𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑬𝑹𝑻À

𝟐𝟕. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬

A/N:
Massive thank you to @RachelFreeborn on Wattpad for offering to make me a cover, her sister is so talented !
Her tiktok is RachelFreebornTheAuthor

Chiara:

"So who knows about this little one?" I ask Arlette as I gently place my hand on her stomach discreetly.

"Everyone that lives here. I'll tell Leandros parents before they leave, don't want to take anything away from Angelinas birthday." She replies and I nod in agreement even though I know Angelina wouldn't care but I'd do the same too.

"Now where is my cake? I can't believe your leaving the birthday girl hungry!" Angelina shouts to Leandro and he looks like a toddler who's just had candy ripped away from him.

"Sorry mama, I'll bring it out now." He says before rushing out to the kitchen. If there's one thing I love about Angelina it's that she makes herself heard, she gets what she wants and in my eyes she's truly iconic.

Leandro comes back in with a massive cream cake in his hands and I watch as Angies eyes widen in delight at the wondrous creation. There's two sparklers on top: one that says "Happy" and the other saying "Birthday".

The lights go off and Leandro lights the sparklers from the bottom, as soon as they're both alight he joins me and we all sing happy birthday to Angelina. After a few hoorays and whoops Marino hands his wife a knife and she cuts it right after making a silent wish and I smile, because that's not something I see most adults still doing.

Cake gets handed out and all the guests scatter around in small groups whilst they enjoy the bake. I stand with Leandro because Ari ran to the toilet, and with each spoonful I find myself replaying the bathrooms events not so long ago. A small smirk creeps up on my face as I remember Leandros every word, and I have to shove another spoonful into my mouth before he notices.

"What's got you thinking so deeply?"

"Wouldn't you like to know" I reply with my eyebrows raised, and this time he's the one smirking.

When he leans into my ear and whispers "I already do." Butterflies swarm right into my stomach. I push his chest away from mine because I don't like how he just made me feel as if I'd be happy to fold over in two due to a single sentence.

"Okay that's enough." I awkwardly laugh before pushing past him and going on the second hunt for my pregnant best friend.

***

With Ari being pregnant and me being a heavy weight we swapped "dare or shot" for "truth or dare" and to be honest, I'm not sure which one is worse.

I'm also not sure why on earth a 50 year old woman would suggest this game on her birthday party, but what she wants she gets; so here we are, in the middle of this party game for teenage frat parties.

"Chiaraa mi amorr!" a drunk Angelina says and I take a deep breath in, waiting for the dreaded question.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth." I reply at once.

"If you had the chance to go back to your old life right now, would you take it?" She asks and my eyes widen in shock. I wonder whether this is what they all think and worry about, if I still think about and miss my old life?