Chapter 54 Everything and Nothing

Chapter 54 Everything and Nothing
SOFIA'S POV

"Sofia are you okay?!!" Mila asks worriedly while paolo rushes to my side, grabbing the phone from the floor and holds on to it.

Even Damiano walks in hurriedly.

"What happened?" His tone is more blunt now.

"Nothing...I'm fine." I take a deep breath.

If I told either of them dad would be the first to find out and their happy summer would be over.

"I'm not leaving your side, for your safety." The driver informs seriously and I have no energy to fiht him on it.

The text was threatening enough.

Unknown: You're just as beautiful as your mother, my daughter.

Mom always shuddered when someone brought up my other side of genes.

She was open about how I was concieved; through a sperm donor.

Somehow that was enough for me. My stepdad has loved me unconditionally that it never crossed my mind to find out more.

I shake the feeling off and go back to shopping with the people that matter to me most. 

Paolo goes first with his selection, doing funny impressions with each outfit before we all settle on the same outfit for him.

Mila follows and honestly hers are quiet more difficult to judge from.

She looks breathtaking in all of them.

"what?"

"Nothing..you just...look so good."

"You both said that five swimsuits ago." She throws her hnds in the air.

"You'd think shed appreciate a compliment." Paolo mutters making me chuckle.

She sighs.

"Okay think of it as a...get laid because of my summer body swimsuit."

Paolo rubs his chin nodding.

He looks over to me the same time I do.

"The red one-" we say at the same time.

Mila chuckles.

"Finally." 

She gets off the raised short podium.

"sofia you're next." Paolo nudges my arm and I get up walking into one of thechanging stalls.

I strip down wearing the first one. 

Itsneone pink with hues of purple and somehow feels like the right fit. 

I turn analysing the coverage over my body. I feel a little cautious because I've added a little weight. 

With is ironic because I'm on medication.

"come out! come out !" I hear my bestfriends call out and I do.

I walk cautiously and stand infront of them.

Paolo helps mila pick her jaw from the floor grinning.

"I kinda see Luca's point." 

Paolo smacks her head lightly gasping.

I chuckle softly. Shes always been a flirt with her compliments towards me.

"Too soon?"

"Yes you weirdo! I'm trying to feel sorry for you for getting dumped and youre making it hard."

Paolo says sarcastically.

Mila scoffs getting up from her seat with a pair of glasses she picked up earlier.

She puts theon me, fixing my hair then spins me to face the huge mirror.

"Now this...is a girl ready for a wild summer."

She spanks my butt lightly before I walk back into the stall to change out of the swim suit I've picked out. 

Somehow my body feels a little tired despite the minimal tasks.

This time I take out my card.

It should be rotational. 

I swipe on all the items we've picked out. Damiano grabs the bags effortlessly and waits for us to lead the way out as he follows closely behind us.

Sofia...are you really okay?" Mila pulls me aside while the driver packs the bags in the trunk.

"Yeah why?"

She pauses.

"Your phone lit up while you were ch-" 

"Are we leaving or not?!" Paolo asks impatiently interrupting her.

She gives me one last look before getting in the back and I settle in the passenger seat.

Did she the text from the anonymous number? 

No.

She wouldn't have hesitated. 

The drive to the rave party is quiet this time.

And somehow that worries me. 

Because Mila was so determined to share her playlist since morning.

"Can we make a stop? I need to get a scarf from that tourist market." Paolo says suddenly.

The driver looks over to me as if waiting for my approval.

"Yeah sure." I say and Damiano cuts the engine. 

We all get out of the car and the driver is already following us down the crowded path.

He really does take his job seriously.

Paolo buys a few things and so does Mila.

This place just reminds me of my sisters. 

I was their older sister so I got a card before them.

They'd drag me to each seller to buy stuff for them and I might have been impatient then, but I wish I could go back and be as present as I could be.

"Lets get matching bracelets. Would be cruel not to." Mila chimes in and Paolo's face brightens. In another life they might have been related.

Mila takes out a polaroid camera from her bag surprisesboth Paolo and I. 

She didn't think to get it earlier?

"You had that this whole time?"

She shrugs.

That feels intentional.

Did I do somethin wrong?

At the final stop Damiano refuses to stay behidn until Paolo explains to him the whole rave complications if he follows me inside.

I almost feel guilty because dad has my best interest but I am an adult after all.

A guy approaches us just around the Colosseum. 

"Paolo! Almost thought you were kiddin about coming to Rome." He pulls him into a manly hug and I think that's the straightest I've seen Paolo act.

Not that he presented a certain way, but he's hanged out around his guy friends without the dubs and bro hugs.

We follow them closey as they lead a discreet path and we find ourselves inside a crowded space with lots of people and music.

Again.

Was I living under a rock?

"what do you think, bellisimas?"

The guy drawing both mila's and my attention.

His italian accent reminds me of Nova. Thick and native.

"its amazing!" I shout over the loud music.

The sun is out but so are all these people.

He insists on getting us drinks and Paolo follows.

So its just Mila and I now.

"Back then...what were going to say?" I ask finally and she almost doesn't hear me.

She stares into the crowd.

"I saw a text from Nova."

My mouth dries.

"Its not what you think Mils."

She shakes her head.

"then what is it? Because she put you in a coma and now she's chasing you like a puppy to forgive her."

"And I haven't."

"Right."

She scoffs.

I'm about to say something when the guys come back with drinks in their hands. 

Paolo hands me a mocktail and the rest on a fine line of alcoholic drinks. 

I hadn't forgiven Nova. 

That part was true.

I just...dont know what to feel anymore. 

Should I hate her for lying to me or letting me prioritize her when shed never do the same?

Had I asked her to?

Maybe part of me wants to hear her out. 

What she has to say for herself.

I haven't opened her notebook yet.

Something tells me she sent it to me because she trusted that I'd keep it safe.

The ring however, is something I don't still understand.

Paolo pulls us to a space where people are dancing and we join I dancing.

My breath catches after a while.

This time I feel like my lungs are slowing me down.

I watch my bestfriends dance together. 

How did a simple life with a hidden identity get me here?

My phone vibrates again.

I don't want to check.

It might be the anonymous number.

I let out a sigh anc check anyway.

Nova Liar: I chose you, Tinkerbell. That has to mean something.

Nova Liar: I gave up my family name...not for you but for what could be.

I rearead the messages. 

Is that why her dad lied that she was in rehab? 

Where is she and why is she risking her safety by texting me?

What if her father finds out shes still talking to me?

Nova liar: I'm in Rome.i need to see you. Then I'll leave you alone for good.

My thumb hovers over the keyboard...then I lock the screen.

I can't.

Her father...is cable of doing a lot worse.

We're better off without each other.

So why did my heart still recognize her name before my mind could tell it to stop?