Te Adoro - Book 2 ✔️

• 9 •

Heyy. How are you doing? Good, good.

"Okay, let's talk."

Luca looked at Alberto, who was slightly facing away from him, hugging himself. He managed a nod, still not looking at them.

Luca glanced at Giulia, who sat on the carpet, slightly behind Luca.

"About that day..."

"I know what happened," Alberto interrupted, his arms hugging himself more, "I remember seeing it. Seeing you."

Luca swallowed. "Y-yeah. It was a rough time for all of us", he glanced at Giulia, who had her eyes to the ground.

She was the one who saw it first hand. She had the perfect view of what happened, from the blood to the expressions. Although not as traumatized as the rest, it was certainly something you didn't want to see. Luca didn't pierce Ercole not once, or twice, but about five times before getting up and away from him. The blood was everywhere on him, leaving green scales in its wake. He looked truly terrifying.

"I don't know what I was thinking, really," Luca continued, calmly, "I was furious with him. I didn't think to check on you before attacking him. It was kind of on instinct. Like I-" he swallowed, "like I had to protect you."

"But killing?! Do you know how-"

"Shh. Papa will hear you," Giulia looked up, shushing him in a panic.

Alberto paused, "So he doesn't know?"

"Is everything okay in there?" Speak of the devil.

Massimo knocked on the door gently twice, concerned laced in his voice. Luca heard Guilia curse under her breath before calling out, "Si Papa! Me and Luca are just catching Alberto up on everything".

Massimo made a noise and spoke once more, "Okay bambini. Once you're done, come to the kitchen. Your letters came."

Guilia's head turned sharply to look at Luca, confusing Alberto. "What letters?"

"I'll tell you later," Luca paused, waiting for the footsteps outside the door to fall silent before speaking in a lower tone, "he doesn't. If anyone else heard about this..."

"We'd all be in some serious trouble," Giulia finished, putting a hand on Luca's shoulder, "The he-got-eaten-by-a-shark rumor seemed to satisfy them enough. Judging by Ercole's eye-melting pink sweater was all that was left."

At this, Luca shrugged, "I didn't bother with it, really. It wasn't worth it."

"Nothing was worth it that day," Guilia nodded.

It was as if Alberto was forgotten. His eyes followed who spoke, his eyes darting back and forth. The more he found out, the more he tried fitting the piece together like a puzzle, but it was as if none of the pieces were able to connect. There had to be more to it, right?

Alberto cleared his throat, causing the other two to look at him, "Was that all that happened that day? I remember it all to a certain point. But," Alberto stopped, knowing he was about to ramble, "I don't really. Care, what's done is done. But where did you two go for so long? It's like you guys disappeared."

Luca and Giulia exchanged another look, "We were in school. In Genova."

Alberto now looked at Luca, who seemed to be thinking he saw things as he did, judging by the way his gaze returned to the floor.

"You know that was the whole reason what happened happened, right?" Alberto looked at Giulia now, who glanced between the two.

"Alberto," Luca warned.