Holding On

chapter 3

Octavia's POV:

I refused his offer to get me any drinks and instead proceeded to make my self comfortable since I had a hunch that it was going to be a long night. 

The officer sat back down, still as shaky as a trembling leaf, and then he went back to doing whatever he was doing before on the computer. Bored, I looked to my right side where the phone snatcher was being held and started to make faces at him. It's not like I had anything better to do anyways. The phone snatcher was starting to get agitated and started shouting again . The office noticed me and gave me a warning not to do that. 

So instead I tried to get some shut-eye knowing that if my sisters or brothers know about this then I wouldn't be able to get any rest.

Not long after, the door of the station was opened with a big bang that jolted me out of my daze like state. I was honestly expecting it to be my family since they do really love to make a grand entry, but in came these handsome, fine looking men. I analyzed their body language out of pure reflex to analyze any threat to me. All of them looked like they work out a lot and looked like they were hurrying somewhere with their dishelved clothes and hair.

But the thing that I noticed the most is that these man and I had few similar features that if you don't look properly you will miss. The seemingly oldest one had a lot of features similar to me that it was really eerie. 

The bunch of them just stood there, also searching and analyzing the room for something while everyone in the station looked at them with shocked expressions. And if I'm not mistaken then most of these people had fear written all over their faces. The room had this tense atmosphere as soon as they entered. 

But I wasn't lying when I said they were good looking men though. So of course me being me, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I wolf whistled very loudly that caught the attention of everyone to come to me. "Hot damn" I said very loudly before my brain could even process what I was about to say. 

I decided to ignore what I said and just turned around and went back to the comfortable position before they came and waited for my family to come get me. Even though I had my eyes closed I could still hear 5 pairs of footsteps coming this way, alarmed, I opened my eyes to see the oldest and the most intimidating looking one bend down to the officer's height and whisper something into his ear. Then they went into one of the rooms in the station while the youngest one in the group was looking back at me as if he had seen a ghost. The officer stood up and asked me to follow him, which I did. He then led me to the same room the strangers entered and told me to enter the room without making eye contact.

When I analyzed the strangers behavior, they didn't seem to pose any threat to me. But I have been wrong before. Just in case things  don't go smoothly, I activated the small pen voice recorder in my jeans pocket and pat down my thighs and the inside of my high heel black boots to make sure that the small knives and the gun is still attached to me. When you grow up as a kid in a rich family, shit is bound to happen by people that don't mean well or are jealous  and greedy of your happiness and wealth. Hence the safety precautions taken by the family head, Diana to ensure the safety of each family member.

The officer entered looking more nervous than me, while I stayed outside and took a breath to compose myself. I put on my unbothered face and entered the room while bowing down to the officer who was holding the door in mockery. "Why, aren't you a gentleman". I said to officer Paul in a sarcastic tone. The men in the room had sat down on one side of the square shaped table while the officer had sat on the right side of the table. I went and sat on the opposite side of the strangers.

"Is there a reason why I am here?" I asked no one in particular looking bored. "As far as I was aware, the thief is supposed to be interrogated, not the victim. Second, Since I am under 18 you should have called my family first. Without my legal guardian present you can't take me anywhere or interrogate me. So I will ask you again, why the fuck am I here?" I asked this time with barely contained annoyance in my voice but nonetheless professionally, looking straight in the officer's eye. He looked so white as if he could pass out anytime, that I almost felt bad for the poor guy. ALMOST. Then he said it, with a shaky voice he made a statement that turned my world upside down, the memories of my past that I so badly wanted to forget and almost succeeded in doing so, resurfaced. With that all my anger and dark, ugly emotions resurfaced.

"Octavia, these are your biological brother's ". Even though I wanted to deny it, I couldn't. The similar features that we shared were too obvious for me to deny. I wanted to burst out in anger and yell at them. but I knew I couldn't, or else I would show theses strangers my vulnerability. 'control yourself Octavia'. I repeatedly chanted in my head like a chant to remind myself not to do it.

I took a deep breath and looked at each of them individually and saw different emotions on their face. Then the first one spoke "I'm your eldest brother Vincenzo Romano and I am 28 years old." He didn't show much emotions but for a second I was sure that I saw hope in his eyes. "Then he pointed at someone else standing at the right side of him and said "This is your second brother, Giovanni Romano." Hey kid, I'm 26 years old." Giovanni had a lot of emotions on his face. The most prominent one was hope and happiness. "I'm Alessandro your 4th brother" said a really calm looking one. He had relief over his face though. "and his grouchy man child near me is my twin, Antonio, we are both 24" He said while pointing at a man near him who was glaring at me. I glared right back at him harder and more menacingly. I always return the favor and treat people just like how they treat me. He looked surprised that I actually glared back at him and rolled his eyes at me and looked away. "childish" I muttered under my breath which I'm sure that Vincenzo who was closer to me heard it judging by the little tilt of the right corner of his lip. I'm Enzo and I am 18 years old. I'm your soon to be favorite brother". The youngest said while extending his hand to shake mine with a big goofy smile on his face. To his statement everyone in the room scoffed except the officer who was no longer in the room.

I immediately shook his hand in mine and said "pleasure to meet you, I'm Octavia Adira Smith". Enzo's face turned from happy to instantly a confused expression and looked at Vincenzo's direction. Vincenzo had a hard look plastered on his face and was gritting his teeth. "No you are not, your birth name is Octavia Adira Romano. Not Smith." Again my anger started to fuel with his statement. "My last name is not Romano, it's Smith legally now and you'd be wise enough to not call me by any other name ". I said "And one more thing, you people are NOT my family nor my brothers by any means, you are just a bunch of strangers that I met just not long ago." I said in a menacing business tone ".

All the men in the room looked hurt and I swear I saw hurt flash through Vincenzo's eyes before he masked it with an indifferent expression. 

Vincenzo opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the door of the interrogation room opening with a big bang....again. But this time, it was by my sister Diana. I told you, she really loves to make a grand entry. behind her my 2 brother's followed with Liam on her right and Anthony on her left side. And always she looked feral as ever when she is in complete business mode. Anthony was also in all business mode, he winked at me and looked around and analyzed the room like how I did. Liam on the other side was a whole different story. As soon as he locked eyes with me, he came straight to me, took both my hands in his, looked me up and down trying to find any injuries and then in true Liam fashion, he started to bombard me with questions. "Oh my baby! Are you cold? why are you wearing so less?!?! I thought I told you to wear at least a jacket or a scarf on you. MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS KID!. Are you hungry? did you have anything to eat anything to eat at all tonight?". "Give her a break  will you". Anthony, my savior said to my rambling brother. A warm feeling bloomed in my chest and I laughed and hugged Liam tightly resting my head in his chest.

" I'm fine Liam, now that you are all here I am fine". I said in a soft, quiet voice that could be heard loudly enough for everyone in the room due to the silence in the room. "I was so worried when the call suddenly got disconnected". Liam said with a loud exhale of a breath.

"UHM". A loud fake cough was heard from the back. " we are still here you know!" Anthony said. "I know". I replied with a smirk. "tsk, brat". Anthony said with a smirk on his face in a teasing tone. Me and Liam broke out of the hug and Liam snapped at Anthony and said "Don't call your sister a brat, you idiot". While I pulled out my tongue and made faces at him.

Before Tony could come up with a reply, a cold lethal voice was heard that literally sent a shiver down my spine. "Boys, let's enjoy our little reunion later shall we? Right now we have business to deal with. " And ladies and gentleman, that was my sister Diana.

-TILL THEN-