Sorellina | ✔️

Chapter Twelve

I hardly realize I've began crying until I hear Elijah's voice and I realize just how long I've been wrapped up in my pity. I faintly heard the front door close and he must've came immediately up, he probably didn't talk to Xander or Francesco yet.

"Angel, what's wrong?" He asks.

His soothing voice makes me feel even worse. The tears flow even more and my body is trembling now, I'm facing away from Elijah and my face is half buried into my pillow as my hands grip the side of the pillow. If Xander and Francesco feel that way, that makes me feel bad, even worse if that's how Carlo feels, but if Elijah didn't want me either, then why am I here?!

I'm so wrapped up that when Elijah's hand makes contact with my arm, I jerk away in shock. He doesn't touch my arm again, he flips on my bedside lamp and walks around to the other side of my bed so he can see my face.

"Maddie, can you talk to me?" He asks gently.

I feel the need to try to make this right. "I'm sorry I wasn't what you guys wanted," I say, finally sitting up and drawing my knees up to my chest.

"What are you talking about?" He asks, crouching at the side of my bed so he can look at me face to face. His eyes look concerned, he still has on his trench coat, he probably just wanted to tell me he was here and go and now he has to hear my sob story.

"I heard them in the kitchen," I say shakily, my voice is an octave higher than usual and it's shaking, my lip is trembling as is the rest of my body, "I know-"

"Wait, sweetheart, you heard who in the kitchen?" He says putting a hand up to stop me.

"Xander and Francesco." Their names sound wrong for me to say, like I don't deserve to say their names.

He looks like he wants to ask me what they said, but he doesn't. I know he'll get the answer out of them regardless.

"They didn't mean whatever they said, Maddie, I promise. They're just scared, this is all new to them. They don't want to do the wrong thing."

If that's really the truth, then how did they mess up so badly?! When I don't want to do the wrong thing, I actually try, they haven't been trying. They just don't want me around, I guess it's easier for me to accept that than anyone else.

It still hurts.

He begins to move his arm forward and involuntarily flinch back, he sighs quietly, before using his sleeve to wipe the tears off my face even though my entire face is soaked, leaving tears on his sleeve.

"I have a surprise for you," He says gently. I can tell he's trying to keep the contact to a minimum to give me a chance to ground my surroundings.

I recall what he said earlier and realize he must've taken pity on me because I know Francesco didn't tell him I was good today.

I watch his hand closely as he slides it into his pocket, he pulls an iPhone box out of his pocket. My eyes widen slightly, I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out, I just sit their with a gaping mouth.

"I saw your phone, it looked pretty bad," He says, taking the top off the phone and pulling out the new pink iPhone from the box, "Sandro already has it set up with our names and synced it with your old phone."

I turn it on and look at the new screen. "I also grabbed you a phone case."

He hands me the pale pink phone case, it has a white pop socket on the back too.

"Elijah," I say incredulously, "I-"

"Madison, it's a gift, just accept it."

I hesitate, every gift has to be paid back at some point, and I dread the day when they want me to return the favor.