Arrivederci 🔪

XIII

One year and three weeks later

It was a dark, cold January night. The year 2017 began just a week ago.

Robin Lansing, Prudence's classmate, a friend of Jefferson, a seventeen-year-old twelfth grader finished his homework and put it in his backpack. "God damn it," he sighed. "It's the last day of winter vacation and I didn't even do anything fun,"

Robin grabbed his new iPhone 7+ he got for Christmas and unlocked it. He opened the iMessage app and started texting his girlfriend, Rosalind Jones.

✉ hey babe

✉ hey baby robin

✉ sup?

✉ nothing. gotta go to that hell tomorrow. not excited for it at all

✉ me neither, don't worry. I'll be there for you no matter what

✉ aww babe <3

✉ sorry rose, i have to go to bed, i'll see you in school tomorrow ok?

✉ ok. night, wish we could sleep together <3

Rosalind and Robin have been together since ninth grade. Both teens were cigarette addicts. Rosalind started at fourteen, Robin started at sixteen. The couple's dream was to move to New York, get married and have a family.

The next day at seven fifteen a.m, Robin walked out of his apartment building where Rosalind was waiting for him. "Hello," she grinned when Robin grabbed her hand and off they went to school. "Care for a cigarette?" asked Rosalind, pulling out a pack of Camel cigarettes. Robin nodded and pulled one out as Rosalind lit it up for him. "Can you stay over tonight?" asked Robin with smoke blowing out of his mouth. The cold wind howled. Rosalind started to smile: "Yeah, definitely. My dad had to go on a business trip, a babysitter will stay with Austin because Dad doesn't trust me,"

Robin: "When will he be back?"

Rosalind: "Tomorrow night,"

Robin: "So after school today, come to my house and we'll sleep over, tomorrow you'll go back home,"

Rosalind licked her lips and threw her cigarette into the snow. "I see what you want," Robin glared at her. "No, it's what you want!! You texted me that last night!"

-"You know how to mess with me, bitch,"

Robin grabbed her and pushed her into a pile of snow. "Obviously I know how to! I've known you ever since,"

Rosalind wasn't satisfied. "Get me out of this crap...I just got these clothes a few days ago and you're ruining them for me!"

Robin: "Oh, shut up,"

Rosalind: "You owe me sixty dollars,"

Robin pulled his girlfriend out of the snow. "Jesus, I'm freezing," groaned Rosalind, slapping the boy in the face. "Ow! Your hands are covered with snow!"

-"That's your own fault. Oh, look, we've reached our destination,"

The boy looked forward. School. Here we are. The couple kissed and entered the building. However...

They were being spied on. It was Prudence. She opened her diary and began writing for the first time in a year.  

January 8, 2017

Dear Amore,

Finally, I'm able to start writing again. Yeah, I know Vincenzo already wrote in here that I perished, but I'm back. I resuscitated, however, you're all I have left. Titus (the dead Ancient Roman who brought me back) said that everyone that I knew in my life won't recognize me, no matter how much I'll tell them that they know me. I no longer have parents or siblings, at least I will never see them again. Mum and Dad are in prison, my oldest brother Fred is dead, Vincenzo emigrated his ass out of the states and went back to Italy to his real mum (yeah, I know he mentioned this before, but I want to keep you updated) and Oleg was sent back to his orphanage in Russia since our parents were deprived of parental rights when they were locked up. Anyway...when I was brought back Titus sent me back to Detroit and assigned a roommate for me. We fought and she threw my ass out of her apartment. Cow. I've been homeless for about two days now, luckily I left her apartment with some money and blankets, otherwise, I'd be dead a second time. No, I won't go back to school because when they'll find out I don't have parents they could send me to a foster care, I don't want to spend a year in there. Yesterday I spotted this cute young man with his red-haired girlfriend. I've been following him for a day now. I'm trying to find a moment where I could meet him and become his friend. Trust me, I'm falling for this dude. I'll try to meet him after school, ask for his number (yes I have a cell phone despite being homeless) and befriend him. I'll see you later, trust me, I'll return. You're my only family now.

Love, P

Six hours later, when the classes ended, Robin exited the building without Rosalind. Now's my chance, the girl thought, walked up to the boy and sat down on a bench next to him. Robin looked up at his phone and saw her. "Hey!" he smiled at her. The girl stared back at him. "Hello...I'd like to get to know you," she told him. Robin sighed. "Care for a cigarette?" he asked. The girl's head perked up. "Oh, please! I've been through so much stress lately," Robin pulled out his pack of cigarettes and handed one to the strange girl. "What's your name?" he conquered, shoving a different cigarette into his mouth. "Cardwell. Prudence Cardwell," she replied, blowing smoke out of her pink lips. "Prudence Cardwell? I once had a classmate whose name was Prudence Cardwell. In fact, you look a lot like her, just a little older. Anyway, the name's Robin Lansing," the boy replied, grabbing his new acquaintance's hand and shaking it. "What happened to that classmate of yours?" asked Prudence.

-"She committed suicide at the end of 2015. I haven't heard from her ever since,"

"Robin!" a voice called. It was Rosalind. "Oh, hey! This is Prudence, my new associate. Prudence, this is Rosalind, my girlfriend,"

Rosalind and Prudence shook hands. "Robin, let's go, you promised you'd let me stay over!"

"Wait, Robin! Can I-could I have your cell number? Please?" Prudence conquered, showing Robin the back of her diary with people's phone numbers written on them. The boy nodded, pulled out a pen and scribbled his full name, cell number, and email address. Then the couple left the school grounds, leaving Prudence. What a boy, she thought. Such a personality...