Purity

Prologue

15 years ago...

I felt the hot sun shine on my small head as we got into groups.

My friend, Giovanni came up to me, "Orabella, want to play Bocce with me? I'll teach you how to be a professional like me", he said with a huge beam on his chubby cheeks.

"I already am a professional silly goose but okay Gio", I said.

We were the only third graders there and we were going against groups with fifth graders.

They looked at us and smirked thinking they would win.

The coach whistled signifying that the game had started.

One of the groups threw the large ball in the field, one by one the groups threw their ball to see who could get it closer.

I picked up the ball and handed it to Gio but he shook his head, "I'm not the only Italian here, it runs in our blood, Bella. You can do it!".

I confidently smiled and threw the ball underhand as swiftly as I could.

It ended up farther away than all of the groups and I immediately sulked.

I felt Gio's reassuring arm around my shoulder, "it's okay, if there was an award for being the farthest away from the ball then you would totally win".

"Thanks Gio, you're a great friend", I said with a smile.

One of the groups with fifth graders won the round and immediately began yelling in excitement.

P.E was our last class for the day so we both boarded our bus.

Gio always got off before me so when we reached his bus stop, I hugged him and waved when the bus began to depart.

The next day Giovanni didn't show up at school and I knew something was wrong when my mom personally picked me up from school since I always took the bus.

I remember walking to the car with a confused but happy look since I didn't want to ride the bus without Gio.

I got inside the car and my mom gave me a sad, comforting smile.

"Dolcezza, something has happened to Gio.", she began.

I slowly looked up at her and waited for her to continue.

"H-his parents, they're dead. The police think that Giovanni found them there when he went inside and—".

"Mom, they're probably playing dead like possums. In Over the Hedge, the dad always played around with his daughter like that".

"Tesoro, I wish you were right. I really wish you were", when my mom started to sob, thats when I knew that she was serious.

"MOM, WHERE'S GIOVANNI?", I frantically screamed worried about my best friend.

"WHO KILLED THEM? WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT?", I began to sob and I hid my face with my hands.

My mother parked the car and carried me onto her lap while she rocked me back and forth.

"I know fiorella, I know. Some people are sick and cruel and like to see people in pain", she cooed while crying.

"But where is he? Why would he leave?!", I sobbed into my mom's chest.

"I don't know, honey, I don't know", she whispered.

Even years and months later, I still hoped that he would come back.

He never did.