BitterSweet

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Aurelia Faris Black

I'm walking under the arch, entering the living room. There Daria sits. My feet lightly drag as I walk. My fingers hesitantly grip onto my thigh for comfort as I sit. 

She sits diagonally to me. Her body turns to face me when she sees me. She looks like Lara but at the same time, she doesn't. Her eyebrows, her nose, and her lips are all the same but softer. Her eyes are kinder and restful while Lara's were mean and restless. She sits there, eyeing me the same way I have been eyeing her. 

" I'm so glad to finally meet you." She says as she lets out a breath.

" Hello," I say, trying to be polite, trying to hide how weary I am of her. They look awfully similar. 

She senses my hesitence, " Please don't associate me with her." She says, a small crease forms between her eyebrows. " I'm Daria." 

I nod and out of etiquette, I introduce myself back. 

She scans my face " You look just like her." she whispers and a small smile sweeps through her face.

I instinctively shrink a bit. Even though it is obvious I was practically a clone of Lara, I didn't appreciate her pointing it out. 

Her smile vanishes when she sees my reaction. She sucks in a breath before apologizing. She briefly opens her mouth, as if to say something before closing it. An awkward tension shifts in the air, before she quickly dismisses it. " Tell me about yourself." 

My eyebrows furrow as I think. To be honest, I'm not sure. I don't have much of a hobby since my childhood has been so restricted. " To start, I am 15," I say, stuck without anything else to say, another pause takes place. " Well, I do also really love fighting."

" Like martial arts?" She questions.

" Not exactly, just the definition of fighting, like throwing punches," I say mimicking effortless punches with my fists, making sure my injured arm isn't moving much .  "and kicks!"  I add I smile when I see her laugh. The tension is gone.

" So tell me about you," I say, trying to act serious, furrowing my eyebrows to give off an impression of an interrogation before we both start giggling at how silly I look.

" Okay!" She says, having to gasp for a breath from all the laughter. " Okay, well I have two kids. Which are also your cousins! I would say go ahead and be best friends with them especially Jules since she is a girl but they're grown now, and the age gap is pretty big. Which thank god!" She leans in. " They were absolutely devils when they were younger." She shivered as if just the thought of them horrified her. " All jokes aside, they would love you. Unfortunately, they couldnt make it here today, they're both out for business trips. Don't worry, they're not in the mafia!" Her face freezes " Yeah, Yeah, of course they aren't in the mafia. That is absurd!" she says plastering on a smile.

I burst out with laughter, hearing her slip up. " I'm assuming they didn't tell you. I already know all this mafia crap." Her face relaxes.

" Oh my god. I'm so glad. Your brothers would've been so upset with me."

I giggle. 

Hera walks in with the rest of my brothers. 

" Honestly, I still think she should be on bed rest!" Hera exclaims but oddly doesn't even spare me a glance.

" The doctor said it's healing well." Nathaniel says shrugging "It's about time for her to get some exercise in, she's been stuck in that bed for too long." 

" Before she turns into a potato!" Alec cackles like it was the most hilarious joke ever and only Matteo laughs along with him.

Alessandro is texting, or emailing something on his phone as he sits. While Lucien looks stone-faced.