Chapter 2: White lines and G&Ts

Valentina

Capo d'Orlando, Sicily, Italy 2019 - summer

The sun is starting to burn me alive, and I've only been exposed to it for less than an hour. I  stretch my arms out in front of me to inspect whether I've reached the amount of tan that I've  been trying to achieve for the past six weeks since we came to Italy.

"Put your hat on." My mother motions from her lounge chair, too engrossed in her book to even  look up at me. See just sees me moving and feels the need to say something.

I look down at my bucket hat. "It makes my head heat up even more." 

This makes her put the book down and throw me an annoyed look. I envy her for how relaxed she looks in her bikini. She also looks kind of poetic, sitting alone on our private beach sipping a Martini  - only having to worry about how the book is going to end.

She tilts her head and looks at me over the sunglasses. "Then go hang out with  your friends. Where are they? Where's your brother?"

I squint my eyes at her. "Smooth, mom. Trying to get rid of me like I'm a toddler."

She softens and closes her book. "Honey, you've been complaining for the past  five days about being bored, it has nothing to do with me trying to get rid of you. Just go to  the beach with your brother next time or go and see what Raisa or Alex are up to."

I sigh. She's right. I haven't seen Raisa for a few days. All we do is sit by the  pool on our phones without anything new to add to the  conversation, or going out clubbing. First of all, doing some self care from time to time (i.e. smoking a joint in secret when no one's home, making lists of what I want to do with my life and then forget about them, sitting in the sun or taking hour long baths) is way more appealing to me at the moment.

Second, I just got my sleeping schedule back under control and managed to sleep eight hours a night for the seven days. When summer ends, I'll have to return to  university, and I need to pass my exams. If I just keep partying and going out I will get myself kicked out by not passing exams.

But in the end, what's worse? Being bored to death or listening to the longest speech about  responsibilities from two parents who grew up poor and got rich by working hard?

"I'm just going to eat something." I say.

"Okay."

Eating because I'm bored becomes a thing when I'm not socially active, but at this point  in my life, I just can't bring myself to care.

It's like there's always a part of my brain that knows what I'm doing is wrong, but there's another one that tells me I can do whatever I want.

I start to gather my things; the book I brought along for the summer (which I haven't started reading yet), my towel, and the beach bag.

How can I entertain myself tonight?

I could try and  find my brother, Adrik, see what he's up to. I could open the notifications that have been rotting on my screen since I woke up this morning. I could try doing something with Raisa and her brother. I could also check if any of the Barone boys are around tonight.

I walk up the path leading from the beach up to our garden, pressing on a random notification. It's a text from Raisa.

Raisa: party in Taormina tonight with the Barone boys?

Valentina: Barone boys? How

Raisa: Vinnie texted me because you weren't answering

Raisa: said he texted you at like 9

I scroll down my notifications bar. Shit. She's right.

Valentina: yeah okay

Valentina: sure

Valentina: where is it?

Raisa: Taormina

Valentina: ??

Raisa: the TOWN

Our vacation home in Sicily is in Capo d'Orlando, and we've been coming here every  single summer since 2008. My brother and I have never actually gone out and explored  Sicily, because we had everything we needed at our home. Our family friends, the Volkovs, have always come with us and stayed in a house just a few streets away.

At the beginning of this year, the father unexpectedly passed away in a car crash, so we started the summer off with a funeral in Sicily. It was Aleksander Volkov's  favorite place on earth, and I always saw him at his best when we were here. It was like he belonged here, rather than Russia.

His children are okay though, and from what my mom told me, their mother has also had time to grieve for the past six months and now they're moving on. I think the whole thing affected my father the most, even though he never lets it show.

I check where Taormina is on G****e Maps before I give her an answer.

Valentina: it's a 2h drive

Raisa: I can ask our driver

"Put your hat on." My mother's voice startles me. I completely zoned out and forgot that I  came to a halt in the middle of the pathway. My mother is still on the lounge chair, but she's  turned to me now.

"Where's papa?"

She makes a face. It is the nickname I had for him when I was younger. My mom knows I only call him by the nickname when I need to soften him up. Usually, I either ask for money or for something that might need some convincing on my part.

"He has some business to take care of."

"Will he be back tonight?"

She shrugs and gets back to her book. "Who knows with your father."

"Didn't he say where he was going?" I ask, trying to estimate when he'd be home judging by where he's at.

"Meeting some business partners, I don't know honey. Do you need help with something?"

I don't like asking her for money. I don't. I know she grew up poor and worked her way up to become a very well-paid ambassador. She has the "quality over quantity" mindset, so  asking her for money to go to a party on another part of the island would be much  more exhausting than asking my father. He usually just sighs, tells me to be more mindful about it, then lets me go.

"Mmmmnot yet." I say, and I know she knows what I want anyway.

I quickly walk towards the house, away from her passive aggressive stare. I walk past the pond-shaped pool, trying to resist the urge to throw myself into it. Our dog, Byk, raises his head from where he's chilling under a tree, hiding from the sun. He decides to follow me inside the house, all the way into our kitchen. 

After pouring myself a glass of lemonade from the fridge, I click on the message from Vinnie.

Vinnie Barone: heyyy

Vinnie Barone: Eddie and I are going to a house party in Taormina later tonight

Vinnie Barone: interested? * winking emoji *

He sent it about four hours ago. 

Valentina: hii

Valentina: Talked to Raisa, we're in

Valentina: she's talking to her driver rn

I busy myself with getting Byk some food from his pantry as I wait for a reply. My phone  vibrates, and suddenly, life is exciting again.

The little part of my brain that loves seducing men and having fun is slowly defrosting. It usually dies when summer starts and I go away with my family, taking a break from the chaotic lifestyle back at school in New York.

I had a long-term boyfriend, Jamie, when I first started high school, but after four toxic  years we broke it off. I started fresh three months ago, for what feels like the third time in five years.

Vinnie Barone: eh no way

Vinnie Barone: you can come with us

Valentina: niice thank u

Vinnie Baron: how many people?

Valentina: just us two

I know for a fact that Raisa's brother won't be coming with - he never does.

Vinnie: pick you up at 6?

Valentina: sure

I sigh, looking around for something to do. My eyes fall on my bathroom door. After letting  Raisa know about the change of plans, I walk over into the bathroom to turn on the water in  the bathtub.

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Hope you enjoy the story as much as I love writing it! It's a slow burn, and it should have around 9 Volumes, each over 17 full chapters!

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Ronnie