4

The following morning, we woke up late for school. We took our time going to school, we got breakfast at the nearby diner. We went to school after lunch; as we walked in he interlaced his fingers into mine, walking in holding hands, everyone stared and whispered. He wasn't ashamed of me, he made it known to everyone when he kissed me for the first time publicly. Everyone was shocked and some even gasped; I hated the attention it brought but I knew why he did it. We weren't official but he made it seem we were. He stood with me at my locker when my sister, Ana walked up "Dad is worried about you." She looked at Nick and cringed, I closed the locker "I'll talk to him later. Bye." I grabbed Nick's hand and we walked to our classes. The last bell rang but we took our time going to our classes.

I walked in late; trying to avoid the teacher until she said "Lilianna why are late." I stopped in the middle of the tables "I had trouble finding the class." She looked at me with anger "You've been here weeks now, don't make this a habit, please have a seat." I sat down and looked forward, I grabbed my phone from my bag. I started texting Nick, the teacher paused her lesson "Is something more important Miss Andrews?" I looked up from my phone "Huh?" She leaned on her desk "Please put the phone away."

I put it down on the desk "I have a right to use my phone so if you can be so nice and butt out, I am paying attention even though god knows you have the world's most annoying voice." She grabbed her write up slips "Principal's office now." I paused "Wait what?" She pulled the paper off the pad "Here you go, think about apologizing before you go." The class mumbled and whispered under their breath, I got up and snatched the paper from her "I was raised to respect those who respect me."

I walked out of the classroom to the principal's office, I sat in the office until I was called into the principal's office. I sat on the couch in the office, he read the slip from my teacher and smacked the gum in his mouth. I rolled my eyes as it was annoying me; he scratched his head and pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose "We don't accept this kind of behavior here young lady..." I cut him off "Don't talk to me like I'm your daughter and for god sake stop smacking your gum."

He slowly started chewing his gum "I'm going to suspend you for the day and I hope you come back with a better attitude tomorrow. Should I call your dad?" I rolled my eyes "I have my own car, I'm sure I can manage." He picked up his phone "I'm still calling your father to come down so we can talk." I scoffed "I'm 17, I don't need my daddy to come punish me." I grabbed my bag and walked out of his office, he hollered my name but I kept walking. I walked out of the office, Oliver was leaning against the wall "Get in trouble?" I stopped and snapped at him "So now you're talking to me?"

He followed me out the door "About that." I kept walking trying to ignoring him, but he kept talking and walking with me. I stopped out in front of the school "It isn't bothering me. So please keep the explanation to yourself." He kept walking besides me "Why Nick?" I stopped "Whose business is it?" He looked away "Well he isn't who he pretends to be and you should be careful." I laughed "I know enough. Goodbye." I started walking but he stepped in front of me "Why are you dating him? I wouldn't doubt he's with some girl in the locker room right now."

I brushed my hair out of my face "I'm trying to leave this dump, can you move?" He licked his lip "You are not the same person I first met." I faked a laugh "People change. Excuse me ." He cracked a little laugh "You mean Nick changed you." I raised my eyebrows at him "No one changed me, I make my own choices." I walked around him to the parking lot, during passing period Nick met me at his car and we left. He took me home so I could talk to my dad, I walked in the door to all eyes on me. My aunts, uncles, dad, siblings were all in the living room; I stood by the door "What's going on?"

My Aunt Amelia and Ashley stood up "We've been looking for you all night." I crossed my arms "I'm fine clearly." Amelia crossed her arms "Maybe you should come stay with me this weekend, give yourself some space from school and everyone." I became pissed "No. I'm not going anywhere." She smirked "That attitude wouldn't roll around with your mother. She'd be smacking you in the mouth right about now." I looked at my dad as he nodded. Arabella scoffed "We'd all be dead if she was around. She was a gang leader after all."

I looked at her "How could you say that?? You wouldn't be here if it weren't for her. You are disgraceful to our mother for saying that, she was never part of some gang, dad..." I looked at him "Never mind, you are clueless." My dad stood up "Arabella, Ana upstairs please." They shoved each other and ran up stairs, he leaned against the couch arm "So you're still hanging around Nick." My uncle, Lonnie looked up "Nick as in Nikolai Ivanov? Nathan and Irina's son?"

My dad turned in his direction and nodded, he stood up "Young lady that stops now. You have no idea what you're getting into." I looked at my dad "I'm sure not as bad as you got yourself in." He looked away but back at me "I knew you knew." I nodded "We saw you at that old abandoned house." He became upset "That was you?!" I exhaled "Why did you lie?" He sighed "Lily you won't understand..." I cut him off "Try me. Because this entire time I believed that bullshit story you told us my whole life. Did mom even die during child birth with Hunter or was that made up too? What about..." Amelia cut me off "You do not talk to your father like that!" I laughed "How am I even sure he's my dad, that could be a lie too!"

My other uncle Joey stood up "Lilianna! Enough!" I rolled my eyes "You said you worked with Nick's dad so what are you, enemies?" My dad rubbed his forehead "Okay. Calm down." I sat down in the recliner "Spill it out." He exhaled "Nathan, Nick's dad is an enemy because he was... Um.. he was partners with mom for awhile and... Well.. feelings were caught so the jealousy grew over time. He blamed me for your mother's... Passing. And he's held that grudge to this day." I said "He's married and has kids." He nodded "I know."

I pushed my hair back "So why does he care?" My dad stood up "I already told you too much." I stood up "No. What does this have to do with Nick?" He looked at Amelia "He's just as dangerous. I don't want to see you hurt." I crossed my arms "He hasn't touched me or hurt me so that's the least of my concerns." Lonnie said "Regardless it ends now. If we have to up security for you to stay away we will." I looked at my dad "Dad!" He nodded "I agree." I got mad and stormed out of the room; I went upstairs to my room. Arabella stopped me in the hallway "Don't be stupid unless you want to end up like mom." I don't know what overcame me but I punched her as hard as I could and kept punching her.

My dad ran up pulling me off of her "You're going to Amelia's I don't care what you say!" I sat on the floor staring at Arabella realizing what I just did. I stood up and went downstairs, I ran for the door; my Aunt Amelia stopped me. I shoved past her and ran down the street. Joey and Lonnie ran after me but I managed to lose them.