Taboo

Chapter Two

     Alessa waited with her hands around her books, holding her books tightly to her chest. She leaned against the wrought iron fence of St. Xavier's Academy, tilting her head up at the sky and looking at the forming thunder clouds, praying it didn't rain before they got home. Alessa and Elena had their first five classes together, but they didn't have their final class together, and if that wasn't bad enough, their classes were on opposite sides of the school. Since Alessa's class was at the front of the large school building, she got out first, and she normally waited at the front gate for Elena to get out so they could walk home together. Sometimes they waited for their 18-year-old brother (a senior, the twins were juniors), Salvatore, but lately he'd been walking home alone or with other friends. 

    "Hey. Alessandra, right?" A familiar voice asked to the right of Alessa. She looked away from the sky and to her right to see a boy with messy brown hair and light hazel eyes grinning at her, wearing a gray fedora and his school uniform shirt almost halfway unbuttoned. "Everyone calls me Alessa." She answered, wondering why Simon Brancato had taken a sudden interest in talking to her. Alessa hated Simon more than anyone. "Alessa, then. I'm Simon." He said, giving her a cocky grin that Alessa knew Elena would love. "I know. I have you in two of my classes." Alessa answered, keeping her voice monotone in an attempt to bore Simon. 

     "Really? Wow. I feel sort of like a dick for not noticing someone as beautiful as you before, then." Simon said, standing upright and putting his hands in his pockets. Alessa blushed lightly as she quickly tried to think of something witty to say. Finally giving up and deciding not to say anything, Alessa turned her head the other way and avoided eye contact with him. "Hey, are you mad at me?" Simon asked, moving so that he was in front of Alessa. Alessa looked the other way, mumbling a half-hearted "Maybe."

    "No, then." Simon grinned, looking quite proud of himself. Alessa still didn't answer, confused and embarassed. "Go away." Alessa muttered, biting her lip and looking down at her shoes. "What? Why?" Simon asked. He sounded genuinely concerned about Alessa's opinion. Alessa hated him. "Hey, Si!" A familiar voice yelled, attracting the attention of both Alessa and Simon. A tall, lanky boy with curly brown hair and eyes as dark brown as Alessa's wandered closer to them, putting a gray fedora atop his head. "Sal." Alessa grinned, hugging her brother tightly. Elena was walking on Salvatore's right side, two other boys in fedoras on Salvatore's left. "Hey. Elena, right?" Simon asked. "Yeah. What of it?" Elena asked. "I'm Simon." He answered, sticking a hand out at her. "You new here?" Elena asked, keeping her hands at her sides and just smirking at him.

     Alessa cursed herself silently for not coming up with comebacks like Elena's. "No." Simon said, sounding honestly hurt by it. Elena only smiled innocently at him, a completely convincing innocent smile. "Oh, sorry." Elena answered softly. "So I'll see you two back at the apartment, okay? Tell Dad I went to the movies or something." Salvatore said, giving Elena and Alessa both one more hug and a kiss on the forehead each. "Where's Roma?" Elena asked. They hardly ever saw their brother Romano anymore, except in the evenings and the weekends, when they all hung out at the cafe at the street. Ever since Romano finished high school a year early, he'd been getting out more and more. "He's somewhere. We're gonna meet up with him." Salvatore answered, as Simon lit a cigarette and handed another to their friend Jesse. Jesse winked at Elena. Elena rolled her eyes but smirked.

     "Can I come along?" Elena asked, taking a step closer to Jesse. Jesse grinned, and Salvatore opened his mouth to answer, but Alessa grabbed her sister's arm. "We've got a science project to do, El." Alessa said, tugging on Elena's arm. "Maybe some other time, Jesse." Elena said, following her sister almost reluctantly. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Alessa asked when they were out of an earshot. "Me? What the hell's wrong with you?" Elena countered, running a hand through her hair. "Jesse's really cool, and he ain't colored like Donnie. And anyway, why wouldn't you wanna go hang with Roma and the boys?"

     "Because they're a bunch of gangsters, Elena. You know Dad doesn't like gangsters." Alessa answered quietly. "They're not gangsters. They're our brothers, Alessa." Elena said defensively. "You're in denial. They may not be as big of gangsters like those guys down at ABC, but they're on their way. Why do you think Dad doesn't like Roma and Sal that much anymore?" Alessa answered calmly. "I don't believe anything that bastard says. He hates everyone when he drinks." Elena answered, biting her lip. Alessa stayed quiet, not really knowing how to answer. "Yeah. I guess you're right." Alessa said finally, her voice barely audible as they walked home.