J e y r i

My mouth dropped open when I walked into my house.

I was finally home.

There was police tape over the entrance that I had to tear off the front door and there were bullet holes everywhere. There was broken glass everywhere and the door was barely hanging on.

Hayley did tell me when she first saw Sebastian here, they got shot at... but I wasn't expecting this.

It's not as if I was coming back to live, I feel like that would be the same thing as shouting out to the world that I was still alive. I just wanted to see it... or what was left of it that is. They offered to come with me but I wanted to come alone. I mean... this'll be the last time I step foot in this house.

My heart almost jumped out of my chest when I saw a dried-up pool of blood lying on the floor. That must've been from the time when Lorenzo attacked me... The memories from that day played over in my mind and I shuddered.

It looks more like something how out of a horror movie than the place I've lived in before. There was blood on my bed as well so I didn't bother trying to sit down. It doesn't feel the least bit safe anymore. I don't have it in me to try and complain anymore though. Worse things have happened...

The last time I was here I almost died. I can admit that way too many times for my liking.

I let out a sigh and smiled to myself. "I'm back," I whispered, to no one at all. I half-expected someone to pop out the corner and start laughing like the devil, it wouldn't even be surprising at this point but I was met with complete silence.

Great.

All of them offered me a place to stay since I'm practically homeless but I took Mel up on her offer since I'd feel less like a liability than anything. She gives me a place to stay and I help her with work. It's a win-win for both of us. Besides, her apartment was right above her flower shop so everything's much easier that way.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" I asked as we moved what little stuff I had left into her apartment and she nodded, "Relaax, I used to live here with my grandma anyway, until she died. It's been missing a little life in here y'know? Her old room's pretty much storage for all my pots but we can move them down into the shop to make room for you."

I've been wondering why she doesn't live with Matteo but it makes sense now. His house is pretty big so I thought maybe she'd have moved in with him but... I guess since this what she has left of her grandma, I doubt she'd want to leave it all.

"It's okay Mel! I can do it... and I'll come down to help you once I finish moving everything," I said, rushing over toward her as she began hauling up a stack of clay pots.

"Oh? Okay... Well, if you need help then just call me okay? I'll take these down though so you get the other ones."

I let out a sigh as she went downstairs and looked around the room, there weren't that many but they were all different sizes and whatnot. Melanie had only been downstairs for a few seconds and I heard her call out my name.

"Jeyri! Come down here for a second!"

"Okay!" I rushed downstairs and I came face to face with none other than Matteo. He squinted his eyes at me then looked over at Melanie, "Did you just say what I think you just said, or am I just hearing things wait..." He pointed toward me and his eyes widened, "This is Jeyri?"

"Are all Italian men rude or is it just the ones in this city?" She asked scoffing, "She doesn't look that different Matteo."

"Her eyes-"

"They're just contacts," I said, chuckling, "I'm still the same old me. Ah- did you need me, Mel?"

"Yep, you can stay down here. Since Matteo was so lovely enough to drop by, he'll clear out the room for you, isn't that right?" She asked, smiling and his mouth dropped. "Since when did I volunteer to do your work?"

"It's not work and since now, because. You. Love. Me." She stuck her tongue out at him and he stared at her for a few seconds before an amused look appeared on his face, "I see, I see... okay."

That's all he said before moving past me and going upstairs. I felt like somehow I just witnessed something I wasn't supposed to but Melanie just giggled, "And now you're free!"

"I could've done it," I said, laughing nervously and she shook her head, "Nope, besides I wanted to make sure you still remember I taught you from last time, you do right?"

I nodded and she clapped her hands, "Good, good. We just got a busload of new flowers so I'm gonna need you to help me plant them..."

"Mel..." A thought just crossed my mind and I froze up.

"Yup?"

"Do you think Gio will still come here...? You said he was a regular didn't you?" She paused but before she could answer, Matteo came downstairs holding what looked like almost everything that was in the room.

"You don't need to worry much about that, he came to buy flowers at his mother's request, so I doubt he has much reason to come now unless he was planning on decorating her grave, " he said, placing the pots down. He leaned against the front counter and smirked, "Why? Do you want to see him?"

"I-"

I was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing and he winked at me, "Speak of the devil, hold on-"

My eyes widened when he answered the phone and pushed it up to my ear and he smiled at me.

"Matteo, Dove cazzo sei?" I held my breath when I heard Gio's angry voice speak through the phone. (Matteo, where the fuck are you?)

I looked up at Matteo and silently begged for him to take his phone back but he just nodded his head at me.

"Matteo?" Gio's voice spoke again and I bit down on my tongue, "If you're there then stop fucking around and say something, don't get me worried for no reason..."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shut my eyes, "It's Jeyri..." I said in a half-whisper and then there was absolute silence on his end, I almost thought he hung up.

I heard him clear his throat and there were a few shuffling noises in the background but he spoke again, this time in a much softer tone,

"Jeyri..."

imagine he just hung up...

Word count: 1124

Comment and vote!

Seth out <3