A MAFIA STORY: MY FATHER'S DEBT

JJJF

Christmas was fast approaching, we got off the Thanksgiving break, and for the detention club, we had one more Saturday detention left. Although the tension between us had reduced a lot because the time at the diner made a lot of our parents engage.

Also, Nael was always in my space, shoving his face in my business, getting me lunch, lifting my bags, and walking around school with me. I loved it! Every bit of it. I lifted the last pizza boxes I was going to be getting and tossed them on the teacher’s table storming to my seat next to Jullian.

“Hey,” he said to me just as I took my seat.

“Hey,” I retorted. I have been mean to him for no reason and intentionally avoided him.

“I heard you are single now,” Jullian mocked.

“Yeah, your best friend stole my boyfriend.” As soon as I said that, I noticed the change in his mood and he leaned away from me.

“She's not my best friend.” He sounded like he was trying to make himself clear.

“Yh yh,” I mumbled and faced my business.

“What else do you not like except Coconuts and Watermelons?” He leaned in again and asked, something tells me he's only trying to talk to me. I stroked my chin and leaned away from him. “Me?” he raised an eyebrow at me.

“I like you,” I said and watched a smile spread across his face. “No I don't mean it that way, I don't just hate you…”

“It's ok,” he cuts me off, placing his hand on mine.

My skin tingles when he touches me.

He leaned backward, stretching out his legs and running his hands through his hair frantically. I peeked at a bonded piece of paper, something that looked like a manuscript, popping out of his backpack. 

“What's this?” I pulled out the manuscript and looked down at the words scribbled on it. 

In bold letters, the words “Ring by spring” were written at the heading of the front page. In smaller sized letters below the title was written “A romance novel” in italics and lastly at the bottom of the page, his name was written in the center “Jullian Barron Nyrold”

“You write?” I asked again not wanting to flip through the pages without his consent besides, reading and writing is not really my thing.

“Yes,” he answered with a little bit of hesitation.

“That's beautiful, I'm not much of a writer or a reader either but I'd like to read it.” 

We both went quiet for a few seconds and I had the idea that he probably didn't want me to read it. I looked up at him and we made eye contact.

“If you don't want me to read it, it's fine,” I placed the manuscript on his table.

“He is hesitant because his deepest and darkest secrets are in there,” Janae walked towards us, her arms folded across her chest.

“Jay Jay,” Jullian raised his voice a little as if he was trying to hype her up. His face lightened up at the sight of her. 

They must be really good friends.

“Don't call me that in Public, oh my god, I'm shy,” she covered her face with her palms as they both laughed.

“C’mon,” Jullian whined.

“You can read the manuscript, Jullian is just being a little weird,” Janae winked at me and then passed the manuscript back to me.

“Are you sure?” I raised an eyebrow at Jullian.

“A hundred percent,” he smiled at me and then slouched on his chair.

I turned the front page and started reading, the first page was kind of boring, or maybe because I haven't really read a fictional book.

“Do you know where our parents are taking us for Christmas break?” Janae sat on my table and leaned her upper body towards Jullian’s table.

“I have no idea,” Jullian yawned Lazily. “They are probably trying to make the best out of the last Christmas they have together before they sign the divorce papers,” he added.

I almost shrieked at the mention of divorce. What?! Why are they getting a divorce?? Does this have to do with my mum?

“Yeah, about that. How are you doing? How's Amy taking all of this too?” Janae asked. They both seemed so calm like his parents getting a divorce isn't such a big deal.

“I'm good, I really don't want to get into it. I'm staying with my dad though, Amy hasn't decided but she's cool. Her priority is making sure what happened before doesn't happen AGAIN,” He emphasized the last word.

I was still stuck on the first page, I was focusing more on the third conversation.

“I wish I had a protective older sister like Amy,” Janae was now lying down on the table and facing upward.

“Trust me when I say you don't want one,” Jullian smirked.

“Wanna break into the library? I heard they sneak eighteen-plus books into a private section in the library as well,” Janae turned to Jullian and formed an evil grin.

Before they could stand, I caught a glimpse of the matching bracelets they were both wearing. JJJF were the letters joined together with a chain.

“Wanna join?” Janae asked while I tried to figure out what the letters meant.

“Sure,” 

We walked out of the class and quietly made our way up the stairs to the library. Janae unlocked the other back door with a bobby pin she pulled out of her hair.

Wow.

“Remember when You, me, Jemimah, and Finn got caught breaking into school on Sunday??” Janae laughed heartily just as the door pushed open.

“I had a broken leg so I couldn't run,” Jullian chimed in.

You, me, Jemimah and Finn. I repeated Jane's words in my head.

Yeah! That's it.

JJJF ; Jullian, Janae, Jemimah and Finn.

Wow. Crystal, Nael, Lili, and I spent our whole lives together literally and we do not have initials scribbled on matching bracelets.

I sighed.

Janae was already flipping through the eighteen-plus books hidden in a large safe.

“Who keeps these books in this safe and how has the person not been caught?” I asked. I should know the answer since I have been here longer than they have but I have no clue.

“Jeremy, his Dad funds the school library so they made him the student librarian and well, they trust him so much I guess,”Janae answered.

I picked up a book and walked away from them, into my private place at the school library, the one Crystal and I shared.

“Be a good girl,” was the first text I read in the book.

Oh my god.

“Found something interesting?” Jullian appeared behind me, leaning in to see what I was reading.

Suddenly the atmosphere was tense and I was feeling the heat radiating from his body. I didn't understand the way I was feeling but I knew it was inappropriate. I shut my eyes as soon as his fingers found their way to my ear, moving through it slowly and tucking the loose strands of my hair behind my ear.

I released a soft moan as he brought his hands down to my shoulders. Then my phone buzzed so loudly that it evaporated the tension in the environment.

“Sorry,” I muttered under my breath.

I pulled out my phone and it was a text from my mom.

Mama Bear: Finally decided where we are going for Christmas. South Africa! Aren't you excited?