*******

"Amara, are you alright?", Serena asked her.

"Uh yes, don't worry, I'm fine", Amara murmured.

She sighed softly as she felt the nervous and worried gazes of her friends on her again, "Seriously guys, I'm fine. You all don't need to worry so much. I'm sure everything must be alright by now", Amara insisted.

"No, Amara, you're wrong. My cousin is dangerous. He doesn't forgive easily. I can't forget the look on his face, he looked so angry. I thought he was going to beat that boy up bloody if Allister had not intervened when he did", Serena shuddered.

Amara stiffened when she remembered Valerio's rage. She didn't want to think about it. Amara knew how unforgiving Valerio was rumoured to be. But to witness something like it so closely had shaken her. More often, whenever something extreme was about to go down between the boys, Damien and Allister would send her away which meant that she didn't have a clue about what their extensive punishments really entailed.

"What were you even thinking when you tried to stop Valerio and his gang Amara? You know that no one is allowed to interfere when they are punishing someone. Just like how we cannot interfere when Allister and his friends punish someone", Emma asked her curiously.

"No one was going to do anything to stop them, I could see it. Infact most everyone were anticipating to watch the boy being thrown in the lake. I couldn't just wait there and see it happen. Any other punishment but not the lake.... ", Amara admitted.

"For a few seconds there I thought that Valerio was going to let that guy go but then he changed his mind so suddenly, it was scary to watch it", Emma muttered.

Serena sighed. "Valerio doesn't let the people he wants to punish get away at any costs. Back at home, even if the mansion staff or the guards make a small mistake and Valerio is the incharge of dealing with it, he makes sure that they have learnt their lesson. Sometimes I think that everyone is more scared of Valerio than they are of my father. Especially since before he left for Germany", Serena said.

"Can we not talk about it please?", Amara whispered. She didn't want to think or talk about Valerio. Whenever she did ,his furious eyes flashed before her, making her heart jump in nervousness.

"Let's just forget about it. It's nothing new that we saw", Emma replied as she flipped a page of the book she was reading, but she was wrong. Amara had never seen this side of Valerio before, only heard about the rumours and what Damien usually told her.

Following suit, Serena also opened the books and started reading, jotting down points in her notebook.

The girls were in the library sitting in a secluded corner, away from the intruding stares of the other students.

They continued to work in silence for some time when suddenly they were disturbed by the presence of Silvano, Alexander and Gino coming and sitting down comfortably in the empty seats at their table.

"What are you doing here Silvano? Go away! We are busy here", Serena spoke to his twin, annoyed at the disturbance.

"Hello to you to sister!", Silvano replied, rolling his eyes, causing the other boys to snigger in amusement.

"Gosh, can we not get two minutes of peace here", Emma muttered staring disdainfuly at Gino.

"Why don't you run back complaining to your daddy?",Gino replied back coldly.

Amara sighed internally, preparing herself for another spat round of Giovanni vs Riccardi. Both the families had some internal dispute going on since long before and it didn't look like it was about to end anytime soon. This made the situation amongst their children tense as well, especially since they all attended the same school.

Ignoring the two, Alexander and Silvano turned towards Amara.

"Hey Amara",they greeted her.

Amara smiled slightly in greeting but otherwise gave no other reply.

"State your business and move away", Emma replied coolly.

"Chill", Silvano chuckled. "We are just here to inform you that the office lady is looking for you Serena, something to do with the art club."

"Ohh", Serena's eyes widened, "I completely forgot about the meeting I had organised for the new members, I need to go and set the date and time."

"You should go fast then", Silvano suggested.

"Come, I'll escort you there. I'm going to my father's office anyway", Alexander said, as he stood up from the table.

"I'll see you both later",Serena called out, quickly packing her bag and leaving with Alexander.

Amara saw Silvano and Gino exchange a small triumphant glance before their expressions changed back to normal again.

Gino cleared his throat slightly before speaking, "Did you enjoy the holidays Amara. You went to New York right?"

Amara was about to answer when she was interrupted. "You make it sound like you care", Emma scoffed at Gino.

"I don't need to prove to you whether I care or not",Gino replied back coolly making Silvano smirk.

Knowing that there was no way that she could make them behave civilly with each other, Amara replied. "Yes, I did. How were your holidays?", she asked him politely.

"Great. I got an opportunity to do an internship in the Valentini industry

under Silvano's father himself, learned loads", Gino replied back.

"Gino, is it true that your aunt is going to join the school as a professor soon? I heard Klaus saying something about it before",Silvano asked him curiously.

"She's surely considering it. I hope she does join, it'll be good to see more pleasant faces around here for a change", he replied back glaring pointedly at Emma.

Emma slammed her book shut and glared at Gino. "This place is soon going to start crawling with Riccardi's", she spat as she started packing her bags."I will see you in class Amara", Emma said as she quickly left.

"Was that necessary?",Amara asked Gino, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Gino raised his hands in surrender, "She started, I just ended it".

Shaking her head ruefully Amara started to gather her things as well.

"What are you doing?", Silvano asked her. Amara could sense slight nervousness in his tone as he spoke.

"Packing my bag", she replied.

Silvano exchanged a wide eyed look with Gino before jumping up from his seat.

"No, you don't need to leave. I apologise for the disturbance. We were just about to go anyway, Bye", he said calmly before turning on his heels and marching out with Gino.

Baffled, Amara sat back at her table and continued with her assignment.

"Hmm this won't work, I need to look through a few more books", Amara thought as she pushed away from the table and stood up.

She walked down the aisle, searching for the relevant book shelf. She looked around for the library assistants but she couldn't see them around nor were there any students. She was certain that the place had been more crowded when she had entered some time ago.

"Strange", she muttered, frowning.

"Maybe I can just collect the book and leave as well", she thought to herself.

She walked towards the more private part of the large library where some of the oldest and rare books were kept.

Amara browsed through the shelves for a few minutes when she finally found the book she needed. She pouted slightly when she saw that it was kept on a higher shelf which she couldn't reach.

She again looked around, hoping to find the helping staff but still there was no one to be seen. Sighing, she stood on her tip toes and tried to reach for the book, pouting, when her hand skimmed the shelf. She tried reaching for it again when a hand shot out from behind her and easily pulled the book out.

"Here", a smooth, velvety voice said from behind her and Amara jumped, startled, before turning around to come face to chest with the person who had pulled out the book for her. The person who she had least expected to meet here, Valerio.

"Thanks", Amara said softly as she made to take the offered book but it was pulled away from her in an eye blink.

Amara blinked up at the towering form of Valerio in confusion before quickly looking away. She felt a shiver run down her spine with how intensely he was looking down at her.

"Give me my book", she ordered him softly.

"Try again", was his hard reply.

Frowning, Amara asked him again, "Please, give me my book ".

"Again",was his reply.

"Just forget it. I don't need it anymore", she said and side stepped him to go back to the front of the library when two arms went out on her either side, preventing her from leaving.

Amara gasped, "What are you doing?"

She was backed against the large books rack as Valerio took a small step forward, his arms on either side of her, resting on the large shelf and effectively trapping her in the middle.

"Let me go", she breathed out wide eyed.

"No",he said simply.

Amara frowned at him. "Why not?",she asked indignantly.

"I need to talk to you about what happened during the break, I could have easily choosen a more appropriate place for the conversation but I didn't want to risk you running away before our conversation even began", Valerio replied back calmly.

"What do you want to talk about?",she asked confused.

"About this morning....",he began and Amara stiffened automatically.

"Why did you help that boy, Amara? Why did you not want me to punish him for his crime?", he asked her in a hard voice.

"Crime?", she repeated in a slight disbelieving tone.

"Yes, crime. He knows the rules. Every student in this school does. No one is to mess with us Amara, and if they do dare they should also be brave enough to attone for it", he told her seriously.

"But you were going to throw him in the lake, that's dangerous", Amara replied back nervously.

"Is that the only reason?", he pressed. "Don't think about lying Amara",he continued in a hard tone.

Amara looked up at him in bemusement."Of course that's the only reason. Isn't that good enough?"

Valerio shrugged nonchalantly making Amara wince. Something flashed across his face before he asked her, "Another important question... Did I frighten you today? Tell me Amara, are you scared of me?".

Amara closed her eyes as she looked away from his face. She didn't know how to answer his question. She didn't know how to tell him that she had been terrified of him, scared that he would hurt her. She didn't want to admit her fear to him.

"Look at me",Valerio ordered her but Amara stubbornly kept her eyes away from his face. She felt him lean in slightly and she pressed further away from him to maintain some semblance of modest space between them.

"Amara." There was a warning note in his voice when she didn't comply.

"Look at me…please", less of a command this time, and more of a plea making Amara's eyes snap towards him immediately .

His elbows braced on either side of her head as he watched her with severe eyes. He was unmoving, watching Amara intently and daring her to blink or look away this time around.

He looked into her eyes, searching, before sighing.

"I'm sorry", Valerio said.

Amara eyes widened in shock when she heard the unexpected apology.

"I'm sorry for what I did this morning", he continued sincerely ,"I should never have lost control over my temper, especially with you around. I know that I came across as harsh to you."

"It - it's alright", Amara replied back weakly .

"No ,it's no",he refuted at once. "I never meant to scare you Amara, never", he implored in a soft voice as if talking to a frightened rabbit.

"It's alright Val", Amara replied back softly, not understanding how to respond to the sudden apology.

"Amara there is something that you should probably understand about me, I hope that will make understand why I lost my temper so easily and why I will never hesitate to do a repeat performance of today morning if the need ever arises",Valerio told her.

Amara blinked up at him in confusion, curious as to where it was going.

"Amara, I am very territorial by nature , I don't like anyone coming in between me and what's mine", Valerio told her in a hard voice, emphasising the word mine as he stared intently in her eyes.

Amara suddenly felt nervous again.

"I- I understand", she replied back. Of course she knew that. She had heard from her cousins and friends that Valerio dealt with those who offended him personally and he did not appreciate any interference from anyone.

"Ohh you do?", he asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"Yes. I came in between you and that boy whom you believed was yours to punish. I know that you didn't like it but please understand Val, what you and your friends were doing, that's too extreme. That boy could've been easily poisoned or infected if you had thrown him in the lake",Amara explained back trying to make him understand.

Valerio stared at her for a few moments silently before throwing his head back and laughing in mirth.

"What's so funny?!", Amara blinked up at him in bemusement.

"La mia bella colomba, così innocente ....",Valerio murmured under his breath so softly that Amara missed it, he then turned to look at her slyly.

"It's you",he told Amara chuckling.

Valerio continued laughing loudly and Amara looked around, "Sshh we're in the library", Amara whispered softly.

Still smiling Valerio looked around exaggeratedly before looking down at her "Well, I don't see anyone around", he told her mischievously.

He was right of course, even she had thought it strange that no one was present around.

"Where did everyone go? ",she asked herself softly but Valerio heard her as he answered, "Don't know", he shrugged but Amara could see the dark amusement in his eyes.

Amara narrowed her eyes slightly in response,"You didn't do anything, did you?", she asked him suspiciously.

"Of course not",Valerio replied innocently before standing straight making Amara breath a sigh of relief as she was released from the cage of his arms.

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Amara turned around and started to leave,"Uh bye",she said .

"Amara",Valerio called, making her stop again. She turned to look at him questioningly when he spoke "You're forgetting something", he tilted his head towards the book lying on the table, the book which she had come to retrieve in the first place.

Picking up the book in his hand, Valerio walked towards her and all the while Amara stared at him carefully, not wanting a repeat of what happened earlier again. Slowly she extended her hand, "Give my book Val."

Valerio's lips twitched in amusement as he handed the book to her carefully, "You finally got it right", he smirked at her before walking out of her sight briskly.

Amara shook her head as she walked back towards her own table, her encounter with Valerio at the forefront of her mind. She kept the book on the table and sat down thinking about all the strange, short answers Valerio had given her when her eyes caught sight of a beautiful bouquet of roses kept on the top of her bag .

The flowers were truly beautiful, having purple petals on the outer side while the colour lightened in the inner petals becoming almost white at the centre. They were even tied together with purple and gold ribbons.

Carefully, she picked them up, not wanting to prick herself with the thorns but to her surprise the flowers looked freshly cut , it's stem smooth and free from any thorns.

Amara smiled at the thoughtfulness of the giver and looked around for any card which could help her understand who had kept them on her bag.

She found one small card tucked in between two flowers.

Amara opened the folded card and saw the words written on it in a neat cursive writing

It did not have the name of the giver but Amara instantly knew who had kept the roses here for her. She didn't know why but the gesture really warmed her heart.

She had already accepted his apology but for Valerio to do this too, it felt surreal to Amara. She was suddenly glad that she was alone in the library, otherwise she was sure that no one would have missed the blush that spread across her cheeks. She smiled as she took in their heavenly fragrance all the while thinking about the enigma that Valerio really was .

Unbeknownst to Amara, Valerio still lurked in the shadowed part of the library behind the book case that hid him from her view. His eyes softened when he saw her blush and he knew that he was finally forgiven. Stealing one last glance at her Valerio slowly turned around and made his way out of the library.

Silvano who was leaning casually against the wall outside, jumped up when he saw Valerio coming out.

"How did it go?", he asked hesitantly, not wanting to sound too intruding.

"I apologised", Valerio replied back shortly and began making his way to his class which was about to start in a few minutes.

Silvano stopped walking as he gaped at his cousin's back in disbelief. If there was one thing that he knew in absolute sureness about Valerio was that he did not apologise, ever.

He quickly shook himself out of the stupor and ran to catch up with Valerio. "You did? Did Amara accept your apology? She looked a little out of sorts earlier", Silvano asked Valerio impressed.

"She did", Valerio replied back.

Silvano sighed in relief as he heard that. He had been highly confused about what Valerio had in mind when he had asked him to go to the library and clear it off of all the students and staff present there, save for Amara .

It had been relatively easier to make the other students run away with a single glare, after today morning everyone was careful around them. The difficult part had been Serena and Emma but Gino had taken care of the Giovanni girl as well.

"That's great", Silvano said and together they made their way outside in silence.