Sweat quickly formed on my forehead, and my legs started to shake. Once again, the fear that lived deep within my belly shot through me, and I knew I was really in for it this time.
Normally, I’d sit there and wait for my punishment, but when I covered my mouth to keep from screaming, something came over me, I moved without thinking. I undid my other hand and bolted for the outside door. Renzo must have spotted me through the window, and I could hear his laughter as I ran.
I raced down the path through the thick woods. The deeper I went, the more I could breathe. We were never allowed past the property line. They had made that clear the very first day I arrived, but I didn’t care. I wanted to be free and ran as fast as my legs could go.
Renzo’s laugh echoed in my head as my legs pumped and my lungs felt like they would burst. I tried to outrun the sound of it, and it helped for a while.
I didn’t remember tripping on anything, but I landed hard with a mouthful of dirt. I lay still for a moment, trying to hear past my own gasping breaths until I dared to stand and look around. I stood beside the edge of a small pond. I had no idea there was such a place anywhere in the area. A rope hung from a tree, proof that this was used in summer as a swimming pond. I could only imagine what it would be like to swing from it and land in the water with a splash. Big, beautiful flowers—I knew they were plumeria—grew all around the edges. It was so pretty. The beauty of it all only lasted for a moment before the entire weight of what happened hit me hard.
Unable to bear the thought of it all, especially in this beautiful place, I buried myself in the branches of a tree and pressed my cheek against the rough bark as I hugged the trunk and sobbed. Life seemed so unfair to me. Why was I not wanted? How could my Mama leave me with the Di Vaio family? How did she not know how horrible they were?
“Are you okay?” A boy’s voice made my eyes snap open wide as I instantly swallowed my sobs, frozen in fear. “Sorry,” he said, and as I slowly turned to face him, he lifted his hands to show no harm, his wet t-shirt dangling from his fingers. “You just sound really sad.”
“I’m—” I tried to catch my breath. “I’m okay.”
He nodded but made no move toward me. He just took a seat on a rock in front of me. I took two small steps to the side, away from the tree branches. He looked to be a few years older than I was. He had dark hair that matched his dark eyes. They were so intense it nearly made my tongue suck back into my throat when I tried to swallow.
“How did you hurt your face?” He spoke quietly, the way you would to a puppy.
I quickly covered my bruises with my hands and blushed in embarrassment. He came up on me so quickly I didn’t have time to react.
“I fell,” I lied lamely, looking into those dark eyes.
“Must have hurt.” His voice stayed soft.
“I fall a lot,” I admitted for some reason. “I’m used to it.”
His head tilted to the side as he studied me.
“It’s not a big deal.” I tried to recover, not wanting pity from a stranger, let alone a boy.
“Is that why you’re crying?”
“No.” I sniffed and dried my cheeks. “I wish.” My voice ran away from me.
He turned his back to me as he reached for a new shirt in his bag.
“Are you scared of something?” I watched as he tugged the t-shirt over his head. He didn’t seem old enough, but I saw he had a tattoo on his shoulder blade. It was a gold crown with a black bird below it. I could see it against his tanned skin, but then in a flash it was gone under his shirt.
I blinked when he turned back to face me and tried to remember what he had just asked. He took pity and asked again.
“I think I was born scared.”
He studied my face again then nodded, almost like he understood my comment.
“You want to swim?”
I shook my head. I took another small step to test my shaky legs. “I should get back.” I tried hard for a smile, but my lips just made a funny twitch.
“Where do you live?”
“For now, I live at the Di Vaio house.” I saw that he flinched at where I lived.
He stepped forward and offered me a hand. He was very formal. “I’m Elio.”
“Sienna.” I hesitated but slipped my hand into his. “Thanks for talking to me.”
“I’m always here.” His eyes shifted over my shoulder, and I turned to see what had caught his attention. Someone was coming toward us. My world dipped, and I fought to stay standing.