A young adult, Annalisa's life takes an unexpected turn when her family kicks her out of the house and then begs for her to come back. She is given a place to stay by Lucian Accardi, the head of a powerful mafia family based in New York City. Litt...
"I mean it, Annalisa! I'm sick and tired of you using your free time to laze around the house and not do your chores or look for a job!" My mother scolded loudly. I looked down at the floor, barely listening to my mother. My father sat at the other end of the table, silently watching my mother and I go at it. Again.
"I have a job."
"Fine," my mother snapped. "A job in your field. You aren't looking for a job in your field! You get paid more to substitute teach than you do at your retail job!" I looked at my mother, angrily.
"Per hour maybe! But per week? Per month? Per week at my job, I make between four hundred and six hundred dollars! Per month, I can make up to a thousand or more! It's not enough to live in my own apartment, but a thousand dollars can go a long way, Mother!"
"Don't you dare snap at me! I'm not the one fucking up her life!"
"Melissa—"
"Don't try to help, Philip. She needs to own up to her actions and deal with the consequences of those actions."
"At least I have a job that pays me well and consistently! If all I did was my substitute teaching job, I'd never make it out of your house! In fact, I would never be out from under your thumb!" I answered, my voice rising slightly in pitch.
"Give me your phone," my mother said in a steely calm voice. I stared at her.
"Excuse me?"
"Melissa." My mother put a hand up facing my dad to silence him.
"Either you give me your phone right now or I shut it off and you never get it back."
"I'm not giving you my phone. Least of all for this. I'm not twelve." My father sighed loudly.
"Give her your phone, Annalisa." I glanced at my dad. Really? He was just trying to stand up for me and now he's against me? Doesn't he realize how unfair this is?
"You're right. You're twenty-four and you're acting like you're twelve. Give your phone." I shook my head.
"I'm not giving you my phone."
"Annalisa, give her your damn phone!" I ignored my father.
"Give me your fucking phone!"
"No. Not like this. Not when you're acting like a child. Not when you're acting the way that you told me your mother treated you."
Before I could blink, my mother lifted her hand and slapped me. I gasped as my head snapped to the side. I held my hand to my face as I looked at her. She didn't look even remotely apologetic. She...she slapped me. I stood up and pushed out my chair.
"I...I need to go to Jayne's." I ran into my room and threw a bunch of stuff into a bag. Moments later, I ran out.
"Annalisa, wait. I'm sorry. That was out of line and—" I whirled around as I reached the front door and held a hand out, trying to put some distance between me and my mother.
"Stay the hell away from me. I'm going to see if I can move in with her and her parents for a little while. Until I find a job in my field and get my own apartment. Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't talk to me. I don't wanna see you or Dad."
Before my mother could say anything else, I walked out. I quickly texted Jayna about what was going on. She responded immediately, telling me she was coming to pick me up. As soon as I was in her car, all the emotions I'd been holding in came rushing out. I started sobbing as I hugged my knees to my chest. Before long, we were outside Jayne's apartment building. She turned off the car, pulling me into her arms, and let me work through my emotions. Once my tears had stopped, I took a deep breath and pulled away.
"Help me finish getting ready, Jay. There's bound to be someone at this ball who's looking to offer a job to someone like me. I can't live with them anymore," I rasped. Jayne nodded.
"I have the perfect mask for you, sis. Come on in and let's get you settled in the guest room." I nodded and sniffled as we brought my stuff up to her apartment. "Here." Jayne handed me a beautiful gold mask that almost seemed to match the gown I'd chosen.
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