My Italian Nightmare

Chapter 17: Parting

8th of October 2021

When I woke up this second morning, he was still there. I yawned and turned around to watch him sleep peacefully, breathing in and out, calm and regularly. Even sleeping the bastard's looking like an angel, I thought and couldn't stop looking at his features. He actually looked his age for once. No superior expression, no arrogant tongue, no eccentric gestures – just a boy in his early twenties. A handsome one, still. I sighed and looked out of the window. It was a grey morning, no sunlight flooded the room, but at least it didn't seem to rain. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and checked my messages.
-"So you did do it with him again? Slut --", Freyja had sent me last night. I grinned.
-"Why, didn't think I had it in me?", I answered and chuckled quietly. Her answer came immediately; apparently she was just using her phone.
-"Shut up und come back, I need you to tell me everything"
-"I can't, he's still in bed, sleeping."
-"Fucking Italianos, istg. Wake him up then", she sent. "With a blowjob lol", she added.
-"Bestieee", I had to contain myself to not burst out laughing.
-"I'll come as soon as possible, ok?"
-"Okay. Give Angelo a kiss from me ;)" I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"What do they want you to do to me?" I jumped and looked around to see Angelo awake, grinning and eyeing my phone screen. I quickly locked it and blushed.
"She was just being silly, it's nothing."
"Who?"
"Oh, my best friend, Freyja. She's like my favourite person ever." I blushed again and shrugged.
"Come onnn, tell me what she said about me." I shook my head and laughed. If he knew what Freyja's opinion of him was. As if it would matter to him though.
"Come onnn, Ari", Angelo repeated and tried to snatch my phone, grabbing my waist and pulled me to him.
"Noo, stop!", I yelled and laughed, trying to escape his grip. He grinned and I held my arms high above my head.
"Fine, fine, I'm gonna tell you." He smirked in triumph and let go of his grip.
"She was just like, can you come over and tell me what was going on, then I was like, sorry I can't, he's still asleep. And she was like, complaining and said I should wake you up. Oh and she said I should wake you up...-" I shook my head and smiled shamefully, "with a blowjob. She's silly like that. And I was like okay I'll come asap, and she said alright, give Angelo a kiss from me. Satisfied?" Angelo grinned and looked at me in an amused way.
"Not quite." I raised my eyebrows. "You didn't wake me up with a blowjob", he said and pretended to pout. I rolled my eyes and sank my head down into the pillows. Angelo laid down next to me and his tone got a little more serious.
"So your friend knows about me, huh." I turned to look at him, a bit alarmed.
"Yeah...", I said carefully.
"Do more of your friends know?" My heart started pounding and I bit my lip.
"Well..."
"You know how bad it could get for me if people found out?", Angelo said and he looked at me sternly.
"Well, I'm not exactly running around posting about it. And I trust my friends with my life. I don't want anyone to know either." My voice went quiet at the end and I looked away from him.
"I don't know your friends. And if anything comes out about his, I will simply deny it.", Angelo said. His tone was cold and I blinked at the ceiling because I felt tears forming in my eyes.
"Alright", I whispered, my voice suffocated. Angelo got up and walked to the balcony, grabbing his pack of cigarettes. I got up as well and sat on the edge of the bed for a couple seconds.
Should've been more careful, you stupid bitch, I told myself and wiped some tears away from my cheeks. I stood up and started collecting my stuff. How did he just laugh and be genuinely friendly to me in one moment and turn cold and mean in the next? As I stuffed my shirt in my bag, I heard Angelo talking to someone on the phone.

"Si, é ancora qui."
"No, non lo faccio."
I wish I could understand what the other person said. Then again, I didn't really understand Italian anyways. I think Angelo said something like "He is here" and something like "No I don't want to", but I couldn't be 100% certain. It didn't sound very positive either way.
"Perché ci tieni cosí tanto a lui?"
He went quiet for a minute or so, shaking his head frequently.
"No, é solo un ragazzino stupido"
Ex-fucking-cuse me? I hope I'd understand that wrong.
"Avrei dovuto fargli firmare un accordo di non divulgazione."
Angelo listened and then laughed contemptuous.
"Non, no lo faró ora, non lo rivedró communque."
What where there talking about? I couldn't put the words together properly.
"Whatever, Matteo!", Angelo said angrily and hung up his phone. Oh shit, he'd been talking to Matteo? Why was he angry at him? And did they fight about something that had to do with our situation? I just couldn't believe that I would be the reason for a disagreement between the two. Angelo came back into the room and my heart was pounding. He looked at me and I shrank under his glance.
"Do you need cash for a cab?"
I shook my head and cast down my eyes. "I'll take the tube."
"Fine", he said. I looked up again and he still observed me, his eyes fiery.
We stared into each other's eyes. Was that it now? Why was he so angry with me? I would promise him to make my friends swear not to talk about this ever, if he wanted me to. I'd do anything to stop him from being so cold and angry towards me. His glance was unwavering and I looked away, my ears tearing up again.
"I'll...go now", I said quietly and put on my jacket.
"Okay", Angelo said, no movement in his face. I walked towards the door, slipped into my shoes and put my hand on the doorknob. I took a deep breath. Was this the last time I was gonna be with him like this? Was this the last time I was gonna be so close to him? My hand started shaking and I shrugged my shoulders. Suddenly, I saw a movement in the corner in my eyes and Angelo walked towards me and put his hand on my arm. I looked up at him, still afraid and nervous and blinked a couple times. He cupped my face with his hand and looked at me for a couple seconds. I couldn't really make out his expression. He didn't seem furious, but as if he was fighting with himself in his head. He caressed my hair gently and leaned down, so our faces were really close. I sucked in his face with my eyes again, scurrying over it, not being able to decide what part of his face I wanted to keep my eyes fixed on. Angelo lead his other hand to my face as well and held it gently. I swallowed and closed my eyes, my heart clenching together. Please, don't make me go, was all that I could think. Please, don't make me part from you. Angelo tilted his head and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. Then he let his hand sink down and let go of me.
"Addio, Arian", he said and opened the door for me. I stepped outside and looked at his face a last time before he closed the door shut.