𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐌

59| C I N Q U A N T A-N O V E

ALESSANDRO'S POV

I woke up to an empty bed, Akila is nowhere to be found as my sight fixed around the room. I didn't hear water coming through nor any sound from the closet.

I pushed the covers off me and sat up. I rubbed my eyes and yawned before getting up. I walk to the bathroom and stare at my reflection in the mirror. Messy hair, sleepy face. My hair is going wild. I haven't trimmed it in a while, it's almost reaching down my neck. This image of tying it in a bun came into my head so I grabbed one of Akila's many rubber bands and tied it into a bun midway through my head.

I looked back in the mirror and actually liked it. I won't keep it for a while, just a temporary thing until I cut it shorter.

I brushed my teeth and left the bathroom shortly after. I made it outside my room and stood in the hallway right in front of my door. I took a few steps forward and looked down at the living room, it's empty.

I made it to the stairs and started hearing conversations. I hopped off the last step and followed the voices. They let me to the kitchen, of course. Armando and Emilion sat in the kitchen, Armando shoving food in his mouth as Emilion talked about something.

Armando is the first to notice my presents, his eyes light and give me a little wave, unable to speak due to the food stuff in his mouth. I got closer to the two of them and grabbed an apple. I heard Armando swallow loudly and turned to me, "Good Morning sunshine, Emilion was just telling me how much fun you had yesterday without me. Very rude Alessandro" he shakes his head from left to right. I gave him a repellent look of the same disapproval he's giving me, only difference is, mine matter.

"So where did you stop" my question was directed to Emilion who sat in an unusual silence. "Oh, I've already finished and was talking about someone else'' he spoke growing nervous as the words left his mouth.

"Who" I asked him again. He played with his hands, taking longer to answer. "The chick who's in love with you" my head turned to Armando. I frowned, not sure who's he's talking about. "Valentina"

I rolled my eyes at his ridiculous response, "Valentina is not in love with me" I told him, he was about to open his mouth and speak when something stopped him, someone stopped him. "Are you sure about that?" Akila's voice rang around the walls, she walked toward us, holding my gaze with hers.

She entered the kitchen and went to the fridge, I took the time she's not long to glance at Armando who's smiling like an idiot.

She grabbed the carton of apple juice, pouring herself a glass. After setting the carton back in the fridge and closing it, she turned back around facing us. She leaned her body on the fridge. I studied her for a moment, she's wearing emerald cargo pants and a black hoodie with a golden logo on the left, her hair is tied up in a ponytail. She brought the glass to her lips, trapping me with her fierce stare. She gave me a small head title, waiting for an answer.

I cleared my throat and pushed my chest on the counter, "I know she may have a soft spot for me" I tried to start "May?" Akila interrupted me again, tilting her head once more as her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Okay, she does have a soft spot for me but it doesn't mean she's in love with me" I finished, pulling my gaze away to see if anyone's siding with me. "Nah, I think she totally is" Armando gladly added, absolutely disagreeing with every single word I've said. "Right. Armando, you should have seen the way she threw her body on him, she legit buried her face in his neck and breathed him in"

I let out a deep sigh and slowly raised my eyes up to look at her. She stood still, drinking from her glass. I don't know what to do or what to say. I've known Valentina for a really long time. I figured throughout the years she might have developed some feelings towards me but I never considered them since she never made a move on me, but now thinking back after what I just heard, maybe she actually did and threw herself to me and I was the one to never notice.