I watch as Anastasiya walks away from me, and I feel my heart break even more. Deciding to reveal my secret to her had proved futile because she told me exactly what I feared she would. She took Ayden’s side, which is exactly what I would have done if Damon’s fiancee had to do this to him. I was Anastasiya’s best friend, but Ayden was her brother. There was no way I could make her choose between us.
Sighing, I turn around and decide to head towards the exit. I do not think I could get through this day. Ana had told me to come clean to Ayden, but he would surely kill me and Matteo. Why did he have to kiss me?! How could I have been so stupid!
I walk down the corridors and spot a familiar figure heading my way and froze.
Ayden was walking with another girl with long blonde curls. She was an older girl from New Orleans and belonged to the Benedetti family, a Mafia Princess if there ever was one. Poised and proper.
I slipped into the classroom next to my
This finally concludes December's Symphony. Thank you to all my loyal readers who have been a part of this wild ride! J.Tarr
“Where am I?”Amy opens her eyes to blackness. She wasn’t sure where she was or how she got here. Her head hurt and she was cold. Touching her head, she feels the injured spot... Only after she got her bearings, did the metallic scent of blood hit her.Heart thumping and panicked, she tries to stand up, only to falter and stumble forward. As she falls, she hears the clinking of a chain.“What the hell...!”She reaches down to touch her ankle and realizes, to her horror, that they shackled her to a chain. “No, no, no, no, no...” She breathes out. Yanking the chain, she screams in vain, “HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY!” Tears flow down her cheeks as she continues to scream out, not able to hold back her tears anymore.She shrinks to the floor and whispers her beloved’s name. Mentally willing him to hear her and rescue her from this predicament,
Lunch-hour strikes and a flock of people stream into the diner named Arianna’s.Amy Douglas, the head server, greets them all in Italian as they come in. “Hey, guys!”“Amy!”“Hey, Ames!”They all respond. Amy smiles as she heads to her first table.Life in Olivewood was simple; a little hideaway town in Sicily where everyone was more like family. Amy loved it here for that reason. It was home. This town was small and made her happy. Even an ordinary job at the diner didn’t bother her at all. She got to live here and care for her little sister. She was content living the quiet life.“What’ll it be, guys?” She asks her first patrons, and they all try to order at once, “WOAH, one at a time!” She laughs and poised her pen. The group of four teenagers give their order and she jots it down in her notepad. “Won’t be too long, guys.” She says with a smile
The one named Antonio caught her walking over. He shakes his head while making eye contact as if to tell her to stay away. She ignores him and proceeds forward.“Excuse me, gentlemen. This is a family establishment. There are a lot of children present here today. If you cannot behave in an orderly manner, please leave.” Amy stands at their table with arms crossed.“What did you just say to us?” Luciano says and starts toward her. Amy feels her heart hammering and suddenly regrets her sudden bravado but stands her ground. “Kindly leave if you cannot behave in a manner befitting a family establishment. Again, there are children here.” Amy says and waves behind her. The man was getting red in the face as he starts towards her. “Um, please, sir. We don’t want any trouble.” Amy begs and backs away, cursing her big mouth.Suddenly the one namedAntonio gets up and whispers in Luciano’s ear.
Antonio Russo stood at the door with a smile on his face.“Good evening,” he says to Amy while walking closer to Amy, eyeing her as he does so. “I hope you’re not closed?” Amy looks at him, bewildered. Why was her heart doing jumping jacks??“Uhm, No, no! we’re not closed yet. What can I get you?” She says, gesturing to the counter while walking toward it. She looks at her wristwatch and thinks to herself “Gosh, I need to close soon, or the babysitter leaves!”“I was hoping to catch you here,” He says, “My family and our associates caused quite a scene this morning and I have come to apologize on their part.” Amy’s eyes widened. Antonio Russo is apologizing to her? Was it opposite day? Mercury in retrograde or whatever it is called??“Don’t worry about it, please. I had forgotten about the whole thing already.” She says, flustered. Wh
Arianna looks up from her laptop and smiles warmly at Amy. “Sit down, doll.” She says and gestures for her to sit. “What would you like to chat about, Ariann?” She asks, just wanting to get straight to the point.She couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. Arianna nods at her and replies, “Yesterday you proved to me you have this diner’s best interests at heart. That you care about your patrons. So, I would like to offer you a promotion. How does general manager of Arianna’s sound, Ames?”Amy’s jaw hits her chest at lightning speed. A promotion? “Arianna, are you sure about this?” She asks, not believing what she heard. “Of course, dear. You are the only viable choice and the only one I trust to keep my business afloat. Please say yes?” Arianna begs her.Tears well up in her eyes and she nods, “Yes! I would love the position! Thank you so much!” She
Antonio led her out of the music shop after she said yes to having coffee with him. Her eyes were downcast when she heard him say her name.“Amy?”Her head snaps up with the sound of his voice, and she looks towards him. Her heart was sitting in her throat when she answered, “Yes?”He smiles at her again and repeats his question, “Where is your car parked?” And looks at the only two cars parked in front of the music store. Hers was the only one sticking out like a sore thumb, an old Audi model next to Antonio’s obviously flashy Emperor. She looks at him with sarcasm written all over her face and he smirks, shaking his head. “I had to ask,” he said with a laugh and they walk towards her Audi. She unlocks her car and Antonio gently eases her newly bought cello in. After she locks it again, she stands sheepishly, and looks at him, annoyed at the blush creeping up into her cheeks.He really was
Amy stares down at the expensive cello that was bought for her, feeling undeserving. She didn’t ask for this, didn’t ask for Antonio’s attention, much less his father’s. And for some reason, she knew that having caught the attention of the Russos would never be a good idea.Sighing, she hangs the cello from the old cello crook on the wall and leaves her room. She didn’t want to think about the future or what it held now that she had Antonio’s attention, so she plopped down on the couch and decided to numb her brain with TV.Ͼ Ͼ ϾShe returns to work the following day with worry settling in her heart. The cello hanging in her room was a constant reminder that she was tied to a family she wanted nothing to do with. She knew she should return the instrument, but Antonio had said that his father would see it as a major insult if she had to return the gift. You
AntonioAntonio walks out of the coffee shop and tries to stifle a smile. How had this girl grown on him in such a short space of time? The only woman to ever stand up to his brother Luciano, known in their circles as Luciano "Death Wish" Russo. No one would even dare to talk back to him, yet this little five-foot tall, petite girl stood up to him because he offended her patrons.He smiles and shakes his head as he gets into his Emperor, trying to put Amy out of his mind so he could focus on the task at hand. His half-sister, Emily was getting engaged this Saturday to some billionaire in the States. His father, Giovanni, had decided to marry her off as he didn’t see her suited to marry Italian blood. He left Antonio in charge of everything but made it clear that he wished to have the female cellist there. As he drives to his next stop, he could not help but feel excited at the prospect of listening to Emily play her cello