Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 1

Leonardo's POV

1993

My father always says envying someone is bad and weak, but then again everything I do is weak in his eyes. I envy people who live a life without their father and grandfather breathing down their backs. I don't care about our next shipment right now I want to go out all night with my friends. I want to meet a girl or two. Being the oldest sucks. Thomas, my youngest brother, got hammered last night. And as much as I'm glad I don't have his headache he at least got to go out. He did get caught though, but when you're a senior in high school you tend to make stupid decisions.

"Leo you are going to the store with your Mom in five minutes," my Father says as I walk past his office. I was gonna go to my room and take a nap, but not anymore. Five minutes later I get in the car with my Mom and we are soon on the way to the store.

"You doing okay darling I know your Father has been hard on you recently but he loves you." What a stereotypical speech. I've heard it in every movie. He's doing it out of love, it's because he thinks highly of you, blah blah it's bullshit. When I have kids I will be nothing like my Father. I will respect them and their lives and growing up. I won't put this much pressure on them. I don't care that I'm taking over later this year I still want to enjoy myself while I still can. Once I'm Don I won't have time to go out.

"I know Mom," I say back staring out the window. She pats my knee with one hand.

"Can you go get flour, bread, and tomato sauce please," my Mom asks once we enter the store. I agree and walk away. I grab the flour and then the bread.

"Tomato sauce where are you," I quietly say while reading the signs above. "Ahh here we go," I say turning down the aisle. I walk down looking for the sauce we get when I notice a girl towards the end. I stop for a second taking her in. It's not normal for me to fall in love quickly but she is gorgeous. Her brown wavy hair keeps swaying as she jumps. "Do you need help?" I ask as I approach her.

"Yes please, I'm trying to reach that one," she says pointing to a can. Now I get a better look at her hazel eyes that look green right now. She is wearing green though. She is about 5'6, but not tall enough to reach the top shelf. She has a sprinkle of freckles on her checks. "Thank you," she pauses.

"Leonardo but call me Leo," I say.

"Amanda." We shake hands. She smiles and walks the way I came. This may be my only shot and if I can find someone I like it will make me happy and my Father will be happy I'll have a wife.

"Wait," I say. I'm so nervous right now I can feel the sweat. She stops and faces me. "Can I take you on a date? I know this is really random and you're probably like wow slow down because we just met and all but-"

"How does tomorrow night work?" She stops me from my rambling.

"Perfect," I say. I hand her my phone so she can put her number in and we say bye for real this time.

"A date huh?" My mom says from behind me. I smile sheepishly at her. "She was pretty." We return home and I help unpack before texting Amanda.

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I have been so nervous all day. We have dinner reservations at 7 at my favorite Italian restaurant. It's currently 6:30 and I have just finished getting ready. I walk out of my room and run into Thomas and Luciano. "Ooh someone is dressed up," Thomas says. No really? Who?

"Who's the lucky girl?" Luciano asks.

"Lucky more like unlucky," Thomas jokes.

"Fuck off," I say.