❛ chasing you ❜ | peter parker

Chapter 9

Three slow, slow days had passed and thankfully, Licia was back to normal. Whatever that was in her case. It also happened to be the day of the party, and the teenagers Mother was in a very stressful state.

"FELICIA JANINE HARDY!" A loud voice called from somewhere in the house, "Hair and make up need you down here right this instant!" Licia sighed and sat up. The girl was lying on window sill cubby that she and Gianni had decorated when she was younger. It was around 2 in the afternoon and way too early, in Licia's case, to be getting ready for a party that started at 9pm. Yet, however her Mother still decided it was necessary and hassled the poor teenager around, making sure everything was perfect.

She jogged down the marble staircase, phone in hand. "Ahhh you're here!" Jean-Claude exclaimed, "I'm so glad! Now I'm thinking.." Licia could suddenly feel his voice drown out and a loud ringing was replaced in her ears. The man in front of her was still talking, unfazed by the sudden occurrence. It was like she was fading away into nothingness, becoming unseen and unheard by all around her. "Licia- Licia?"

"Sorry. Yes?" She said, snapping back into reality.

"You're alright with that aren't you?" Jean-Claude questioned as he knitted his fingers together.

"Uh yes! Totally, whatever you think is best" the girl said smiling gingerly.

"Perfecto!" He announced, clapping his hands together.

Three, almost four hours later the family were ready to go out. First they were going for a quick meal before hand with Licia's father, Walter's current business partners. She originally thought it was just going to be her, her mother and her father, but when she was informed that their security guards where going to be attending, Licia knew that it wasn't just going to be them. You see Walter is in a very important business, one that if it weren't around, countries, like the US would be very at risk. He supples weapons, specially guns, all types of guns from one of those mini gold hand pistol, to oversized mini guns as well as, of course, running a hotel.

Licia had known for years, her grandad who had dementia, once mistook her for her mother and he had a full on conversation with her about it, he passed a few years ago though, died in a car crash. She also knew that her fathers hotel was gifted to him by one of his friends, who also happened to be in the weapons industry but lived in California. Many of my fathers friends from around the world also owned the other various Peninsula's in other countries. One of those friends was Vinnie Luciano, they had a son a year or two older than Licia, and sadly, she had a feeling she knew why the two families were meeting.

The restaurant was one of the fancy penthouse ones that also include a garden on top of the building. Usually they were quite tall. On the car journey there Licia could hear he father mumbling and grumbling about what might disturb them from talk this evening, the main issue: Spider-Man.

Once they arrived the Lucianos were already seated at the table, each of the Hardy ladies got a few flattering words at their attire. Licia's dress was an elegant grey pencil skirt and a matching frilly white shirt (all very flattering may I assure you!) her hair was half up half down, with one of those poofy things under her sectioned top hair. They all thought she looked gorgeous. And not to their knowledge, but this was just the first dress of Licia's night.

Their table was situated just outside on the rooftop garden where you could see almost all of Manhattan, in the dark, when the whole city was lit up by small, artificial lights, the atmosphere was euphoric. Beeping, honking and the aground city bustle was drowned out by a lone harpist, playing for all of New York to hear.

"Hello" a boy next to Licia said, smirking at her as he took her all in, "Dallas, Dallas Luciano. But you would already know that?" The girl could sense that someone was listening in on their small-talk, and it wasn't just their fathers or mothers.