Everlasting Bonds - COMPLETE

Chapter 4

POV: Emilia

AN: The translation for the Italian sentences are in the comments! Please know that I do not speak Italian and had to rely on google translate for this. If I have any readers that do speak the language I am VERY open to feedback and help

I was lucky that my class was only a 5-minute walk from the coffee shop otherwise I might have been late to my second class.

Italian II: Expanding basic language skills was going to be a cakewalk. I tried to get into a more advance Italian course, but my advisor wouldn't allow it. Even though I was fluent.

I chose to sit closer to the back this time. This classroom was smaller and only had about 10 rows of seats in it. I sat in the eighth row and took out my notebook.

I should at least act like I'm going to take notes.

I heard a few people sit down in the rows behind me as the start time for the class neared. People being out of my line of view had always made me nervous. I sat in this row to work out some of my issues with that. I couldn't always have my back guarded. The professor for the course entered and began setting up the computer to begin her lecture.

"Ciao Classe. Benvenuto in un nuovo semester". She had beautiful dark hair that curled to her shoulder. Her maroon pantsuit looked expensive and I instantly sat at attention. Even though this course was below my skill level, I had a feeling I would still be learning a lot from this woman.

"My name is Vera Bianchi and as you know this is Italian II. My job is to challenge you past the basics. I think I am up to the task and hopefully, after today, you will agree". She spoke with a strong Italian accent and she had a hardness to her voice that didn't leave room for others to question her.

She spent the first part of the class going over her expectations of us as students, and then she asked us to set expectations for her as well. She explained that she would write the syllabus for this course after adding our input and would hand it out at the next class. I immediately appreciated her respect for our agency and opinions.

In the second half of the class, she asked each student to stand up and strike up a conversation with her so she could get a baseline for our skill level. By the time it was my turn I was nervous to speak. Even though I knew I would do just fine, having the whole class looking at me was what made me want to run away. I reached my left hand behind my head to rub the back of my neck. I could feel a tension not forming already.

I heard someone behind me inhale sharply and before I could turn around to see if they were okay, I heard my name called.

"Emily McCoy". Vera sat at a chair in the front of the room with her legs crossed and with her laptop sat on her knee. I stood up slowly, afraid my legs would give out.

"Piacere di conoscerla, Professor Bianchi. Non vedo l'ora di imparare da te questo semestre. Hai avuto un'estate piacevole?" I could tell she was surprised by my speaking because her eyebrows raised slightly before taking notes on her laptop.

"Il tuo italiano è molto forte Emily. Grazie per aver chiesto della mia estate. E ' stato rilassante. Dove hai imparato a parlare?" Vera's lips formed a smile as she complemented me.

"Ho vissuto in Italia per alcuni anni. Ho finito per imparare la lingua durante il mio soggiorno." I spoke to her like an old friend and I realized that even though the circumstance that brought this language into my life were horrible, I was still glad to be able to speak it.

"Very good Emily. You may have a seat now". Vera smiled at me, a bit of curiosity interlaced with the warmth.

The nerves from seeing Greyson earlier in the day were starting to wear off. That is until Vera spoke again.

"Luka Mead. It is your turn ". That one sentence from Vera turned my blood to ice. I heard someone stand up right behind me. The smell of almond and spice wafted to me from the movement.

I wanted to turn around.

I wanted to see him.

His voice made me want to cry.

"Ciao Vera. I'm Luka. Come state oggi?" Luka's voice was rich and deep. Listening to him speak Italian made my stomach flip and my heart beat faster.

They are all here. They have to be.

I tuned out the rest of Luka's evaluation as thoughts of them flooded my mind. Aidan, Colt, Greyson, and Luka were my lifeline for nine years. Before that they were light. It couldn't be a coincidence that Luka and Grey.

Fate was bringing us back together.

I knew without a doubt that if two of them were here, they all were here. Suddenly my plans for avoiding Greyson or leaving town didn't feel right anymore. It was easier to ignore my emotions when I only had to worry about one of them. Losing all four of them again was a harder decision to make.

Professor Bianchi must have finished evaluating everyone because she bid us farewell and dismissed the class for the day.

I grabbed my bag, shoving my notebook and pen inside haphazardly. I started walking out of the classroom when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Normally I would have pulled away.

Normally I would have cringed into myself.

This time I didn't. I could feel who it was. He would never hurt me.

"Lark please don't run away. Please don't disappear". Luka's voice sounded shaky and I could hear the desperation in his words. He was scared he was going to lose me again. That alone made me turn around. The second I did though, I knew it was a mistake.

Luka was no longer the smiling boy I once knew. He was a man with a seriousness to his gaze that made me feel like he could see inside my mind.

I couldn't run from him. From any of them.