EVE

Chapter Thirty-one

(My mascara is too expensive to cry over stupid boys.)

•Eve•

"Why would you assume that I'm angry with you?" I asked him.

"You haven't said a word to me" he answered.

"I'm saying words right now, and I am saying them to you...no?" I simply answered.

''Yes...but this...isn't exactly how we speak... Something is missing...I just need to know if we're good." He sighed, struggling to find his footing with his words.

"I've told you already. We're good." I said and I tried to smile but it didn't reach my eyes.

He watched me uncertain whether I was being deceitful or not but he took it anyway and stood from his sitting position on his way towards me. He smiled barely, both his arms making fists and dipping the bed on each side of me, supporting him while he bent down to place a delicate kiss on my cheek.

"Just...be good" he whispered then returned to his standing position.

My eyes we glued to him fighting back the urge to just roll my eyes at him. "Just be good." He said as if I'd been anything otherwise. I could see him watching me, waiting for me to say something to show him that I heard him. He seemed nervous as if I could say no, was that even an option? Maybe it was and I just didn't know it yet.
Wishful thinking.

"Yes Don," I replied bowing my head to show respect.

"Come downstairs, breakfast is ready." He instructed and I stood taking hid to his instruction.

He was a few steps ahead of me, strolling with his head tilted behind to see whether I was following him and my eyes burnt holes in the side of his face. The swinging of the door took my attention from him, again I followed behind him and shut the door after him. Being on these very steps gave me mild PTSD.

"You can do this babe. It's all you." My subconscious encouraged me.

"Yeah, I hope so," I told her as she gave me a thumbs up and disappeared.

I could hear laughter as we descended the stairs. The siblings were enjoying different cereals in individual bowls. They were seated on the kitchen island, which was decorated with white and black marble, boxes of cereals, and a jug of what I assumed to be warm milk. The sibling gang was involved in mindless chatter and we were joking around but when they saw me the laughter died down. Great, straight of the bet. I ignored them and decided to greet them.

"Good morning everyone," I said with a smile on my face.

"Great, now I can't even speak in my native tongue because the help will feel isolated." Angelo fired.

That's stung. I felt bile at the back of my throat threatening to fill my mouth. I never wanted people to be inconvenienced because of me, especially when it came to who they were racially or culturally. I took pride in who I was back then and I understand the need for native elements. I thought Italian was a beautiful language and although I didn't understand it, I would have listened to it all day.

The way the sexy language rolled off Don's tongue had me drooling and wanting to hear him speak it more often. Its diction was different from any other language and it's one of those languages you can quickly identify like French. The fact that he felt that he couldn't be who was because of me was a stab in my chest. 'The help' comment didn't bother me, I knew I was the help. They made that shit extremely clear. It doesn't hurt because it's a fact.

"You don't have to do anything for me." I simply started looking around the kitchen for a bowl assuming the Don would get the last one already on the counter.

"I don't need your permission." He said as he ate his cereal.

"I don't remember a time where you ever did." I clapped back still opening and closing drawers, having found the bowl, now looking for a spoon.

There were snickers behind me. The gang found our little spat funny. I couldn't help the sly smile that formed across my face but it was quickly whipped off as I turned to face them again. I grabbed a box of cereal and poured it into my bowl. Angelo grabbed the milk right before me to then passed it to Massimo, who poured it into his glass and passed it back to him. He poured the remainder of the milk into his glass leaving an empty jug.

This is petty high school shit. In my country we call it "shaisano" but it was okay, as long as I got to eat.

"We're out of milk. You'll have to heat some from the fridge." Massimo said with a sly smile.

"Well sir, I don't like warm milk in my cereal, so that won't be necessary." I simply said walking to the fridge to drench my cereal in milk.

Not a single word was said. Instead, the two siblings stood up placed their bowls and spoons in the sink then walked away. Maddalena and the Don, still said nothing while these two had at it, they just ate in silence being VIPs to the show. They're saying nothing meant they condone it, just the same as their participating in it.

I sat next to Maddalena as we ate and I could tell something was bothering her. She couldn't even glance my way, her demeanor told me something was off but I couldn't tell exactly what. On the other hand, her twin brother whom I was across from glinted in his eye, a sort of joy and I didn't want to believe it but he seemed as if he enjoyed them ridiculing me.

"Fuck you, Don. I hope you choke on your cereal."

"Eat Vigilia, your cold milk with get warm." He commanded.

So I took hold of my spoon and did as I was commanded.

[AN]

This was just a fun chapter for me to write. I hope you enjoy it.
Also

Cold milk or warm milk?

I have to disagree with Eve on this one. Warm milk.