Someone Like You

Chapter 15

Thank you so much for reading

Zeniyah

A week has passed since the incident at the Russo's house I woke up to 5 missed calls from Gio, 6 from Alex, and 2 from Alessandro. Throughout the week, I've been working myself to death Sandro has been texting me though, mostly on iMessage, I know it's so he can make sure I'm alive. I leave my read receipts on so he knows I'm seeing his messages. 

I'm now in the lunchroom eating fries, ever since I was in high school and I first started starving myself the only thing I could get myself to eat would be fries or apple sauce. I hadn't eaten for the first 3 days apart from water but I kept imagining Giovanni telling me to eat or he's punishing me. 

I sigh as he skips into my mind again, I can't seem to forget him no matter how hard I try, his gentle touch, his stern voice, his intense stare, and his smirk everything about him draws you in. I wanted to call him and Alex back I wanted to apologize so bad but how could I explain why I ran out the way I did, how could I show my face there, after embarrassing myself like that.  

I decided to call Alex at least, remembering how she said I was one of her first or only friends. I felt bad ruining that, after my shift is over I still in my car with my heart racing I dial her number. After a few rings so picks up, "Hello?" she says on the other line. 

"Hey, it's Zeniyah. Nevermind you already know that, um I just wanted to call and apologize, I had no right storming out on guys like that, I overreacted I was just scared to get attached, I'm not realizing it's too late I'm already attached" I say whispering the last part. I hear sniffling on the other line, making me frown before she speaks up, 

"That was so cute, hey listen I get it, you're a lot like Giovanni in that way, you run when you see love," she says 

"Yeah, how are Giovanni, Sandro, and Junior?" I ask hoping to hear about Giovanni

"Well you know busy bodied Sandro, Giovanni though...he's been acting very strange," she says and my heart sinks. I blew it.

"Oh..." I say sadly as I try to blink back tears. 

"Yeah, on the first day you left he was fine, just mad Sandro helped you leave but he was comforting me. But he was to exercise then went into his office and suddenly he was livid, he kept mumbling that you're a liar," she says

"Wh-what," I say my voice cracking as tears fill my eyes, I don't remember intentionally lying about anything. 

"Did you take anything from his office or something?" she asks

"N-no of cou-course no-t," I say hiccuping 

"No no no please don't cry it's ok we'll figure it out together," she says assuringly, I nod knowing she can't see me. 

"You want to meet after work?" she asks

"No, I think I want to be alone for today," I say sadly 

"Oh ok," she says deflated. I say bye before hanging up and clocking out early. 

I head home and pull out my old laptop from the back of my closet, plugging it in it takes a moment to boot up. When it turns on I sign in and head straight to my old email address, there's nothing there causing me to exhale in relief. 

I close my laptop and lay in bed turning on some music to just think, thinking leads to crying, and soon my head is pounding. My head feels extremely heavy as I force myself to lift it and head to the kitchen for my medication. I find an empty bottle making me groan in frustration realizing I now need to go out to get more. 

I change in a Puma Tracksuit with slides and socks, before heading out the door walking to the nearest pharmacy.  It's about 9:30 making me walk up knowing the "all-night" pharmacy really closes at 10 pm. 

I walk by a group of guys shouting pure nonsense but don't even have the energy to glance at them as I walk into the pharmacy. I walk up to the desk as I normally come here for refills late at night. I grab my medication along with a pack of crunchy Cheetos, and some orange juice. I really need to go grocery shopping. I walk out of the pharmacy and begin walking back home surprisingly the guys who were on the corner are now gone. I continue walking before I hear something that makes me freeze, "HELP MEE, SOMEONE HELP I'M SORRY," I hear a voice screaming. 

My hands start shaking and tear well in my eyes as I realize the voice is coming from an alleyway not even 10 steps away from me. Suddenly I hear gunshots go off and the alleyway goes silent. I gasp realizing what happened, I stand there frozen with my eyes wide open. 3 figures turn the corner and begin walking towards me. My breathing picks up and I slowly start backing away, "Capo, penso che abbiamo un testimone" a voice from the group yells [Translation: Boss, I think we have a witness] 

I immediately bolt in the opposite direction. I hear foot steps behind me as I high tail into a parkette like an idiot instead of running into a public area. I see a small pond and climb down the rocks before slipping in the water. After a few minutes I slowly climb out and I don't hear anything, I begin running towards another exit of the park before I'm tackled onto the ground. I scream out in pain as my head hits the ground adding to my existing migrain. 

"Wait Tony" I hear a familiar voice yell above me. My eyes are squeezed shut and my cheek is pressed against the mud but I can feel a cold heavy metal on my other cheek. I immediately recognize the familiar feeling of the gun. 

Move Tony," I hear the voice yell again. Even with my head pounding and my ears ringing I know that voice. "Tony" and the other voice begin to argue as Tony doesn't ease up his hold on me. Soon I hear another pair of footsteps and both voices go silent. 

"Capo, one bullet and our little witness is gone sì?" a voice says. 

I feel a hand on my arm and I'm roughly flipped over, once again hitting the back of my head on the floor. At this point the way my head is pounding I'm convinced I'm die either from this headache or a bullet tonight. I hear shuffling as someone steps forward and then I hear a gasp. 

The last thing I hear before I pass out is "WHAT THE FUCK, ZENIYAH?"