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Chapter 36

Valeriana's pov

There was a knock on my door. I was currently laying over the edge of my bed. The door opens a second later. Verena walks into the room. She was upside down.

"Yes?" I asked. I slide off the bed before jumping up. My hand held my head. "I should have taken that slowly," I grumbled when I became lightheaded. Verena smiles at me.

"Once again your brothers sent me up to check on you. We haven't seen you all day. I don't know if you are aware but we are having a cookout. Your dads, Gianna, Miss Wells, your older brothers' friends are all here. There is a whole thing going on downstairs. Are you joining us?" Verena asked.

"Uh... Yeah sure. I mean I was pretty busy, but I can put that aside for later," I say. Verena's eyebrows furrowed.

"Doing what?" she asked. I purse my lips. I hold up my knives.

"Seeing if I still had perfect aim upside down," I say. Verena looked around the room before looking at the target I had hanging up on the wall. I had three knives sticking in it all in the center of the target and all the blades were practically touching.

"Wow, remind me to never get on your bad side when you are randomly upside down," Verena smirks. I smile before looking down at the knives in my hand.

"You are aware of how many knives I'm holding right?" I questioned while raising an eyebrow. Verena looks at the knives before looking me in the eyes.

"Yes I am. Come let's go," Verena says. I close all my pocket knives before shoving them in my pockets before grabbing the three in the target and closing them before I put them in my back pocket. "Why do you need those?" Verena asked.

"Why not?" I asked before leaving my room. Verena and I walk out to the back yard. I see three new faces. Two men and a woman.

"V, come meet the rest of our friends," Santino says. I part ways with Verena as she goes over to my brothers and their friends. I stop next to my dads. They were talking with Aurelio and his friend. They all looked at me as I stopped in front of them. "We got Aurelio's friend, Alvaro. Then we got Gioventino, Zario's friend. My friend Camelia. Everyone, this is Valeriana." Alvaro had light brown hair and dark brown eyes. Gioventino had dark brown hair and green eyes. Camelia had black shoulder length hair and blue eyes. Her eyes were a piercing blue. They stood out against her dark colored hair and tan skin.

"Wow, I'm so glad they don't practically live here like those three," I say pointing to Aristo, Lucian, and Verena. Ever since Aristo came back he has been her as much as the other two. My brother's friends look at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry about her, she doesn't have a filter," Kolton says. I purse my lips.

"Right, sorry. Yeah that sounded rude... haha my baaad," I say awkwardly. "Woah, would you look at that. My pal Wiggles is here, Bye!" I shout before running over to the dog. Wiggles looks up before seeing me and running over to me. Miss Wells laughs behind me. Wiggles lets me pet him for a while before he runs back to his stick he was chewing on. He ran back towards me. I grab the stick and throw it causing him to run and grab it he comes back and I throw it again. We did this a few more times before he laid down and chewed on the stick. I walk over to my brothers. Janessa was sitting with Lucian.

She was coloring in a coloring book while my brothers and the others were talking. I stand next to them.

"Why didn't you invite any of your friends?" Matteo asked while looking up at me.

"Well, I was pretty content spending the day in my room. Also I didn't feel like inviting them," I say.

"So you knew we were having a cookout?" Valentino asked.

"Yes. I can hear you all from my room. It's also Sunday you guys usually have a cookout bonfire thing on Sundays," I say. Pointing to my balcony that was right there.

"That makes sense," Lucian says. I roll my eyes. Verena played with a bracelet that was on my wrist since my hand was right next to her.

"The food is ready!" Aurelio shouts. The guys jump up. Lucian carries Janessa over to my dads. Verena stands up. Her hand slid into mine as she laced our fingers together. I latch onto her hand causing Verena to look at me.

"Are you ok?" she asked. I look at her.

"Yeah, I'm just not hungry," I mutter while pulling her with me to the others.

"You haven't had anything all day," Verena says. I look at my dads.

"I know when the last time I ate was. I'm good," I say while looking at Verena. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"When?" she asked.

"Earlier," I state with a shrug. "In the week," I mutter. Verena's hand tightened on mine. "I had snacks, relax."

"But not a proper meal, Valeriana. Eat with me please," Verena pleaded.

"Fine," I say. We make a plate before sitting down at the table. The boys were already shoving food in their mouths.

"You eat like this outside of school, too?" Miss Wells asked the guys. They eat like animals at school that they leave a mess behind. She makes them clean.

"They don't know how to slow down to taste the food. They're fatheads and shovel food in their mouths the moment they see something edible," I state. My brothers glare at me while they continue to shove food in their mouths. "At least it keeps them silent for a moment." Verena laughs lightly with Miss Wells.

"Oh piss off," Matteo grumbled. I smile at him before taking a bite out of my burger. Verena rubs my back before slinging her arm around my shoulders lightly as she eats silently.

"So are you two a thing now or are you making us wait?" Valerico asked. Verena and I chuckle but don't answer him. We weren't dating yet but we were more touchy with each other. I liked it. If I'm close enough to Verena I notice she will make it a habit to touch me. Like earlier she was playing with my bracelet and her fingers would brush my wrist lightly.