Florence

Chapter 7 - Florence's POV

Francisco took me to get chicken nuggets. We're currently sitting in a pretty pink diner in a back booth.

Francisco ordered my nuggets, fries, and vanilla milkshake because I was too nervous to talk to the waitress.

She was mean and was looking at Francisco the whole time. Not that he paid her any attention.

Now that we're sitting waiting for my nuggets, I came up with the brilliant idea to play 21 questions.

"Francisco, d-do y-you w-want t-to p-play 21 que-questions?" I ask him nervously.

"Sure sweetheart" he says with a sweet smile showing off his very pretty dimple on his left cheek.

"U-Ummmm w-what's y-your fa-favorite c-color?"

"Green" he replies without a second thought.

"M-Mine i-is y-yellow a-although I-I r-really like p-pink t-too" I say cheerfully while smiling a bright smile.

I'm having so much fun with Francisco. I don't know why but I really think I can trust him. Something is telling me he'll keep me safe.

"Sweetheart" I hear him gently call out.

I shake off my thoughts and turn back to him. His eyebrows are furrowed and his beautiful grey eyes are swirling with worry.

"S-Sorry" I whisper shyly.

He lets out a chuckle letting me know he's not mad at me. I smile brightly at that thought.

"Y-Your t-turn t-to a-ask m-me a-a q-question" I tell him practically bouncing in my seat from finally having a friend.

"What's something you really want?" he asks, seemingly very intrigued to know my answer.

Without a doubt I say "S-Snowball".

"Why don't you take him home? I'm sure my uncle would let you have him"

I sadly look down and think about not being able to have Snowball. My father would kill me if I brought him home. He would hurt Snowball too.

"M-My f-father d-doesn't l-let m-me h-have a-animals" I say with a wobbly voice.

"It's okay sweetheart I'm sure you'll get Snowball one day" he says that with such certainty I believe him. I can't wait for that day.

We continue the game until my food arrives. I quickly eat my food and look over at the clock. My blood runs cold and I freeze. 4:50. I look at Francisco barely able to breath and whisper "I-I n-need t-to g-go ba-back t-to m-my h-house n-now".

With that we're up and heading towards his car. He offers me a ride and I couldn't be more grateful for that.

We make the ten minute drive with my leg bouncing up and down out of nervousness. I can't even fathom what's going to happen when I reach the house.

Francisco senses my nervousness and places his hand on my thigh to steady my leg. I look down at his hand and notice it littered with rings. Without a second thought my hand grabs his and fidgets with his rings.

We soon pull up to my front door and I release a shaky breath. I turn back to Francisco before I exit the car.

"T-Thank y-you s-so m-much. I-I h-had s-such a-a l-lovely t-time" I reach over the console and hug him grasping onto the only form of safety I've felt in years.

He rubs my back up and down soothing me more than he'll ever know.

"Sweetheart give me your phone" he says calmly although there is a slight edge in his voice.

I pull away and look up at him contemplating how to tell him this.

"M-My f-father d-doesn't a-allow m-me t-to h-have o-one" I say while looking down at our now conjoined hands.

He sighs a frustrated sigh and takes out what I'm assuming is his own phone.

"Sweetheart listen to me very carefully. I'm going to give you this phone and I'm going to get a new one to text you. When I text you with the new phone I want you to save the number. You call if anything and I mean anything is wrong. Even if nothing is wrong call. If something happens before I text you and you need me, you call Alessandro, Dante, or Luca. All their numbers are already saved in the phone" he says so seriously.

I shake my head rapidly. He can't do that it's his phone and father would kill me if he found it.

"N-no I-I c-can't t-take i-it a-and m-my f-father w-would k-kill m-me i-if h-he f-found i-it" I tell him quickly.

"Listen to me sweetheart. You can and you will take it. I can get a new one it's nothing. As for your father I need you to hide it from him" he says this with a tone of finality. Knowing I won't win this battle I nod.

"O-okay" I whisper gently still looking down at our conjoined hands.

He lifts my chin and looks me in the eyes.

"Repeat what I told you so I'm one hundred percent sure you know what to do if something happens"

"H-Hide t-the p-phone f-from m-my f-father. Y-You're g-going t-to g-get a-a n-new ph-phone a-and t-text m-me. I-I s-should s-save t-that n-number a-and c-call i-if a-anything h-happens e-even i-if n-nothing hap-happens I-I s-should s-still c-call. I-If I-I n-need y-you b-before I-I g-get y-your t-text I-I s-should c-call A-Alessandro, D-Dante, or-or L-Luca" I say all in one breath.

"Good girl" he says as he kisses my forehead.

With that I hug him tightly one more time before exiting the car. I walk with trembling legs toward my door. I quickly turn back and wave at Francisco. I turn back around and with trembling hands push the door open and make my way through the threshold.