It took them a little over two hours to reach the city. When their boat arrived, there were already two ambulances waiting for them. Mateo had made sure that the ambulances were there before the rest of the arrived. As soon as they get off the boat, Noel was put in one hospital and Piper and Benji were put in another one. Benji was just put to sleep, but since he has been having panic attacks whenever he wakes up, so he needed treatment as well. This entire trip has been extremely traumatic for him. Kai wasn’t allowed to ride to the hospital with them, so he followed it to the hospital. Levi asked Kai to get back home and rest while he and Ethan will update him on Piper’s condition, but Kai didn’t agree to it and insisted on going along with them. “Levi, don’t bother. Can’t you see his face? He is very worried for her. Let him come with us,” Ethan said to Levi. Lev sighed and agreed. The three of them ride to the hospital in a separate car. When they reached, Piper was immediately ta
Faith and Mateo met the elders of the village that included Faith’s grandmother. They all called her Mila and she didn’t mind it. She didn’t think that she would like being called by her real name, but now that the kind and sweet villagers were calling her by that name, it was growing on her. She didn’t correct them once and always responded to that name. They were very welcoming toward her. Some children gathered around to see who was Karina’s daughter. Turns out, Karina was a very well-loved person in the village that the kids who were born after her death knew about. Faith met a lot of people. It was a very overwhelming experience for her. Since most of the villagers didn’t speak or understand English, Kami, his sister, and a few more translators were brought into the meeting. Mateo was discussing something with the elders. It was probably about security and everything that happened in a few days, while Faith was sitting outside with a few young villagers, one of them was Kami. “I
Three days later, Piper finally woke up. It was all a haze for her. She took a few minutes to register what truly happened. She wasn’t allowed to meet anyone until the doctors check on her. It took her a little time to process everything that she had to go through. She remembered hearing the footsteps. She remembered asking Benji to run. She remembered being dragged and beaten in the forest. She remembered seeing Jeremy’s face. She remembered his goons slamming his head on the tree. She remembered nothing after that. She roamed her gaze around the hospital room and when she couldn’t find Benji’s face among them, she started to get panicked. “Benji? My – my brother?” She choked on her words. Her throat was dry and prickly. “Ms. Clarke, your brother is completely fine. He is not even injured. Mr. Bianchi has taken him home. Benjamin lives here with you in this room,” The young doctor pointed at the bed, Piper didn’t notice was beside her. “He refused to leave your side. Mr. Bianchi t
Piper didn’t ask for Kai to come back. She knows that he saved her, but what he said to her the last time, really hurt her. She is still in a lot of pain. She doesn’t feel right and she doesn’t believe that she has the energy to deal with anything else. She didn’t ask anyone to bring in Kai. She didn’t even ask anyone about him. She didn’t even go into details about what happened back on the island. She just liked how everyone she likes to be around was there – sure, something was missing. Sure, she wasn’t feeling fully contented, but she was trying. She was really trying. What Piper didn’t know was that Kai never left the hospital. He wanted to. He even thought about it, but he couldn’t. He knows he will be relentless if get back to his empty penthouse. Faith was staying with Mateo since she returned, he doesn’t know when or if she will even return. There was no one at home. He was all alone. He doesn’t want to back to his place only to feel suffocated by loneliness. He didn’t want t
Ethan was sitting in the living room of Levi’s apartment. He still addresses it as Levi’s apartment when they both live there. Levi has corrected him numerous times, but he doesn’t feel right calling it his as well when Levi is the one that owns it. Since it is Levi’s own apartment, Ethan can’t even ask him to spilt the rent. He doesn’t feel right calling a place his own when he doesn’t own it – not even half of it. He was currently reading a book. Ethan is not much of a reader, but right now he is willing to do anything to keep himself busy. Why? He doesn’t want to interact with Levi, who was currently in the kitchen with his AirPods on – making dinner. Levi did ask Ethan to come to help him in the kitchen, but he lied and said that he was on a very good part of the book and he wants to read a few chapters before dinner. Of course, it is not true. He is just ignoring Levi.Here is the funny bit, Ethan is not ignoring Levi because he is mad at him. He is ignoring him because he is mad
“Um, I don’t have a table.” Noel awkwardly scratched his head when Levi asked where he can put the food. He felt weird to have company. He usually never has anyone over. He doesn’t have any friends or family to entertain. He was nervous and anxious to have company over, especially when it was two people he was bound to ignore. “Umm, I hardly ever eat at home, but when I do – umm, I eat here.” He pointed at his small couch. “I – I don’t have a table. Sorry,” he muttered. Levi chuckled and shook his head, “Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter to us. This one doesn’t like to use a table anyway.” Levi rolled his eyes, “He likes to eat in bed.” He complained, making Ethan protest. “Hey! There is nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfortable when I am eating.” He griped and rolled his eyes. Noel couldn’t help but chuckle. He feels Ethan is very cute. He is deadly but cute. He doesn’t know on which scale can he measure this man, because he has everything and nothing he looks for in a person. No
“What happened? Why are you two so surprised?” Levi spoke calmly as he scoops the last bits of rice from his plate and put them in his mouth. Noel and Ethan watched him with widened eyes. They felt like their souls could leave their bodies. It was alarming how calm Levi was. The two of them watched him chew the last of the rice and wipe the corner of her mouth with a napkin and put the empty plate on the floor. He sniggered and shook his head, “You two are something,” there was something extremely bitter in his tone. Noel and Ethan shared a worried glance. It was Ethan who tried to speak, “Levi…” “No,” Levi chuckled lowly and shook his head. He jumps on his feet and for a moment, Noel felt like Levi was going to come to him and beat him and then leave him to die, but Levi picked the plate from the floor and walked to the kitchen. Noel flinched when Levi walked past him, but he didn’t even spare him a glance. He put the plate in the sink and stood there for a few seconds – his back w
Two more weeks passed since Piper was discharged from the hospital. She has been living with Mateo in his penthouse. Faith spends most of her time here as well, but she doesn’t spend nights here. She never said why, Mateo never insisted on her staying the night, and Piper knows exactly why. Kia. Kia was alone back at his own place. No one really talks about him to her except for Benji, who still didn’t understand why Piper was not seeing Kai. She doesn’t explain anything to him nor does he expect any explanation. Benji is fond of Kai, and he refuses to cut him off his life, so he often goes to visit him. Piper doesn’t stop him either. She knows that it wasn’t just Benji who needs Kai, it is Kai who needs Benji as well. Piper has been spending her time locked in her room. Faith and Benji often come into her room, but she doesn’t leave until absolutely necessary. Even Mateo visited her a couple of times, but she hardly ever leave her room. She has had a lot on her mind since the day sh
A good day came months after. The people of the village finally got their freedom. When that happened, week-long celebrations were held at the village, and all of them were invited, especially, Faith, Mateo, and Kai. It was a joyous occasion. Even when everyone was dreading back where they all spend the worst days of their lives, of course, they went anyway. Hesitant at first, everyone had a great time. Faith had never seen the people of the village have such a festive spirit. It was truly a beautiful week. Faith spends most of her time with her grandmother, Kami, and his family. Benji didn’t want to go with them, but when Kami asked – he couldn’t say no. Lora (Kami’s sister) was there to welcome everyone. Everyone could see how excited Benji got when he saw her. Piper and Kai exchanged a knowing glance. Benji has a crush on Lora. He had it since he came here for the first time. After he returned to the city, he kept in contact with her in one way or another. Faith was happy to see
(One Year Later)Even today when Faith closes her eyes and thinks about her recent past, she can’t truly process it. She can’t believe that so much changed in the past couple of years. From losing her entire family to almost getting killed to find a new family – a new purpose – everything in her life was nothing less than a lesson – a brutal and painful lesson. Currently, she was sitting in a meeting along with Kai and Mateo – but they weren’t the only ones there. The three of them were hosts, while the other distant members of the Ricci and Bianchi clan, a few mafia leaders, and a couple of correspondents from the village were in the room. The debate was on – whether the village/island should be given its independence or not.Faith was sitting in between Kai and Mateo. She averted her gaze to the other side of the room where Kami sat along with a few young faces representing the village. Faith could tell that the young boy was nervous. She shoots him an assuring smile. Kami smiled ba
Kai didn’t say anything in return. He just impassively stared at Mateo before they were interrupted by Faith and Piper’s loud laughter. Both looked at the girls to find that Ethan had managed to pull Levi into the pool. He grabbed Levi’s ankle and pulled him in, making the water splash around and the girls laugh. Mateo heaved a sigh and shook his head as he watched his friend emerge from under the water, not looking much impressed. Noel was standing behind Levi when Ethan pulled him in, he was now watching them two. Ethan laughed and splashed some water towards him with his hand, “What are you doing up there loser? Get in!” Noel shook his head, “No, and you need to come out too.” He looks at all of them, “You all do. It is chilly and the water is cold,” he added. “It is not that cold,” Piper replied. It was because Kai switch on the heater to warm up the water, but that’s mean it was okay to be in a pool on a chilly night under the sky. Just at that moment, Piper sneezed. That was i
Faith and Piper were wasted. If having one drink after another wasn’t enough, they were now drinking straight out of the bottle. “We should go swimming,” Faith slurred a suggestion to which Piper enthusiastically nodded her head, agreeing to it. Before anyone could stop them, an equally drunk Ethan got on his feet and threw his fist in the air, “Hell yeah! Let’s go!!” he yelled out and hooted. Everyone else was so concerned about Faith and Piper that they didn’t even notice just how much Ethan was drinking. These three were completely wasted. Noel was slightly tipsy. Where else, Levi, Mateo, and Kai only had a single drink so they weren’t drunk at all. They decided to stay sober to keep an eye on girls, and well – now Ethan as well. “Excellent,” Levi muttered under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He moved to Ethan, who was swinging from one side to another with a bottle of one of the most expensive whiskeys in his hand. Kai glanced at the bottle in his hand. He didn’t
Faith was in her room, changing with there was a knock on her door. Her room was now filled with done and undone boxes. She will be moving out tomorrow and there is so much left to do. But currently, she wasn’t focused on it. She is certain that she will be able to pack before the movers arrive. She was concerned about the dinner party they were having tonight. Faith had already invited everyone and now she was changing for the night. By the knock on the door, she was certain that Mateo has arrived. She quickly picked up the clothes she threw on the floor and put them on the bed before she spoke, “Yes?” The door opened and indeed it was Mateo. He looked good. Fresh and well-rested. It took everyone over a month to get over what happened on the island. The exhaustion and trauma (for some) didn’t leave for days. Mateo was looking like he did when Faith first met him. The difference between then and now is that then he had a hard scowl on his face, and now he was smiling. Then he threw
“Are you all packed up?” Piper asked Faith who came to her room to visit. Faith looked at Piper and smiled. “Yes, almost. Just a few things are remaining to be packed,” she replied. In two days, Faith is moving in with Mateo. For the past week, she has been very busy. She didn’t realize how comfortable she has gotten at Kai’s place, that now that she was winding everything up here, she feels sad to be leaving. When she started packing, she was excited. For her, moving in with Mateo is like a new chapter of her life, but as she proceeded, she realized how uncomfortable yet relieving it is to end this brief, daunting, and challenging chapter of her life. Piper was sitting on the bed, reading, when Faith knocked on her door. She exhaled and smiled broadly at her, “So, are you excited?” She asked. Faith chuckled and sat on the bed beside her, “I am.” She nodded her head, “But I am also nervous. There are so many ifs and buts in my head that I can hardly sleep at night,” she replied hon
“Thank you,” Piper hugged and thanked Faith, before she looked at Mateo, “Thank you both of you. I don’t know what would have happened if it wasn’t for you two. I would have been living on the streets,” she added. “Hey!” “What the hell?” Levi and Kai spoke at the same time. Piper pulled her eyebrows together and looked at both of them. Kai was frowning while Levi stepped forward, “What do you mean you would have been on the streets? Are you kidding me? I would have never let you be on street. Damn, I thought you thought of me as a friend, but boy was I wrong.” Levi scoffed. Where Kai just watched her dumbfounded. She softly chuckled at Levi. “Oh, I would have never bothered you. You already got your hands full,” she told him bobbing her head towards Benji’s room. The door of Benji’s room was open and inside everyone can see Benji and Ethan playing video games. They were so engrossed by what they were playing that they didn’t even notice the people outside looking at them. Ethan and
Kai squinted his eyes. When he was coming out of Piper’s room, he did not expect Faith, Mateo, and Benji right outside – watching him walk out of the room. Their curious gazes made him feel like he was sneaking out of her room after a one-night stand. Mateo was shamelessly smirking at him. Faith was curiously watching him, and Benji had his eyes narrowed at him. Kai cleared his throat and ignored Mateo’s comment and Faith’s question. He was about to tell them that they shouldn’t be so nosy when the doorbell rang. Faith and Mateo pulled their eyebrows together and looked at each other, “Who is here so early in the morning?” She muttered and watched as one of the helpers opened the door. It was Levi and Ethan. “What are you two doing here so early?” Mateo asked with his eyebrows knitted together. Levi didn’t look good. He looked like he didn’t sleep all night. Ethan looked tired as well, but not as exhausted as Levi. Levi glared at Ethan at Mateo’s question. Levi heaved a sigh. His sh
Kai has been inside Piper’s room for an hour. He was now sitting on the floor while she was sitting on the floor as well but she sat by the window. She was watching outside the window while her knees pressed to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. While her eyes were fixed outside, Kai’s eyes were fixed on her. They have been talking for the last hour. No yelling or name was calling. There were no accusations, nor did they completely patch up – they were just talking, which was due for some time now. They fight. They have had sex. They have done everything, but they never get the chance to sit and just talk about themselves. About their insecurities, about their feelings, about everything they bring to each other. Piper last put forward a very interesting point, “Aren’t we toxic for each other? There is just too much we don’t agree on.” She had muttered. Her point was quite simple. She told him that even if Jeremy hadn’t attacked her or anyone else, and even if he was just try