Prologue

Alessandra POV

"I really need to get out of that house soon, Lu! Or I'm gonna lose my mind!" I groaned.

I need to get away from them.

I love my brothers, but they are really something.

"What is it this time, Al?" Lucy's eyes crinkled briefly. No doubt she's trying to hide her smile, amused.

I know, lately, I've been complaining a lot about my brother's controlling bearing.

I rolled my eyes in irritation as the scenario with my two brothers flooded my head once more.

"Do you remember Andreas?"

I muttered, frowning at her while staring at her face for any hints of recollection. Her brows knitted just for a second, and then her brown eyes lit up with recognition.

"Andreas Petracca?" She frowned.

I nodded in agreement.

We met Andreas at our friend Lily's party when she threw a ball for her birthday. We danced all night, and that same evening, he confessed that he liked me.

"So what happened?" Lucy inquired, snapping me out of my short reverie. Staring at her mindlessly as I recalled the scene.

"Well, he came by the house yesterday with flowers. And just my luck," I snickered. "Carlos and Antonio, of all days, both chose to stay at home. At home!" I exclaimed exasperatedly, a little exaggeratedly, I guess, as I rolled my eyes for the nth time.

"You do not look pleased," she teased, grinning cheekily, trying to stifle her amusement. However, her eyes betrayed her. To my chagrin, she's enjoying my misery.

I glared at her. "Hear me out first, so you'll understand why I'm not pleased... at all!" I snapped, dragging out the last words.

"Anyway, Andreas invited me for lunch, so I let him in, and I asked him to wait for me in the living room as I went to get changed. I was so excited. As soon as I got dressed up for the date, I was smiling like crazy as I walked back to where I left him, only to find Carlos sitting on the couch... the couch... where he sat while he was supposed to be waiting!" I cried out, with my heart that felt like it's gonna burst with the intense anger that suddenly took over me upon recalling the event.

"He was talking on the phone while a seemingly bothered Antonio paced back and forth in the room. So, I asked where is Andreas, and Antonio just shrugged his stupid shoulders and told me that he left."

I let out a deep sigh, trying to calm my temper. I didn't want to vent it out on Lucy.

She looked sympathetic, but that didn't help soothe my irritation.

"Did he really believe I would buy it?"

Lucy just shook her head. She knows I need to blow off some steam, so she just let me rant out all that bottled-up irritation.

"Although I already have an idea of what transpired, I still asked him why. To my dismay, he said nothing. He just pointed at the flowers sitting on the coffee table and told me they were from Andreas."

My eyes obliviously narrowed as I spat the words. "Of course, the flowers are from him!" I almost screamed the last words.

Lucy kept quiet, listening mindlessly, patiently waiting until I'm done droning on and on.

I furiously shut my eyes, perhaps to control my raging temper just thinking about that event.

"While this was happening, our older ass brother, Carlos, just stared at me with an annoying look. Could you believe that?" I huffed at the end, infuriated, my hands crossed over my chest in indignation.

My chest is rising and falling with each breath.

Lucy leaned her back against her chair, stretching her legs out boyishly. "Yeah, he's an ass!" Lucy remarked while staring at me with sympathy, rather a fake sympathy.

She gives me the same look every time Carlos' name is brought up in our conversations. And I realized, every time Carlos' name was brought up, her eyes lit up like a bulb, or probably it's just me.

Foolish of me, of course, Lucy treated my brothers like hers.

Tapping her dainty fingers on the table, she gave me a duh look. "I've been asking you if you wanna come with me to New York," she said, her tone chastising.

"It's our graduation soon. Why don't you take this chance to move out?" she offered, looking at me intently.

Yes, true. Graduation is approaching, and I have no plans yet after that. And then just like that. I decided.

"Fine, I'll come with you," I agreed impulsively. My brothers may not gonna agree, but they are not my parents. And I'm not young anymore.

"I'll talk to my parents about it. Besides, I'll be needing a job soon, and I refuse to work with my brothers. Not now, not ever!" I proclaimed between gritted teeth, which sealed my decision. I will never work with them.

I missed the triumphant grin that graced Lucy's face.

"YES!" Lucy squealed as she jumped out of her seat and pulled me for a hug.

Withstanding the unwanted attention from the other tables in the cafe of the University building, she continued to ramble on about her plans.

"I'm so happy, Al!" she exclaimed as she couldn't stop bouncing elatedly on her seat. Affected by her contagious excitement, I can't help but smile in response as all of my pent-up frustrations seem to wash away.

Hoping to convince my parents, especially my mom.

While Lucy was rambling incessantly, I mentally started devising a plan.

I believe it will be a challenging decision. However, it will totally be worth it.

I can't wait.

....