TREPIDATION // h.s

CHAPTER 4 //

Delilah Allen

I'm guessing after our conversation, the man whose name I still don't know, left because I haven't seen anyone else in here in the past 3 hours. I'm actually really relieved,  today is overwhelming as is.

I've been exploring the house a bit since I have nothing else to do.

I came across another bedroom, that I established as my father's. His room is at the end of the hallway. The door next to his bedroom on the right side was locked so I couldn't get in. There is another bathroom next to the locked room.

I didn't dare open the other bedroom door next to mine, he could be in there, and I don't really want to talk to him again.

I went downstairs, and I just studied everything in here. It's gorgeous but impersonal. Not a single picture on the wall or even a family heirloom.

In the kitchen I found access cards for a gym and a pool, so maybe I can go check those out later.

I wander to the living room, and I walk over to the bar. I swipe my finger across the bottles of expensive alcohol while reading their names. Most of them I haven't heard of before, or they're written in a foreign language. That can't be good.

I don't know if it was the tension of today, or maybe just boredom, but I found myself sliding a bottle of vodka off the shelf and throwing myself a serving in one of the tall shot glasses, placed neatly on a tray. I throw it down my throat and immediately feel the burning sensation in my chest.

I cringe and shake my head at the foul taste of the alcohol. Just as I put the bottle back on the shelf I hear the elevator bell ring.

Seconds later I see Matteo walking into the kitchen. Placing a pizza box down on the counter.

"Hey, Matteo," I say nervously, after throwing the bottle back on the shelf. 

"Hey... Lila." He slides the box towards me and opens it. "I brought pizza, sorry I brought it from the kitchen, someone ordered one, and I decided to just make you one as well."

I smile at the delicious-looking pizza sitting in front of me. "Thank you so much! This looks amazing ."

"It's my pleasure, well I better get going then, I hope you enjoy it ."

"Wait, can't you stay awhile? We can share." I say pointing to the pizza, desperate for some human company, and if I'm being honest, I wanted to get to know him a little better. Not necessarily in a romantic way, but he seems like someone who I could get along with and potentially become a friend.

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to overstep." He says hesitantly.

"Please, I insist. And besides this is way too much for me to finish." I beg

"Alright then ." He says, and he pulls out a barstool to sit next to me.

-

Matteo and I had a really good time, he told me about how he grew up in Italy, working at his family's bakery. He decided to move to America to pursue his dream of becoming a professional chef. He sends back most of his money to sustain his family. He has 5 other siblings, so his family struggles a bit.

I felt so comfortable talking to him since we kind of relate about that. Obviously, our situations aren't the same, but to a degree, we went through the same type of thing.

We didn't only talk about sad stuff though, he told me about how he loves soccer and how he wished he had worked harder at it when he had the chance.