Mafia Darling

6 | Gossip (Ella)

I'm curled up on my bed when Bella asks me how initiation was.

"Fine," I mumble. "It was fine."

"Who'd he kill?"

I turn around in the bed so I can face her. She sits on the edge of hers, painting her nails a cherry red. 

"It was fine," I repeat.

She raises an eyebrow but doesn't press further. 

"Bella," I say, slowly sitting up and drawing my knees up to my chest. "Can I tell you something?"

"Free country," she says, narrowing her eyes at her pinky nail.

"It scared me in the moment," I confess, "but now, it's not the death or the blood that I'm thinking off."

"What are you thinking of?"

I bite my lip hard enough to hurt it. "Marco. He touched my face and said, you look beautiful covered in blood. That's so disgusting and, God, it was cringey, but...it made me feel..."

Bella raises both eyebrows. "Wow. Looks like someone's got a crush."

My face turns red. "No, I--"

"I wasn't talking about you."

My hands slowly unclench. "You think Marco has a crush...on me?"

"Sure seems like it."

I glance at my reflection in the little mirror on the wall. "I don't see what he sees in me."

"I do." Bella comes over to sit on my bed. "He sees a doe-eyed, girl-next-door. A pretty woman of the innocent type." She takes a strand of my hair and loosely curls it around her finger. "A cute virgin."

Of course Bella (and Marco) can tell I'm a virgin. I don't even try to deny it and simply shake my head.

"The real question is," Bella asks, "do you like him?"

"I don't know. Didn't you say he wasn't worth your time?"

"People have different tastes. Just because I think he's a rich douchebag doesn't mean you'll think the same." Her tone softens. "Please, be honest with me. I know I'm crass, but I am your friend."

I smile gratefully, but it falters. "I don't know. I think I like him, but does he genuinely like me, or does he just...want to conquer me?"

"Good point," she mutters, going back to her own bed and lying down. "Good point."