LOGINThe moment dinner was adjourned, Liviana jumped out of her seat so fast you would think it was on fire. She abandoned her plate, which was still full, just as she claimed to be, and ignored the way Violet and her parents called after her when she fled.She swiped her bag from the front door and made a beeline for the stairs, taking them two at a time. “Blaze...” she mumbled to herself, already pulling out her phone and texting his number, demanding answers.Where was he? Was he okay? Why wasn’t he answering her? When was he coming home? Who was he with? Was it Armani? Was Armani okay? Should she be worried about them? About him? Why wasn’t he picking up the phone? Why would he do this to her?Why would Blaze break his promise? And worse, why would he ignore her? All she wanted - no, all she needed was to know that he was okay. That he was alive. Safe - and maybe even happy - wherever he was, even if it wasn’t with her.She huffed as she typed, rushing through the halls without so much
Dinner passed by in a blur, smoother once the tension settled, the chaos dissipating into quiet conversation as everyone tried to ignore the elephant in the room - Liviana and her obvious lies.The raven sat in silence as they ate, merely poking at her own food as her mind ran in circles, eyes darting toward the clock every couple of seconds as if it held all the answers.Where the hell was Blaze? Why wasn’t he here? Was he okay?God, she hoped he was okay.But what if he wasn’t? What if he were hurt? What if he was out there somewhere, scared and alone, and she was just here, waiting for nothing? For a man who would never come? Blaming him for being late - for forgetting about her - when he might’ve had no other choice? What if that sinking feeling in her stomach was right, and something was wrong?The thought made her stomach churn, and her appetite turned practically non-existent.Violet watches her closely, a small frown tugging at her lips as she sees her drop her fork, pushing h
The man shifted nervously where he stood, perched against the brick walls of the old bar, finger hovering above the button while he second-guessed everything.What if she didn’t answer? What if she did, and everything he feared came true? The thought of hearing her say it - that she hated him, that she couldn’t - wouldn’t - forgive him, and that he’d finally lost her for good - was enough to rattle him, changing his mind in an instant. He locks his screen and pockets his phone, dropping his head back against the wall to breathe.His hands shake by his sides, and he pauses, squeezing them into tight fists in a weak attempt to stop it, sucking in a deep breath as if to help. “C’mon,” he murmured, blinking up at the sky and trying to remind himself that he was perfectly fine. Physically, at least. “Just breathe, idiot,” he cuts himself off with a sharper breath, dropping his head forward this time and closing his eyes.The thought of needing another drink crosses his mind, needing someth
The pub was loud, filled with the sounds of its most loyal patrons - a pack of mouthy drunks that could never bear to tear themselves away from their favorite place. The ones who turned it into a makeshift home, filling it with music and laughter and the constant sound of chatter, taking full advantage of the place that never closed.It’s those same people who made Blaze and Armani feel so welcomed - so safe as to lose themselves in the music and drinks, letting their guard down for once in their lives because, as far as they could tell, no one here cared enough to tell. No one cared about who they were or what they do. Not really.That’s why the pair of brothers kept coming back, turning the bar into their haven whenever life flipped them on their heads, because even on their worst days, the bar always seemed to welcome them back in with open arms.Today was no exception. Blaze and Armani walked into the bar with their heads held high, the bell ringing above the door to alert the sm
Blaze and Armani were more than just brothers. They were friends, too. Best friends. Confidants. And there wasn’t anyone else in the whole world who proved to be as loyal or kind. There wasn’t anyone else they could trust. Not with their deepest, darkest secrets or the emotions they could never quite name, but always seemed to tear them apart.And although the Castelli’s weren’t the best at handling their emotions and putting their feelings into words, there was always some sort of understanding between the two brothers - a special kind of connection that made it so they didn’t even have to try. Not to speak or listen, or look for whatever underlying clues hidden between the lines. Not when they knew each other so well. Better than anyone else ever had or will.Instead, the two would sit, and they would share a drink - or rather a bottle of whatever they chose for the day - and they would drown out their sorrows until, eventually, whatever was bothering them would come up to the surfa
Dinner started off slow and awkward as people slowly began to file into the dining room, finding their respective seats around the table as if it were a chore. Liviana had to pretend not to notice the way each and every one of them kept stealing glances in her direction, eyes inevitably drawn to Blaze’s usually empty seat at the head of the table, where he’d typically be sitting and glaring at them as they entered.She tried especially hard to ignore her parents, who kept her pinned to her seat with the weight of their gazes, pretending not to hear them as they whispered questions of “Where is he?” And, “Do you think he’s going to show?” Before the dreaded moment finally came when they decided to ask her to her face.“Honey?” Drusilla called softly, clearing her throat when she goes unanswered. “Liviana, hon-“Her grip tightened around the glass of wine she had been nursing, knowing she couldn’t put it off any longer. Not when everyone was looking at her like that. Worried, suspicious
For as long as she could remember, Liviana Castelli has always loved the car.She wasn't sure what it was, but it was as if something in her brilliant mind had clicked into place with the belt of her car seat, and from the moment she was first strapped into the car, ready to take that wonderful drive
Liviana Santora has never been one to appreciate the taste of danger. In fact, she was one to do everything she could to avoid a simple smell of it.She was the one to walk side by side, hand in hand with safety. She would stay put, glancing over at the ones that laughed and screamed with joy, soarin
What is true immortality?It was a question Liviana has always had. She would sit for hours, the cogs of her creative mind turning like a clock as she wondered, what is immortality?Was it someone who lived forever?She knew that was the most common perception, if not the only. According to the definit
Liviana Castelli has always been known as an old soul, of sorts.When she was a child, she was the one everybody would call mature for her age. Not because she didn’t act childish at times or because she had the same knowledge or skills that an adult did. That wasn’t it at all. She had moments where







