Absolute Perfection

4-Easy Way Out

Alex

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IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO LEAVE AN ASTERIX* ON ANY OF MY GRAMMAR/SPELLING MISTAKES

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Sitting across the kitchen table of the family I never thought I would see again was heartwarming. When we'd been on our way to Vernazza Castello had spoken fondly of his old time friends, but never brought up any names. To say it was a surprise when we pulled up outside of the home I spend my two short years here would be an understatement. I'd waited in the car like he'd told me to only out of curiosity. I wanted to see his face when he finally understood the situation he'd just gotten himself into.

To say I was sad at the mortified look he showcased would also be an understatement. For some reason he just wasn't happy about me knowing these people he called family. The same people I called family. Now as we sat across from each other and he refused to make eye contact I could only feel dread. This was a bad idea. I should have never agreed to this. It was going to end tonight before it even started.

When we'd been in the taxi and he'd called me his I'd nearly squealed in joy, but now I didn't know what to feel. I was sure after this he wouldn't want to even touch me with a ten-foot pole.

And why would he?

His best friend was basically my dad!

Dear God, I'd been sleeping with my dads' best friend. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to try and alleviate the stress this whole situation had brought on.

"Look," I broke the tense silence, knowing full and well he wouldn't step up. "I'll make this easy for you, Castello." Turning to Tyson and Jill I sent them a sad smile. "I'll stay at the motel just down the road at night so you won't have to worry about sharing with me like we originally planned. I told you I've been saving up cash to come here, but in this situation it seems it'll be the money I need to go back to New York."

He didn't even bother to look at me, confirming that was what he was worried about after everything else.

"I'll stay for the week we planned so I can visit with Tyson and Jill and then go home and we can leave all this behind us." Still no reaction.

My heart broke at the silence. This wasn't how I expected this journey to go. I figured we'd show up to a nice family's home and I'd have to prove myself to them for Castello, then I could hunt down Tyson and Jill for a day's visit, introducing Castello as what I could only describe as my boyfriend and praying they liked him.

I didn't know what else to do with this situation but enjoy my time here with my family and then go home. I could leave everything we could have been behind me there in Italy. But somehow something in my heart told me that wasn't going to be as easy as I hoped.

Tyson offered me a sad smile in return when he looked as his dejected friend. I blinked back the tears I could feel trying to work their way out of my eyes. I wouldn't let him see me cry. I was tough. I was strong. I was forced to be growing up. There was no way I was letting this break me down, especially not in front of him.

Jill's blonde locks cascaded over her shoulders as she jerks her head to the living room, asking me to join her. I nodded, standing to follow. I know she could see how sad his reaction had left me, and as much as I didn't want to talk about this right now, I couldn't hide from my problems forever. Why extend the talk we were going to have whether I wanted to or not?

Walking into the living room I felt a sense of euphoria. Nothing had changed since I left. The same pictures of her and Tysons' family decorated the crème walls from floor to ceiling. They prided themselves in displaying their loved ones. Something I never had in my life.