His Little Flame

Chapter 14: Lucciola

☽ MAEVE ☾

Elias pulls himself out of the pool and stands tall, he glances at me, then quickly stares at the ground. His transparent, wet button-up clings to his chest, revealing the collage of ink on his body.

"Are you coming?" I ask Elias and his eyes meet mine with a shocked expression and he hesitantly moves his feet. I grab a towel off a pool chair and throw it at Elias. It hits his face and hangs on his head. "You should dry off," I giggle.

Elias pulls the towel off his head then tosses it on the floor, "ha... ha... you're gonna regret that," Elias says humorlessly, advancing towards me. Elias's lips turn up into a smirk as he stops in front of me.

"You're going to get me wet." I take a step back from his soaking frame. He reaches for my book and I swat his hand away.

Elias is soaking wet and this book is the last thing I have of my Papà, just like I have the white ribbon from my Maman.

I found this book a few days after they passed when I was packing to move into a foster home. When I checked my parents' room it was in the back of their closet under a pile of my father's clothing. I tore the wrapping paper off and saw the book, it had an excerpt inside the cover-

Buon decimo compleanno, mia piccola lucciola - papà.
(Italian- Happy 10th birthday, my little firefly.)

I found the book two months before my 10th birthday.

I felt my eyes start to sting, but I choke back the tears. Elias grabs my wrist, taking the book from my hands then he gently places it on a pool chair. "Don't wanna get that wet," he says with a devious smirk.

"What are you-" Elias yanks me into his drenched arms, making me squeal.

Elias whips his hair around, sending water everywhere, including all over my face. "You're wet," Elias whispers into my ear.

"Now we're wet," I laugh, wiggling out of Elias's hold. I grab my book and push through the glass doors.

Elias's hands grip my waist and pull my back against his front, "and now you're smiling." Elias stretches his head over my shoulder and bites my cheek.

"Go change, you're getting water everywhere!" Elias drops his hands and sighs. He drags his feet across the marble floor and disappears.

I walk down the hall and notice Marcus coming in my direction. He smiles as he passes me but I reach out and grab his arm, "can you do something for me?" I ask, fiddling with the end of my sundress.

Marcus turns towards me, "I guess, what do you need me to do?" He furrows his brows.

"I need you to get something from my apartment," I tell him.

"Elias has people taking care of that, don't worry-"

"They won't be able to find it," I cut Marcus off.

Lines form between Marcus's eyebrows, "um, okay?"

"Go to my bedroom and move the dresser, you need to find the loose floorboard, once you do there's a black fabric case. Bring that to me... please," I direct him.