Maia

5

Māori
Tama = Boy

Word count: 1083

☽☾

MAIA'S POV

I hear the thud of my bag as it drops beside me, disregarded by the man who drove me here. I deliberately avoid looking at the bag and choose to meet the piercing gaze of the man called 'Alessandro'. A shiver runs down my spine as I am overwhelmed by the intensity of his stare. With each deliberate step he takes toward me, I instinctively take a step back, very aware of the imposing nature of his presence.

"Alessandro, I think you're scaring her," I hear from behind me. He promptly stops and looks over my shoulder, glaring at whoever spoke.

He steps back and says, "Please, sit, Maia." Alessandro gestures behind me to where the long couch is. I turn around and slowly move to the furthest end of the couch, avoiding the two people who smile at me eagerly. The person who drove me leans against the doorway, quiet and observant.

Alessandro makes his way over to a lone armchair in the corner and rests his arms, getting comfortable as he quizzically stares at me. I look over at the two on the couch, feeling more relaxed in their presence than the other two. "So, Maia, do you remember your brothers' names, or do you need a little refresher?" Alessandro asks coolly, raising his brow as I squirm uncomfortably.

I shake my head in response, I inform him silently that I've forgotten. If he's hurt by my answer, he doesn't show it. "Boys, tell her your name and age," he instructs.

The brunette with freckles scattered across his cheeks is the first to speak, "My name is Wiremu. I'm the second oldest brother and I'm 24 years old."

Sitting next to him was a tama with a darker complexion and hair colour. He smiled warmly as he began to introduce himself, saying, "I'm Giovanni, 19 years old and the youngest of the boys." I was taken aback, realizing that he was only 2 years older than me. He looked much older.

The man who drove me was silent until Alessandro gave him a look. He sighed loudly, feigning annoyance. "The name's Lorenzo," he said, looking down at me with distaste. Wiremu shook his head and smiled at me. "Ignore him, he's upset because he didn't get any. He's the third eldest brother; he's 23."

I glanced over at Alessandro as he began speaking, his voice filled with authority. "I'm the oldest, Alessandro. Your guardian while you live here. I'm 26," he stated firmly, holding my gaze. As I looked at the shape of his nose, the colour of his hair, and his eyes, I couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between us. There was no doubt that we were related. Even our complexion is remarkably similar.

Our skin is more olive than Giovanni and Lorenzo's russet brown colouring, while Wiremu, on the other hand, has a warmer beige complexion. Despite these slight complexion differences, we all look eerily similar.

"Giovanni, why don't you show Maia around the house?" Alessandro said, looking at him expectantly. Giovanni flashed a warm smile, rose from his seat, and gracefully made his way over to me. He extended his hand, and I tentatively placed my hand in his, not wishing to cause to upset him or the others. My hand, small and fragile compared to his, trembled slightly as I used my strength to stand up. There was pain searing through my ribs and back as I straightened up. I bit down on the inside of my cheek, willing myself not to show any sign of pain in front of my brothers.

My hand slipped away from Giovanni's, and I tucked them into the warm pockets of my hoodie. He flashed a comforting smile as he walked back to where Lorenzo was, picking up my bag along the way. I trailed behind him, my eyes taking in the grand staircase that stood tall and imposing in the centre of the space, leading the eye upward with its ornate detailing. To the left was where we had just come from and to the right, it seemed as if there was an elegant dining area. Beyond the staircase, a spacious area opened up, maybe the kitchen was behind there?

As we headed to the left, we stepped into a stunning dining room adorned with a grand, large, wooden table that seemed to occupy the entire space. Above us was a beautiful chandelier that cast a soft, warm glow.  I am in awe of the sheer luxury of this place. Giovanni can't help but chuckle at my reaction. A connecting door led us to the kitchen, where I followed Giovanni, eager to explore further. The kitchen tiles were different shades of green. The shelves and cabinets were made of dark wood, with a large counter and an island in the middle. This felt too good to be true.

"Nice, huh? Papa had it remodelled about 5 years ago," he smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

Giovanni led me through the rest of the house and showed me its impressive features. I found out there was not only an indoor pool, but also an outdoor one, as well as a spacious garden, a media room, a huge games room, and four offices. As we went up the stairs, we checked out the different bedrooms, which seemed to be arranged from oldest to youngest. When we reached the end of the hallway, we stopped. "And last but not least, your room," Giovanni said as he slowly opened the door to reveal a lavish space with a massive bed adorned with many plush pillows. It seemed excessive to have so many pillows, must be a rich person thing.

He dropped the bag by the doorway. "We had your room remodelled just before you arrived. If there is anything you want to change, let us know. We can paint it a different colour, buy new furniture, or whatever you need," he smiled at me eagerly.

"It's perfect, thank you, Giovanni,"  I expressed with genuine gratitude, offering a small, appreciative smile. It's much bigger than the room I had before, much cleaner and nicer too. It was sweet of them to do all this for me. I don't know how I'm going to repay them.

"I'll let you rest and settle in. I'll come and get you soon for dinner, okay?" he said gently as he reached out for a hug. I instinctively drew back, flinching slightly. He gave me a small but sad smile. He didn't say anything as he quietly left.