Eyes So Blue I Drown

3| New Place

ARABELLA

I stare throughout the windows as the cab stops at the corner of the street. I step outside and shut the door behind me with a small thud.

The flight was pretty boring as I was alone inside the jet, all I did on my way to here was sleep. Couldn't get enough sleep as I was pretty much busy in packing my stuff and making arrangements.

I look upside watching the tall buildings which are touching the sky and colorful lights.

So this is Italy. It's... beautiful.

The same place where he's living too, probably.

Luca Steinfeld.

God knows if he's still here or not.

I begin to walk, searching the place I'm looking for on the mobile maps. I never thought I'll be coming here, ever. Neville will blow a fuse if he gets to know about him living in the same place as I am right now.

I stop on my way when I feel my feet aching due to the energy I just wasted in search for this foolish address. I look at a guy behind me who is standing with his back against the wall, busy on his mobile.

I stride to him with my heavy steps, "Excuse me. Can you help me find this address?" I ask and he rubs his neck creepily. Not again.

"Sure," he says and gives my mobile screen a quick look before staring back at me shocked. "You want to go to this address?!"

I cross my arms, "Yeah, why it's so surprising to you?"

He confusedly narrows his eyes at me, "I'm sorry, I can't go to this place" he says and turns his face away from me, getting busy on his mobile again.

I roll my eyes and walk a few steps further, roaming my eyes around this street.

I try to ask a few people about the directions but nobody knows, they just shake their heads which makes me wonder if they understand what I'm speaking in English or not. That Goddamn number of the person isn't working either. What I'm supposed to do?

I stare back at the guy who still has his eyes glued to his mobile screen and is laughing silently. I huff frustratedly and go back to him. My arms get crossed on my chest standing beside him, he has time to read memes but not to help a lost girl?

"You," I say, my nostrils flare, "You are coming with me and telling me the directions of this place"

"Dio mi protegga" he mumbles.

~~~

My gaze darts at the straw of my drink in my hands, it tastes great. The first Italian thing I tried. "This way, you can go on your own now, it's smallest to here now," the guy says.

I smile at his terrible English. "Thanks for your help,"

"It's ok," he says and turns around to walk away "Good luck"

Good luck? Why? Do I still need to search for the address?

I walk in the direction he just told me and stand in front of a huge mansion which is surrounded by numerous guards. This house is away from others, it's kind of separated.

I walk to the guard who is holding a gun, "Excuse me, I'm Arabella Hendrix. I believe the owner of this house was expecting me" I tell.

Goddamnit, it was such a hurry that I didn't even ask the person's name who lives here. I just picked up my packed bag on the shoulders and was ready to leave like a kid going to school with their parent with no idea how.

The guard opens the door for me just after hearing my name.

I enter with my suitcase bag and watch around the peaceful atmosphere of here. This mansion's boundaries are surrounded by trees and abandoned places at a very great distance. On the way to the castle like mega-mansion, we pass by a swimming pool. Thank God it's emptied.

"This way, please" the guard says, his accent while speaking English is interesting.

He shows me the way to the lobby of the house and I stand beside the couch, roaming my eyes here. I realise there are guards inside the house too. I wonder why they need this tight security.

"Are you lost?" I hear somebody's voice and turn around. A guy who looks same age as me, wearing a white t-shirt and having his hair colored in a shade of pink walks downstairs.

Woah, Barbie.

He stands near me and scan my body, "I'm Arabella Hendrix. And no, I'm not lost. This is the house I was searching for since half an hour" I say and feel an urge to comment on them for making me search for this house for minutes.

"Too bad the douchbag who called me here from LA couldn't even send a car to the airport"

I said and looked at his expressions changing into something horror. "Never call him that!" he whispers shouts at me, "He's our boss, you wouldn't like calling him a douchbag once you get to know him"

I furrow my eyes, why he's talking like that?

Who is the person he's talking about?

"Welcome, Arabella" I hear another voice from upstairs.

I snap my head upward and look at a girl walking downstairs. Brown hair, blue eyes, freakles on her cheeks. Why does she looks so familiar?

My breath becomes unable to pass through my lungs as I recognise her. My heartbeat raises abruptly.

I can't believe it's her. I can't believe she's in front of me.

Luca's younger sister.

Leah.

Beside her, another guy comes from somewhere I don't know and stands beside her. "Hey, I'm Fantino, and the guy you just talked with is Renzo. And she's Leah, the sister of our boss--Luca Steinfeld" he introduces. He pauses and adds, "As you must have heard"

"What?" a whisper left my lips in surprise.

This can't be true. It shouldn't be.

How can I end up here straight into my ex boyfriend's house?

Luca, the guy who left everything at LA and came here in Italy, again showing up in my life all sudden after four whole fucking years. What's meaning of all this?

I need to stay on my senses. Whatever and whoever has planned all of this is going to fucking deal with me very soon. I clear my throat before speaking, "Woah, I didn't expect this" I say, smiling, "It's nice to see you again, Leah"

She has grown up. The last time I remember meeting her, she was a demurring and talkative girl. And if I'm not wrong, she must be around eighteen years old by now. She comes closer and hugs me, "All these years, I missed you" she says.

"Uh, same" I say, hugging her back.

She pulls herself away, "I can't believe you're going to teach me self-defence!" she reminds me, excitedly.

Honestly, I can't, either.

"Mostly, we have male workers around the house, every type of worker. Some are pro in fighting, some are best in hacking, whereas other are good at machinery. Though they're all known for just working under his clubs as bartenders and some company works" she whispers the last sentence like it is a secret, "But Luca has always wanted me to have a female trainer"

"As if two females can't get attracted to each other" Renzo laughs.

"Having straight sexuality is another condition" Leah pointes her finger in air and says, laughing too.

"You should take a seat, Arabella" I hear Fantino saying to me. But I'm still so starstruck that I can barely note what's going on.

"I want to meet Luca," I say nonchalantly, "Right now."

"Sure" Fantino says and shows me the way, "He was waiting for you"

***

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