We heard from Bianca, who confirmed what we already knew. Her dad was dead. Dad had told Alessandro that we were going to keep away from Bianca, and Alessandro had answered my behalf. Something that I wasn’t happy about and I didn’t agree to.I decided to call Dad here so we could talk like men. We could figure out a solution, and we would lay it on the line for him to agree to a way forward. One that didn’t involve stopping us from seeing Bianca.“Adolfo, where are your brothers?” Dad asked as I opened the door to the apartment. There was no How are you, a hug, or even a handshake. He was as cold as ice, and Rik stood firmly behind him. He was making it tough, but then I never expected it to be easy.“They’re in the living room. Waiting.”I moved out of the way so that he could enter. Even though he paid the rent and pretty much provided all the furnishing inside the apartment, he was being respectful as if he had no right to be there. That was one thing about Dad—he believed in res
I watched as the boys arrived with Erika to the burial, because there was no funeral service. She asked if it was an issue, because I hadn’t spoken to them lately. I said that it wasn’t, because they were coming to support me, and it would be selfish to refuse them that privilege. They’d done nothing wrong, and I’d taken my anger out on everyone but the one person who deserved it, because he was dead. I couldn’t vent to him, as much as I wanted to do that. No, I had to carry on and be thankful that he didn’t take me down with him. I felt shitty for thinking it or even voicing it when I spoke to Uncle Floyd or Nan, but Dad being dead meant that we were safe. He would have not only sold his soul to the devil, but all of ours too if it meant that he got to gamble more. I’d convinced myself for so long that he loved me, but when he last came to see me, the truth was staring me in the face and I still denied it. Dad only loved himself. Alessandro strode up to me and gave me a hug, looki
The last few months had been crazy. Between her dad’s death and finding out she was pregnant—not just with one baby, but with three—she’d missed a lot of classes, and she decided she wanted to spend time just being a mom. It just made us love her even more. She discovered that she struggled so much in her final year because she didn’t have a passion for philosophy anymore, but she knew that one day she would find it again. She just couldn’t graduate when she was struggling to do her thesis.It seemed as if Paul passing away had changed many things in her family’s lives too. Not only was her Nan dating, but her Uncle Floyd also, for the first time in years.As for my brothers and me, well, we had to leave our apartment. Luckily, we managed to raise some funds by selling the furniture before our dad officially kicked us out, hiring some goons to come over and change the locks. As for Mom, well, she turned her back on us too. It was inevitable; whatever Dad said went, and there was no do
August 2018Finally, summer was almost over, and it was time for me to leave Grandma’s house to get ready for university. It was the new beginning for some, but for me, it was everything. I would leave my high school paper behind and be in the big league. The university paper, the one thing that I’d dreamt of doing since I was a little girl. “If you stare at that mirror long enough, it’ll break.” Grandma winked as she stood behind me. I didn’t even realize that she was in the room. I’d decided to spend my last few weeks during summer before moving to university with her; I told Mom that she needed the company; it was a lie. I was the one that needed the company. Grandma was home all the time unlike Mom who worked all the time, and the truth be told, between my friends all getting ready for university and going on vacation, I was the only one around, and I was kind of lonely.“No, I just need to change my hair color, maybe or even lose a few pounds. Chicago University ’s new semeste
“I have some bad news.” Jenny stood in the front of the conference room, a room filled with tables, paper, files, and most of our office supplies, a serious frown marred her features. We rarely used the room for anything other than days like today, when Jenny, our student newspaper adviser, had news that we all needed to hear at the same time. Usually news we didn’t want to hear, and I squirmed in my seat, uneasy.I stared at her face, saw the worry lines at the corners of her gray eyes, mostly hidden behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses, and noted how flushed her face was. She’d either hit early menopause or she was worried. Her pencil-straight black hair, cut in a short bob just at her chin, gave her a severe look, but she wasn’t at all. Normally, she was quite playful, helpful, and kind. Today, however, she was worried, and it showed in everything she did, especially when she started to wring her hands together. I tapped my favorite pen, a bright orange, thick enamel pen my dad b
I couldn’t focus on the conversation the two girls were having, they were looking at clothes that they wanted me to try on when we got to the mall in a few days. All I could think about was the fact that the paper needed the money.“What size pants do you wear, Tessa?” Cheryl asked while she stared at her iPhone’s screen avidly.“An 8 or a 10, just depends,” I replied, not really paying attention, I was proud to say my new size. I’d done well to watch my weight and lose a few pounds in the last year. It’d helped me a little bit with my confidence when I came here, but obviously hadn’t helped my closet. It was true, that most of my clothes were in my old size, there was something satisfying with wearing something that didn’t fit. Pants that were too tight, were now joggers. Then again, they weren’t sexy, I wasn’t a Tomboy, but maybe they were right, I should have been focusing on clothes not worrying about the paper which was all I seemed to do morning, noon and night.That was when it
The polyamory idea was still on my mind a few hours later. I’d showered, changed into pajamas, and made myself a rather large chocolate daquiri to sip on as I stared at my computer, trying to find new ideas that didn’t involve me asking awkward questions. I wasn’t afraid to ask them, but if I could talk to people about a subject I knew fuck all about that would be great. My curiosity was piqued, however, and about an hour into useless research on improving newspaper subscription numbers I typed in the words: ‘polyamory’ and ‘stories’. I expected my search results would be full of pornography, but there were some really good articles that gave me some ideas. I wasn’t sure how the idea would go over at the paper. I’d have to run it by Jenny, of course, but she couldn’t dictate the subjects we chose. I was more worried about the other writers at the paper, what kind of grief I’d get from them. I heard the front door open, and the sound of keys being pulled out of the front door. I look
How do you go about asking a girl to let you interview her about her sex life?I wondered as I stared at my computer screen as if it had all the answers to my questions? I looked at the text I’d inserted into the box on the wanted page of the online version of the school paper. ISO female between 18-21 involved in a polyamorous relationship for interview.Great! Who would apply for that, and the problem was that I didn’t have the right line to attract the right interviewees. I sighed as I felt as if I was way out of my league. What did I know about sex, apart from what I would find online or I’d see in a porno? Girls want to share your story? Have more than one man; then, you’re wanted for an exclusive interview.No, that didn’t have the right feel either. “Errh!” I screamed at my screen. I knew nothing about sex, let alone had any personal feelings about what it would mean to have a man or two or even more. I'd read that some women had up to seven guys. That’s just crazy! What w
LucaAll the drama surrounding the Sext Me line died down. Natalia refused to tell me how she did it, but it meant we didn’t have to worry about people staring and murmuring about us as we moved around campus together.The rest of my final year in college was uneventful. There was only one more surprise, and it came from Dad.When I was worried about getting funds from part-time jobs to keep me up, after he’d paid all my tuition, he sent me money and told me not to worry about working, just hurry up and graduate, then find a proper job.I’d wondered where all the money came from, and he answered when I ask, despite what I thought. His business venture took off. Like, really took off. While he didn’t become a millionaire overnight, he was definitely nouveau riche.It was the day of graduation, after I’d already gone up and received my degree, I saw him. I stood with Natalia, who’d also invited her mom. I wasn’t sure how to react, and immediately, turned to look at Natalia and Tina, but
A few weeks passed. Mom refused to do anything about Greg. Luca had told me he’d found his dad, but because Mom didn’t want to, I left it alone. I could only steam about it.I woke up one morning to my phone ringing. I heard a groan from beside me, before Luca shifted around and grabbed the phone.“It’s your mom, Natalia,” he mumbled, still half asleep. I blinked my eyes open and took the phone, then slid out of bed so I wouldn’t bother him. Mom already knew about us since I’d told her we were seeing each other a couple weeks back, but she didn’t know we were this close already. It had both surprised and delighted me when she was happy for me, unconditionally.“Hey, Mom?” I said, covering a yawn. “What is it?”“Honey, why do you sound so tired? Did I catch you at a bad time?”It wasn’t all that early in the morning, but Luca and I had been up late last night, and I felt exhausted. Only, it was the good kind of exhausted that came after long, fun rounds of fulfilling sex. Of course, t
It was a Friday when her mom came to the school, and since she’d already skipped her morning classes, Natalia decided to go back home with her Mom. I wandered back to my dorm room, feeling dejected. Classes were still ongoing, so I was thankful I didn’t have to deal with Casey when I got back to the dorm. I plopped down on my bed, rolled onto my back and threw my arms over my eyes.“Dammit, Dad,” I muttered.He’d actually gone and done it. I had known, but perhaps, deep inside of me, I hadn't really thought he would go through with it. But he actually ran away with Tina’s money. With Natalia’s Mom’s money.My dad was a criminal.Fuck!On the same day I found out, I should have told Tina instead of wavering, no matter what he said. If only I hadn't been selfish in that critical moment, I wouldn’t have excused myself from the table. Instead, I would have sat down and told Tina exactly what Dad told me, even with him sitting right there glaring at me.I’d certainly feel better than I did
I paced anxiously around the room, phone clutched in my hands.“Natalia…,” Luca said my name with a sigh.I shot a quick look at him, but he didn’t tell me to sit down. The guilty expression was still there on his face. I didn’t suddenly hate him, though. I was madder at myself than him, or I would have kicked him out of my room instead of letting him spend the night. Although it had been the first time we’d spent in bed together without anything sexual happening, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to appreciate it.“Why isn’t she here yet?” I muttered. “She said she’d leave early, so she should have arrived already. Dammit, I’m skipping classes for this.” I turned to him and gave him a weak smile. “You’re a senior, you know. You could have just gone ahead.”Luca shook his head as he stood up. He came over to me, tentatively raising his arms as if worried I would push him away. He’d been acting cautiously around me since yesterday, and I could have told him not to bother, but if I ha
A few days passed, and each day only grew better. Natalia was back in my life. Our previous relationship had resumed as if we’d never stopped, and I couldn’t be happier. Only, it was even better now, because I knew now that as crazy I was about Natalia, she felt the same way about me.We were officially dating now.“Look at you, being so happy. You and your girlfriend finally made up, huh?”I was seated outside with some friends having sandwiches for lunch. I ignored their teasing as I typed a reply to a text Natalia sent me, She was eating with her friends as well. Still, I couldn’t help feeling smug, because while I would have had to correct them before, now it was true that I’d made up with my girlfriend.Natalia wasn’t my first girlfriend, but I still wore a goofy smile every time I thought about her.“Hey, come on! Don’t ignore us when we’re right here. Did you two make up or not?”Casey, my roommate, snickered. “Oh, he definitely had plenty of fun ‘making up’ with his girlfriend
I laid my head down on Luca’s shoulder, and breathed shakily into his neck. My whole body trembled, and I had a feeling, if he put me down, my legs wouldn’t be able to hold me up. Not when my thighs shook, and it was hard enough just to hold on.As the aftershocks from the orgasm died down, I could feel the drowsiness set in. I fought against it, blinking my eyes several times. Then, Luca shifted a little, and I gasped, then let out a moan as his cock, still half hard inside me, shifted with the movement. Luca let out a curse, then carefully pulled his hips back, keeping his arms tight around me, until his cock spilled out of me. I desperately needed of a shower, but I didn’t want to leave just yet.After a long while, Luca sighed and pecked me on the forehead.“That bastard is going to be back eventually,” he murmured. “Let’s not give him anything to gawk at, hmm?”I paused for a moment, before carefully nodding.“I don’t think I can walk just yet, though,” I said quietly, my voice
It had been two weeks. Two long weeks where I didn’t even get to see Natalia, so when she kissed me and I had her in my arms again, it was like a dream. I couldn’t hold back, as I wrapped my arms around her and brought her in for another kiss, this one longer, deeper. She whimpered against my lips, and my arms tightened reflexively around her.“Natalia,” I breathed her name against her lips. I wanted to kiss her again, but as she panted for breath her chest pushed against mine, and I groaned in need. I wanted to feel more of her. “Damn, Natalia.”She initiated the kiss again and kept her arms wrapped around my neck to hold me close as she took the lead. Natalia nibbled on my lips, nudged them apart with her tongue, tasted me inside. I sucked lightly on her tongue and felt her weight settle even more against me.“I’m not sure I can stay standing if we do this,” she breathed out.I paused, but only for a moment. Then, I was walking her backward until her back hit the door. I loved the w
It was late in the afternoon by the time arrived back at campus. I wanted to find Luca quickly, but I wasn’t sure where to go and search. Would he be in his room? Or out? I thought about calling him before I decided not to out of shame. It took me two weeks to finally build up the courage to try and call him.What would I do if he didn’t pick up my call? It had been days since he last tried to contact me.It was a busy time on the campus. People were walking around, either coming in from activities they’d done outside or going out to have fun. Since it was the weekend, a lot of students did stuff like going to the movies, going out to eat or to sightsee. I noticed a few people look at me as they passed me, but ignored it as I looked around, wondering where I should start to look. Maybe I should start with the dorms, Luca was surprisingly not the kind of guy that liked going out much…Then, I heard it.“Hey, isn’t that her? The girl that’s with that Sext Me guy?”I overheard the two gi
When I got back to the dorms, I did exactly as Luca suggested I should do. I completely ignored everything, including the fact that I still had classes that day. I didn’t even change my clothes, just got underneath my covers and closed my eyes. I don’t know when I fell asleep.I woke up hours later. The room was already dark, but not the pitch black that would mean it was night time. It was around six in the evening when I checked the time on my phone. My stomach rumbled when I realized I felt a little hungry. Luckily, tomorrow was Saturday and I could be as lazy as I wanted to be. I didn’t want to go out, just in case I walked into someone I didn’t want to see right then, two people in particular, but I really was hungry. So, I used the bathroom and then went out to buy something I could take with me back to the dorms. When I got back, I ate quickly before getting right back into bed. It took longer to fall asleep this time, but I didn’t have anywhere to go.When I woke up on Saturd