Deadly and Dangerous

Chapter 8 : Gunshot

I woke up this morning smiling like an idiot after I remembered my date last night with Angelo. How could I have been so lucky to have met him, yes in unfortunate circumstances, but nevertheless, he was still persistent enough to not take no for an answer.

I planned to have a lazy day in my pajama's until it was time for our date tonight, however the plans went out the door once my front door was banged very loudly. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my baseball bat and treaded towards the door. I slowly opened my door to reveal a delivery man with a box in his hand and a bouquet of white roses. I realized that he couldn't be a potential threat and I discretely placed the bat to the side of the door.

"Miss Serena Black?" He asked with a grunt.

"Yes?" I replied slowly, cautiously.

"Please sign this form." He said, shoving the papers to me.

"What is this?" I asked unsurely, while taking the pen and file.

"Does it look like I know? I just deliver lady." He said with a solemn expression.

Wow, people just aren't that friendly nowadays. After I signed the papers, he set the box down on the floor and handed me the roses. I didn't hear another word from him, as he just left without another look back.

I was a bit weary to open this box. It didn't have an address as to where it was sent from. I gently picked up the box with my spare hand and went into my living room. There was a note hidden in the roses, which was written in all red, Don't think that I forgot to get you a white rose. This is only a reminder that you are going to get so much more. In the box, is your outfit for tonight. I have no qualms that you will look absolutely stunning in it, as usual. See you at seven gattino.

My cheeks were hurting from all the smiling, after I read and reread his note. How he even knew my size was scary. I slowly opened the lid and gasped what I saw inside. Inside the box was the most beautiful red dress that I have ever seen. It seemed to look as if it covered my collarbone and parts of my shoulders. It had a slit down the left side of it, after the hip portion, which was to reveal a portion of my leg. In the box, there also were silver high heels as well, with a delicate rose pattern across the front of the foot of the shoe towards where my ankle would be. Angelo sure had style. I actually didn't want to wear this dress, it was too beautiful and I didn't want to mess it up.

After depositing the dress and shoes carefully into my cupboard, I decided that my lazy day has to come to an end. Maria said that I couldn't work at the shop, but she didn't say that I couldn't visit. So I showered, brushed my teeth and put on a pair of black jeans with a red tank top and a black jacket over it, with some red vans. After throwing my hair into a messy bun, I began my trek down to the café where I work.

As the bell chimed above me, it made me realize how quickly I was walking. I sat down in a booth, where Beth came to serve me.

"Serena? Hey, where have you been?" She asked, while standing with her hand on her hip.

"Oh, I've just been around. Been taking a little break." I replied, smiling warmly at her. I was a bit nervous, so I started playing with the ends of my black hoodie.

"Is everything okay? Maria's been calling in sick quite a lot. She hasn't pitched to her night shifts, only her morning ones. Seems as if the both of you are in cahoots here." She said with a small giggle.

"She hasn't?" I asked confused. Speaking of, I saw Maria standing by the counter, serving coffee to a really cute old couple. They were chatting quite nicely, so I decided to speak to her after her conversation was finished.

"Yeah, I feel really bad. She seems to be so stressed." She said while rolling from foot to foot.

I saw Maria wave at the old couple and decided that this was my chance to go speak to her.