Chapter 5 - Unyieding 

"Don't you dare use that tone with me, young lady? I'm your father, and I do not owe you any explanation," he snapped at her Instead, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Well, I wish you weren't, and I hate you! Ugh!" she yelled back, storming out of the house.

He called after her, "Hey Natalie, get back here! Damn, that girl and her rebellious phase," he cursed under his breath.

******

I arrived home feeling furious. "Who grounds children at this age? Nat is not even a kid?" I questioned myself bitterly as I pushed the door open. "I mean, what's so wrong with working outside? I thought he was handsome, but with such an attitude, I'm starting to doubt my first impression of him." I let out a sigh and headed to the refrigerator, taking out a bottle of water. Just as I opened it, the doorbell rang.

I turned, wondering who could be coming over. Opening the door, I found Nat standing outside, barefoot.

"Hi," she said with a shivering voice, "can I come in? I'm freezing out here."

"Oh, yeah! Sorry, I was just shocked to see you," I said as I held the door open.

"It's warm," she commented as she walked inside.

"Of course," I replied, closing the door. "We're a warm family."

She turned and winced at my comment. "Right..."

"Sit down." I offered her a seat, which she accepted.

"Thank you, Sophie," she smiled sadly.

"You're welcome," I replied with a smile. "Water?" I asked, handing her the bottle of water I had taken from the fridge earlier.

"Oh, thanks," she said, taking it from me.

"Sure. So, what?" I began, then paused. "Before I ask what happened, how did you find out where I live?"

"Oh, you told me about it earlier," she replied.

"Oh," I said, realizing that I had mentioned that my house was four blocks away. "Yeah, sorry."

"It's fine. If someone who has never been to my place suddenly arrived at my front door, I'd be suspicious too," she responded blankly, that's if my father doesn't shoot them dead'

"Huh? I wasn't suspicious, I was just curious," I corrected myself. "So, what happened?" I asked again without waiting for a reply. "When you said, 'you were going to handle it,' were you serious?"

"Of course I was, Sophie," she sighed angrily. "I'm not a kid, and I'm sick and tired of having to change friends just to suit his needs," she blurted out.

"His needs?" Suddenly it struck me. "Oh my God! Don't tell me he..."

"What? No," she said hastily. "Jesus, Sophie, he's my father! How did you come to such a conclusion?" She looked at me in disbelief.

"What?" I asked, surprised by her reaction. "I'm a fast thinker," I replied to her.

"Yeah, it's disgusting how fast you think," she retorted. "Anyway, I'm just tired of living in fear all the time. I want to have a normal life, make friends, date, kiss a guy, and enjoy the simple things. But just because he's a gangster, I can't have a normal life without getting shot at," she revealed.

Shocked, I exclaimed, "What?"

"What?"

"You said 'a gangster,' right?" I asked, still stunned.

Realizing her slip-up, she tried to deny it. "No, I didn't."

Suddenly, I remembered the discussion with my parents. "OMG! So that whole story about 'a gangster moving next door' was real?" I blurted it out excitedly.

Sighing, she said, "I can't believe I just revealed that. My father is going to kill me."

"Hahaha!" I laughed. "Well, there's no secret about it. Half of the town already knows there's a gangster family living next door, even though they don't know who it is," I added.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"No, I mean, this is an official community meant for cops and soldiers, so of course, when someone out of the ordinary moves in, they have to be alerted for safety purposes."

"Ugh. I think my head is going to explode," she blurted out.

Ignoring her worries, I continued, "But seriously, your father is a mafia?" I asked with a wide grin. "A Russian mafia at that! Wow, I've seen them on TV, but to have one living next to me, I'll die of excitement."

She raised her head, surprised at the happy expression on my face. "You're happy?" she asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" I responded with another question.

"You're not scared of me or my family?" she asked again.

"Is there a reason for me to be?" I replied with yet another question.

"No, it's just... one of the reasons we're told never to reveal that part of ourselves. Apart from being targeted, people don't like to associate with dangerous and violent individuals, especially if they have anything to do with the underworld," she explained. "I mean, most of my friends who found out about my identity ditched me in the blink of an eye."

"Ha, well, that's their fucking business and not mine," I blurted out. "The first time I saw him at our school, I knew he was different. Such a breathtakingly handsome man can't simply be a father. However, to think he was actually a hot mafia? Wow... This is so cool," I turned my eyes to Nat. "I thought I had a crush on your father, Nat, but that's not it."

"Well, thank God," she spat out.

"Yeah, I think I'm in love with him," I said with a wide grin.

"Ha.. I knew you were weird the first time I saw you, but to think you were this wired is discomforting," she said, giving me a disapproving glare. "And my father hates brats with a hot passion."

"Oh, yeah?" I smiled at her. "That must be why he hates dealing with you," I added.

"Bitch... Keep rubbing it in."

"Hahaha." I stood up hastily and walked over to where she was sitting, taking her hand in mine. "Oh, Natalie Kova," I called.

"What?"

"I think you and I are going to be the best of friends," I said. But just then, the doorbell rang. I stood up, and yelled, "Coming!" as I walked over.

Natalie watched me walk happily to the door and whispered to herself, "Jesus, I think I just made a mistake."

The doorbell rang again. "Jeez, I said I was coming. What the fuck?" I blurted out angrily as I pushed the door open, only to find the most gorgeous man, Alexander Kova, standing at my door.

"Hi!" I murmured, my heart pounding as I tried to conceal the surprise and excitement that surged through me.

What could he possibly want, showing up unannounced like this? The unexpected visit sent shivers down my spine. 

Ah! He must be here for his daughter, I thought to myself, smiling as we locked gaze.