She stood there, her mouth slightly open, her lashes fluttering.
It really was him.
He looked much different from the Domenico she remembered, the Domenico she attended highschool with. That Domenico did not catch her fancy, that Domenico definitely did not look half this alluring, that Domenico definitely wasn’t this confident or dominant. That Domenico had been anything short of badass.
Calm Domenico, always smiling and swallowing down the harsh bullying from Leonardo and his crew with his head held high until…
“You might end up breaking that glass if you keep holding it that way.”
“Leonardo.” She sighed, relaxing her hold on her glass.
“Domenico, huh?”
She glanced at him to see him looking in the same direction.
“He’s different.” She stated, bringing her glass to her lips then dropping it with a scowl when she discovered it was empty.
“He sure is.” Leonardo drawled, a mocking look on his face, “disappears for what? 7 months? Comes back a whole new man. What’s he up to?”
“I don’t know. I don’t care.”
Leonardo’s grey eyes bore holes into the side of her face.
“What do you mean?” He asked curiously.
The corners of her lips curled up in a smug look. She handed Leonardo her empty glass then smoothed her hair and gown.
She faced Leonardo fully, “How do I look?”
“Beautiful” He praised, “Exquisite.”
She smiled satisfactorily.
She didn’t care about the old Domenico, she wanted the new one. The women already flocking around him were no match for her. There was no doubt that he was going to fall for her charms. She would have him wrapped around her fingers in a flash.
“Go easy on him. I’m scared of that look.” Leonardo laughed.
She laughed also then placed a kiss on each of Leonardo’s cheeks, catching the bob of his Adam apple and his quick swallowing and letting it feed her pride.
“Wish me luck.” She whispered, giving him her sweetest smile before pulling away and sauntering off.
She waded through the crowd, sending her usual alluring smiles to the men that eyed her and friendly smiles to her acquaintances and ladies that eyed her jealously.
She was almost there.
He stood, hands in pocket, a smug look on his face as he watched the ladies around him misbehave. She was almost there.
Suddenly, she felt nervous. He hadn’t seen her yet but she felt nervous. The aura coming from him subdued hers, made her weak at the knees and her hands tremble. She licked her lips, clutching her gown tightly.
She almost stopped, almost… but she was Rosetta D’armani, she never gave up on a prey until she had devoured every last bite of it.
“Rosetta!”
Marino’s eyes zoomed in on her when she came close enough. She forced down her nervousness and threw him a kiss, her signature charming smile on her face.
“Bernard.” She called and let him kiss her hand and they had the il bacetto.
She knew the ladies around Domenico had left already at the mention of her name and she knew Domenico’s eyes were fixed on her.
“Excuse me, Bernard but I'm here to speak with your handsome friend.” She spoke, letting her eyes wander to the ‘handsome friend’ at the last two words. His eyes transfixed her.
“I’m hurt” Marino laughed, “but I’ll leave you two alone.”
She felt him leave but she didn’t… couldn’t look away from Domenico’s glittering blue eyes. It was just the two of them now.
“Signorina” His husky voice sent tingles down her spine as he took her right hand and kissed it lightly. She loved the feel of his palms on hers, it felt right.
She composed herself and shot him a flirty smile.
“Domenico de Cerintti, what a pleasure.” She spoke when he dropped her hand after holding it a second too long.
“Rosetta.”
Butterflies erupted in her tummy. He remembered her… of course.
She took a step closer, expecting his eyes to wander down her face and to her body like all the men did but his eyes stayed on hers, piercing and intruding.
“You now attend Colland?” She asked, feeling a bite to her pride.
“Sì” He glanced away from her as if bored. His look intimidated her.
She upped her game. She moved to his side, letting their arms brush, his eyes followed her.
“It was a surprise seeing you, still is” She continued, her face tilted up to his, “Mind telling me where you disappeared off to.”
“Yes.”
She chuckled, letting her pearly white teeth show, “Understandable.”
“You look good… very handsome.” She drawled, lifting her hands to his collar and smoothening it.
“You do too.”
She smirked, “Of course.”
He watched her, his stoic features unchanging. She began to feel uncomfortable.
She straightened up.
“Want to dance?” She asked.
•
They twirled around, their gazes locked. His hands didn’t mistakenly hold her indecently nor did he make her feel uncomfortable. She wondered if it was real, if he really was not like the rest of the men folk.
“You’ve not said much.” She commented as they swayed lightly to the slow ballad playing.
“Because there’s not much to say.” He replied.
“You could ask me how I’ve been, aren’t you interested?”
“Why would I be interested?”
She gave a short laugh. He was blunt.
“Well, I am interested in you.” She said with a wink.
He smirked, “As it should be.”
“So you’re not interested in me? Not even a little?” She prodded, leaning closer.
“I would admit you’re a beauty to behold and that I did wonder about you but not enough to keep me interested.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“If you call it that but as I said, I’m not interested.”
“You don’t wonder what it will feel like to have a woman like me?”
“No.”
“To own a woman like me?”
“No.”
“To love a woman like me?”
“No. You seem desperate.”
Her smile fell then came up quickly.
“I like to call first dibs on a new specie.” She winked.
“Na, this specie isn’t interested.”
She let her fingers caress his neck, “Not a little bit?” Her voice dropped even lower.
He pulled her hand away.
“Better luck, next time. Goodbye, Rosetta.”
He turned and disappeared into the dancing crowd, leaving her stood there, in the middle of the dancing floor, cradling her shattered ego.
The song had not even ended!
He wasn't smug or triumphant or pleased. He wasn't angry or mad or furious. He was hurt. After his dance with Rosetta, he had endured another thirty minutes of nonsense conversations with prowling women and pride filled disdainful comments from jealous high school mates. After the thirty minutes, he had gotten fed up and he sent a quick text to Marino with the new phone he acquired earlier that day, 'I'm heading home. Find another ride or die trying." And he left for his car. He was still sitted in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly with white knuckles. He was hurt. All his swagger and act and pride didn't chase away the vulnerable boy in him seeking acceptance. He was accepted alright but for all the wrong reasons. The women were only after him for looks and for money and the men either didn't even spare him a second look or spat pride all over him What was he expecting anyway? Warm hugs and friendly kisses? Friendly conversations and people actually concerned about his
Domenico ran a hand through his hair. First day of college or rather his first day of college after 6 months away from school. He wouldn't deny he was a bit nervous but at the same time, there was the thrill of excitement of the unknown. He stepped into the first lecture of the day. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "Hey, Fratello!" He turned back to see who the owner of the unfamiliar voice was. He just took the last stairs off the civil engineering department building. He was hungry, he wanted to visit the bar Marino had told him about that was somewhere in the school. He had checked it on the map and it was a trekkable distance. He adjusted his bag over his shoulders, tapping his sneaker clad foot on the ground impatiently. "Scusa." The boy, his agemate but with softer features that made him look younger, panted out when he reached him after practically flying down the stairs. They shook hands. "I'm Clemente." The grey eyed boy with hair that fell all over his face offered. "Do.... "Domenico de
"Hurry, Aryanna, we need to get to the mall as soon as possible." Rosetta ordered finishing her bottle of moretti. She caught the fleeting look of protest in Aryanna's face before it dissappeared. She was being overbearing, she knew but she was too far gone to care about anyone's feelings at the moment. What she wanted, she must get. Milena looked between the both of them. "Why do you need to go to a mall when you..." Milena paused staring at something behind her in surprise, "Is that Domen?" Her head whipped back since she was backing the entrance to the bar. Domen? Domenico? "Who?" She asked, her eyes still prowling around. "Domenico de Cerintti, he's heading for the terrazzo." Milena informed just as her eyes zoomed in on his broad back. "Domenico." His back view was exquisite. He exuded power and coolness at the same time. Why was he so cool? So her type of man? Where was he all these years? She had spent the last fourty eight hours wondering about him. If she had suspecte
Domenico glanced at the clock on his desk, it was past 2am and then noticed his phone screen had lit up. He cracked his knuckles and picked up the phone. Five hours of reading. He was getting better. Andrea was calling. He sighed, he didn't feel like talking to her and he also hated being disturbed when studying. He had put the phone on silent for a reason. The call ended and he was about to put down the phone when his eyes caught the call notification. 20 missed calls, all from his sister. He called her back in a flash, she picked up immediately. "Sister, are you okay? Is everything alright?" He asked hurriedly, his forehead creased in worry. Her sobs was what he heard. "Sorella? What happened?" "Talk to me, Andrea!" He raised his voice when she still didn't say anything. "Marco." She cried in-between choked sobs. "What happened to Marco? Talk to me." Her cries increased. He swallowed down his impatience, running his hand through his hair. Something was obviously very wrong.
Rosetta tapped her car keys against her palm, tapping her foot impatiently. She wanted to get home and rid herself of the suffocating clothes she had on and have a good long bath. However did Aryanna survive? “Finally.” She sighed when she sighted Marino walking towards her. “You do know I’m a busy woman, right? I don’t like being kept waiting.” She said when he was stood in front of her. He eyed her down and she eyed him feeling invaded. “Eyes up here, Mr.” she snapped her fingers in his face. He chuckled, finally looking her in the eye. “Domenico is one lucky man.” He said amusedly. She glared at him, why were the men she related with animals? Domenico would never ogle her so boldly. “Result?” she demanded. “A big no.” he told her, coming to lean against her car. Her heart dropped. “I thought you said he needed a cook? Why…” “Isn’t it obvious?” Marino cut in mischievously, “Because it’s you.”
He laughed loudly, in spite of himself, ushering her into his house, thankful that he had cleaned it already early that morning. “Wow” she breathed out, looking around his home, “splendido. I love that rug.” “Everybody loves it.” He said confidently, his smirk still on, his hands in his pants pocket. She shot him a glare. “Really Domenico, your look scared me. I would never have rambled so much if I wasn’t in doubt of myself and I am almost never in doubt of myself. I hate you.” He chuckled, “it seems like that phrase is being used a lot these days.” “What? I hate you?” she asked distractedly, walking around the small sitting room. “Yeah.” He answered, watching her. “No surprise, you're so annoying. I hate you.” She said with a little more venom than expected. “My pleasure, il mio amore.” He spoke. She wagged a finger, her back still turned to him. “No way, Domenico. I have a boy friend. That ton
He stood, paralyzed to his spot. His heartbeat pounded wildly in his chest as the cold chill of terror washed over him and all he could hear was the frenzied beating of his heart. He saw her lips move but didn’t hear what she spoke out until she opened her mouth wide and a sharp piercing scream shattered his immobilization. He was on his knees in an instant, his eyes frantically searching her body, his hands unable to even touch her. “Come on, help me up!” she shouted, looking at him with wide eyes. He hastily placed his hands under her legs and at her back and then carried her to the living room, setting her comfortably on one of the sofas. “Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly while she looked at him with… was it amusement? “Ugggggh, I hate you” she grimaced, “My butt hurts.” She had landed on her buttocks. “I'm sorry, I’m really sorry.” He apologized profusely, running a hand through his hair as he peered down at her, his body hunched
"A very good starter, I must admit. You are ahead of the class in just a week of your arrival, splendido!" He nodded curtly at the academic head of the civil engineering department. He was standing in the office of the short pudgy man despite the fact that he had offered him a seat. He stood just so he didn't seem too far from the academic's desk and hence seem rude but also quite close to the door so he could make his escape quickly. He had been standing for over 20 minutes now while the academic wowed over the result of the test that was conducted three days before, on Friday. "This is squisito! I can't believe it! A 25!" The academic announced, peering over the rim of his glasses at the sheet of papers that was his. "Thank you sir but can I leave now? I have other classes to..." "Yes, Mr. Cerintti. Of course." "Goodbye Signore." He turned quickly, his eyes catching something on the academic's desk. He shook his head and