When Liviana was eleven years old, she had gone through a traumatic event.One day, when she and her siblings had the house to themselves, they had decided that this was a perfect opportunity to be the normal kids they had always wanted to be. They weren't going to do anything crazy. There were no drawings on the walls or things being thrown and something ending up broken. It was something simple- something a lot of children wouldn't even consider fun, as it was nothing more than a day full of baking.Emilia and Liviana had their heart set on making the perfect cake one would ever have. And so, that's what they did. They had planned, looking up recipe after recipe until there were sheets spread far and wide, all across the dining table. They had looked up reviews, using the comments to depict which ingredients were loved and which had caused the worst takes. And when they were finished studying the opinion of others, they had gotten to work mixing the recipes- using their research to
Las Vegas, Nevada. The city of sin, and a place where Liviana didn't belong. She was the Santora sweetheart- an angel in the disguise of an ordinary person. A saint such as herself didn't belong amongst a city of sinners. She knew that- they all did. And yet, here she was. Sitting on a bed in a hotel room as she watched Violet through dresses and jewelry, deciding what it was they would be wearing for their first night out. "I've never been to a club before," Liviana informs, her nerves obvious in demeanor as the blonde glances over. "It's okay," Violet shrugs. "There's a first time for everything, right?" "I guess so," Liviana mutters, looking down at her lap where she picks at her nails. "I..." she breathes. "I don't know if it's a good idea, though." Violet nods. She had figured as much- and may even agree with the woman, but she wanted to let Liviana work through her feelings on her own. "Why not?" She asks, continuing to sort through their outfits as she waits for Liviana
Liviana Castelli has always been a bit of a loner.She wasn't a loner, as in that she was always alone or that she enjoyed being by herself- in fact, she hated being alone. In her eyes, being lonely was one of the worst feelings one could ever feel. It was too sad, too depressing. And so she always made sure to have someone next to her. A sibling, a friend, a boyfriend- someone she could spend her time with. Someone to save her from herself.And that was both an easy and a hard thing to do.For someone who was adored, admired, and envied wherever she went, Liviana had a love-hate relationship with every person she would meet. Girls were jealous, boys were horny, and both only wanted to use her. She was beautiful, kind, and so, so naïve.Her innocence was often mocked when she was growing up. The girls would pick fun at her for being so inexperienced, never knowing much about boys and sex and relationships. Boys would tease her, asking what it would take for her to let them teach her a
Liviana Castelli has always loved books.She loved to read and learn the lives of others- going through a thousand lifetimes in just her one. She had lived a thousand lives, a thousand stories, a thousand tales of love by just reading what one’s mind could come up with. And she savored every moment.When she was a child, she would read fairytales of princesses and princes, with magic and love and that ending of them riding off into the sunset and living happily ever after. It was all smiles, laughter, and joy. And when she was a child, she loved that. She dreamt of it. And as she grew, she yearned for it.She wanted the easy going love where everything was just perfect and right. She wanted prince charming to come rescue her, breaking her free of her parents’ chains so they could ride off into the sunset, all the way to the safety of his castle. It was a comforting thought for young Liviana, who would sit, waiting and watching, anticipating the moment when he would finally show up. O
There was a line in this world, drawn in the sand to separate two groups of people. The good guys, and the bad. The heroes, and the villains. The sinners, and the saints.Can you guess which side Liviana walked on?She was a saint. A good girl, a hero, an angel. She was forever the sweetheart.It was a very black and white way of thinking- as most things were. There were only good and bad, heroes and villains, sinners and saints. There couldn't be a mix between the two. It was one side versus the other, and mingling wasn't allowed.People seemed to think that sinning was infectious. Bad influences were everywhere, and no one was safe. There was no immunity. Even the purest of souls was at risk. And so precautions had to be put in place. The first being no fraternizing with the enemies.Because really, they weren't wrong. Bad behavior was infectious. Wrong choices, bad decisions, making the wrong move... It was all caused by certain influences. Whether those influences be yourself or a
When Liviana was a teenager, she had this habit.It wasn’t a nervous habit of chewing her nails or one of those things people labelled as a cute thing she couldn’t help but do, like playing with her hair or twisting her rings, maybe some inappropriate giggles.Instead, it was much darker.There were a few instances where she found herself... spiraling. She got too close to someone, and she would push them away. She would get scared- intimidated at the thought of having someone know her, to see her thought process and learn her feelings, her intimate feelings that no one knew, not even her... It was a terrifying thought. And so, to deal with that thought, or more so, to not have to deal with it, Liviana would spiral.She would push people away- ghosting them and dropping them, and when those simple, less messy ways of disposing of people failed her, she would force them away.How? You may wonder. How could this girl perceived as such an angel be able to just chase people away like it w
“Liviana..?”Her heart skips a beat, hammering against her ribcage in a painful rhythm that leaves her ears ringing. “No-“ she mutters, a whisper as the name repeats in her ears, rolling off his tongue like it had a million times before. No, no, no.“I-“His voice sends shivers down her spine and his words fade into nothing but white noise, and it was then that Liviana realized she couldn’t hear anything. It was like her head was being held underwater, and she was drowning all over again.Her head hurt and her heart felt like it was going to explode.He couldn’t be here- no, this couldn’t be real. “There’s no way,” she breathes, falling back into the bar as the dizzy spell hits. Blinking through the tears, she forces the word- a name she never wanted to speak again. “Dom..?” She whispers like an accusation, the name spilling like poison from her painted lips. “I- I-“ she shakes her head, feeling as though the room was spinning as she asks, “No- no- no- how... how did you find me?”The
Patience is a virtue.Something we’ve all heard once or twice, told to breathe and relax and have some patience. Because, to most, patience is a virtue.Patience is kindness, and it is grace.It’s the way a lily pad floats on the water. Patience is elegance.It’s the way the wind blows through your hair, soft and light, giving that pleasant chill as it brushes against your skin. Shivering at the feel, the goosebumps rise. Patience is refreshing.It’s that moment when you break through the water, coming up to the surface for that breath of fresh air. Patience is cleansing.Patience is that moment in the morning, when you first wake up and everything is calm and feels just right. Nothing matters at that moment. Patience is serene.Patience is for the people with the kindest hearts and the strongest of wills. It’s a skill- a talent, even. And one only the best of people possess. Because patience is a virtue.For most of her life, Liviana has always agreed with this outlook. She agreed th
"Livi?"The girl nearly shrieks, settling for a gasp as she pulls her bedroom door shut in a rush. "Dad!" She greets, spinning around to face the man. "Hi!""What are you doing?""Nothing," she says, frowning. "I'm not doing anything. Why do you ask?""You seem... different," he says. "Odd. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?""Yeah, mhm," she hums, offering the man an unconvincing nod. "I'm okay- everything's okay! There's nothing to worry about here, dad."He hums, eyes raking up and down his surly daughter, and she could practically feel the suspicion in his gaze. It was almost as if he was trying to look into her soul. "Well, if you're sure-""I'm sure," she swears, mustering up the most convincing smile she could as she assures him that she was alright - everything was fine."Good, good..." he trails, clearing his throat. "Listen, about dinner-""Oh, you don't have to... say anything," she says, her smile fading to something more tainted. "It's fine."He furrows a brow. "It is?"
"Are you... serious?"At the awkward question and the meek voice it's spoken by, Ben glances up from his spot on the bed and hums. "Serious?" He echoes, unsure about what she was muttering on about. "About what?""Mom and dad," Liviana reminds, asking, "are they really that bad?"Ben sighs, attempting to offer his little sister a careful answer. "They're, uh... complicated.""Complicated?" Livi repeats, joining her brother on the bed with a frown. "I don't... I don't understand. What are they?"Ben only grows all the more confused by her questioning, and his lips tilt down in a frown of his own. "What?""What kind of people are they?" She presses. "Mom and dad, I mean - are they good people or... are they bad people?"He hums. "Well, that's a good question, kid," he says, voice soft as he offers his sister a thoughtful look. "What do you think they are?""I think..." she trails off with a sigh, nervous.He's quick to pick up on the traces of anxiety lost in her tone - seeping into her
The Santora family sat under a thick blanket of silence, tense as they ate. Alonzo sat at the head of the table, scrutinizing his family with a heavy gaze that weighed them down, and soon enough, it felt as though he was trying to burn a hole through their heads with such an intense gaze. The eldest of his kids shortly had enough.Ben coughs, clearing his throat and folding his dinner napkin up in his lap. "So..." he trails, pasting a smile onto his lips and turning to face his father. "Is there any news?"Alonzo narrows his eyes. "News?" He echoes, watching as his son nods. "And, uh... what news would that be? Are you expecting something?""No, no," the young man shakes his head. "Not me-""Oh, and you believe you have a right to my news now too, huh?" He presses. "You think you have that privilege now, do you?""No, I don't- I don't think that. I'm sorry if that's how it came off, but I-""But you what?" Alonzo wonders, asking where he could have gotten the idea that he was somethi
The Santora siblings walk into the office building, wandering through the halls together, hand-in-hand while they searched for Blaze."Hi, excuse me," Liviana gives the receptionist a bright smile, leaning onto the counter her desk hides behind when she speaks. "I was wondering if you could tell me where Blaze is?"Instead of giving her a direct answer, the employee's eyes drag up and down Liviana's figure, judging her, before they flit back up to her face. Her eyes narrow, and she asks, "and, uh... who are you?"Liviana presses her lips together into a thin line, doing all she could to maintain the kindness in her tone when she offers the woman an answer. "My name is Livi-""I didn't ask for your name," the woman points, scowling up at Liviana and repeating the question. "Who the hell are you? And what business do you have with the boss?"Tino scoffs from his sister's side, prepared to pipe up and protect Liviana's pride for her, knowing she wouldn't do so for herself, but the girl i
Strolling through the hedges was difficult - awkward - and the Santora siblings couldn't handle it. They absolutely hated this heavy feeling hanging between them. Never have they ever felt so detached."Where are we going?" Tino asks, glancing around at the tall rose bushes that kept them secluded. "And why is it so freaking far?" He complains, quickening his pace to catch up to that of his nervous sister, who remains silent. "Liv?""Uh," she mutters, glancing over her shoulder at the young man. "Just... follow me," she says, insisting he not question it. Right now, she was only doing what was best for the both of them, and she needed him to trust that. "We need to get away for this, okay? It's important that no one overhears us."She couldn't risk their parents finding out about her betrayal. They would behead her at the first opportunity."Okay..." he trails, eyes narrowing at the back of his sister's head. "But why?""Because..." she shrugs it off, admitting in a whisper, "it's saf
Liviana didn't know what to do with herself.After her argument with Tino, it was as if the thoughts doubled in tenfold and her mind couldn't - wouldn't - stop. All night she was forced to sit with herself, overwhelmed by her endless thoughts and memories while she retraced every inch and wondered, where did it all go wrong?She would look back on her life, spending hours sorting through all the memories, and it was as if every time she did, she could spot a new lie. It didn't take long for her to have a mental list going, and the more she added, the more she wondered, was any of it real? Where did the lies stop? Where did this act she perfected end? When was enough, enough? Nothing was ever enough for Drusilla and Alonzo - Livi scoffs at the thought, turning over where she lies in her bed. And then came the dreaded thought. What about her siblings? One was dead, one disappeared, and the other seemingly despised her. Her eyes water at the thought, and she pulls the blanket over her
The moment Liviana left the restaurant that night, it felt as if she was walking into a world void of air. It was as though all the oxygen had been sucked out of the planet - if not just her lungs - and she couldn't breathe for days afterward. It was all too heavy, and she wasn't sure she could handle it. How does one go about their life knowing that nothing was as it seems? Knowing that, at any God given moment, it could all be taken away from her? How was she supposed to go about her day knowing that each second could be her last? She just couldn't.Liviana was no stranger when it came to living her life in fear. She knew paranoia all too well, almost like an old friend she was introduced to by none other than her parents. Childhood was rough, and Liviana could say with confidence that she was raised in fear. It surrounded her. It became her. She was scared of everything. And that was always her biggest problem.After dinner with the detective, Liviana only grew all the more paranoi
A younger Liviana wrung her hands together as she climbed the stairs, following her mother's bellows all the way to her bedroom door. "Liviana?!"She flinches at the screech of her name, taking a step back to compose herself. "Breathe," she reminds herself, stilling for that of second before she's startled by another shout of her name. "Shit," she curses, rounding the corner into her mother's bedroom and asking, "yes, mom?""Finally!" Drusilla throws her arms up. "Where in God's name have you been?" She demands, asking what had taken her so long. "Didn't you hear me calling?""I'm sorry, mom," Liviana apologizes. "I was outside with-""I don't care to hear your excuses, young lady!" Drusilla scoffs, scolding the girl for her lack of responsibility. "What if I was hurt, hmm?" She questions. "What if I was in danger? Or worse, dying? What would you have to say for yourself then, huh?""I'm sorry-"Drusilla scoffs once again. "Your apologies mean nothing to me, Liviana. Do better!" She
Blaze could practically feel his heart tie itself into a knot in his chest at the sound of another distraction. Would he ever get the timing right? He sighs at the thought, turning around to greet the man, whose voice he recognizes immediately."Bryce," he greets, pushing out of his chair and offering the man his hand to shake. "There you are! We were beginning to think you got lost.""What can I say? I run on my own time." Bryce shrugs it off, giving Blaze's hand a shake before he rounds the table to take the seat across from the 'happy couple.'"That would have been something to mention days ago when we arranged this meeting," Blaze points, and the detective rolls his eyes. "I specifically asked for a time that suited you-""I'm here, aren't I?"Blaze only hums, narrowing his eyes at his 'old friend', and Liviana coughs."Uh- Blaze," she murmurs, reaching to take his hand in hers and giving it a gentle tug with a silent demand- if not a gentle ask for him to sit. "He's here. That's