Elisa

5

I open my eyes to a ceiling fan I don't remember seeing in my room. I shoot up out of the bed that I'm laying in. A shooting pain immediately creeps up the back of my neck into my head, and I wince. 

Is this...Romeo's room?

To the right of me there's a blue sleeping bag and pillows sprawled out on the floor. I put my face in my hands trying to remember what happened last night. We performed at that club, I kept ordering drinks, Frankie and I were laughing. What were we laughing at? Then some guy started hitting on me and Romeo was there.

There it is. He took me back to his place because I was too drunk to go home last night. I find my phone on his nightstand. I have at least a thousand texts from all my friends. The bright screen hurts my eyes. I'll respond to everyone later. 

I trudge downstairs to the kitchen. Romeo is standing at the stove, flipping pancakes. The smell of bacon fills my nose and I immediately feel nauseous. 

"Who is the breakfast for?" I ask, startling him. 

"You told me last night that you wanted a huge breakfast in the morning," he tells me. 

I scrunch my nose. "I don't think I can eat anything." 

He flashes me his perfect white teeth. "I figured. I made enough for Nico and I." 

"Hey El." A voice calls from the family room. 

"Hi Nico." I call back. 

Romeo places a mug in front of me. "Drink this."

I look at it with a disgusted expression and he laughs. 

"It's just coffee." 

I take a sip. "I know it's just coffee, but the thought of drinking anything makes me want to throw up." 

"You have to stay hydrated Ellie." 

"Stop calling me Ellie." I narrow my eyes at him. "Why are you being so nice to me?" 

He looks at me as if I'm crazy. "Because I've known you since you were four-years-old and you're practically my family." 

I look down at my coffee cup and swirl it in the mug awkwardly. "Thanks." 

"Also, Remi would probably kick my ass if you got kidnapped and I didn't do anything to help you." 

I smile softly. "That's true." 

The front door of the house opens. "Romeo? Nico?"

"We're in the kitchen, Dad. I thought you were going to be gone all weekend?" He calls. I widen my eyes at him. I'm literally wearing his clothes. 

Their dad enters the kitchen, and he looks shocked to see me. "I come back early. Oh, hello Elisa." 

"Hi, Steffano." I greet him. Steffano Astrella was born and raised in Italy. He moved here when he was nineteen, so his Italian accent is still going beautiful and strong. He looks at Romeo with a confused expression.

"Don't worry, Dad. El was a little bit under the influence last night so I said she could sleep here. Nothing happened." Romeo explains to him. Did he seriously just out me to his Dad?

Steffano smiles at me. "Ah, don't worry Elisa. I don't tell your madre. Your secret is safe with me." 

"Thank you." His father has always been one of the nicest men I've ever met. It's a shame that his son has turned out to be the complete opposite. I know that Romeo and him are very close, though.

"I didn't want to say anything, but you look like a crack whore." Annnnnd we're back to the usual Romeo. 

"Ragazzo maleducato." Steffano shakes his head. It's Italian for "rude boy."