painful kisses chapter 10

By the time Calla got home, I had the radio turned up so loud I barely heard her come in. 1

"I'll believe all your lies, just pretend you love me- make believe, close your eyes, i'll be anything for you..." I sang, loudly but not well.2

"You look happy," said Calla.3

"Not as happy as you and Chelsea were when you were all over each other," I teased.4

"Don't even get me started!" she joked. "I wasn't the one in the bedroom topless." I faked a frown, unsuccessfully, and stuck out my tounge at her. She laughed.5

"What were you doing up there anyway?" I asked her.6

"I was looking for Damien. Tre told me he was in Ella's room. He didn't tell me you were there."7

"Looking for him why?" I was being nosy. But she had said she had papers for him... and Damien left the party empty-handed. 8

"More stuff from Vylle. You know i'm not allowed to tell you." she said. Secret missions. I sighed. "Why does it bother you so much?"9

"Vylle's a Romanita. You're not. The Romanita and Vittorio lines have a history... and not a friendly one either. For as long as I can remember, Vylle has never tried to give orders to a Vittorio- and I can't begin to imagine how pissed Ramora would be if she found out," I explained.10

"Oh." she said. nothing else. I gave up and went back to my precious Evanescence.11

Calla went to bed early- early for me, anyway. It was 3:30 before my heart stopped fluttering. I turned off the radio and tiptoed down the hall to avoid waking her up- but when I passed her room, I heard the faint sounds of music coming through the door. I quietly opened it. She was laying on the bed, sound asleep- radio still on.12

"All the things she said, all the things she said, running through my head, runn-" I switched it off.13

"Don't know how you can sleep through this crap, hun," I whispered, and pulled the blanket over her. I watched her silently for a moment before I tiptoed to my room.14

I caressed the deep blue velvet comforter for a moment before I slipped in between the sheets. I turned over and clumsily groped around in the darkness before I hit a familiar shape. Juliette Rose, my stuffed tiger. I had never given such an elaborate name to a toy before, and it felt childish- but whenever I tried to break myself of the habit of sleeping without her, I could never quite manage to fall asleep. Hugging her tightly to my chest I closed my eyes and finally drifted away to dream.15