Although on the outside Aurora seems to have it all together. In reality she feels like she is a let down. At age 4 she was separated from her family but still remembers them. Her father was her idol but hasn't seen him in years.
The thing is, she w...
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Aurora
The scent engulfing my nostrils calms me almost instantly. I'm safe. I'm safe. I'm safe.
Daddy's thumb releases my lip from in between my teeth. In doing so I taste the metallic substance on my tongue. Daddy also seems to notice and his eyes widen in panic but swirling within his blue orbs is sympathy. I don't need sympathy and I don't want it.
I ignore the sympathy in his eyes and straighten up, brushing off the fear stricken look from my face replacing it with my stoic expression.
Ne proyavlyayte strakha, oni budut ispol'zovat' eto provit vas. (Show no fear, they will use it against you.)
That phrase circles its way around my brain continuously. Viktor's words. Viktor's men's words. They will forever follow me.
I force myself to clear my head and look forwards to my grandparents. I bring my hands up, no longer shakily, and sign to them.
'Nice to see you again, sorry for that, I simply didn't expect to find you standing there.'
I try to brush it off as no big deal, when in reality my mind is racing a million miles a minute.
After my statement I hear a gasp come from my grandparents lips, then hushed whispers. I can hear them though.
"She doesn't talk?" That was Nonno.
"Francesco, what happened, why does she not talk?" Nonna says.
Nonna and Nonno are Papà's parents. We don't talk to Mommy's family, I think they disagreed about her getting married to a mafia leader. Mommy and Daddy decided together, not to have their negativity surrounding their family.
"Aurora!"
"Rory!"
"Piccina?'
Matteo.
I realise I have been zoned out for a while and they are starting to get worried.
I look towards Matteo and smile assuringly. He smiles warmly back. I don't want to stay in this room anymore. I feel like I'm being scrutinised. I walk towards Teo and put my arms up, he immediately placed his hands under my armpits and hoists me onto his hip. I wrap my legs around his waist and rest my head on his shoulder.
We walk out towards the garden, my eyebrows crease in confusion as to why we came out here.
