Rory

14

One week later

I was finally feeling better to walk and I even went to work again. I walked in and Ella immediately ran up to me and hugged me.

"Oh thank for you're here I couldn't it was so hard without you, where were you?" I smiled and hugged her back before answering, "Long story short, my father happened and i'll tell you all about it later but we gotta work now."

Ella pulled back from the hug and nodded with a little concern on her face. "I'll go put the open sign on" I nodded as she left and I went to the back to put my stuff away and grab my apron.

I walked out and saw that a few people had already come in. Ella and I started making all the orders that came through while talking about random stuff.

"So, let's talk about the elephant in the room" Ella's looked at at me waiting for me to answer. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on I mean your 7 foot boyfriend who glares at everyone who even looks at him sweetly" Ella said like it was obvious. "What's there to talk about I mean he's my boyfriend and yes he glares at people, he still glares at me sometimes"

"Please, he would never glare at you, he looks at you like you're a vault full of money" I just laugh it off and go to make another order.

"Rory, have you guys, you know, fucked" I immediately froze. "I- uh no not really." I said looking down at the floor. "Oh my God, so like you mean he's gone down on you, have you given him a blowjob or at least a handjob."

I look at her confused, "What's that?" and Ella's jaw just dropped. "You innocent little woman, so that's a no I guess" I just shrugged before going back to making the coffee. Maybe i'll ask Antonio what it is later.

"Anyways, your shifts almost over so call your little boyfriend over here" I shake my head, "I'm walking, it's not his job to pick me up plus his house isn't far from here"

"So you're living with him?" and I nodded "Again it has to do with my dad, I can tell you about it later if you want to call or something?"

"100% wait we should go to the mall together, I bet you need some new clothes." Okay she wasn't wrong but that still hurt. "Yeah yeah sure, what about tomorrow after our shift?"

"Yes! This is gonna be so fun, trust me Rory we are gonna have the best time!" She said shaking my shoulders. "Okay okay calm down I need to give to coffee to this last customer"

I gave the coffee to the customer before going to the back and taking off my apron and grabbing my things. I walked out of the cafe after saying goodbye to Ella and started walking home.

I made it all the way to Antonio's house before opening the door with the keys Antonio gave me. I noticed the car he took this morning was home so I assumed he was too.

I opened the door and saw Antonio on the couch with his face in his hands with his elbows on his knees. "Antonio are you okay?" He didn't answer, he was just mumbling under his breath.

He kept saying, 'I did it' and 'Please don't hurt her'. There was more I couldn't make out but I grabbed his phone and unlocked it calling Dante. He probably knew what to do.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"Dante it's Rory, I don't know exactly what's happening but I think Antonio is having some sort of episode, he's just mumbling things under his breath can you please come help me!?"

"Shit i'm on my way you need to calm him down, you're the only thing that calms him you need to show him your with him okay?"

"Okay okay"

"I'll be there in 2 minutes"

Then Dante hung up. I kneeled in front of Antonio and touched his arm but he flinched away. "Antonio it's just me it's okay, you're okay." I used the same words he said to me every time I panicked.

"I did it, it was my fault please don't hurt her, hurt me I deserve it she didn't do anything" I could hear his mumbles more clearly now and he was struggling to breath through his sobs. This time I grabbed his hand which he held onto tightly but still didn't look at me.

"Antonio you need to look at me you need breathe, please." I grabbed his face and made him look me in the eyes. Tears were streaming down his face as he looked at me and kept mumbling the same things.

Dante came barging in the house and ran over to Antonio immediately but didn't push me out of the way. Antonio didn't look at him at all and just kept staring at me.

Dante shook his shoulders trying to get him to snap out everything but that caused Antonio to cry more and look down again. Then he started yelling "Stop, stop please it hurts stop!"

"Shit, do you know what triggered this?" Dante asked looking at me before looking. back at Antonio. "No, I came home and he was like this. What is it?"

"PTSD" is all Dante said before moving me to sit next to Antonio and him kneeling in front of Antonio instead. "Hey man, you're okay, you hear my voice it's me, not Angelo, he's not here you're not with him."

After a few seconds Antonio stopped mumbling but was still having trouble breathing. I got up and got him water while Dante helped him breathe.

I got back and Antonio had his head on Dante's shoulder taking deep breaths.

He finally lifted his head up after a minute and saw me and his eyes widened. "I thought you were gone" I shook my head, "I'll always be right here"

"What triggered this one?" Dante asked Antonio who was still staring at me. "I uh went to pick her up and she wasn't anywhere, made me think the worse." I immediately felt guilty, I can't believe this was my fault.

"I'm so sorry Antonio I walked home I didn't know you were coming to pick me up."

"No, it wasn't your fault please don't blame yourself" Antonio grabbed me by my waist and pulled me onto his lap holding me tightly.

"I gotta go take care of the pub i'll be back to check on you later, si?" Dante said getting up. Antonio nodded. "Grazie Dante, lo dico sul serio, fratello."
(Thank you Dante, I mean it brother)
"Non ringraziare me, ringrazia lei" After that Dante left and Antonio relaxed against the couch with me still in his arms.
(Don't thank me, thank her)

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Antonio shook his head, "Later, not now" I nodded and held onto him tighter.

I couldn't help thinking what was going on but he'd tell me eventually I just had to be patient.
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Author
Antoniooo ahh i feel so bad for him also im starting to post like once a week so yeah but it always just depends on when i feel like writing so yeah but i promise at least once a week you'll have a chapter dw AND THANK YOU FOR 1k READS THATS CRAZYYYYY I LOVE YOU GUYSanyways i'm tired asf so love you guys- shay

(idek atp, love you guys sm- shay)