Hey guys, I apologize for not updating in a while, I've had a lot of things happen to me in these past couple of months that had my mind sidetracked. But fear not, I will now be able to update consistently with ease so please don't give up on reading and following this story :) Love you all and I have special thanks to my two close friends that pushed me to the edge in order for this update to happen~
*~O~*
Gripping the strap to her purse, Lovina made her way down the busy streets of the small, grey Canadian town. It seemed to always be grey there. Even when it wasn't snowing, the looming clouds seemed to follow her everywhere. She didn't mind it though; it was obviously better than being cooped up in her dorm room with Mattie and Bella. The blondes were probably sprawled on the couch watching movies with hot chocolate while she had to run errands for her miserable excuse for a father. Although she didn't mind the movies or warm drinks, it was the people that bothered her. Bella and Mattie were nice, sure, but they were also very annoying. As everyone seemed to be in the eyes of the high-tempered Italian.
"God dammit…he said it would be easy to find," she grumbled under her breath as she peeked into the window of yet another Italian restaurant. For fucks sake, how many did there have to be?! It was bad enough she had already passed at least five china towns.
If they weren't going to make sense when they were trying to talk to you, then they might as well hitch the next fucking flight back to China. God she was losing her thought…plus she was at least ten minutes late; not a very good start.
Loosening the scarf wrapped warmly around her neck, she peered down at the tiny piece of notebook paper. She had been in such a rush to get off the phone with her Papa that she didn't realize she was butchering her own foreign tongue.
Finally figuring out that she was supposed to be in a total different district of the town square, Lovina had already knocked over a biker, yelled at a mailman and conveniently told a waiter exactly where he could shove his precious career. The people lived there for the love of God, and they couldn't even give her directions?
She should have just been walking around with a sign that said, "Talk to me, and I'll castrate you" as she made her way around one of the many corners in the Canadian town. And she was glad at least, that no one interrupted her tiny sense of accomplishment when she finally found the damned restaurant.
Shoving the piece of paper into the depths of her maroon coach bag, Lovina quickly fixed her hair that rested down for a change, and gave herself a tiny little pat on her cheeks. She could do this. She was the daughter of a fucking mafia family (to her obvious dismay) she could pull off; it was only a simple business meeting after all.
She wasn't going to falter from her path; to wipe her father's mafia business clean from her life. She was turning eighteen next year and despite the warmth of her old Italian village, she wanted to start fresh and anew. No worries, nothing to get hung up on. Lovina wanted to get the next year of school under her belt and then she'd be off on her own.
Pushing the door to the restaurant open, she was greeted with a tiny bell chime that could hardly be heard over the hustle and bustle of the traditional little nook. She was immediately accompanied with the mouthwatering smell of fresh basil and the waft of different sauces enticing her already rumbling stomach. It reminded her of back home…when Nonno would make his marinara sauce on Sunday mornings after mass. They would all sit at a large table and eat dinner together.
Even though their dinner's consisted of Feli's never-ending stories, she was content in the thought of her comfortable Italian village.
"…Miss?"
Lovina blinked away the warm sun and fresh air to refocus on a middle aged man who was trying to get her attention from behind the bar.
"Do you have a reservation?" the graying man continued, giving way to a raspy chuckle. The Italian felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"Ah…si," she walked forward to the man and pursed her lips, "Vargas..?" she looked around while the man shuffled through the sign in booklet. It was obviously a harsh take on of an actual Italian restaurant. The sound of Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made her falter, he wasn't even Italian! She much rather enjoyed the crisp breezes that ran through her village's outdoor cafes, the clear and rich voice of street performers brought the petite brunette amusement.
"Vargas…" the man perched a tiny pair of reading glasses onto the bridge of his nose, trailing an aged finger down the page. "…ah there you are! You're a bit late but the table is ready nonetheless," he smiled warmly before shutting the book to walk around the bar.
Nodding, Lovina followed behind him, glancing to the couples around them as they walked. They all looked so carefree and natural, the way the girls would laugh at ease while the men aimed to please, casting wry smiles and enchanting jokes.
Wait.
They all looked carefree and natural…Why were there only fucking couples in here? Her stomach started to feel light and she had the sense as if something wasn't quite right…
"Here we are." the man stood back and motioned to the tiny table covered in a tan cloth. The Italian's hazel eyes widened in a breathless shock as she took in what was in front of her.
Two seats and two plates; two wine glasses and…two pairs of eyes watching her.
Two very green, very soon-to-be dead eyes.
"W-What the hell?" Lovina had finally found her voice, only to harshly scream-whisper at the bubbly Spaniard sitting at his leisure in one of the two chairs. The host blinked and stepped forward, a shadow of concern washing over him.
"Is there something wrong with-…"
"No we're bueno." Antonio had the audacity to answer for her! Who the fuck did this guy think he was?! Strolling in and stealing the chair of her father's potential business partner (that he'd soon rip off eventually). The host only nodded, set down the menus gingerly and on his way back, shot Lovina an encouraging smile.
The Italian on the other hand was fuming; her arms were folded and there was a quiet tapping sound from her flats.
"Care to explain bastard?" she prodded, her pout deepening when she caught Antonio spreading the tan napkin-cloth over his lap. There was something different about him, Lovina noticed. His appearance wasn't the usual I'm-still-in-dream-land daze, but relaxed and clearly aware of what he was doing. He was dressed pretty nicely too, she mused to herself as she decided to plop into the adjacent chair to the smiling Spaniard; causing her heart to flutter unfairly.
And what the hell was with these chairs?!
They weren't the traditional across the table chairs, no, she guessed the couples wanted to be hip-to-hip twenty-four seven, so that's why she was currently sitting a breath away from Antonio. Antonio, who was looking through the menu below him on the table.
"And what do you want me to explain~?" he hummed, raking his emerald's over the appetizers, "I heard they have the yummiest dip- ay! Lovi…It's not polite to harass your date amor." He scolded, prying her thin fingers from his ear, his lazy smirk ever present.
"Well I wouldn't have to-wait…" Lovina's nose scrunched faintly.
Date.
"A date?" she straightened in confusion, her mouth parting, suddenly feeling dry and she definitely knew the pounding in her head wasn't the music. Lovina felt as if everything around her was darkened like in one of those over-dramatic romance movies where only the couple was shown in the shot, completely at ease…and looking ten times better than what her reality was.
"Mhm…a date," Antonio simply repeated, tilting his head at her clueless expression, his dark curls bobbing over to the side in perfect rumple, his eyes glimmering happily, his teeth-and oh dios she wasn't staring at him. Nope.
"E-Excuse me..." Lovina stood suddenly, the wine glasses tinkling in response to her harsh tread to the ladies' room. She earned a couple stray glances slipping into the bathroom, leaving a dumbfounded Spaniard blinking in her wake.
"W-What…" making a B-line to the nearest stall, "the…" ripping out her cellphone, she pressed her Papa's speed dial, "FUCK?" she was instantly sent to voicemail. Her father never had his phone off. Never. Which meant…he knew what was going on. He knew. And he knew she'd call in protest.
"Fucking ass-" the next couple of minutes were spent in the stall verbally cursing her Papa, The Italian didn't even notice the dozen or so feet shuffling out of the bathroom once her shouting started, resulting in her phone being chucked across the bathroom. Cracking, falling and crumpling to the ground, she heaved a hesitant sigh, huffing from her tirade.
It wasn't the worst she'd had.
Clenching her teeth, Lovina turned to look at the mirror. She hadn't messed her outfit up, and her hair was still decent looking. Her face on the other hand, was that horrid pink. She couldn't shake the annoying flush; it was always there, always mocking her. As if it was telling her emotions for everyone to see.
Her hazel eyes could have sent anyone reeling away; distressed and pissed off…why was she like this? It wasn't fair. She wished she could smile and laugh like her sister, but that wasn't who she was. Lovina was the grumpy half, the agitated, frustrating and annoying other sister. And she didn't give a damn what other's thought, she truthfully didn't. What she did worry about though, was the opinion of a certain someone…a someone who was probably very confused, and who needed to be apologized to…
…maybe.
Straitening, she tried to calm down, taking a couple deep breaths and waving her face. It helped with her blush kind of, she was only faintly red now. Hey, it was a fucking improvement.
Crossing over to the door, Lovina quirked her pout, as if contemplating if she should even walk out. But…her body was again against what she was thinking and had already walked out of the bathroom. She paid no attention to the others watching her. The eyes soon drifted back to their own business as she took her seat back at her table.
Lovina could feel the other's eyes on her as she looked down to pick up the menu…which was no longer there. Upon hearing a tiny cough, she turned her annoyed glance to the owner.
"Ah…" Antonio smiled once he caught her eyes; her hand gripped her sleeve to control the uneasiness of her damned stomach. This wasn't fare to him, "I ordered while you were…in the ladies room," he added softly. He acted as if her scene meant nothing.
Either he knew she didn't want to be here…or he thought she really had to take a shit. Great.
"Oh," Lovina blinked, recovering from her thoughts, "eh-grazie…" mumbling, she settled back into her chair.
This…was going to be a long night.
*~O~*
Ahhhh don't kill me XD I wanted to dedicate their date to a chapter, so….please hang on my loves! It won't take as long as the last update. TRUST ME. I was literally rolling around in my fake grave wondering if you guys thought I gave up on this. Don't fret, I was just VERY busy. Anyways, until next time~