Episode 2
1685 Words
I quickly gulped down the rest of the wine, almost choking on it.
I was so sure my heart would give out. My stomach kept turning and it wouldn't stop. This can not be happening!
"My goodness, Gino looks just like him...literal twins."
"Anabel, please, for the love of God, I really don't need to hear that right now!"
Anabel starred at Luca's picture, as panic began to settle into my body.
"Since when did the Romano family have an interest in law firms, this doesn't make any sense! They manufacture luxury cars for God sake, why a law firm?!"
Still staring at the picture of Luca," So this is the hottie that got you pregnant huh?"
"You mean the monster that bullied me for years?"
Anabel stood up," Wait, what if he wants the law firm because he knows you work there."
The room began to spin, as my body heated up. I took off my robe and went to the balcony for the cool air to hit me.
Anabel followed me, and wrapped her arms around me.
"I can't go back to the firm, I'll send Russo my resignation letter in the morning."
"Because of him?"
"You don't understand Anabel, that man ruined my life. He tormented me for years. He is the voice in my head that points out everything wrong with me."
"I understand but how long will you keep running? Don't you think Gino deserves to know who his father is?"
"For what?! Why would I want my son anywhere near that monster? I have been his mother and father all these years. He doesn't need Luca, all he needs is me!"
"Even if you leave the law firm, if he wants to find you, he'll find you."
"Then I'll take my chances...maybe I'll move to another state...another country."
Anabel held my face, "Willow, stop running, and face him."
"So I'm just supposed to work under him, as my new boss?!"
"Yes, and you know what, this may be the perfect opportunity for you to get your revenge on him."
I paced back and forth on the balcony, ruminating on using this chance to make Luca pay.
The night got colder as Anabel fought sleep to stay by my side and the memories of the past came back to haunt me, stealing rest from my eyes.
"Honey bun, what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, come on...talk to me."
"You know I never understood why he hated me so much...I never found out why."
The memories flooded in, like waves, going in and out. The one that stayed put, was the day my father started working for Luca's family estate as a gardner.
I was about fifteen back then, when I became my father's gardening assistant. We were so happy to have gotten the gig at the Romano estate as they were the richest family in town. They were treated like royalty, and we knew the pay would be life-changing for our family. Especially since my mother gambled all our savings away and took off.
When Luca and I first set eyes on each other, we both smiled instantly. I had a little crush on him, but I knew a rich boy would never want anything to do with me. But nonetheless, he was so kind to me. He gave me a tour around the huge estate, he and I would play chess, read together, and go on long walks, exploring around the town. In no time, we became best friends... inseparable.
I told him everything...my secrets...the pain my mother left behind...everything. He could have written a book about me.
Then Luca suggested that I attend his school, which was laughable at the time, since there was no way my father could ever afford such an expensive private school. Luca created a PowerPoint presentation to convince his parents to sponsor my tuition and fees to attend his school. And surprisingly, his mother agreed.
So, by fall I was in the same school as Luca. And I was scared out of my mind because I didn't fit in and everyone at that school could see that. But one thing I realized pretty quickly was that Luca and his family basically ran the school. Luca forced everyone and I mean everyone, even the self-absorbed teachers, to show me respect.
He made the whole school bow to me, and made me feel at home. I was happy, the happiest I'd ever been, to be studying at such a prestigious school. And I thought, "Now I can dream big, now I can get out of this small town...now I have a chance to actually become someone," and it was all thanks to Luca.
But that happiness shortly turned into a nightmare. As Luca and I became closer, he'd invite me to his family's dinners. And that's when his mother took a liking to me. She was impressed by my intelligence and drive. She'd found out that I had the highest exam scores and top grades in the school. As I was set to receive multiple academic awards.
She'd give me advice, take me shopping, teach me how to sit, talk, walk, dress, eat like a lady. We became very close, and it felt good to have her in my life, as my mother never gave a single care about me. Soon I'd forgotten that my mother had left and the emptiness in my heart was filled up by Luca's mother's love for me.
Mrs. Romano, suggested that I tutor Luca as his grades were horrid. I agreed, and that's when everything changed in the blank of an eye. My best friend suddenly became cold towards me. The look in his eyes were that of hatred. I could feel the hate and anger radiating from his body every time he was near me. He was always irritated, and began to say things....hurtful things to me.
He threatened me to never come back to the school, to the estate or else. I was in shock, as my mind kept searching for what I possibly did or said to offend him.
I avoided school for as long as I could, and avoided going to the estate. His mother would keep showing up at my house asking to see me. Eventually, my father ran out of excuses. I told her what happened. And she went home enraged at Luca, making me promise her that I would return to school the next day, and that she would handle Luca, so I shouldn't worry.
Oh but I was worried. And I was right to be so. As I walked down the halls, whispers and eyes followed me all the way to my locker. My locker was covered in words...words that Luca had used weeks earlier. As I ripped off stickers with slut, w***e, pig, slum girl and the worst one that wrote" that's why your mother left you," off my locker, someone from behind slammed my head into the wall.
After I gained my clarity of vision and stood up, Miranda and her crew of wannabes laughed.
"Luca told us everything, you dirty poor little slut. I'm glad he finally came to his senses. You can take a pig out of the slum, but they will always be a pig."
I marched to Luca's baseball practice and faced him in the middle of the field as the coach yelled his head off, because I interrupted the game.
"Why are you so angry with me? Talk to me, the least you could do is let me know why!"
Luca yelled at the top of his lungs, "Leave me alone, I do not want you, no one does. Not even your own mother."
At that moment, I felt a sharp pain run across my chest and shoulders. My knees felt weak, but I ran and kept running until I made my way home. I swore I wouldn't go back to that school. I swore I wouldn't leave my room.
For weeks, I withered away on my bed, becoming numb each time my phone vibrated. Every hour there was a new post and comments about me. The whole school ran along with the story Luca told them. I couldn't bring myself to read the story he made up.
I was hurting, still replaying every single moment in my head that led up to Luca suddenly going cold on me. I'd call him, text him, begging for him to forgive me for whatever I did, and he'd post the messages and voicemails I left him online, for the whole school to laugh at me.
It broke my father's heart to see me that way, he couldn't function, he was worried that I'd hurt myself.
"Willow, sweetheart, I don't know what's going on, and I know you don't want to tell me, but I can't afford to lose you too. You're all I have left."
Watching tears come down my father's face woke something in me, and I remembered the promise I made myself the day my mother took my father's hidden savings and left. I promised that I would take care of my father one day so he wouldn't have to work ever again. My father worked three jobs for years to take care of my mother and I. Attending a prestigious school like Willamton High is the best way to fulfill that promise. And Luca's mother had already paid the whole tuition till senior year.
The next morning, I got up and got ready for school. Everyone stared at me, surprised that I came back. I decided to keep my head on the promise I made, and ignore the cruel words, stares and rumors.
Everyday was hell, there wasn't a day I didn't go home in tears. Luca made it his mission to make my life miserable at school. And each time I showed up to class, it made him more angry.
In my senior year, I felt a little peace knowing that soon I'd be off to college, far away from Luca and his rage, or so I thought.
- Writer
