Tattered Love

Chapter 9

"Perfettamente sbalorditivo." The voice is deep and gravelly. I look over and connect my eyes to him.

Alessio!

His comment leaves me speechless at first until I see a smirk form on his lips.

"Oh no! Delete it. I look..." I pause as I look down at my clothes. "Rough." I whine.

"It'll be a perfect picture to use at our wedding. It could be one of the pictures displayed before you walk down the aisle." He jokes. Or at least I think he is.

"No. No. That can't happen. Delete the picture!" I comment back with horror in my eyes at his statement. I watch as he turns on his heels and begins to spring off. Oh great, my chubby rear has to do exercise today. I run after him but he's so much quicker than I am. It looks like a Furby is chasing after Superman. Maybe it's a Gremlin changing after Superman.

"Issy! Use your football or rugby skills." Gabby yells out.

"Don't let him get away Isa! Come on! You were the star player in football!" Tori calls out from a small bush. I glance around and see our family each has an expression on their faces. Mostly amusement is dancing in their eyes.

"Isabella quit acting like a fool." Mother yells out. I don't listen to her, I simply ignore my mother. Everything has to be perfect in her eyes. Seeing her daughter chase after a Greco isn't something she approves off. But what can I say, I want that picture gone. Before he could make it any further down the grassy garden; I baseball slide and my feet connect to his ankles. In a swift motion as he's fallen, he turns to face me. His elbows and forearms are on both sides of my head.... Caging me in. His feet are keeping his body dangling above me. In other words, I'm below his planking form and I can feel his breath fanning my lips. As soon as my mind registers the positions we are in; a flash goes off causing my cheeks to paint itself a shade of pink. This gets both our attentions back to how we look. I already know I look insane; my face is probably red and botched from running around like a mad woman. Alessio pushes up off the ground and sticks his hand out to help me up. As I grab ahold of his hand; he pulls me up with a lot of force. This strong tug has me bumping into him.

What can I say, I'm as graceful as a two day old deer.

As I go to walk off, I stop in my tracks as a hand smacks the hell out of my backside. I turn around in shock to see it was Alessio. My mouth drops open and Alessio's finger pushes it back closed.

"You had grass and dirt covering it." Is all he says as he walks by me. My shocked state becomes embarrassed as my face feels like it's on fire.

"If I were you I would get that beehive fixed on your head. Maybe those two sticks nesting in your hair could be used as chopsticks. It might hold your hair up better." Alessio says as he runs away from me. Where has this playful side of Alessio come from? Wherever he's hidden it, I don't want it to disappear. But I know this side will fold back up into its corner as soon as we exit this garden. I pull exactly two sticks out of my hair and toss them down at my feet. I pull my hair tie out and shake my hair. As quickly as I can, I toss my hair back up and chase after the heir. As I start running I swerve around Alexander, Arcangelo, Antonio, and Adriano. They're trying to be quiet but I can hear each of them just fine.

"I love this side of them." Alexander whispers.

"He's never acted like this with Ana." Arcangelo adds.

"He's never like this in general." Antonio counters.

"To bad it won't last much longer." Adriano grumbles.

All you can hear in the distance near the trail is Alessio's deep laughter. Chuckling to myself, I run towards his echoes. I can hear our families behind us as I run further from them and closer towards Alessio's laughter. I make it to the trails entrance and freeze. I literately freaking freeze. My sisters plow into my back. Still I don't budge. They look at the direction I'm staring holes into with saucer sized eyes.

A snake.

Neither of us three intend to move a muscle. As soon of the younger four brothers come into view; there's smirks on their faces.

If I could swipe those off.

"It's harmless." Alexander says with a smile.

"See!" Arcangelo comments as he picks up the bloody creature. He turns the snake into our direction and all three of us take off screaming our heads off.... Down the trail the snake was recently blocking. Behind us is all four brothers running after us. I take a left at the split and keep running. I can hear heavier footsteps behind me. I push my chubby legs to move faster. As my round the corner that connects the previous split, I run into my sisters. Behind them is Arcangelo with that damn snake. I run around my discombobulated sisters and through the dense trees.

"There's probably even more snakes in there." Alexander laughs out. This causes me to run back onto the trail and as it splits again; I take the right side. As I look behind me to see where they are, I run into a sturdy body.

"Oof." Is all we both say as the air leaves our bodies. I glance up to see who I ran into.

"What are you running from?" Alessio says as his eyes shine with worry.

"A..." I start to say but stop when I look behind me and see Arcangelo with that snake wrapped around his wrist. Alessio sees where my sight has landed. I let out a loud screech as I dart behind Alessio.

"Angelo! Put that damn thing down!" Alessio yells. His voice was so loud the birds have gotten startled and flew out of their trees. I watch as he groans and whines before placing the snake on the nearest tree.

"Come! The waterfall is just over the hill." Alessio whispers. He grabs my hand and tugs me along the trail again. As we make it on top of hill; I notice a magnificent waterfall right above our heads.

Holy shit!