Alessandro 16+ / Book 1

Chapter 38: Friendship

My body stiffens, my heart stopping as my bewildered eyes take in my best friend.

"Le-Leah," my weak voice stutters, baffled, surprised to see her here and like this. "How-how are you?" The words leave my lips not recognizing her from her distressed state, worry, and concern on my face.

She does not respond, and I continue with an unsteady voice. "Wh-what are you doing he-how did you get through?" I ask, shaking my head with astonishment and loss of words, my mind trying to process seeing her.

I have so much that I already feel guilty about, and I do not know how to explain myself or where to start because I understand that through all this I am a terrible best friend.

"T-the guards let me though-though when I told them who I was and... what I am to you," she says, sounding on edge, stuttering, her body fidgeting, and her hair messy. "But-but they still have me followed," she forces a smile and looks next to her where a large bodyguard stood. "C-can we talk?" Her rasp, raw voice breaks when she asks, the sight of her tugging on my heartstring.

I nod quickly, walking towards her, my eyes filling with tears and threatening to spill.

I did not know I missed her so much that seeing her shatters me. It weakens me and makes me so emotional, even worse when she is in this state.

I walk up to her, wrapping my arms around her, giving her a tight hug, myself melting in her hold, making it impossible to hold my tears.

She does not hug me back, but I still keep hugging her without any questions, knowing I've missed this and missed her, and Leah looks like she needs one...she also needs someone.

Pulling away from the hug after a few seconds, I look at her, eyes scanning the dark circles around her bloodstained eyes.

Her skin was pale and looks as if she was crying because of her dry tear-stained cheeks. "Come with me," I tell her, walking towards the sitting area. I sit on the couch and watch as she sits next to me. "Leah, first off, I want to tell you how sorry I am that I have not called or checked up on you...I was going through a lot-" I begin with guilt and regret.

She turns to look at me after scanning her eyes a bit around the luxurious household. "It's fine, and I am just glad to see you," she says, playing with her fingers and shaking her feet anxiously, avoiding contact with my eyes.

I slowly nod, licking my parched lips, not knowing whether to continue apologizing. "Okay, um, yeah. What do you want to talk about?" I ask softly, lightly clearing my throat, not knowing what else to talk about, my heart trumpeting against my chest, afraid to ask what happened to her.

"I-I have been trying to contact you. I was-was worried sick about you. Apprehensive for all I kn-know... I-I just wanted to know if-if you were okay, but-but you're okay...and-and as I said, it's fine," she nervously bites her bottom lip, and I sigh, knowing how worried she must've been.

I hated that I had done that to her.

"I am sorry, Leah. I am truly I'm. I was meaning to get back to you...things are just complicated here, but I am fine..." I whisper, scratching the back of my head, not sure what else to say.

She gives me a cold and weak chuckle that makes my skin crawl because I've never heard anything like that from her.

"Yeah, clearly," she shrugs. "I see that. You're going to Italy, good for you. I mean-yeah, that's, um, good. I am glad everything is fine here. But I can not say the same about me...." She takes a deep breath. "I am in anguish because of my-my- dad, did-did you know he's dead?" She starts unexpectedly sob after her hurtful words, not making it any better for me. "My dad's dead, Adrienne, " she states as if to inform me, but only if she knew, "and-and today was his funeral. I-I just said goodbye to my father..." She sobs before taking a deep breath, wiping her tears that keeps coming with shaking fingers, her voice being raw and hoarse.