' she frowned at me but she didn't look angry, more amused.

'Well I'm no doctor but I certainly know CPR,' I chuckled.

'That was worse than the first one,' Pandora giggled.

'Let me redeem myself then,' I laughed before composing myself. 'If your father a thief? Because someone stole the stars and put them in your eyes,'

Pandora burst out laughing and her eyes twinkled as though it was true.

'Okay, that was your best one,' she agreed.

'Hypothetically speaking…what if my father was a thief? Would you run?' She asked curiously.

'Yeah I would run…Into your arms,' I smirked.

'Anymore cheesy pickup lines and will have to pull out your tongue,' she threatened darkly.

'I'll save the rest of them for later,' I promised.

'Who said there was going to be a later?' Pandora mused.

'I'm taking you out for dinner, remember?' I grinned.

'I don't recall agreeing to this,'

'You see that Italian across the road?'

'Yes.'

'I'll meet you there at 7,' I smiled cockily and she rolled her eyes.

'And what makes you think I will be there?'

'I have good instincts.'

'You never answered my question properly…about my father being a thief?' Pandora asked.

'Hypothetically speaking?'

'Yes…of course,' she replied slyly.

'And is this…hypothetical father scary?'

'The scariest,' Pandora confirmed.

'Well…I guess I would have to take my chances if it meant I get to stare into your eyes for longer,' I answered finally and Pandora looked at me with satisfaction.

'I'm Pandora by the way,' she smiled shyly. I didn't tell her that I already knew that.

'That's a beautiful name. I'm Toby,'

'I know,' she smiled and then gracefully stood up, smoothing down her red dress and tucking a strand of hair behind her face.

'Goodbye Toby,' she smiled dreamily before leaving the café.

'See you at 7,' I chuckled.

'Maybe,'

My heart sung with the sudden burst of fireworks that had been set off inside my head. Everything was suddenly clear and there were stars.

Pandora was my soulfinder.