Mafia's girl

Chapter 11

Translation for this chapter- (Again I don't know French or Korean so I went with the most commonly suggested thing from multiple sources)
Imo- Aunt
Tante- Aunt

*Aria's P.O.V*

I set my bag down on my bed in case I needed to grab it when going down the fire escape. I walked over to the door, pressing my ear against it. My years of eavesdropping paid off and the fact that the apartment wasn't the biggest in the world allowed me to listen in on the conversation.

"Maman, Umma.  How are you both?" I heard Lexi say, presumably letting them in.

"We are well, how have you been?" My Tante Estelle asked. Aunt Estelle was my favorite aunt and that was saying a lot seeing as I only had two and she had married into the family.

"Good, I've been good. I'm doing well in all my classes," Lexi said. I snorted at that, knowing that she was only telling them that because her finals were coming up and she knew they worried over such things. She was planning on getting a degree in law and then starting her own firm.

"I have no doubt about that, I see you've been watching the news," Imo Lilou said. Her voice sounded annoyed and if I knew my aunt that was never a good sign.

"Of course, wonderful news isn't it? That Aria's been spotted that is," Lexi said, sounding awkward. I cursed her lack of ability to play things off especially when around her mothers.

"Yes, quite wonderful," Tante Estelle said. "Although now it's raised some suspicions in the family," she said.

"Oh really? Why?" Lexi asked, managing to sound confused. She probably was actually confused and so was I. Why would it raise suspicions? There was nothing suspicious about me appearing out of thin air after seven years.

"Yes. Like how she's managed to remain in the city for so long undetected," Imo Lilou said. "We've had lookouts at every known spot that she would appear at," she stated. I froze at that, biting my bottom lip nervously.

"Well have you found her?" Lexi managed to ask, tripping over her own words in a hurry to ask. I had to admit that she could convey a very convincing worried tone. Perhaps I should be worried about the acting classes she took in her spare time.

"No, which is quite strange. However we realized that we overlooked one major place and that is here," Imo Lilou said.

"Why would Aria show up here? She doesn't even know where I live," Lexi replied.

"She doesn't? How are you so sure? Have you talked to her recently?" Tante Estelle asked sharply.

"No, Maman you know I would tell you if I had," Lexi said simply.

"I don't think you would Lexi and that pains me to admit. I'm not sure I can trust you to tell the truth especially after we looked back over some of your behavior," Tante Estelle said softly.

"What behavior? I've done nothing to make you think of me as a liar," Lexi said. At that I knew she had been pushed into a corner with their words. In our family, accusing someone of calling you a liar was quite serious. It was saying that there was an apparent lack of trust between you and the other person.

"No one has called you a liar, however unless you can explain your behavior then I believe that you may have been lying to us," Imo Lilou said. I bit my bottom lip as I listened to the back and forth.

"What behavior? Answer me what I have done to make you think of me as a suspicious person?" Lexi demanded to know, her fear of being found seeming to turn into anger.

"Your insistence on having at the very least, a two person apartment," Tante Estelle said.

"I like having space," Lexi insisted on saying, making me facepalm.

"You insisting that the other bedroom must always be locked?" Imo Lilou asked.

"There's no reason you need to be in there," Lexi stated. I face palmed as I pressed my ear harder against the door, hoping to be able to hear the rest of the conversation.

"Lexi, I want you to be honest with us. Is Aria here?" Imo Lilou asked softly.

"No," Lexi answered and I heard the catch in her voice. That's when I knew we were caught, her voice catching in her throat was always the reason we got caught when we were children and it was why we were going to get caught now.

"Lexi," Tante Estelle said softly and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. "We managed to get a copy of your lease, her name is on it," she stated.

"Why is it any of your business whether Aria is here or not? Do you guys suddenly care about her? No one seemed to care before she ran away," Lexi said and her words hurt because it was true.

My parents had always been busy with work unless I acted out. Acting out had turned their attention back to me and I managed to hold it for a little bit. However they inevitably would get busy again so it was just an endless cycle. That was until I was sent to boarding school. It wasn't a nice school, it just acted like it was on the outside.

I had lashed out more and more to get my parents to have to come down to school. Eventually I ran off and at first I had only planned on staying away for a few days to make them worry. However I found a lot more happiness with my freedom and the fact that I didn't have to answer to anybody anymore. It was also where I learned that I didn't fit in and never would fit in with my family.

Some people were built to be a part of a family and it felt like I wasn't. It felt like my brain was wired the wrong way. My sisters were so smart and mature and I just wasn't. I struggled to get stuff turned in, I barely managed to get a decent grade and I clung to people for attention.

I sniffled softly as I sat back, pressing my back against the door. I hadn't planned to relive through those memories, I preferred to pretend they didn't exist. I took a deep breath when I heard footsteps coming down the hall and tensed in preparation.