Page 4 of Desolation

“Yeah, we used to go to school together. But he decided he all of a sudden wants to be friends with me. That’s weird right? It’s not just me?” I ask.

“Well, you do need friends, I just want to make sure you understand that he isn’t just a regular guy,” she says, grabbing my hands in hers and squeezing them. “His family is very prominent and important, if you catch my meaning. Veryfamilyoriented,“ she says, emphasizing the word family.

“I know,” I whisper. “He’s been away at college for a while now so it isn’t like I’ll see him often. I’ll just play along a little and then after a while I’m sure he’ll forget all about me. No harm, no foul,” I say with a shrug. Reba doesn’t look convinced.

“We’ll see, I guess. But I have a feeling you may be wrong about that Sweet Pea,” she says, letting go of my hands. “Just be careful.”

Nodding, I go back to wrapping silverware, thinking about the interaction with Drake. I just don’t understand why he’s suddenly so interested in being my friend and it makes me feel panicky.

Why does a mafia boss’ son want to be friends with a girl like me? There are other girls who are much prettier, more social, and they all throw themselves at him every day. I can’t imagine college is much different for him than high school was. He could literally be friends with anyone he wants to or date anyone he wants to. Besides, don’t mafia families do arranged marriages and stuff? Maybe that’s it; maybe he is rebelling against an arranged marriage?

Ugh, I can sit here all day coming up with scenarios in my head, but at the end of the day, I will never know the real reason, and I don’t know if I trust what he says. Sitting here overthinking it all night isn’t going to help either. I’ve kept my head down and been careful about not trusting people my whole life. My parents were the first people to teach me that particular lesson.

If your own parents are cruel to you and use you for their own benefit, abuse you at a moment’s notice, and generally just don’ttake care of you, how can you trust anyone else? The only people who even have a scrap of trust from me are Ms. Bates and Reba. But I even keep them at arm’s length. No one can ever find out what really happens to me at home.

No one. Ever.

Shuddering, I look over to see Dominic walk through the door. Fuck. Looking at Reba in alarm I see her frowning.

Putting my hands on the counter, I paste a small smile to my face and ask how I can help him.

He smiles that creepy ass smile at me. Every time I run into him at my parents, he smiles like that. Like he knows something I don’t.

“Well hello Princess. I was hoping I would catch you here,” he says.

Throwing up in my mouth a little bit, I look at him in confusion.

“I just came from your house and your parents told me you have graduation coming up soon. Thought I’d see if you want to go do something after? To celebrate of course,” he asks.

The slimy look on his face tells me that the “something” doesn’t actually mean a celebration. In fact, it’s probably not going to be something I like at all.

“No thanks. I actually already have plans with Reba after. We are going to do some shopping before I’m off to college. I still have a lot of things to get,” I say, hands shaking. Reba looks at me with a brow up and I very discreetly shake my head at her.

“Why are you going off so early? Isn’t it a few months until college starts? Why are you going anyway? You have your job here and a place. You don’t need to go off to college and get all high andmighty. I could take care of you even. You can be my woman and you’ll never want for anything,” he says.

Where the hell did that come from? First Drake and now this. I feel like I’m living in the Twilight Zone. Dominic has always watched me, but has never actually spoken to me like this before.

“Relationships aren’t something I’m interested in. I’m going to college and I’m getting the hell away from this shithole,” I say vehemently.

He smirks, “We shall see,” he says in a sing-song voice. Putting his hands in his pockets he walks out the door whistling and looking like the cat that ate the canary.

Breath whooshing out of me, I slide down the counter to my knees, shaking all over. Reba rushes over and wraps her arms around me.

“Has he ever talked to you like that before? I don’t like this at all, Elodie. This is bad,” she says.

Shaking my head I tell her, “I have no idea where that came from. When he comes and sees my parents, he usually just stares at me and smirks but never says anything. So, I have no idea what that was actually about.”

“Hmm,” she says. We sit there for a few minutes to get our bearings. Standing and dusting herself off Reba says, “Let’s get this place cleaned up and get out of here before anyone else shows up.”

Yeah, I agree. It’s been a night for sure. Nodding, I get to work.

After we get everything cleaned up, Reba and I both head to the restroom to change after the shift. “Do you want a ride home?” she asks.

Do I? I am feeling a little anxious tonight, after Drake and Dominic’s visits. “Yeah, actually I do. Thanks,” I say.

Reba nods as if it’s a given. It’s not often that I take a ride from her, so I know it makes her happy when I do because she won’t have to worry about me walking home in this neighborhood by myself.

We climb into the car and Reba shoots off a text to someone. Hmm, does she have a secret boyfriend? “Texting a boyfriend, Reba?” I ask with a giggle.

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