Pure Innocence.

Chapter sixteen.

Xander

Walking in with Aayda and everyone watching us made me feel good for some odd reason but I could also tell it made her nervous. When I whispered in her ear I could tell it made her feel a little better but with everyone starring her being uncomfortable made me want to stab everyone in the eyes so they could never look at us again. Us?

When me and Aayda made it to our first class I got out my phone and immediately texted her.

Me: hey, you okay? I'm sorry I shouldn't have pushed to ride together I wasn't thinking at the time.

Aayda: I'm okay, I just try to stay out of the spotlight at school so I'm not used to it. Not you fault thank you for taking me. I'll find a ride home you don't have to worry about that either btw.

Me: I have no problem taking you home but ik you live with your friend so either way isn't an issue.

Aayda: I'll have to talk to Lilla but I think she grabbed a ride with Max so we might just go over there after school but thank you!

Me:👍

I know the thumbs up was weird but we text all the rest of the class and then all throughout the day when we have a second.

At lunch I see Lucas already sitting at our table so I walk over there and once I sit down he starts with the questions. I was fully aware this would happen.

"Why did you and Aayda show up together? Did y'all fuck? Are y'all dating? Does your family know? Does she know about your family? Does she know the roll you are going to take-" i cut him off there.

"Lucas breathe."

"I just don't want her to take my boyfriend away." I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. This is the reason everyone thinks we are dating. Also how can we act like a literal five year old he works for the mafia?

"Lucas im going to go slow so you understand and question after." He nods for me to continue. "No we did not fuck, no we are not dating, Stasia knows the most so that tells you something, she doesn't know about my family and no she doesn't know about the roll I'm going to have to take up."

He nods and then gives me a questioning look as if he has a question and i nod to him this time. "So why did you guys show up together this morning?" It was a fair question.

"I found out about Theo and needed to breathe and get my mind off of it so I called her and asked to get some ice cream. I picked her up and we went to the frozen yogurt shop but when she went to go get spoons I sat down and checked on Stasias monitor and saw she was sitting up in her bed crying so we rushed out and I didn't have time to take Aayda home before I went to check on Stasia so she came with me. When we got to my house Aayda knew almost immediately that she has an ear infection and helped Stasia with the pain and then we realized we forgot the frozen yogurt in the car so I ran down to get it, put it in the freezer and when I got back Stasia was cuddled up with Aayda while she read her a book and playing with her hair. We all fell asleep in Stasias bed so when we left this morning it just made sense to ride together." He nods in understanding.

"So when are you gonna tell her, and when are you going to ask her out?" His question caught me very off guard because I  hadn't thought about it. Neither of those.

"Umm Lucas what are you talking about?"

"Alexander Emilio Russo, even when you were official with what's her face you never brought her around in public, never let her stay at your house or know where you lived, never called her in the middle of the night because you were stressed, and definitely never brought her around Stasia."

He was right. I never did anything to show her off because she was not something I was proud of. She treated me like shit. Forced me to have sex with her and after that made me think it was because we were meant to be. We dated for awhile and found out she was cheating, she blamed it on her and dumped me.I was never in love with her but I felt like I had to date because I slept with her. Then I slept with the bartender but I try to forget that, that was a really really bad night. I tried to reach out afterwards but she ghosted me. Probably for the best.

Of course I found Aayda attractive I mean anyone would but love almost never works out in the mafia. Especially if your the Don.

"Bro I swear if you are thinking about the roll your going to have to take and how love never works out stop. Love never works out in your roll because the men are shit. Cheat on there wives, use them for children , neglect them,  use them for sex, don't love them. You wouldn't do that and if you did I would personally kick your ass. It's the men that are the problem not the roll you have to be in, so don't hold yourself back because of some fucking stereotype." Lucas spits out. And he's right again.

What am I thinking I don't even fucking know her. Yes she is gorgeous but that doesn't mean I'm going to fall in love with her. "Me and Aayda aren't even like that Lucas. She's just a new friend."

"Xander the only friend you have is me. You literally can't stand people being alive let alone being around you or talking to you, so thing 'friendship' or whatever you want to call this with her don't ruin it. Also me and her are going to have to talk about a schedule because she is already cutting into my time with you and I'm not liking it."

And with that I have my joking Lucas back. I do think about what he said though. About not liking people, let alone talking to them and having a friendship. I'm not the friend type. And I let Aayda in without a second thought. What is this girl doing to me?

-
Aayda road with Max and Lilla to his place to study. I know she has missed a couple days and we also have only a week until midterms so she is probably stressed.

I also needed some time to gather myself and think about everything. Me and Aayda are just friends and won't be anything more. Yes she is attractive and my body responds to her but that's because I'm a teenage boy still and it's a biological, hormonal thing. I mean I also don't even know her and she isn't gonna feel that way about me and she definitely won't except my lifestyle and the fact I'm going to be the Don.

I need to take a big step back. I just met this girl.

—

Hi babes!! I'm sorry it's been so long and this chapter is not every good at all but I just got back from camp and I'm EXHAUSTED. I will try and post more than once tomorrow but no promises.

Word count: 1279

Bye babes, and I'll see you in the next chapter!!