Their Little Princess

Chapter Fifteen

The next day, Elijah knocks on my door at 7am.

"You can come in," I call.

I'm sitting at my vanity, brushing my hair into a ponytail for school. Elijah peeks his head in, before walking in, he sees that I'm already dressed in my uniform "Just making sure you're up."

I stand up, setting my brush down on the vanity and pick my bag up off the floor, "I'm ready."

"How long have you been up?" He says, pulling the tag off the back of my uniform.

"I couldn't really sleep, I had breakfast with Emilio at 6 o'clock," I say.

I can't stop thinking about my conversation with Francesco last night, it was almost like he actually cared, something I've only seen from Elijah and Emilio, kind of Sandro, and partly Carlo. 

Never Francesco.

"Nerves?" Elijah says, turning me toward him.

Moments like this, when someone can touch me and I don't flinch away, even if it's only sometimes, even with people I'm beginning to trust, it's a milestone for me.

I try to be proud of myself.

"Alright, come on, we need to check in," He says, putting a gentle hand on my back to lead me out the house. I don't miss the granola bar he sneaks into my bag.

When we get to the school, I look around as I climb out the car.

Expensive would be an understatement.

The school looks like tuition is a million dollars. The students all look so rich and sophisticated and I almost miss the simplicity of my public school back home.

I follow Elijah into the school and I feel tons of eyes on me as we walk into the front office.

Who I assume is the principal stands up and reaches across the desk to shake my hand, I hesitantly raise my hand to shake his, I hate the way my hand feels in men's hands.

Luckily, Elijah shakes his hand instead, seemingly appeasing the handshake obsessed man and allowing me to get away without shaking the man's hand.

"You must be Madison," The principal says, "Please, take a seat."

I sit down and take a look around the large office, the walls are lined with awards and certificates.

"I'm Principal Holbert, it's a pleasure to have you here," He says.

Elijah remains standing, placing his hands on my shoulders, I'm shaking from anxiety.

I'm glad to have another Rossi at the school," He says. But something about the tilt in his voice lets me know that he's not really happy to have another Rossi at the school.

After what feels like hours of talking an explaining the different rules and regulations of the school, he finally wraps it up.

"Here's you timesheet, Miss Rossi," He hands me a piece of paper.

"Wait, how come I have lunch with the upperclassmen?" I ask.

"We'd like to keep you with your brothers in a large space like that," Elijah says.

"But—"

"Mads, I'm sorry, but no. That's final."

I frown, but I know I don't have the right to be upset. Whatever they do for business, I realize it must be pretty dangerous, because I constantly hear them talking about the dangers of the job, and they've been secretive at any mention of it. I hear their conversations in Italian, and I've heard a lot about how much they'd like to keep me away from it. I try not to be so curious.