Afraid•Niccolo Genoveder Rossi •

Twenty-eight

| Serena|

I sent that text this morning, and he never replied.

He read it.

But never replied.

Ouch.

"He's an ass, Serena". Marco tells me, seeing me check my phone for the fourtieth time.

"I didn't even love him anyways". I spat  bitterly.

"Yes you did. You can talk to him tomorrow."

I felt my heart hurt.

"I think he won. The game he was playing." I say, after a small silence. 

"Maybe." Marco says quietly.

"I'll go get you some soup." I say, pushing the possibility out of my head.

"Serena-"

"Tomato or chicken?" 

"Just sit down, Serena".

"Tomato or chicken, Marco."

"FIne. Chicken."

"Thank you, Marco." I spat, walking to the kitchen.

|Niccolo|

The next day came, and I knew the problem I had to face.

I had to tell Serena.

And after that text I knew it would be hard.

And I felt it too.

I really felt it.

I fastened my tie, put on my shoes, and grabbed my backpack.

Virginia waited for me in the hallway at school.

I had to talk to Serena first.

But, my plan was failed when Virginia spotted me and pulled me aside.

"Hey Virgi"..  

"I'm three months along, Nicco." She says.

I couldn't tell if she was excited or scared.

"OH. Wow.."

"I think we should tell our friends, Nicco".

"Well, do your parents even know?"

"Not yet.. I'll tell them after I get the gender".

"Virgi, we're in deep."

"I know that. But you're by my side, so I'm okay".

"I guess so".  I say, faking a smile.

'I've gotta run, but I'll see you later". I excuse.

She kissed me goodbye and I walked off.

I had 5 minutes to find Serena before class.

I found her in the hallway, by her locker.

Marco was nowhere to be seen, so I took my chance.

"Serena.."

She looked over at me.

She was full of hurt.

"What." She says coldly.

"I want to talk to you about that text".

"Just forget it, okay?"

"I'm not going to forget it when you were right about it." I say.

She ran her hand through her hair.

I took her wrist and pulled her into a corner of the hallway.

She didn't even question it.

"Why didn't you respond, Niccolo?"

"Because I got some news".

Her face softened.

"What was it? Are you okay?"

I exhale.

This is going to break her.

"Virginia's pregnant".

The silence fell.

"You're joking, right?"

I shook my head.

She laughed.

But not a normal laugh.

A laugh of heartbreak.

And somehow I felt more heartbroken hearing that.

"Of course she is." She says, her hands on her hips.

"Well, have a nice life, Daddy-O". She sarcastically says, turning to walk away.

"Don't do this. I'm not letting it end this way between us".

"It ended the moment you got her pregnant."

"She didn't tell me, Serena. She's three months along and  I can't just leave her".

"Well obviously, Niccolo".

"Look, I'm just going to leave. Go back to the baby's mother, and forget me, okay?" She adds.

She was dead serious.

"I-"

"The feelings are fake, Niccolo. We didn't actually love eachother." She says bitterly.

I could hear the way her voice broke.

And she tried to hide it.

"Don't say that." I say.

"If you love me then you would let me go." She says, her eyes turning red.

"But-"

The bell rang, and she walked away.

And I was defeated.

Her words rung in my head. "If you love me then you would let me go"...

But I can't let her go.

I love her too much.

I fought to get her.

And she can't leave me this easily.