Tell Me The Truth | D.D.

Chapter Four

It's been a month. A month since I got that horrible text reminding me that I was still not safe from him. A month since I had moved in with my now best friend Vic and her dog Chili. It was a month since Ethan started helping me learn how to produce music. Most importantly, it's been a month since me and Damiano had started dating. But none of that mattered right now because I was late for work.

A phone call pulled me out of my hectic speed walk. "Good morning," Damiano said. "Good morning," I said breathlessly as I reached the boutique. "Someone's running late," he said, chuckling. "Fuck off," I told him, unlocking the door. He laughed and said, "I won't keep you long, but Vic just asked me to tell you that she wanted to go clubbing tonight." "Yeah sure I get off at two so I will go home and take a nap," I said planning.

"You do that, Lina," he said. Someone walked in and I said, "Ok Dam, I have to go see you tonight." We said our goodbyes and ended the phone call. 

The day was unusually slow, which left a lot of time for me to think about what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to leave the boutique and work as a producer, but I don't know what I would have to do for someone to want to hire me.

Those thoughts continue playing in my head until I get home. "Well hello, Chili," I said picking the puppy up. "Is Vic home?" I asked. "I am," she says, walking out of her room. "How was work?" She asked. "Pretty slow," I told her yawning.

"Up all night again?" she asked. I nodded, "Who knew having a job and trying to be a producer would be so much work." She laughed, "Well go take a nap and I will wake you up when we have to start getting ready." I thanked her and went to my room.

What I forgot to tell her was that there was another reason why I had not been sleeping. Since he sent that text to me, my nightmares of him had come back. They wake me up, and after them I don't go back to bed. Usually Vic is out, so she doesn't hear them, but I have to be careful.

When I sleep at Damiano's I usually don't get them either. Something about his presence calms me. He makes me feel safe.

At this point I was so tired, I didn't even care at the moment. So I took off my uncomfortable clothes and went for pajama shorts and a tank top. I crawled under the covers and went to bed.

"Why are you home late?" A furious voice came from the living room. I sighed knowing what was coming, "I was visiting mom." I walked into the kitchen and stopped dead in my tracks. Every inch of the counter was covered in alcohol bottles. I knew I couldn't escape him tonight. "I hope you were saying sorry," He said walking into the kitchen. I nodded silently and tried to get up to my room. "And where do you think you're going?" He asked. "I have a lot of homework," I lied. He knew that I wasn't telling the truth, so he smacked me across the face. "You ungrateful spoiled brat, you killed your mother and now your appearance taunts me everyday. You should have died not her," he said making some of the bottles crash onto the floor. A few silent tears ran down my face as he hit me again and again and again. After a few minutes I let out a sob and said, "Please stop, dad!" And the pleading and begging went on. Then I felt shaking, "Lina, wake up."

"Are you okay, you were screaming," Victoria said pulling me into a hug. "I'm fine," I told her, but I knew my face would give me away. "Lina," she said. I took a deep breath, "My mom died in the summer between my junior and senior year. She was my best friend," I told her staring out the window. "We were at the beach and we usually go swimming far out, but this time I stayed back on shore and she went alone. It was so quick I barely saw it. The current got her and dragged her under. By the time I saw it I was too late," I told her, avoiding her gaze.

"That's horrible," she said. I nodded my head and finally looked at her. "I know how it feels to lose your mom," she said. "My mom died of cancer when I was fifteen," she sighed. "Thank you," I told her giving her a hug. She gave me a questioning look. "For listening," I explained.

"Ah," she nodded. "Of course now let's go get ready," she said grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the bed.

Vic puts on some music, while I go take a shower. Then I put on some makeup and bring my hair into a slick ponytail. For clothes I put on my  black lace corset top and some leather shorts with healed boots.

The doorbell rings and Vic yells, "I'll get it." I hear it open and hear some familiar voices before a know comes from my door. "Come in," I say, looking for some jewelry.

I turn to see Damiano come into my room. "Well hello there," I say walking up to him. "You look fucking amazing," he says complimenting me. "Why thank you, you don't look that bad yourself," I say. He pulls my lips onto his and gives me a sweet kiss.

"As much as I want to continue this we have to leave soon, and I still have to find my necklace," I murmured against his lips. He groaned and reluctantly let me go. As I continued the hunt for my danty gold necklace.

"Found it," I said coming back into my room. I spotted Damiano looking at the picture of me and my family. I walked up and pointed, "That's me, that's my mom Stella and my dad Gino." I tried to say the names as evenly as I could. "You and your mom could be twins," he mused. I nodded and asked, "Can you put this necklace on for me."

He nodded and clasped the necklace. I turned to look in the mirror and started to scrutinize my outfit. "You look hot as fuck," he said coming up and wrapping his hands around my waist. I took out my phone and took a picture of us like that.

"C'mon we need to get going," I said turning to him. He slung his arm around my shoulders as we walked out of the room. "Let's go dumbass we need to leave," Damiano yelled at Vic. A few minutes later Vic walked out the room, and we left.

"There they are," Vic said going to meet with them. I hugged them both and then asked Ethan, "Are you going to be at the studio tomorrow afternoon?" "I think so," he said.

"Let's go in," Thomas said already half way inside. "You ready for a wild night?" Damiano asked taking my hand. I rolled my eyes, "Drama queen." He laughed and took my hand and kissed it.

The second we walked into the club the scent on alcohol and sweat hit me. Damiano saw my face and laughed. "What do you want to drink?" He asked. "Could you get me a martini?" I asked. He nodded and left with Ethan to go get the drinks for everyone.

Meanwhile, Vic had taken me by the hand and dragged me onto the dance floor. I started swaying to the beat of the music and dancing with Vic and Thomas. A few minutes later Damiano and Ethan joined us.

That night, though I would never admit to Damiano, was one of the best nights of my life. For once I felt like I belonged. I had everything I wanted. Little did I know that someone was plotting to take it all away.