Attempt
POV: Elena
The adrenaline from the conversation I had with my relatives is still burning in my veins.
I pace back and forth in my room, my mind cursing myself for giving them a chance to destroy us again.
I left a home with an abusive family to enter one that is part of the mafia.
I sigh and throw myself on the bed.
I trusted my grandfather's word that I can leave if I feel bad and I hope he keeps his promise.
But I also promised to try, to let them show me that they are good people, despite their jobs.
A knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts.
"Come in," I say and the door opens revealing Angelo.
He smiles shyly and enters my room.
"I was wondering if you wanted to do anything before dinner?" he asks me uncertainly.
I look at him suspiciously, assessing if his attitude is really good.
"Sure, what do you have in mind?" I accept when I realize he's just trying to be nice.
"The shooting range looks cool," he says and my smile grows.
I stand up and pull him by the hand excitedly. I've always wanted to use the shooting range, but I didn't know we had permission.
Angelo laughs at my excitement and follows me.
When I get there, I see Sandro with Dante, Giorgio and Antoni.
They look at me and then at Angelo with a frown.
"Elena, what are you doing here?" Sandro asks and I smile pointing to the range for him.
Dante laughs behind him and walks over to us.
"Do you want to shoot sorellina?" he asks me amusedly.
I smile excitedly and look at him defiantly.
"I'll shoot fratello," I say and walk over to one of the booths.
The boys look at me in surprise for a while and follow me.
Sandro shows me the weapons we have available, I realize that they are all real and that the ammunition is too.
I choose a .42 caliber pistol that is light and I can better control the recoil of the weapon.
I position myself and raise the weapon. I feel the boys looking at me and look back a little before shooting.
The shot is perfect. I hit the target's scepter and see the boys' dark looks on me.
"It's different from shooting cans" I say looking at the pistol.
"Have you ever shot before, Sorella?" Antoni asks me curiously.
I know the others are also curious, but realizing that I've held a pistol in my hands scares them.
"Yes, but only at cans and bottles" I say looking at him as I put another bullet in the magazine "This is much more professional" I shoot again, but this time at the target's head.
"Yes, we have more equipment here" Sandro comes closer to look at my target "And who did you practice with?"
My smile fades a little at the memory and I look at him sadly.
"With Silas," I whisper softly.
"He seemed like a great friend, bambina," Sandro comforts me and I nod.
Maybe Eloisa didn't take the last part of Silas away from me, there are moments and things we did that will stay in my mind forever and no one can destroy that.
I challenge the boys to see who is the best shooter, and they accept, of course. Men are always ready to prove their masculinity.
Sandro wins with perfect shots, and by some miracle I manage to finish third behind Dante, who promises to teach me how to improve.
Antoni complains about finishing last and says that competing against Sandro doesn't make sense, since he is a professional shooter.
I stop laughing and look at my brother. He is a little quiet, but after Luca, he has always been the most affectionate with me.
"And what are your positions in the mafia?", I ask seriously and everyone stops laughing.
"Along with Lorenzo, Matteo and Nicco, I take care of the administrative issues", Dante answers proudly.
I look at the others, waiting for an answer. They look nervously at Dante, who nods, indicating that it is okay to tell me.
"Giovanni and I are the company's interrogators", says Giorgio, and I connect the dots.
"The torturers? Cool," I say, not caring about his expressions.
"We only use these measures when talking doesn't work," he says quickly.
"Angelo and I are the Hackers," Antoni says as if it's no big deal, but I'm ecstatic.
"Bruno, Vitorio, and Luca are our negotiators or players," Sandro says as he cleans his gun.
"And Leonardo and Vicente?" I ask curiously about the other brothers' tasks.
"Leonardo is our assassin and Vicente is our strategist," Dante says, and this time I stay quiet.
Leonardo's blank eyes explain a lot.
"Why is Vicente the only strategist?" I ask confused, and everyone laughs.
"You never talked to him for long, did you, bambina?" Giorgio asks me and I deny it "His mind is exceptional and his reasoning is perfect, I've never seen a puzzle he couldn't solve in my life"
I must be making his life difficult then.
I smile at them and keep the comment that comes to mind to myself.
We return at dinner time and Dante pulls me to sit next to him.
Eloisa glances at me during dinner and I couldn't care less about her irritation.
In the middle of dinner, Grandma starts telling us about our father, how it was when they found out that Jocellyn was pregnant with the first girls in the family.
From the little she told everyone was excited about our arrival.I felt wanted, I felt loved as Grandma told the story.
But what if all of this was just a game and when I felt good, everything was taken away from me?
"Don't think too much, Sorella" Dante whispers in my ear and I look at him irritated.
"Don't whisper in my ear again," I say angrily, and he smiles apologetically.
I focus on the stories at the dinner table again. Uncle Massimo and Carlo are arguing about something related to cars.
It's all very entertaining, but my watch chimes when it's ten o'clock at night. I look at Lorenzo, telling him the time and that I have to take my medicine.
I say goodbye to everyone and leave the dining room with Lorenzo.
He walks me to the bedroom and hands me the pills. I show him that I've taken them all and he says goodbye coldly, as always.
I turn to make the bed when his voice reaches me.
"I know it won't be easy, Sorella, but try to trust us and we'll protect you from what's causing you so much fear," his voice is calm and I turn to him.
"There are monsters we have to face alone, Lorenzo," I tell him seriously. "Because they will take away from you anyone who tries to help you."