The Deal

10. Just smoking...

Isabella Rose

I've decided that in these few weeks I have left, I won't let Valentino get to me. I won't let him make me nervous. No. I will be the one making him nervous. I want to make this a fun little competition. And I will make sure he is the one that is going to miss me when I'm gone.

I head downstairs to find Oliver and Matteo talking. "Thank god you guys are here, I have nothing to do, want to hang out?" I ask them and they both nod.
"Is the castle becoming too boring for the queen" Oliver jokes. I smile shaking my head. "Where is your king?" He adds.
"Oh please call me your highness" I laugh.

"Jokes aside what are we doing? You aren't allowed out unless Valentino lets you" Matteo says. I look around the place.

"Well I'm sure there is a lot more I haven't seen in this mansion. We'll find something to do" I say as the boys agree.

"Gentlemen please show me the way" I say getting in the middle of them and hooking my arms in theirs.
And let them take me somewhere fun since they know this house better than me. "This way your highness" Matteo says making us all laugh.

It's weird. I've known these boys for just two weeks and I feel so appreciated. Something I'm not used to. They really know how to make me laugh. Do they see me as a friend? I sure do. And I'm so freeking grateful for making my time here so much easier. They keep me off my thoughts, the fact that I'm probably going to die soon.

We walk downstairs. I didn't even know this place had three floors. We then enter a giant room. A freeking pool is in front of me. My mouth drops. "So can you swim?" Oliver asks and I jump out of excitement.
"Can I swim?! I love swimming!" I yell out of happiness.

"I don't have any bikinis though" I say disappointed. They look at each other. "Well you can always swim in your underwear" Oliver says but gets embarrassed at how that sounded.

I smile taking my top off then pull down my pants. The boys are respectful, if they weren't I wouldn't feel comfortable doing this but I trust them. I jump in the pool and right after me the boys jump in.
I splash water on Matteo and he immediately gets back at me. "You'll regret that" he says playfully then dives and picks me up from under the water.
I yell as he throws me up in the air.
He chases me and I head for Oliver. Laughing I hide behind Oliver's body so Matteo can't get to me. It's been a while since I've actually had this much fun.
I grab onto Oliver's back out of breath.
"Pause" I say laughing still.

We talk for a while in the pool. It's so nice having conversation. "Can I be honest?" I ask and they both nod.

"So this will probably sound so weird for you guys but... I will really miss this." I say squeezing the water out of my hair. Oliver shakes his head. "That's not weird at all, honestly I'll miss you too" he says and I can't help but smile.

"Yeah me too" Matteo says disappointed. "We've never met anyone like you before Bella, your not afraid to be yourself and best thing is that you are the only one that can actually talk back to Val. No one has ever done that" Matteo says.
"Well he deserves it. He's an ass" I say.

"He is my brother but yeah, sometimes he can be an ass" Matteo agrees.

"If I don't make it after the deal I just wanted you guys to know you've made my time here worth it." I say as they both give me a awww face. Suddenly I'm feeling sad. I don't think it had hit me until now that I might actually die in two weeks. My life will be over just because of a god damn paper.

"Alright should we get out?" Oliver asks spotting that I'm about to cry. I nod.
I grab a towel and wrap it around me. I head upstairs shaking because it's cold. But unfortunately a familiar face stands in front of me. I can't deal with him now. He's the reason I have to go back to that god damn house.

"Ughh not you again" I say walking past him. But I should've known it isn't that easy to avoid him. I literally just want to go to my room and cry.
He grabs my wrist and turns me so I'm facing him.
His face close to mine. "Let go of me" I say trying to get out of his grip. It's strong.

"Don't you fucking talk to me like that. I might have stayed quiet these past few days but that doesn't mean for one second you can talk to me like that" he says with a warning tone.
"Val let go of me" I say not caring about what he just said. My eyes are watery and I'm not in the mood for arguing with his dumbass.

I yank my arm from him and this time succeed.
"I said let go"

"I'm not taking orders from you." he says. "Haven't I told you to stay away from everyone in this house" he says and I roll my eyes. Please just let me be. Let me live for two more weeks.

"Well I'm sorry I want to spend my last two weeks on earth having a little fun. I don't expect someone like you to understand what it's like to know you are about to die, when half of my life isn't even completed" I say this time letting a tear fall. I wipe it quickly hoping he didn't see it.
He doesn't know what to respond to that. And if I'm honest it looks like he actually feels sorry for me. It's a mixed feeling of anger and pity.

Without a word he looks away and let's me leave. I run into my room crying. I just wish a miracle would happen and save me from this life. But I guess I'm the one to blame, I made the deal.

***

I took a shower and put some fresh clothes on. It's already night but I can't sleep again. I hear some voices from downstairs and it sounds familiar.

I walk to the sounds and spot all the boys gathered in the living room. Valentino doesn't even glance at me. "Join us Bella" Oliver says as they try to pick a movie. I unfortunately have to sit beside Valentino and I can feel him tense.

Ten minutes into the movie Valentino stands up and walks out of the room. Great now he can't even stand being around me. What is wrong with him. "See he sucks at watching movies" Matteo says to Oliver.

"I'm just going to the bathroom" I say as I too head out.

I look out the window to find Valentino standing outside. I slowly open the front door and join him. "I don't want company" he says putting a cigarette between his lips.
"That much I know, but I don't really listen to you" I say as a slight smirk appears on his lips.

"You drive me crazy Bella you know that?" He says in a low voice making me go pink.

"Can I have one too?" I ask looking at the cigarette between his lips. I never really smoked much but today feels like a good day to do so.
"No." He says and I roll my eyes.

"Common just give me one I need it" I say but he still says no.
"It's not good for you, and besides I don't want to waste one" he says inhaling then blowing out the smoke.

"If you get to do it I can to" I say.

"Absolutely not."

Next time he inhales I do something I hadn't expected. I grab his chin and pull his face close to mine. As I press my lips onto his.
He grabs my face with both of his hands as he blows the smoke in my mouth. I breathe it in and we part our lips. It caught him off guard I can tell. I don't even know what the hell I just did.
"Now you haven't wasted one" I say. He looks down on me but I won't dare meet his eyes.

Why the hell did I just do that. Does it count as a kiss because what the fuck. Why would I kiss Valentino gray. No that was definitely not a kiss and we both know we never would do something like that. Right?!

"We should probably go inside" I say as he throws the cigarette on the ground and steps on it to put out the fire.

He follows me back to where Matteo and Oliver is and we get back to watching the movie.
"What were you guys up to?" Matteo asks with a smirk on his face. I freeze.

"Just... you know smoking" I say trying to forget the fact that I pressed my lips on the man I hate.

This chapter was so fun to write hope you like it as much as me!