Mobster's Girl (7 page)

So I make it fast. I push Johnny to the
ground and snap his leg.

I get home and dressed in record time. I’m
just getting my shirt on when my Dad walks in.

“He didn’t have it all, huh?” Pop asks.

“No.”

“You break his leg?”

“Yup, all set.” I tell him. My voice sounds
as casual as if I just told my Dad I went to buy milk.

“Here, some money for tonight.” He sticks
another $500 in my hand. I fold my fingers around it. My Dad pats
me on the cheek.

“You’re a good boy.” He says smiling. “Your
Ma loved the perfume.”

“Thanks, Pop.”

I come through the door at Alessandra’s house
and the party is already rockin’. People are smashed together
dancing to a deep beat coming out of the stereo system. A few
couples are making out in the corners of the living room. Everyone
I pass says hi to me or claps me on the back. Others when they see
me coming move out of my way.

Most people only want to be my friend because
they don’t want to be my enemy. I don’t give a crap. There are very
few people that I care about or trust among these individuals. My
limbs are still humming with the beating I just gave Johnny mixed
with my anticipation to see Megan. Calm and collected just is not
working for me right now.

The kitchen is filled with people drinking
beer, wine and some pink shit San made. At the table Louie, Ronnie,
and Vito are playing poker with some other kids from school. Maria
is standing over Vito’s shoulder watching with her cousin Dino.
What the fuck is he doing here?

Maria squeals, “Tony!” and rushes over to hug
me. Over her shoulder I see Alessandra by the refrigerator mixing
drinks. Standing next to her helping is a sight that makes my knees
weak-long waves of red hair spilling over her shoulders. She turns
with a tray of drinks in her hands and my heart stops. Megan looks
fuckin’ gorgeous!

Maria still has her arms around me, and I am
immobilized to the spot I’m standing in. I don’t even notice that
Maria is talking to me.

“Tony, dance with me?” She whines. She’s
clutching the front of my shirt now. I barely register what she’s
saying because I am too busy watching Megan walk away with Dino
following her.

I pull Maria’s hands off me and say, “Can’t,”
without even glancing down at her. The only person I can look at is
Megan and the beauty of her form and grace. Maria storms away.

Vito shakes me, I notice he’s standing next
to me now. “Where the fuck have you been? San and I are trying to
keep Dino off her. San asked Red to help out just so we could keep
an eye on her. Go make a move, Paesan, I’m exhausted and about
three seconds away from wailing on Dino.”

I nod and enter the living room to see Megan
passing out drinks while Dino tries to talk to her. She seems to be
polite but trying to ignore him. That’s how I feel she acts with
me. I am silently praying I don’t get shot down.

Megan is done passing out drinks and is
headed right toward me because I’m in the pathway of the
kitchen.

“Hi,” I say stepping in front of her.

“Hi,” she says and moves to step around
me.

I reach out and gently touch her arm to stop
her. My heart’s racing at the touch of her skin. She looks down
where I’ve touched her and gets a panicked expression. Is it fear?
Just as I’m about to say something else, Dickie Saco comes up to
me.

“Hey, Tonio, how about those Red Sox?” I
swing my head at him and my anger goes from zero to sixty. I’m so
pissed that this little fuckin’ weasel is bothering me when I am
trying to talk to Megan. Every time I see this guy he wants be my
friend
. He’s the biggest fucking empty suit
!
Get a
life!

“I don’t fuckin’ know! Who the fuck cares?”
My voice booms as I glare at him. A couple of people turn around to
stare at me. Dickie shrinks back and Megan scurries away.
Fanabola!
I roughly scrub my hands down my face trying to
get a hold of myself. I notice that there is a wide open area
around me. The dancers have shifted away.

Dino is leaning against the wall in the
kitchen watching Megan. Louie calls out to me, “Hey, Tonio, how
about a game?”

“Nah, I don’t feel like it right now.” I say.
Alessandra is talking to Megan. They are deep in conversation by
the refrigerator again.
What the fuck are they talking
about?

I step closer. “So he likes college?” San
asks.

“Yeah. He’s hasn’t said too much. It’s
probably a really big adjustment.” Megan replies.

They’re talking about the chooch, Troy.
Marrone!
That really doesn’t help my attempt to calm the
fuck down.

This night is not turning out the way I was
hoping. I wanted to show her she doesn’t have to be scared of me. I
want her so bad. All of the bottled up, repressed feelings over the
years coupled with the adrenaline of today’s beating consume me. I
shake my head in frustration and disgust. I slip outside for a
cigarette. Maria must have seen me leave because she snaps up right
in front of me.

“What’s the matter, Tony?” she asks.

“Nothing.” I tell her.

She sidles up to me and wraps her arms around
my waist.

“You wanna have some fun?” she asks
suggestively.

“Maria… I just want to be alone right now.” I
push her away. I don’t know what else to say. This girl just
doesn’t take a hint. My phone buzzes with a text message, it’s
San.

Where did u go?

Tonio: Outside 2 smoke. Send someone out for
Maria. NOW!

“Who’s that?” she asks gesturing to my
phone.

“Alessandra.” I say as Vito comes
outside.

“Maria, come on. Let’s go have a drink.” He
takes her hand and she follows him inside.

My phone buzzes from Alessandra again.

I’m gonna bring Megan out there. Don’t fuckin’ scare
her away!

I laugh at the stupidity of this night. It’s
like friggin’ middle school all over again. I hear the door open.
Alessandra is talking. “My parents put this deck on the house last
year.”

The screen door opens. Alessandra and Megan
are standing in front of me. Megan gasps a little.
That can’t be
good.

“Megan, why don’t you keep Tonio company? I
have to get back in the house.” San immediately leaves. Megan
stiffens. I need to come up with something to say, fast.

“How was the first week of school?” I ask.
Whew!
That came out easy and normal sounding.

“Okay…” she says timidly. A long pause fills
the awkward air around us. “How come you weren’t there?” She
noticed I wasn’t in school, that’s a good sign.

“I had some stuff to do for my Dad.” I tell
her.

“What kind of stuff?” she asks. I am taken
back by her question. No one ever asks me that. Once I say I had to
do something for my Dad-the conversation is over. No one pushes for
more information.

“Work stuff.” The front of her blouse dips
down just enough for me to see the swell of her breasts. I
subconsciously lick my lips again
. My stalker is back.
Red
is such a killer color on her. Her hair is different tonight-the
waves are like zig zags. I want to reach out and touch her hair but
I’m afraid she’ll run away like an abandoned kitten.

“I saw you the other day.”
Why am I
bringing that up?

“I saw you too.” She says.

“You looked beautiful…” I take a step closer,
she takes a step back. “But there was something I didn’t like about
it.” I move a little closer
. Are you stupid Antonio? You’re
going to frighten her away again!

She doesn’t step back again as I move closer.
I notice her breathing getting heavier. Her lips are glossy.
Warning bells are going off in my head that I’m pushing too much.
But I can’t stop myself, I feel drawn to her. I lean down and
whisper in her ear. Her breathe hitches and her eyes close. “I
didn’t like that it wasn’t me playing in the water with you.”

“Do you even know how gorgeous you are?” I
move my hand to cup her face. I brush my hand down. It is so
soft-softer than I ever would have imagined. I want to kiss her.
And I do just like I did in church. I brush my lips against her
velvety cheek.

The door opening to the house jolts us. Dino
comes out and his eyes narrow at me when he sees us.
What the
fuck dude? Go away! Go to college already!

“Megan, do you want something to eat?
Alessandra just put out some pasta.” The douche talks directly to
her.

“No, thank you.” She says in a low voice. She
clears her throat. “I’m all set.” I don’t move away from her. Her
breathing is raspy. Hopefully, asshole gets the hint to leave us
alone. I don’t give a shit that Dino’s still standing here.

He finally shakes his head and goes back into
the house. I whisper in her ear again. “I’ve wanted to be this
close to you for a long time.” I continue to brush my lips across
her cheek and down her scrumptious neck. I hear a faint moan in the
back of her throat. My fuckin’ heart is pumping like the engine of
a train. I better quit smoking or she’s going to give me a heart
attack. I search her eyes.

“Do you want to get out of here?” I feel her
freeze beneath my gaze. “I promise it’ll be okay.” My voice is
still low. She doesn’t answer right away.

“I came here with Raven.” She pauses,
thinking. “I need to tell her.”

“Let’s go find her.” I lightly take her hand
and lead her back into the house. She is uncertain at first.

The poker game has broken up but the music is
still on. The house has seems to have cooled down. People are
mellowing out now. When we get to the living room, a few people are
dancing; everyone else is coupled off into their own world. I find
Vito making out with Maria on the floor. I kick his outstretched
leg.

“Hey, Vito, have you seen Raven?” He breaks
away from Maria and she looks at me. Maria is staring at my hand
holding Megan’s. Jealous sparks ignite in her eyes.

“Yeah,” he says, pointing to a dark corner.
“over there.”

Megan and I walk over. She is making out with
Louie. I look at Megan her face is flushed. So I do the honors. I
tap Louie. He pulls away from a very glowing Raven.

“Raven, I’m going to take Megan home?”

She just nods her head. I take that as she
understands. I get my keys out of my pocket and lead Megan to my
car.

Paesan (pie-zan): friend

Megan:

Antonio is holding my hand as we walk to his
Camaro. I’m still reeling from his whispers. I have circling
butterflies in my stomach. I am not sure if they’re because I’m
excited or terrified. My feet stop and I hesitate. I think about
what my father said. Antonio notices my apprehension.

“Hey, don’t worry.” He leans towards me again
with his smoldering brown eyes. “It’ll be okay. Trust me.” And for
some incomprehensible reason I do-even after everyone has told me
not too.

He opens the car door for me and I slide in.
The car still smells new. The black leather seats are shiny. It’s
an awesome car. Well, every car is awesome to me because I don’t
have one. Antonio slips in and starts the engine. He’s grinning
from ear to ear and he asks me, “You alright?”

“Yes, thank you.” I say shyly. He looks
unbelievable. I’ve never seen him smile so wholly before.

“I want to show you something.”

“Okay.”

Antonio drives out of town. I am thankful in
case someone sees us. We are silent for a long time. I stare out
the window because he keeps glancing at me while he’s driving and
it’s making me uncomfortable and exposed.

“You want to listen to some music?” Antonio
flips on the radio to a Top 40 station. His hand moves to my lap.
He takes my hand into his and places our intertwined hands on the
armrest. My nervousness spikes. He looks at me as if to say, ‘Is
this Okay?’ It is and I don’t move my hand an inch. Antonio’s hand
is huge and dark. He must have observed the same thing because he
says,

“Wow, your hand is tiny.” I blush. I am so
nervous. I feel like I’m being naughty. I am going against my
father’s wishes and that part of me feels disobedient. But my
rebellion is warranted. Antonio makes me feel like I never have
before. He’s beautiful, amazing, strong, and powerful. He can
command a room just by being in it.

I bet it is rare that someone sees him this
way-caring and controlled.

He pulls into a park-like area I have never
been before. It overlooks the river. The lights from a nearby
bridge reflect off the water. He parks the car and we get out.
Antonio takes my hand as we walk towards the river. The rippling
noise of the water is serene.

We go and stand in front of the wrought iron
railing. It’s a stunning sight. Antonio corral’s me in front of him
with his hands on the railing, “Megan,” he whispers into my neck.
He rubs his nose into my hair. Antonio feels so good. Standing here
with him is strange. “I want to… take you somewhere.”
Really!
My eyes snap open. I wasn’t expecting that. He
doesn’t let me answer. “I know you’re afraid of me… but I want to
show you that you don’t have to be.” He spins me around to face
him. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.” He sounds unsure and
hesitant when he says, “I’d like to spend some time with you.”

Antonio Delisi Jr. wants to spend time
with me!
I am so embarrassed at his words. But joy spears me.
His brown eyes search mine. He seems uncertain yet wanting all in
the same gaze. My heart sinks when I remember my father’s warning.
He’d be livid if he knew I was here alone with him. My phone buzzes
with a text, I shift away a little from Antonio but he still holds
on to my waist. His fingertips send shivers up my spine. It’s
Raven.

U OK

Megan: Yes