It was after school and time for football practice. Andreas was in the middle standing staring at vitale. Andreas was annoyed looking at his watch " Where is scorpious. Doesn't he know value of time?"

Vitale shrugged " It's extra laps for him if he doesn't get here in ten seconds...."

Just then they saw scorpious sprinting. He was one to get there last minute always. Scorpious didn't like football that much. He wasn't a team sports person. He liked individual sports the most. He only joined football so his father and uncle would turn up to watch him from time to time.

Scoropious lived a unique life. He was a German Italian from both sides and a son of a priest. He was the only non catholic in the whole school too. His parents lived a peculiar life too. His mother was Alicia Agostini, a successful businesswoman who had shares in many high profile fashion outlets. She was a journalist too writing for a financial magazine and was an editor of a fashion magazine. His father , Alessio had a more quiet life. He was a priest and mostly he wasn't home. Scorpious's uncle ambrogio joked that Alessio Voltolini was mostly in church praying for his sins. Scorpious couldn't understand how his father could be related to his uncle ambrogio. If they didn't look like each other, Scorpious would have thought they were not family. Scorpious did anything to make his father notice him more. But his father always drowned himself in work, travelled and was hardly ever there. When his father was home, his mother did take scorpious out mostly on business trips or parties or meetings related to her business assets. Scorpious didn't know how his parents stayed together. He was glad they did. He liked it when his parents spent time together and that was mostly breakfast time since not all members in his family arrived st the same hour after their long day. As a result Scorpious mostly was alone st home, went to his uncle Arturo's house or his uncle ambrogio's house who had no children. He was well received there by both his uncle and aunt. His aunt Portia always spoilt him with his most favourite food and his uncle ambrogio treated him like a son. Scorpious was the only one who his uncle actually was close to. He had mentored him for a long time and had taught him so much about the business. His uncle ambrogio was in fact his godfather and Scorpious was named in his will as the sole heir to inherit the majority of the ever expanding Voltolini wealth and assets that was under his uncle ambrogio' control and of course what his own father owned which was legal only such as houses and hotels. The rest was under the control of his aunt amaranta and her child was going to inherit her wealth. He hardly ever saw his aunt. She didn't get along with her family and lived in the US.

As scorpious was running across the lawn his eye caught her, Tiziana Rosario. He knew she could be his death was day. His father was a priest and feared nothing in this world. Not even death but he feared the Rosario women. His father had one rule for him only " Stay away from Rosario women." He couldn't understand it but he followed it. Tiziana was not nice but she was nice to him. She hated men like that torturing angel of hell, Letizia Marciano who thank goodness left the school. But Tiziama liked him of all the people. He hated that since he had to act like he didn't care even though he did. He had been dying for years to get close but of course his father had put the rules down " If you want to keep your family safe from getting extinct keep away from any Rosario women..." He couldn't understand why he couldn't even ask her out to ice cream. She didn't mind him. He was finding it harder and harder to resist her. She was different. She was not like other girls. She was a kick boxer like that crazy soul, Letizia. But Tiziana was in a class of her own. He wished she stopped looking at him. She was training in the adjacent field amongst the cheer leaders. She glanced his way from time to time and tried to ignore her as vitale was looking at him pointing to his watch.

As Scorpious reached Vitale and Andreas, he heard their complaints.

Andreas huffed " Could you run any slower. If you don't want to be in this team all you have to do is ask."

Scorpious retorted " Be careful... I might just do that. I am your play maker. You won't have much luck replacing me.... I might leave if my father keeps refusing to come to watch me..."

Vitale rolled his eyes " Stop being dramatic. Your uncle does show up. That counts. My uncles have never come watch me... they are in Sicily as you know.... improve your punctuality regardless." He then turned and instructed the team to get set to train.

Scorpious got on with training and he could find her watchful eyes on him. What did she want him to do? Ask her to the prom? Her father was going to say no. That was for sure.

As the training came to an end the bots hit the changing rooms and got changed after a shower. Scorpious was one of the first to leave. He was first in and first put as Vitale put it. As he walked out he saw non other than Tiziana standing near the exit. She formed a bubble with her chewing gum and turned to him looking at him silently waiting for him to say something. He tried to ignore her. He tried hard. He walked slowly past her and heard her speak " Thug..."

That did it. He never let a comment bounce of with no consequence. He narrowed his eyes and turned to her " What did you call me?"

Tiziana looked at him with disgust " I called you a thug. That's what you are. You beat up Helena's brother for what? You were late to practice because of that.."

Scorpious didn't like her reply " Wrong answer Tiziana." He then grabbed her wrist and dragged her to a nearby class. He pushed her in and closed the door as he towered over her " One last chance.... choose your words wisely."

Tiziana' glinted with excitement. He hardly ever reacted to her since Vitale was mostly around. Now that he wasn't, nothing was stopping him. She crossed her arms over her chest " Fine. I will rephrase it... you are a violent thug who knows no manners beating people up for just talking to me."

Scorpious cursed that kid in his mind. How dare he tell her why he was beaten up. He didn't show his emotions in public but it didn't mean she was free for getting chatted up. No one messed with her because of Vitale but that kid was new so Scorpious had gladly told him to steer clear of his girl. Then he mentally smacked himself. That may not have happened unless he wanted Pietro Rosario on his door step..., Tiziana's father was indeed Francesco Rosario's uncle and had so many connections. His father was right to fear him but he was a scarce one to find since he worked fourteen hours a day and was a civilian so Scorpious was sure of his father never had to worry about Pietro Rosario. The first point of contact was his mother and then his uncle Ambrogio. Everyone knew his father was an outcast.

Scorpious spoke " Who told you I beat him up for you?"

Tiziana walked closer to him and pushed him hard that didn't make him lose balance since he was pretty muscular. She spoke " Don't play with me. It's you. He said so himself. He said you told him you will do much worse if he even says hi to me. I make my own decisions. You said no to me when I invited you to go to cinema with my group. You have no right chasing people up."

Scorpious took a step towards her " Your group consisting those man haters, Azurine and Letizia.... I will pass...."

Tiziana frowned " What's wrong with them. They were fine. They are gone now but I am inviting them for summer and I don't want to hear you say nasty stuff about them." She then turned to leave " Back off next time when boys chat me up. It's none of your business."

Scorpious growled "It is my business. You are my girl." He didn't think it came out. He wasn't supposed to say it out loud. He couldn't take it back.

Tiziana turned around looking at him with an unreadable expression.