THE MAFIA KING OF BLACKWOOD HIGH

Chapter 3: New Rules

Ava arrived at the front gates by 6:50, a whole ten minutes ahead of time. She didn't want to be late for her meeting with the boy who had shot a man right in front of her - that seemed like a pretty bad idea, especially if she wanted to see how patient he really was. Showing up late might just push him over the edge, and she didn't want to find out what would happen if that occurred. So, she got there early, feeling a mix of emotions as she waited for him to arrive.

As she looked up, the black car caught her eye, it was the first thing she noticed.

The car was sitting by the curb, same make, same dark windows, and for a moment, she felt a surge of fear and considered turning around and taking off in the opposite direction. But then the back door swung open, and to her surprise, it wasn't some unknown person who got out.

It was Damian.

"Ava's words tumbled out before she could catch them. 'You,' she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 'That was you, wasn't it? Last night, outside Rossi's - I know it was.'"

He didn't deny it. He didn't confirm it either — just looked at her like the question wasn't worth wasting words on.

"Get in."

"I'm not getting in a car with you."

"You took a step back yesterday," he said, holding the door open. "Figuratively speaking, that is."

She hated that he wasn't wrong. Ava climbed in, sat as far from him as the seat allowed, and tried not to notice how the leather smelled expensive, how the windows were tinted so dark the school outside looked like it belonged to a different world already.

Marco was behind the wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He didn't utter a single word, didn't even bother to glance in the rearview mirror, treating her like a familiar piece of luggage he'd grown accustomed to transporting.

"Ava asked, her voice firm, 'What were you doing outside my workplace, watching me?'"

"Making sure nobody else was."

That stopped her. " What does that mean?"

Damian gazed out the window, his eyes avoiding hers, and for a brief moment, his expression seemed worn out. "This means the guy in the stairwell didn't act alone," he said. "There are people he reported to, and when they realize he's gone, they'll start asking questions about what happened to him." His voice was low and serious, and it sent a shiver down her spine as she thought about the potential consequences. Damian's words hung in the air, leaving her with a sense of unease and uncertainty about what was to come.

"You said you'd protect me."

He looked at her now, his voice still the same, but there was something different underneath - a chill, a wariness. "I'm the one," he said. "What happened last night, what's happening now, it's all because of me. You're not being stalked by some random people, Ava. You've got my team watching you, making sure you're safe from those who aren't on my side."

Ava felt a knot in her stomach. She had been so caught up in the threat that Damian posed, with his gun and the blood, that she hadn't thought about other dangers lurking in the shadows. It was as if she had been staring at a single tree, not realizing that the whole forest was full of hidden pitfalls. The world Damian inhabited was a complex web, and Ava was starting to understand that the threats she faced might not all be connected to him directly. There could be other hazards, unrelated to Damian, that were just as deadly. This realization made her feel uneasy, like she was walking into a dark room without knowing what was waiting for her.

"Who was that guy?" she asked in a soft voice. "You know, the one we saw."

"Someone who used to be on my dad's team. Now they're working for someone else too." Damian's expression turned stiff, his jaw clenched slightly. "That kind of thing doesn't happen twice, it's just not how it goes."

Ava's heart started racing as the car turned off the main road, near her school, and headed down a street she had never been on before. The street was lined with old brick buildings that seemed to loom over her, making her feel a little nervous. She had never had a reason to come down this way, and now she wasn't sure where they were going. The car kept moving, taking her farther and farther away from familiar places, and Ava's pulse kept getting faster.

"Where are we going? I have first period in twenty minutes."

"You're not going to first period."

"Excuse me?"

He told me I was coming with him, just like that, like it was no big deal. "I'll take care of it with the school," he said, his tone super casual. Then he added, "Think of it as your orientation," like this was some kind of normal introduction to something new.

"Orientation into what, exactly?"

Damian almost smiled. Almost. " The rules."

---

Ava had passed by Vitale's restaurant countless times, but never thought to step inside. It was a place with dark wood and white tablecloths, the kind of spot that seemed to whisper elegance. On this particular day, it was closed, the only sign of life a woman quietly setting up silverware, her eyes fixed on her task as they walked by, not even a glance in their direction. The back room, where they ended up, was a far cry from the hustle and bustle of a typical dining area, instead it was empty and still, the only sound the soft clinking of utensils being arranged.

Damian sat down across from her, picking a corner table where they could talk without being bothered. He started telling her everything, sounding like he was reciting something he'd known for years.

He laid down the law, his voice firm. "First rule: keep your mouth shut about what you've seen. Don't breathe a word to your friends, your family, or even in your dreams. If someone asks why you're hanging out with me, just tell them we're study buddies. Nobody will think twice about it - I've got a rep for barely scraping by in calculus, so it's a pretty believable cover."

"Do you actually need a tutor?"

That's not true, but I like the way you think and you're clever enough to make me believe it.

Ava was taken aback, unsure how to react - should she be offended or flattered? In the end, she chose to remain neutral, simply nodding her head in response.

"Listen up," Damian said, his voice firm. "There's a second rule you need to follow. You're going to do what I say, when I say it, no questions asked. I know you might not like it, but that's not the point. The point is, you're going to do it anyway."

"That's not a rule, that's just — control."

"Whatever makes you feel better, just call it that," he said, leaning back in his chair. Then he added, "There's a third rule you should know. Try not to go anywhere by yourself if you can help it. There will always be someone keeping an eye on you, whether you're at school, at work, or just walking home. You might not always notice them, but that's kind of the idea."

"So I'm being guarded and watched at the same time."

"He said it like he meant it, same as she had the day before," he replied, a hint of dry humor creeping into his voice, quiet and understated.

Ava crossed her arms. " And if I break the rules?"

A flicker of something appeared in his eyes, but it was hard to tell what it meant. It wasn't exactly a warning, but it wasn't an apology either. "If that's how it is, then I won't be able to shield you from what's coming," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "That's not me being heartless, it's just the way things are."

What really scared her was that she trusted him. It wasn't that he was trying to intimidate her, but more like he was just stating facts. He was explaining the situation she was in, kind of like warning someone about thin ice on a lake - you're telling them where it's safe and where it's not.

"Something else," Damian said, and for a moment, he seemed unsure of himself, which was a side of him she hadn't seen before. "My dad will probably want to meet you too," he added, his voice a little slower than usual.

Ava's blood went cold. " Why?"

"You're someone I've chosen to hold onto, rather than get rid of. He's going to ask me why I made that decision. And honestly, so will I, after some time has passed. But that's a talk we'll have to save for later." Damian's gaze locked onto hers, unwavering.

"What do I even say to him?"

"Don't worry about it, I've got this under control." He got up, smoothing out his jacket, and that was the end of the conversation. "You'll be back in class by the second period, Marco will take you there."

As he reached for the door handle, Ava suddenly found her voice, speaking out in a moment that even she didn't expect.

"Why did it have to be me?" she wondered aloud. "You had the power to make me vanish into thin air, to erase me from existence. That would've been the easy way out, wouldn't it?"

Damian paused, hand on the doorframe, and for a moment he didn't answer at all. When he finally did, he didn't turn around.

He spoke up, saying, "Just because something is easier, doesn't mean it's better." Then he paused, looking thoughtful. "To be honest, I'm still trying to understand why that thought even crossed my mind last night. I'll have to get back to you on that one, once I've had some time to think it through."

Then he was gone, and Ava sat alone in the quiet restaurant, the silverware woman still not looking up, wondering what exactly she'd just agreed to be a part of.