Their Little Princess

Chapter Forty-One

When I wake up from my restless sleep the next day, I decide a hot shower would help me wash away my irrational fear of metaphorical ghosts. They can't physically hurt me, but they do have the power to make me hurt myself.

That's always been a scary thought to me, being so haunted by simple memories to the point where I'm ruining myself, and all I can do it sit and watch. Like watching a movie, I can see everything I'm doing and how badly it's affecting myself, but I can't do anything about it, only tell my mind that it isn't a good idea. As if my body and my mind are 2 separate entities.

I climb out of the shower and slide on a T-Shirt and leggings. I pull out a few books and a pen and set them out on my bed, preparing to revise for my exam on Monday. When I feel a shiver, something reminds me that I packed Chase's old JV hoodie from back home.

I walk over to the closet, I have 2 closets in my room. The first one is where I put my stuff from home, the second is where I keep all my clothes. I open it and reach inside for the tattered bookbag until a medium size suitcase catches my eye. I forgot I'd brought a suitcase. When I open it, there's only a few things in there, but then I remember why I tried to forget this suitcase existed as my chest constricts with emotion. It's only 5 things, a few books that I'd loved as a child. A necklace that my mom used to wear, and a teddy bear. I grab the small charm necklace, my stare at it with a conflicted expression.

I want to be happy that I have a piece of her with me. But I don't know how to feel about it besides sad. So instead, I focus on the teddy bear. It's furry and tan with a little pink bow around the neck. I don't know where it came from, but I've had it as long as I could remember. One day I tucked it away, always assuming it came from my mother and I guess it wasn't and to forget it existed with everything that was happening.

But seeing it brings tears and memories. A night after a hard day at school, and an even harder day at home, when I could still cry over being hurt rather than over past memories, and I would just hug her and cry. I was attached to her and I can feel that attachment building back up as I hold the stupid toy in my hands. Something I have attached to a time when things somehow resembled something good. 

There's a knock on the door that startles me out of my thoughts.

"Breakfast is ready, Maddie." It's Francesco, and I know not to even bother saying that I'm not hungry. So I simply tuck the bear under my blanket and gently drop the necklace into the drawer with the picture and walk downstairs.

I feel a little awkward, I don't remember everything from last night except for my small talk with Zio Dante. I like talking to him. It's giving me the opportunity to get a glance at what a father-figure could look like, and it's comforting.

After breakfast, I sit down on the couch and grab the remote, Carlo walks in and grab's the remote out of my hand, dropping onto the couch beside me, "Carlo," I say annoyed.

"Aww, wittle Maddie wants the remote?" He teases, dangling it in the air. 

I go to reach for it but wince and recoil from pain in my ribs. It still stings sometimes, despite how long its been. When I went back to the med-bay so Emilio could take a look at it, he realized for some reason the fracture doesn't seem to be healing as fast as it should be, probably because it was broken so many times without being treated, and it could take 25-30 weeks or more before it's completely mended. Even a little bit of pressure makes it hurt.

Carlo is alert immediately, "Woah, are you good?"

"I'm fine," I say convincingly, "Just a little ache."

"A little ache? You look like you just had some of Elijah's food," He says. There's a hint of teasing, but I can hear the real concern. Elijah rolls his eyes, standing up from the armchair.

"I know I was supposed to take you to the movies today, Maddie, but something came up...At work. I'm gonna have Francesco take you, alright?"

"Oh, um...Sure." It wasn't that serious and I can't help but think I'd rather just not go at all, because I still haven't spent enough time with him to figure him out. Figure out what makes him mad or happy or anything. I don't know how to keep him placid.

But nonetheless, I find myself walking into the theatre with Francesco an hour later. "What do you want to see?" He asks, staring down the list of movies. 

"Oh, can we see Barbie?" I ask.

"Barbie?" He says incredulously, "That movie just capitalizes off of the interests of little girls. And it came out ages ago, why is it still in theatres?"

"Well you were the one who insisted we go to a practically deserted theatre," I say looking around at the borderline vintage theatre, "I'm surprised they even have Barbie."

He walks over to the bored boy at the counter, he looks like he's 15 or 16. I'm assuming we're his first customer in a while. "Oh, hey! How can I help you guys?" He says, he smiles at me, I smile back.

Francesco hits his hand on the counter, narrowing his eyes at the boy, "Try to keep that nonsense to yourself, yeah?" He says bitterly.

"Sorry about that," I say to the boy but pointedly for Francesco, "Can we see Barbie?" I ask.

He looks slightly startled by Francesco, as he types nervously on the register, handing us 2 tickets. "Thank you," I smile. We walk into the empty theatre. I get excited, "We have the theater all to ourselves!" 

"Probably because no one wants to see this cinematic garbage."

"Shh, it's starting," I say.

"Since the beginning of time..."

About 30 minutes into the movie, something catches my peripheral vision, I look back and make direct eye contact with a man standing by the doorway of the movie theatre with a phone to his ear. It's too dark to make out anything specific only that he's staring directly at me as he talks on the phone. My heart skips a beat and I turn my head back toward the screen quickly, my heart racing. Francesco is too into the movie to realize. Cinematic garbage, my ass.

I dare to look back again, but he's gone now, the doors are closed. Its as if he was never even there. I try to focus my attention on the movie, but it's hard to do when I'm so anxious, I can't figure out whether I should wait to see if anything happens or tell Francesco now. And even then, tell him what? That a man was at the public movie theatre? Not exactly true crime material. But the bad feeling in my gut puts me on edge and I can hardly enjoy the movie.

When we walk out afterward, I have to take my chance to tease Francesco, "Somebody liked the movie," I sing quietly.

"I didn't like it, it was cheesy and just a genius marketing strategy to get people to buy Barbies again. Terrible movie."

"If you say so," I say. I bump into someone and my carton falls as well as a few of my things. I bend down to pick it up, as does the man I bumped into until Francesco drags him back to his feet, "Watch where you're walking," He says to the man sharply.

"My apologies," He says, holding his hands up humbly. He nods to me and a chill goes down my spine, that's the man that was standing in the doorway. 

"Let's go," Francesco says.

I give the boy at the concessions stand a friendly wave on our way out.

But I can't stop thinking about the man from the movies. What did he want?

.    .    .

see you on sunday, lots of love <333