The Mafia //h.s au

two.

The move here was just like any other time, only the packages seemed to get heavier and heavier every time we packed them up to go to a different city. I was a dancer most of my life, so my frail arms couldn't carry as much as my poor overworked legs could. Our new apartment was on the smaller side but was big enough for dad and I. It would most likely be me in the apartment by myself about 80% of the time anyways, dad always got fancy hotel rooms rented to him on the job which was probably a perk of being an FBI agent.

I slammed the car trunk shut and hopped in the passenger seat of our car. it took me a while to figure out which side to sit on due to my living most of my life in America. but after a month or two of living in England, you finally get the hang of things.

I don't know what it is, but I always end up falling asleep during long car trips. back when I was younger and full of energy, mom and dad used to shove me into a car and drive us all around until I fell asleep. On the bright side, I'm assuming my love of sleeping in moving vehicles sprouted from those moments we shared.

About 3 hours went by until we arrived in Bristol, I woke up as the car shuddered to a halt. the poor hunk of metal has been toting me and my family around for as long as I can remember. I open my eyes to a lovely little cobblestone flat along a dimly lit street. It was the perfect place to listen to my records on a rainy day just like mom would have wanted.

As I step out of the car, the rain sticks to my skin and welcomes me to my new home. I help my father unload our things into the flat. I'm sure I wasn't of much help. like I said earlier, lifting wasn't really my forte but I definitely got the job done. After arranging and rearranging our rooms for about an hour or two, dad left for his hotel room for the night. We never had that close of a relationship, so being left alone, especially as I got older really never bothered me.

"Hey Jace, I left some money on the table for dinner. I'm headed up to the hotel for the night," he tried his best to break the awkward silence.
"Sounds good, see you tomorrow," I replied.
"Stay out of trouble please." he pleaded with me as he shut the door.

I didn't answer because he knew that I wasn't going to heed his advice. I walked barefoot on the cold wooden floor and took a seat next to the foggy window. To pass the time, I drew shapes until the entire sheet of glass was covered in my artwork.

My curious eyes explored the world outside my window and I peered through the smiley-faced flower I drew and landed on the green eyes of a boy standing on the lower steps with four others. I immediately ducked out of embarrassment. My first day here and I've already been caught being a creep.

The boy had curly locks that mimicked milk chocolate. His skin as white as porcelain, arms were drawn with tattoos and his hands were rough. Lips were full, maybe even pouted but parted in a way that you could see his teeth poke through. He was beautiful but in a tragic way, a diamond in the rough.

I pressed my ear to the thin wall and listened closely, concerned whispers followed by laughter echoed through the walls. They had to be making fun of me.
I stealthily rolled away from the window and tiptoed to the kitchen where I sat at the dining table, head in my hands.

"I really hope I didn't fuck that up" I mumbled to myself as a bit my thumbnail. My embarrassment was interrupted by the growling of my stomach which reminded me that it was time for dinner. I grabbed the money across from me and counted it out.

"Ten dollars." I laughed. "Big spender!" I added waving my crisp ten-dollar bill around. Seeing that the boys were still hanging around outside I made the decision to have food delivered to my flat. I made a call to a cute mom and pop cafè around the corner for some fish and chips to be delivered to my flat. I made sure to stay away from the window as I patiently waited for my food to arrive. I laid flat on the hardwood and eyed the clock, time seemed to go by so slowly.

The fish and chips hit the spot, not too salty not too bland. Just the right way to make a proper meal. With a warm belly full of food and drooping eyelids, I decided a nap was definitely what the doctor ordered after this long day filled with lugging boxes around back and forth. I close my eyes and slowly but surely start to fall into a deep slumber.

However, about 20 minutes into my "deep slumber" I was given a rude awakening by the loud bass of party music blasting upstairs. I rub my eyes and let out a long sigh. All I wanted to do was sleep, but apparently the party upstairs had other plans for me.

I jumped at the sound of loud knocking on my front door. I got up, rubbing my eyes and brushing the loose strands of hair out of my face. I opened the door to a blurry figure standing in my doorway.

"Can I help you, sir?" I manage to get out before I yawn. My eyes clear out and I'm left speechless. It was one of the boys from earlier. I quickly fix my face but looking down at my outfit, fixing my face did not do me any justice.
"Hello love" he slurred, he was clearly drunk. "My name is Liam, and I need to use your bathroom pretty please." The stench of the alcohol on his breath made me nauseous.

I stood back, motioned him inside, and pointed to the bathroom, watching him like a hawk. After all, I was a woman who was alone with a drunk man in her flat. A couple of minutes go by until he stumbled out of the bathroom and walked towards the fridge. There was nothing in there except my leftovers, granted they were good fish and chips but I wouldn't be heartbroken if he snacked on them for a while.

"What's a pretty lass like you doing out here alone tonight?" Liam managed to get out. My cheeks grew hot at his compliment.
"I don't really think that's any of your business now is it?" I shot back.
"You look familiar," he said as he squinted at me.
"I may or may not have seen you earlier today with the little friend group you've got there" I managed to get out through my laughter.
"Ahhhhh the girl through the foggy window? how mysterious!" Liam laughs gestures to the drawings on the glass.

Our conversation was rudely interrupted by my front door flying open, and four boys storming in. Not to my surprise, they were the boys from earlier, only this time they did not look happy.

The boy with the brown curly hair was much taller than I recalled. He towered over the rest of his friends as he wiped his shoes on the welcome mat, stepped onto the wood floor, and took Liam by the back of his shirt. He then proceeded to drag him outside while another with a blonde tuft of hair and a kind face apologized for his behavior.
"Wish we could stay longer but we have to take special care of this one." a dark-haired, tattooed boy in black skinny jeans said with a smirk.

"Welcome to Bristol" one mumbled with a chuckle. Just like that they all swiftly walked towards the front door and exited like a giant cumulonimbus cloud after a storm had just hit.

"See you next time I guess?" I mumbled under my breath.
I decided I would deal with what happened in the morning. I was too tired to even think about the little pow-wow that just occurred.
I slowly returned to the couch, turned off the lamp, and closed my eyes.