𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 ☏︎

𝟐𝟓| 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃

𝗡𝗘𝗩𝗔𝗘𝗛

"He's just so aggravating. I thought he was finally warming up to me." I complain. "He doesn't want me seeing anyone."

"Why do you think he doesn't want you with anyone else?" Isabella asks. She's been oddly silent throughout this phone call and hasn't been as energetic as she usually is.

"I don't know... maybe he's jealous or something." I say, going into deep thought about it. "He's at work right now. Anyways, enough about me, what's going on with you?"

She sighs. "Can you keep a secret?" She asks and I nod immediately. Her face comes into frame on the video call and her eyebrows are drawn in, like she's focused on something. "My family and I are involved in the Brazilian mafia."

My jaw drops open. "You're lying." I say, but the look on her face confirms it. "Tell me all about it right now."

"So my late boyfriend was also involved and he was killed by the Italian mafia." I gasp, putting a hand over my mouth. I'm so glad I'm home alone right now. "He got into trouble with them, stealing their imports and goods. Now we have to deal with the mess he made."

"And you can't leave?"

"Never. If I do, I'll be left by my family to fend for myself, and the Italians would kill me without a second thought." Geez. I thought this mafia shit only existed in movies. How she's still alive is beyond me.

"And my dad is trying to offer me to the Italian mafia don in an arranged marriage to avoid trouble." My jaw drops again.

"And did he say yes?" I ask.

"We're finding out today in a meeting." She answers.

"Wait- so, how do I continue to live life as friends with someone in the fucking mafia?" I say frantically. How do I sleep at night? What if they want to kill me?

"Baby, I promise they do not know who you are." She replies, breaking out into a smile. She hasn't smiled in ages.

I sigh. "I'm going out." I decide. I didn't quite get to try that coffee shop yesterday, so I'll try again today. "You should come — if you can."

"I'll be there."

I end the phone and get ready.

• • •

"Hey girl." I look up and see Isabella walking up to me, placing a kiss on my cheek. I kiss her back and give her a hug.

"Heyy," I greet back and she takes a seat in front of me. We talk for a while until a commotion begins at the cashier counter.

"Why is my coffee cold?!" The customer screams. Her hair is curly and ginger and- oh. It's Katelyn. And walking up to her is...

"Damien?" I whisper.

"Oh my Gosh!" Isabella's eyes widen when she clocks that Damien is with Katelyn. "You said he's at work-"

"Shhhh," I silence her, trying to hear what was going on.

"-you need to treat staff members with respect." Damien scolds Katelyn, and the poor cashier looks like she's about to cry.

"I'm sorry, really. It's my fault, her coffee should be warm-"

"You know that. So if it's meant to be warm, why the fuck is it cold, you incompetent idiot!" She screams in her face.

"Katelyn." Damien warns.

"What?! She's the problem, not me. I'll have you fired!" Katelyn yells and the cashier is in full-blown tears at this point.

I couldn't sit there and let it happen any longer, so I got up and walked over the Katelyn. "I've done it before, the last barista deserved it and so do you. I put her in her place, slapped her real hard and-"