𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮

'Cause Mama I'm in love with a criminal

"Okay, I don't understand Rosa. I get whatever you did was right for you but I cannot continue like this. Tell me what's happening. Why are you suddenly siding with a strange man? You don't behave like you've been kidnapped so nothing just sits right. Please, I must know everything. You don't have to carry every burden on your shoulders & be crushed underneath. We're family & I care for you. It would be best if you didn't bear it all alone. I've been selfish all along, it wasn't right to just let you be the responsible elder sibling when I know I could have contributed to every work without ever letting it all press you down or any of us. I want you to only tell me in general if you want to avoid the details for some reason, I promise I will not complain okay."

I discreetly glanced at Dante to make sure it was alright to let her know & he approved of me speaking. I wonder if he permitted me to tell her every detail or not. With a huff of breath, I started to enlighten my Elen upon the matter & concluded with, "It may be by far the hardest thing to digest for you but there's no one who can understand you better than me. So, talk to me if you have any doubts but do not try to pry on the details or anything. It's risky & it's of no help, trust me." Dante left us alone which was not something someone would've done if they were in his place. 

"I do trust you dear, I do. It's just that it's too much for now I suppose. So you're saying, Dante's father was responsible for the death of not only our parents but his mother as well? Contrary to the initial belief that it was a car accident, it was a deliberate act of shooting and killing orchestrated by Dante's father because he presumed that our parents leaving & his mom supporting them in the act was sort of a betrayal. This way he harbors strong negative feelings towards his father, particularly due to the loss of his mother. In response to this tragedy, Dante has decided to seek revenge, initiating a plan to avenge the deaths of his parents?", she made a conclusive statement judging by the nature & weight of my words. 

"Yes exactly & did not need any further validation because he was aware of you Elen. He knows about us & we have a family picture at his house with us as an exception ofcourse. Dante isn't fond of letting everyone see that, I'd also solely come across that incidentally. So I doubt he'd let you see it but I will ask him if he can. He's done so much for me that I think he may respect my request like every other." A judging yet perplexed expression covered Elen's face but she did not inquire further. When we were done I invited Dante back inside & Elen looked at him with pity only for her to say, "I'm sorry your mother passed away Dante. I won't judge you but please be easy with my sister. Be good with her even when I don't know what sort of relationship binds both of you.", a look of understanding passed Dante's features as it dawned upon him that I left out every single detail about his background because It's simply unethical to tell about him to Elen when he shared his secret dark past with me. It'd be his choice if he lets Elen in on it ever but otherwise, I will never lead him to mistrust. 

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The entire day passed with Dante making different types of warnings to Elen for her safety. I adore him for giving my sister space & still letting her know ways she can protect herself even if it's not physically developing exercises or torturous routines. "It's up to you Eleneanour, whether you want to reside in the same room as Rosa or if you want to have some space for now", Dante questioned when the day was near to an end. "I think it'd be better for me to stay alone for some time, let me adjust to this entirely new situation.", said Elen exasperatedly. "Okay well then good night, my servants will show you your room & you can ask them without any concern for any necessities you may require", Dante bid goodbyes to Elen & so did I as I hugged her, squishing her with the sheer force of. 

When Elen was out of sight, Dante closed in the distance between us & asked, "You want to drink away the tears?", he might've noticed my welled eyes, but I did not bother refusing. He's seen me beg, be excited & pitifully alone all during these seemingly elongated past days. Catching me off-guard, he placed my hand in his as if to comfort me while seeking my closeness & led us to his cellar. I'm thankful to Dante even if I failed to voice my thoughts. He always has my back and doesn't even question what I'm doing, or why am I doing it. He even allowed me to share this messed up situation with Elen because it's not only about our parents. It's concerned with the involvement of his mother as well. I should try to understand his ways more than I do. He helps me learn to protect myself, he's against his father but doesn't mind my equal hate for him. However wrong his dad is, he is his father after all. No child can completely abandon or their parents. It's a tough task & that's what makes Dante courageous. During this tough time, I know I have failed to help out Elen but it's not something I can help her take in any better than it is. I have always been this way, helped her out but just now my mind is also all over the place & so I am a failure in this regard, in assisting her emotions as her elder sister. I cannot guide her right now because I feel lost in a battle of feelings too.

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When we were finally at the basement, he clanked open the door to it & climbed down the stairs while offering me his hand for support. The stairs were long & steep, the minute I succumbed to the tension in my brain my foot slipped off jamming my body onto Dante. Oh please, I don't wanna continue being such a nuisance. Why can't I just walk right? Why would my kegs become wobbly right when I'm with him? I hate it. "Miss Rosalia, please walk primly, I cannot always be there to catch you, you know?", I loudly cleared my throat & immediately stopped clinging onto him. What do people always tell you? You trip when you're in a rush & so was I right now which only made me skip a stair & I was sure that now I would land on the floor. Am I kidding though? Ofcourse not, I fell only to land on Dante's chest. We were touching in places I wouldn't dare say, it made my heart throb painfully fast. "Well you simply don't listen to what I say, do you, Miss Rosa? Care for your body for me if not for yourself." "Ew no, why would I ever do that?" I'm joking, I will for sure do that if he asks me to. We're in such a closed space & he's so hot and so close to me, that my mind refuses to work properly.

I pushed myself off of him, done with today's embarrassing encounters & put my palms over my face to conceal my reddened facial features. "Why are you not getting up?", "Because it's convenient to stay on the floor if that's the only place I'm going to be after all."And then he chuckled. I've never seen him like this. Just off-guard. Without a single frown on his unblemished face. I just saw this once, I want to see it twice, no perhaps forever. What am I even saying?

"Care for a dance M'Lady?", Dante curiously asked. 

"I can't dance, Dante", I replied.

"I'll teach you.", I was messing with him. 

"And what if I fall?", I joked.

"Then I'll catch you. Once, twice or however more fall you might", this attractive ambiance around him is so strong, I can't pull out. 

So we danced, drunk & dazed until the gleaming sun of the dawn appeared back on its throne, the sky. With our souls still trapped in a stupor, we bid each other farewell until we promise to lift our eyes to the same heights. I wanna see him now, after & always. Whether it is Stockholm syndrome or whatever else it may be. It's too late to pull back. I'm not sure if my feelings are reciprocated or not. That is not something that love asks for, it's an obsession. I haven't yearned for anything more than him in my life, I am not familiar with abandoning & so I will wait, and see however long it may last. Not asking him to make room for me in his heart but only wishing for it.