𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝

33

valentina

Sitting cross legged on the bathroom counter, I watch myself through the mirror as I flat iron my hair. Luna stands next to me doing her makeup and humming along to the music that's playing off of her phone.

"Tell me about your family." I murmur, releasing the clip that's holding a third of my hair up to do my final layer.

"Well there's me, I'm twenty eight so that makes me the older one and the more superior one." She smirks and I snicker. She does not look twenty eight at all.

"Then thirteen years after me they decided to have Vincent, my devil little brother." Luna gags at the mention of his name but I can tell that she loves him.

"My momma, Eleonora is going to adore you I just know it. Her and Imara have been best friends since forever. They're basically the same person."

"And my Papa or Alessandro is best friends with Lorenzo. When they're around each other they turn into teenagers. They're really nothing like their reputations. So sweet." She sighs wistfully, pausing to do her eyeliner.

"I'm sure you heard Matteo call me princess earlier." I nod my head and she continues, "Well, papas kind of the presidente here and Mamma owns an big tech company. I honestly don't know what kind of tech, I know cars are involved sometimes but she's really secretive about it.  The company brings in a shit ton of money though. She makes more than papa."

From the way she's talking I can tell that she's so proud of her parent success.

"Anyway, we have a reputation here for being so influential that people consider us royals," Luna rolls her eyes, "Hence the princessa title."

Well shit, I don't fit in here at all.

The fucking presidential family of Italy, the Italian mafia family and me, a twenty year old orphan/ ex addict who can barely keep it together or afford hot water. Insecurity hits me like a punch to the gut and suddenly, I don't want to go to this dinner anymore.

Luna picks up on this and throws one of her makeup brushes at my head. "Stop it, you've met Imara and Enzo and they both love you, trust me. My familia won't be any different."

"You better be right or I'm flying my ass back to New York." With what money Valentina? You're pretty much broke cause you spend all you're money on books and crystals.

Once I'm done with my hair, we switch places and I start doing my makeup.

I apply some moisturiser, brush my brows through with some gel and fill in the gaps with a brow pencil. I do a some brown eyeliner and curl my lashes, finishing the look with one of Luna's dusty pink lipsticks and a shimmery lip gloss.

"I'm so jealous of you're freckles, they are so cute." Luna gushes, curling the last piece of her hair and I smile.

"Thank you I like the ones on my face, just not the ones on the rest of my body." I gesture to the hundreds of freckles covering my arms.

She waves me off, "I love them all."

We finish up in the bathroom and walk back to my room, where Luna placed both of our dresses that she picked out for us while I was reading. The one she got out for me is a simple black dress that has a high slit on the right side. It's really cute and looks very comfy, which is very important if we're going out for dinner.

"Try it on, if you don't like I have backups for you, that one was just my favourite." She ushers me into the bathroom to change.

I slip on the dress and instantly fall in love. It hugs me in all the right places but doesn't feel to inappropriate for a family dinner, except for the slit maybe but it's far from what I used to wear. The material feels so good on my skin that I don't don't dare question the price. I might have a hear attack.  

Taking a second to stare at myself in the mirror, I decide to have a bit of an internal pep-talk.

I, Valentina King am going to be just fine.

Fake it till you make it, strangers don't know you're poor.

I'm pretty and I'm not going to be socially awkward.

I only have to meet three new people tonight, yes they might happen to be very important people but if you fuck up who gives a shit anyway. Your life has been bad but it probably has room to get a bit worse.

That wasn't very helpful was it.

Oh well.

Walking out of the bathroom, I spot Luna stood in my room pushing up her boobs and I shake my head. She's wearing a smilier dress to mine except that it's ruched and looks incredible.

"You look gorgeous." We both say at the same time to the other.

Luna holds her hands up for a high five and I connect my palms. She slips her finger through to keep me in place.

"You Valentina are going to be fine. Trust me they're all the sweetest people ever. Plus you look so good right now people will be too distracted to be bitchy. Okay?"

"Okay." I repeat confidently, this is going to be fine.

"Good, now let's go downstairs the parents are gone and so are Cairo and Enrico. Matteo's driving the both of us."

At the mention of his name, I falter a little. Judging by our previous car ride, this isn't going to be fun.

I hum and let her drag me down stairs once I put on my perfume and heels. Stumbling a little down the last to steps, I almost fall over if not for the strong arms that snap out to save me. I freeze, looking up into his green eyes.

"Uh thanks." I stare back down at the tattooed hands that rest on my waist. Matteo quickly removes them, stepping back and I fight the sadness that washes over me at the loss of contact.

I wanted this, this is for the better.

My eyes can't help but travel the length of his body. Black slacks and a tight fitted white button up shirt, with not all the buttons done up showing his tattooed chest. His usual watch sits on his thick wrist and silver rings adorn his slightly veiny hands.

Fuck me (please).

Finally my eyes reach his face. The lips that I've become very familiar with. His crooked nose. His messy brown locks that lay messily on his head, ones my hands itch to ruffle. Pale green eyes and very long lashes that I'm jealous of.

But those pale green eyes don't bring me warmth and comfort like they did this morning. Instead they're cold and make me want to die a little. If I didn't know any better I'd say that he looked hurt.

But I do know better and we weren't even anything so theres nothing to be hurt about.

We were friends and we still are right? Just without the other stuff.

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another short chapter

just bought verity so i'll let u guys know how that goes  😀
unedited
<3