The Perfect Lie

13

𝗦 𝗢 𝗙 𝗜 𝗔

Me and Nico never spoke again at the party. I don't think it was intentional on his part, but the party was so busy, and understandably, he had a lot of other people there to speak to as well.

After all, it's not all about me. And I can't expect it to be either.

Nico is an extremely powerful man with more connections than I could ever count. I am just a small inconvenience in his life and I'm probably the last thing on his mind when we're not in the same company.

I'm a twenty-one year old girl with no experience when it comes to men, or anyone outside of my family for that matter. My only friend is Amalia and that's just because our parents were friends.

Nothing I own is mine. Nothing I do is through my personal choice. I have never even made an important decision before.

It's laughable really.

Although I may have somehow conducted this strange little illusion in my mind of me and Nico, in reality, it'll never happen.

He has so much experience with life and I hardly have any knowledge of the outside world. Although we share similar lives, we are two completely different people.

It just frustrates me sometimes with how sheltered I actually am.

"Wakey wakey daydreamer." I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Elio shaking me repeatedly by my shoulder.

I look up at him and narrow my eyes, silently earning him to stop. He laughs, letting go and holding his hand up in defence.

"Did you just stare into space for the entire drive?" He mocks and I narrow my eyes in annoyance.

"No." I mutter.

Maybe.

"That's a yes then." He says, knowing me too well.

"No it isn't." I defend. "Are you going to help me out or are you going to just stand there?"

He laughs, offering me his hand. I take it and give him a forced smile as he helps me out of the car. It doesn't feel like we were only in Seattle a few hours ago.

And now we're back.. to jail. I mean home.

The only good thing about being back is that Amalia comes home soon and I can finally spend some time with her again. She's the only person I can really confide in, so when she isn't around it can be difficult.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Elio asks and I scoff as I watch him close the car door behind me.

"Sleep." I tell him. "There's not much else I can do is there?"

His smile drops slightly. Elio doesn't respond, and instead just retrieves my things from the trunk before gesturing for me to go inside the house.

Renzo, Leandro and Lula went in a separate car once we got off the plane. Apparently they had to make a stop somewhere to take care of some business.

Business that I'm not involved in, obviously.

They shouldn't be too much longer though. Especially because Lula is probably going to spontaneously combust if she has to wait any longer to be reunited with Rose.