Heartless Soul Book 2 of the Heartless Series

Chapter 1 - Pillow Fort

Carmela's POV

Rain poured down the glass as I sat in the bay window looking out onto the back garden. The wet grass was dripping multiple droplets onto the soil below, the flowers were lapping up the refreshing moisture that they need in order for them to grow and bloom in all shades of the rainbow. It has been so long since it last rained and the trees were moving lively as if dancing for the joy of feeling rain on their leaves. I sighed loudly, pouting at the turn of the weather outside, I was looking forward to going to the park today. Father had promise we could go for ice cream and to the park if the sun was shining today, he wasn't too sure what the weather today would be like because even the local weather forecaster from last night's news broadcast wasn't sure.

I sighed again, not hearing that someone was approaching me from behind, but as they advanced closer, I felt someone there and turned just as my father gathered me up into his big arms around my waist and span me round in the air, causing me to feel like I was truly flying. Giggling loudly at the motion of being twirled around the rain was all but forgotten in that moment as my father put a smile back on my face. "What has my big girl so upset?" his voice sounded so deep and masculine, but yet also so soft and gentle. "The rain won't stop, and I wanted to go to the park and get ice cream with you, mother and Emilia today." I replied with a pout on my face. He stopped twirling me around and just held me to his torso, eyebrows knitted together, and lips pursed into a thin line while thinking. "Well how about we build a big pillow fort in the living room, watch movies and eat ice cream. How does that sound?" he sounded cheery in his reply although I know he didn't really want to do that today. "Can we all sleep in there tonight?" I countered his offer with my own condition. "I wouldn't have it any other way sweetheart." He smiled wide at me and added. "Shall we invite Romeo over?" I wiggled in his arms trying to break free of his hold as I was excitedly replying that I would go and call him immediately, and tell him he should bring his sleeping bag.

Romeo was at my house in 10 minutes, the doorbell alerted me to his arrival, and I ran to open the door and dragged him inside and towards the living room without even a hello to his father as I dragged him away, our fathers were left at the door laughing at us rushing off together. "I can't wait to build this fort, it's going to be a huge castle." I was excited that Romeo was finally here so we could start building the fort together. I had already dragged all my pillows and quilt cover down from my bedroom and into the living room, along with my sleeping bag in preparation of our creation. Romeo stood, pondering over the space in the living room and decided that the walls needed to be sturdy in construction and wanted to use the backs of the sofa's as the side walls of the fort and the two armchairs as the back wall. We both set to pushing the sofa's around so that the backs of them were facing the other, and in line with the TV of course.

The legs of the sofa scraped along the hardwood floors as we pushed them around. "What are you two monkeys up to in here with my sofas?" my mother sounded from the doorway as she brought us drinks and cookies. "Were building a fort and need sturdy walls." I said with a huffed voice as I continued to push the second sofa around with Romeo. She just laughed at us, placing the snacks and drinks down on the sideboard so they wouldn't be spilled over or trampled on as we built our creation for the night and left us to our construction.

After much heavy pushing, lifting and fortifying our fortress our excitement later was rewarded. We had the sofa's turned around and in place opposite each other and the two armchairs side by side. We had used the brush and the mop to pitch the roof at the sides of the opening, which had a sheet thrown over them and pulled tight allowing for a perfect view of the TV. We had made the inside comfy by placing the sofa and armchair cushions down as comfy flooring and all the pillows from my room evenly spaced along the walls of the fort, with both our sleeping bags laid out already inside. I shouted for Emilia to go and get her sleeping bag and pillows, and for our father's and my mother to come and inspect our hard afternoons work, as we celebrated with a well-deserved drink and cookie each.

"Looks good you two, you both worked really well together and I'm proud of you both." He said nodding in approval of our work. Even Romeo's father looked impressed. "Come give your old man a high five son, I need to get back to your mother." Romeo's father said with his hand held high, Romeo ran over to him and jumped high in the air, high fiving his father before hugging him goodbye. "Bye dad, see you tomorrow." He waved at us all as he walked through the threshold of the door and back out into the rain, toward his home, which was only next door.

"Dinners ready, come sit at the table kids." My mother called loudly from the empty dining room. We all went running at the call for food and took our places at the table quickly and waited for my father to serve us. He entered the dining room kissed my mother's cheek and complimented her on her beauty before turning to the table. We were having homemade pepperoni pizza with curly fries. We were all quiet as we stuffed our faces with it's amazing cheesy goodness that only a pizza can offer and washed it all down with our soda's. Once we were all finished, we all helped to clear the table before myself, Romeo and Emilia were excused to get into our pyjamas quickly before we all ran back into the living room, to get comfortable in our pillow fort and start a movie.

"What are we watching first?" my father asked popping his head into the fort's open mouth. We all jumped at his sudden appearance and giggled. Romeo answered first with a comment that the film shouldn't be too girly, and that it should be something funny or full of action. My father suggested that we each take a turn to say what film we wanted to watch. My choice was Corpse Bride, Emilia said Ice Princess and Romeo wanted The Chronicles of Narnia. Clearly, we wasn't going to agree, as we all bickered and complained about each other's selection. So again my father suggested we watch each of our selections with no moaning, so it was fair for us all. With reluctance Romeo agreed as he had to put up with 2 'girly' films to his one action movie. I protested saying that my choice wasn't exactly girly as it had dead characters in it, but I was overruled as in the end its about love and weddings.

We decided to get Emilia's choice out the way first as it was the least popular choice, but she would also probably fall asleep first and it wouldn't be fair if she missed her turn. We snuggled down into our sleeping bags as the opening credits flashed in front of us on screen. About 10minutes into the film we were handed some ice cream in little bowls with chocolate and toffee sauce drizzled over it and sweets scattered on top by my mother, which we all eagerly accepted. As the film finally drew to a close, lightening flashed brightly, lighting up the room for a few seconds before disappearing and plunging the room back into darkness with only the glow from the TV to illuminate the living room. Seconds later thunder banged and crashed loudly outside the window. We all jumped, and Emilia screamed as the sudden disturbance scared her. Father came into the room to see if we were all okay and immediately pulled Emilia into a tight reassuring hug as she started crying at the loudness of the thunder. She didn't want to stay in the fort after that.

Me and Romeo were left to enjoy our films, but we didn't get to my selection before I yawned loudly and got comfier into my sleeping bag and snuggled into my pillow that was propped against Romeos side. He scooted himself down into his sleeping bag too and threw his arm over me and smiled at me as my eyes began to close and placed a kiss to the top of my head, whispering. "Goodnight my rose." Into my hair, and then closed his own eyes to sleep.