A New Life

thirty six.

"You're cute,"

Danielle's POV

I place soft kisses all over Stefania's neck and face as the morning sunlight is shining in through my bedroom window.

"More?" I smirk, watching as she tries to gain control of her breathing. We're a few days into our holiday break, and now there's only about a week until Christmas.

"I don't think I can," she smiles softly as her eyes flutter open. I pout as I run my fingers up and down her arm. "Why are you sad about that?" she giggles.

"I like watching you come," I say quietly. "It's sexy." A smirk forms on my face. "Plus, you taste good."

"Bambina!" She chuckles. "Three times was enough for this morning," she laughs again.

"Fine," I lay my head down on her bare chest, and we sit there for a while in silence. "You said something the other day," I begin. "About how you've never felt this way before. And how I make you feel things you didn't know you could feel,"

"Mhm," Stefania hums. "That was all very true," she places a kiss on the top of my head.

"But..." I lift my head off of her chest to look her in the eyes. "Weren't you married a few years ago?" Her eyes divert away from mine, and she looks a little uncomfortable. "I mean, didn't you feel things with him?" I place my hand on her cheek so she'll look back over at me.

"I did..." she trails off. "I did feel things with him, but I mean, obviously that didn't work out. With you, Danielle...it's just different. I'm never scared that you'll judge me, and I've never once not trusted you about something...and I've just realized that I never truly felt completed or satisfied with him. But you...you complete me. I do think that I did love him, but I don't think I was truly in love with him, like I think I..."

"You're falling in love?" I almost whisper, my eyes going wide. I see her panic slightly. "I'm sorry...don't answer that. Way too soon."

Abby's POV

The first week or so of our holiday break thankfully goes by quickly, and I'm starting to get used to being alone at the house during the week with Rob, while my mom stays at her new apartment in the city. I've been trying to just keep to myself, only going downstairs when I know he isn't there or if I need to get food. I'm just glad he hasn't gotten drunk enough to really try anything with me. Yet, at least.

Ever since that one night when we were up north a few weeks ago where I really opened up to Danielle, I feel like I've been more closed off. I'm not trying to be, and I haven't even really realized it recently. I'm just scared. I'm scared of how much I trust Danielle, and I'm scared of how easily she can see through me. The past few years, I've been successful at tricking the people around me into thinking that everything with my life is perfect.

I want to allow myself to trust Danielle, because I do...I really do trust her. But I hate that. I hate that she knows the truth, but I don't want to hate it. I want to be happy that I finally have someone in my life that actually cares about me, and I don't know how to tell my brain to make myself grateful for that.

Later today, I'm going out with Danielle and Stefania to go look at Christmas lights in one of the big neighborhoods in town. It's Monday morning right now, and I walk downstairs, seeing my mom gathering her bags and work supplies for the week. Rob is sitting at the island in the kitchen. Christmas is this Thursday, but I'm assuming that she'll only come back home when she really has to.

"Will you be here for Christmas?" I ask warily as I walk into the kitchen.

"Why?" she asks, not bothering to look over at me.

"Just wondering,"

"Definitely not for Christmas Eve...there's way too much going on in the office. Maybe on Christmas...not like you're grateful enough to ever spend that day with us anyway." She mumbles the last part of that sentence annoyingly.

I have to bite my tongue to keep from snapping. "Well I don't think I'll be here this year."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to Da...a friend's house, on Christmas Eve and I'm gonna spend Christmas there."

After getting no response, I turn around and walk back up the stairs. However, I hear Rob say something to my mom so I wait at the top of the stairs to listen.

"She needs to learn to be grateful," Rob spits out.

"I couldn't care less if she's here or not for Christmas," My mother replies. "Makes no difference to me,"

"That's because she makes zero effort to be a part of this family...she needs to do something useful with herself for once,"

I roll my eyes and go back into my room, trying to decide on what to do for the next few hours to pass the time.

...

I check my phone at around 6 p.m., and just as I pick it up, a text from Danielle comes in.

D: Stefania and I are on our way now to pick you up...see you soon:)

A: Okay!

I make my way back downstairs for the second time today, and now only Rob is down there.

"What do you want?" He says when he sees me.

"I'm going out for the night, I'll be back later." I say monotonously before immediately walking out the door and waiting for Danielle on the porch. As I see her car pull into the driveway, I quickly stand up and make my way down the driveway.

"Hi," I say as I climb into the backseat of Danielle's car.

"Ciao, bambina," Stefania greets me.

"Hi sweetie, how are you?" Danielle asks.

"I'm good," I smile as she turns around to look back at me.

Danielle's POV

"How has your break been so far?" I ask Abby. I hate the fact that she's been stuck in her house all this time, but I've tried to spend time with her when I can this past week. I want to have a chance to ask her how this week has truly been at her house, but I decide to do that later. She has been slightly more closed off than usual lately, and with Stefania in the car right now I'm almost certain she won't want to say anything.

"It's been okay," I can hear the mental exhaustion in her voice. "I miss being on set though."

"So do I," I tell her.

"Just a couple more weeks and then we'll be back for the rest of the season," Stefania chimes in.

"Yeah," Abby responds. "When do we finish shooting for the season?"

"I don't think we have a definite date yet, but our last day is usually in April." I glance up at my rearview mirror, and can see Abby nodding her head.

a/n: i hope you guys are still enjoying this as much as i am<3 i'm honestly shocked i've been able to keep up with updating daily for like a month now hahaha

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