Francesca Romano

Chapter 10 | Glitter And Colors

For the last week  I've been in and out of the hospital early in the morning and late at night. Spending my afternoons with either Beverly or my mother. Today I was a bit tired so as me and Beverly walked around Galleria Barcella, we wore matching mini dresses though mine was white and hers was purple.

We had been at the mall for an hour now so we carried a few bags already. The moment we step foot into my favorite store of all times, 'Karl Lagerfeid' my phone vibrated. It was Vanni, he finally made it and is ready for the first night of the carnival.

"Giovanni asked to find a mask for him, for tonight." Beverly nodded. "Ava asked for one to." Tonight's theme was glitter and bright colors. I was planning on wearing a contrast color pants with a bright neon orange tank top.

"Think Jocelyn's going to the carnival with max, tonight?" I asked as I found a bright colored mask for Vanni. "The mean doctor knows how to have fun?" A familiar voice said behind me. I turned to see Reid standing behind me with his arms full of shopping bags and he was looking down at me.

"Enjoying your first day out, I see." I said looking away and continued walking around, as he followed. "It's going to be even better tonight at the carnival." I nodded slowly. "She needs a date tonight so if your going..." Beverly said looking at me with a smile. "Does she?" Reid's smirk grew.

"No she doesn't, and I liked it better when you weren't talking." I said to the both of them. "Come on doc, it's a night out with friends." My eyes narrowed at him. "She'll see you there." I turned to Beverly and put a hand over her mouth as we walked away.

"You need to get out more, and I was just helping." She tried defending herself. "There's a small chance I'll even see him." I rolled my eyes. The Carnival was huge and had lots of people at all times on all 12 sections. The chances of seeing each other was very slim.

We bought our things and headed to my moms house where we planned to get ready before hand. It was already dark out, soon the carnival would start. Giovanni and Ava's car was already in the driveway and all the lights were on. We knocked on the door and my mother opened with not even a hello. I went up stairs to my room with Beverly, where we found Ava in a bra, changing.

At the sight of Beverly she jumped and ran over to her, wrapping her arms tight around Eve's neck. Beverly's jaw clenched as she hugged back and I sucked my lips between my teeth trying not to laugh. I walked over to my bed where I laid out my clothes and Ava came behind me with a tight hug as well. Her blond hair came out of the pony tail she had it in from all the jumping.

When Giovanni came into the room with a soft knock on the door I handed him the mask along with a side hug. "What's wrong with mom?" I asked removing my shoes. "No Idea. Showed up and she was already in a mood." I sighed. When is she not. "Just give her the space. We'll be down in 20 minutes."

"Did you get me the mask baby?" Ava asked her doe eyes looking Beverly up and down. I left them and went to go get dressed in the bathroom. My phone vibrated as I slipped on bright blue heel-boots. "We're five minutes away." I walked out of the bathroom to fide Ava sitting on Eve's lap kissing on her neck. "Jocelyn's five minutes away from the carnival, love birds." I stated as I walked out grabbing my keys and purse. I placed my mask on the back of my head and knocked on Vanni's door.

~

We all had left in our own cars and made sure to park next to each other. When we got there the lights were flashing different colors and we all flipped out masks to our face. My skull mask that I had painted dimmed the lights a bit so that was good.

Three cars down there was a girl sitting on her hood looking into the camera of her phone, fixing her long pink hair. Gio walked over to her and took her hand, walking her back to us. "These your friends Vanni?" She said and we both looked at her as if she was crazy. "What?" She asked. No one ever called me Frankie besides and Giovanni, and same goes for me calling him 'Vanni'.

"Since when do you call me that? Don't do it again." He said removing her hand from around his. She threw her hands up and walked through the entrance of the carnival. We all looked at each other before following her.

Soon later we found Jocelyn and her husband, Max. "Cool mask Francesca." Max said and I showed it off. "Look, that guy has a similar mask to yours." I looked over to where Ava pointed, and she's rights. The 6'1 guy was in all black talking to someone and his Skull mask was painted in all kinds of colors but the pattern was different.

He had noticed me and was looking at me, but before I could react the lights when off and it was pitch black.

The carnival has started.

"Fire Drill." A woman's voice said threw speakers where her voice was distorted. The pitch black was broken with two white flashes of light, and I noticed the guy was gone. But the lights where off again.