A New hope

Chapter 16-Μικρή φούσκα

Romans P.O.V.- 

She's back. I didn't think I would ever be able to see her again. It was like she was dead, so much light and joy from our lives were gone. Even though I was young I have always had vivid memories from my early childhood, all of them involving sweet Ciana. Us three; Cassio, Ciana, and I, were glued at the hip when young. I barely went a day without being with the Ambrosi family. My mother, Emmaline, and Alessia were extremely close, practically sisters and not to mention my father being the former Don, Cecilio's, right hand man, we practically lived at the old Ambrosi residence.

When I overheard Alessio a few weeks ago, telling Romeo that Ciana was finally home, I had almost collapsed to my knees. My heart, that had been dormant for so long, had started beating again. I had watched everyone around me grieve and rage for Ciana to the point that they were killed from grief. It was so confusing and so painful to watch those who you thought were invincible be broken down like that, people who you loved and considered family. They were so consumed in their own grief that no one thought to check in with the youngest children. My little self couldn't accept that one of my best friends was gone, alive but gone. The only way that could comprehend it was if she was dead. My Ciana, my closest friend Ciana, would have never left me. So I told myself everyday for years, Ciana is dead, and that I would never see her again.

Her brothers had always had hope to find her again, that they could do the impossible and bring her back to them. I always thought that was very noble of them, but it also brought disaster every time that they thought they got a lead only for it to end up as nothing. The amount of times I have had to comfort Cassio after a farce is countless. Eventually, he lost hope just like I had many years ago. It was selfishly easier on yourself, to think that she was somewhere better in her own little heaven and not in the arms of someone that could do anything to her innocent little soul.

That first time I had seen her after so many years had been filled with rage. Throughout that entire day the most insignificant things had enraged me, running into a couch, my phone lagging a second, stubbing my toe. One of the things that usually calms me down is fighting and I knew that Cassio would always be ready for a good fight. I had already planned to live with them already with Romeo hunting down Ciana's kidnapper, but I had moved it up a day, coming earlier than they expected.By the time I had gotten onto my bike I was mad, getting rained on didn't help with that. When I finally got into their house I was soaked to the bone.

 When my eyes found her, I couldn't help seeing that little girl from so many years ago. She was curled up on the couch, her knees tucked tightly to her chest, her face shown with so much curiosity and hesitancy. Her face, it was so similar, yet so different, now matured with age, losing its baby fat from my last memories. Her green eyes had zeroed in on me, taking in my state. Seeing her had instantly made me calm down and by the time that Cassio came down the stairs to get me I had completely forgotten that I had been mad in the first place.

She had always been like that when we were young, I have always had anger issues and had a harder time controlling my emotions. While I have always seen doctors for this, nothing has worked better than Ciana's presence. It was especially bad when I was very young, my mother used to literally pick me up when I was in one of my fits and bring me to Ciana. The four year old little girl always knew how to calm me down, making me flower crowns, reading books, or saving animals. Once on a particularly bad day she had taken me to go see the little deer she had recently saved.

Her small hand wrapped around mine, gently tugging me into the woods surrounding her house. I let her drag me, though I still put up somewhat of a fight. Her chubby little face turned back towards me, narrowing in on my feet dug into the ground. Her pretty little green eyes filled with tears, "Romey you don't want to see my new friend." A spark of jealousy ran through me, only Cassio and I can be her friends. Now determined to scare away this 'friend' I follow her into the woods.

We walked for a good while before Cia let go of my hand. I instantly reached out for it again but stopped when I saw the corpse of a dead deer in front of us. Appalled, I quickly hid her little body behind me, protecting her from the rotting corpse. "Cia, we should go back." my youthful little voice states nervously. She ignores me walking past the deer and towards a tree with a small cave in the truck. She bends down, grabbing something before turning towards me.

In her dainty little arms is a baby deer, a little fawn probably not even 2 days old. I gawk at her, before studying the little animal cradled in her arms. It gently shakes in the little blanket Ciana has it wrapped in, its little head raising at my approach. I look into its innocent little eyes, finding them so similar to the girl holding the little fawn. Ciana's little freckles remind me a lot of the fawns dots. They both look towards me, studying me.

That entire week consisted of us taking care of the baby deer, feeding it milk and teaching the clumsy little thing to walk. One day, when both of us wandered around in the woods, the little fawn still in her arms, we found a mother deer with two other fawns. Ciana and I both agreed that it would be best to see if the mother deer would take in the baby deer that we had named Fawna. We had watched with teary eyes as the mother  had quickly adopted Fawna.

-

I sit across from her at the lunch table, watching her as she interacts with her friends. She still bears a resemblance to that little deer, her eyes are still lit up in curiosity and wonder, her freckles, and her clumsiness. I guess thats why I call her Μικρή φούσκα which means little fawn in Greek. I was actually born in Greece and I'm technically more Greek than Italian, my father is half Greek, half Italian and my mother is full Greek. My parents story is a long one, years of being rivals and trying to kill each other. Don't ask me how they ended up falling in love, I have no clue nor do I want to know. They are currently in Greece, in the past couple years they have taken more vacations with just the two of them. After helping Alessio, Gio and Romeo take over the mafia, they've stepped back in their roles as parents and as mafia leaders. Not that I mind, I already get hassled enough by Romeo and the Ambrosi brothers.

Even though they are not very present in my life anymore it is still clear that my parents very much care for all of us boys. Once they finally figure out that Ciana is back home, they will definitely visit for a while, leaving their main residence in Greece. Speaking of, someone should definitely tell them that Ciana is back, ehh not my problem.

My focus moves back to Ciana in front of me, laughing quietly at something Lucio says from beside her. She turns, accidentally making eye contact with me, she quickly looks away. I'm mesmerized as a rosy tone spreads across her cheeks. I watch her shamelessly, not even bothering to engage in the conversations around me.

Lunch unfortunately ends and I have to split away from Ciana even though I wish for nothing more than to stare into her eyes for the rest of the day. I watch her walk out with Tullio, knowing she will be safe with him. I began to walk out of the cafeteria, walking behind one of Elios' friends and that nobody Ciana brought, Lucas? Luke? Ah, Luca. "Ciana is so hot dude, if you don't hit that then I will." Elios friend states and my attention snaps to them as they continue talking not realizing whos behind them, "I know you called dibs man, but half they guys in the school want to fuck her." Elios' friend finishes looking towards Luca.

Anger roles through me and the itch to punch something starts to overwhelm me. I stay calm, quieting my steps so they can't hear me stalking behind them in the now very empty hallway. Luca starts talking, "Give me a week, she's desperate. She will come crawling to me, begging me to fuck her." my vision goes red and I race towards them without even realizing my fist at the ready, "you know I bet she's a virgi..." Luca's interrupted as my fist slams against the back of his head, completely knocking him out. I'm ready as Elios' friend turns towards me, shock covering his face, I knock him out before he can tell it's me.