!!!❤❤❤

Amara walked down the hallway, Emma beside her.

"He should be in the comman room. We already checked the basketball court and he wasn't there, so I think...", Emma prattled on.

"Don't be so nervous Emma",Amara told her friend, "It's alright if you don't come along, I'll find him and then meet you for the lecture."

"No, I'll come with you",Emma replied.

Amara was about to press the issue when she saw Cristiano coming out of the boys comman room.

"Cristiano?", she called out and walked over to him quickly. "Do you know where Valerio is?"

"He is in the common room",he replied back politely.

Amara hesitated, "Can you please call him out for a few minutes?"

Cristiano paled, "He's actually fencing with Gino, Amara. I don't think that he would like if I disturb him."

"We are coming in then",Emma decided instantly.

Amara turned to her at once. "We can't go in the boys comman room without promising to give them some kind of payment in return."

Through the boys comman room was a shortcut passage to some of their classes, but the girls tended to avoid using it unless it was extremely important, because the boys always demanded a toll from them to pass through.

"You are allowed", Cristiano told her quickly.

"It's not a trick, is it?", Emma asked him suspiciously. "Name your price, we don't want to owe you any favours."

Amara knew that he wouldn't ask for anything extreme like the other boys tended to.

Cristiano on the other hand didn't mention how all the boy's had been warned by Valerio that Amara was to be treated with the same respect and dignity that they treated Valerio with, even more so in fact. She was his choosen, his Queen. They weren't allowed to disrespect her in anyway.

He finally understood why Valerio had been so harsh on the newbie, Michael, at the start of the term party, prompting the boy to shift to one of the other branches of Wolsford Academy the very next day.

Even then, Allister's anger had been predictable but not Valerio's rage.

Cristiano resisted telling her about it.

He shook his head, "Not a trick, I swear. You don't have to pay anything Amara."

Amara bit her lip nervously. She wasn't sure if it really was a good idea. The boys were known to trick them into traps in the past. But she really did need to see Valerio.

"Okay, let's go", she finally decided. She would think of something to exchange in return to pass through if it did turn out to be a trick.

They entered through the door and Amara saw that the entrance room was..... empty.

"I thought you said....",Amara began.

"He is in one of the larger room down the corridor", Cristiano said, "Mostly everyone are."

Amara nodded nervously, following behind him.

As she approached the room, she could hear loud yells and cheers from the inside.

When she stepped in, she could see that many boys were present there. They had formed a large circle in the middle of the room.

Amara lingered behind a pillar, watching Valerio and Gino fencing while the spectators hollered loudly.

Both of them looked exhilarated by the competition, wicked smirks on their faces as they circled each other.

Before either of them could go on the offensive, Cristiano came up behind Valerio, tapping his shoulder once to get his attention before saying something to him when he turned to look at him questioningly.

In an instant, Valerio's eyes found her's, the intensity of his gaze made Amara want to duck behind the pillar but she held her ground.

The boys quietened down when they saw that Valerio's attention was no longer on the match. It seemed like a chain of domino effect, as one by one all the heads starting turning towards her.

Amara felt her cheeks burn.

Valerio didn't speak a word but to Amara it felt like an unspoken order was given out at her entrance as all the boys slowly started walking past her and towards the lounge. Valerio didn't even need to say anything...they didn't even hesitate before slipping out.

None dared to tease or ask for a payment from her for her presence on their turf.

Amara bit her lower lip nervously when the last of the boys left, Emma having followed behind them, closing the door and leaving the two of them alone in the room.

She walked further inside the room, all the while feeling his stare on her every movement.

"You are upset with me?", she asked softly, looking at a spot behind his shoulder, not daring to look in his eyes.

Valerio walked towards her, taking the box from her hands before turning and walking away, placing the box on a table, all the while not saying even a single word.

Amara fell her chest tighten at his silence.

"Val, did I-?",she was stopped from speaking when she felt him pull her to himself, his arms enclosing around her waist securely.

"I am not upset or angry with you",he breathed in her ear.

"But you are", Amara insisted, turning around in his arms so she could face him.

"No I'm not", he denied, "I know what you are thinking and what this is about", he said in a hard voice.

"Believe me when I say that I was not upset with you, I was rather upset with myself", Valerio told her in consternation, caressing her cheek softly. "When you said that you were getting scared.... I feared that all the progress that I've made with you....would wash away in an instant. I regretted what happened for a few minutes but then I realised that this isn't something that I am willing to compromise on."

Amara blinked up at him in confusion.

Valerio chuckled. "I'm going to keep this very simple between us Amara", he told her, "Do you remember what I told you in the library all those weeks ago?"

Amara nodded her head quickly. She did remember his words. Everything he said seemed to become imprinted in her mind for some reason.

Valerio smiled slightly. "You thought that I was angry because I didn't get to punish that boy. You thought that I let him go", he stated. "You were wrong", he bent down and whispered darkly in her ear.

Amara's breathing hitched. She tightened her hold on his shoulder.

"I don't let anyone who disrespects me escape, Amara. No. One." He enunciated. "And the easiest way for someone to do that is to try and come closer to you.... to touch you",he nearly growled.

"Valerio I-",Amara began hesitantly.

Valerio pressed a finger to her lips lightly, "Let me complete what I'm saying sweetheart"

Amara nodded again, making him smirk in amusement before his eyes darkened.

"I am very territorial and I don't like anyone coming in between me and what's mine",he repeated his words from that day back in the library, "It's you.... You are mine! Silvano got away lightly because I know my cousin, he is my blood, he didn't mean anything by it. "

Amara was distinctly sure that she had seen Silvano sitting in the gym on her way, a sprain bandage around his arm.

But what struck her harder was the true meaning of what Valerio had said to her in the library. She was so silly!

Amara groaned softly. "I'm such an idi-",

"Adorable",Valerio interjected firmly, tilting her head up and pressing his lips to her forehead, "You are simply adorable", he said again, staring deeply into her eyes.

Amara flushed, ducking her down in embarrassment.

"So, what's in that?",Valerio pointed out to the box that she had carried with herself.

Amara gasped as she remembered the box, the very reason that she had sought him out in the first place. She pulled away from him and walked towards the table, opening the box and taking out a tray of blueberry muffins.

"I baked them"....for you, was left unsaid.

Valerio who had come up behind her, looked shocked for a few seconds before a very pleased expression settled on his face.

He took a muffin, biting into it. "They taste heavenly", he complimented her sincerely.

Amara's eyes lit up in happiness. "Thank you!"

"I hope they are all for me", he said eyeing the tray of muffins.

Amara giggled softly. "Yes, they are all for you. You team did win the match afterall."

Valerio stilled, his mouth slightly open from when he was about to bite into the second muffin, before he started laughing, a real, full out belly laughter.

After a few minutes he finally calmed down enough to speak, "Sweetheart, muffins are the last thing I'd demand of you."

Amara pouted, "But you never named any-

"I won and I get to demand anything I want", he,stated, "Anything",he repeated, his irises darkening slightly.

Amara fidgeted nervously, "What do you want then? Something that is more sweeter?",she asked innocently.

"Definitely something sweeter", he murmured, low and dark, meeting her eyes, his own filled with something heavy and primal that Amara couldn't quite grasp.

"I'll ask for it when the time is right", he replied tightly.

Amara frowned softly at him,"Alright."

******

"What do you think is the announcement going to be?", Emma asked, falling in step with her and Serena.

"No idea", Serena replied, shuffling her way through the crowd.

Amara and her friends were walking towards the school auditorium along with the rest of the students for an important announcement that Dean Bianchi was going to make.

They entered the huge auditorium and Amara saw that it was almost completely filled with the students.

The three girls walked down the steps, the students standing on the aisle automatically making way for them to pass through.

They took their normal second row seats behind her cousins and their friends, who were already seated and were talking amongst themselves.

"Do you boys know what this announcement is about?", Serena asked them loudly.

The boys turned around at her question, smirks on their faces.

"We do", Alexander confessed from his seat down the row, "But we are not going to tell you", they all chuckled in amusement.

Amara turned away from Serena's attempts to get an answer out of Alexander and Silvano. Feeling someone's stare on her, Amara looked around, her eyes landing on Valerio who was indeed staring at her from his seat in the middle of the row.

She shot him a shy smile in response.

The auditorium quietened down automatically when Dean Bianchi walked out on the stage and straight towards the podium.

"I'm sure you are all wondering the reason behind this assembly", he began in his usual gruff voice,"I'm here to formally announce the commencement of the 40th Wolsford Academy Student Fest", he stopped, as the entire student body erupted in rapturous cheers.

Amara thought back to what she knew about it. The fest was a huge scale event held once in every two years for all the students attending the various branches of the school in different countries. Not only was it renowned for it's prestige, but the whole event was covered by a very few selective media persons.

Amara shook her head, before turning back to hear Dean Bianchi's announcement.

"- event is going to be hosted by our partner school in New York..."

Amara cheered internally.

"- testament to our years of perseverance and excellence....."

*****

Amara paced around her room, confused, her bag half filled with few of her dresses, and wondering what else she should take to New York that she already did not have there.

"Miss Amara", Amara turned around at the knock on the door, "Master Valerio is here to see you",a guard called out from behind the closed door.

Amara's heart jumped in excitement. It had been a few days since she hadn't seen him as the school had been officially closed for a week before their departure to New York.

She had spoken to him when he had called the house the day before, but their conversation had been short, with Amara feeling too shy to speak much as her Nonno and Uncle had been present in the room during the entire conversation and she had felt their eyes on her.

Without wasting any time, Amara practically ran out from her room and towards the parlour where she expected him to be.

She slowed down when she finally saw him. He was standing with his back to her, his eyes focused on the frame that hung on the wall. A picture of Nonno and her. She was six years old in it.

"Val?", Amara called out.

He didn't turn around until a few moments later, smiling at her softly.

"Walk with me?",he asked, extending his hand for her to take.

Amara didn't hesitate as she walked towards him and slipped her fingers through his.

He lead her out of the manor and on the grounds, towards the small lake

"Amara",he began seriously, "I want you to promise me something."

"What?", Amara asked him curiously.

"I want you tell me if anyone was to make you feel uncomfortable or disrespect you in any way while I'm not there with you in New York.... "

"What do you mean?",Amara stopped walking, "You aren't coming?",she asked him anxiously.

"I am", he soothed her "But I will be arriving two days later along with Serena and Silvano. I have some work here that's yet to be complete. Getting away to New York will be a break for us. Even now, I don't have as much time as I needed to spend with you", he spoke, aggravated.

"Oh", she murmured.

Amara knew something important was going on. Allister and Damien had been very busy in the past week, mostly attending meetings along with Uncle Rickard and Nonno with the family's important associates.

"So... I'll see you after",she did the math quickly "five days..."

Valerio chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I will see you", he promised meaningfully, caressing her cheek once.

Amara didn't hesitate before slipping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest.

*****

Two days later, Amara and her cousins were in the private sitting room of the airport, waiting to board their flight.

Through the soundproof glass doors that spanned the entire length of the ground floor wall, she could see the airport staff and guards performing a security check on the aircraft that would take them to New York.

She stood up from the couch when the door opened and Uncle Rickard entered the room along with the guards. Amara knew that he was leaving for Florence at the same time that they were leaving for Newyork.

He walked towards Allister and Damien first, putting one hand on each of his sons shoulder. "Do not start any unnecessary fights while you are on the American soil", he warned, "But if you do, then make sure you win", he commanded in a hard voice.

Allister and Damien nodded their heads in agreement.

He walked towards her then, his eyes softening considerably, "And take care of your sister", he shot at them. "I don't want the guards reporting back that you're ignoring your responsibilities."

Amara smiled up at her Uncle, when he gently cuffed her chin. "Princess, take care....and don't let those wayward Irish corrupt you too much", he added as an afterthought.

Amara giggled. Some things never changed.

"Sir, the chopper is ready. We can depart whenever you command", a guard informed him.

Uncle Rickard sighed, "Don't forget to enjoy yourselves between all the matches and competitions, all three of you. This is an experience that you will remember through your life, I certainly do."

All three of them nodded as they watched him leave through the glass doors and straight onto the private runway, his coat bellowing behind him.

No sooner had she watched the chopper ascend in the sky than another guard came up to Allister, "Master Allister, the check is complete. It is safe to board the flight now", he informed, holding the door open for them to walk out.

"Let's go", Allister ordered, leading them out.

"You, come here", Damien nearly shouted, needing to raise his voice over the sounds of the wind and the various airplanes taking off or landing on different airstrips in the distance

He put his arm around her shoulder and tucked her to his side,"Stay with me, I don't want to risk you flying away with the wind", he teased.

Amara jabbed him lightly with her elbow in retaliation making Damien laugh out loud.

Feeling cold, Amara went to tighten her cardigan around herself, only to realize that she had left it back in the sitting room.

"I left my cardigan inside", Amara told Damien and without waiting for a response she pulled away from him, turned around and jogged back the short distance, some of the guards breaking away from their formation to follow her.

Amara pulled open the glass door and entered the room, the door automatically shutting behind her.

She sighed, looking around the massive room, before walking over to the couch that she had been sitting on earlier and as expected she found her cardigan lying on the floor, below the coffee table.

She crouched down to pick it up and as soon as she stood again, the lights flickered off and Amara knew something was suddenly different in the atmosphere then.

She took a small step back, but jumped on her spot, startled, when she felt someone move behind her.

A hand closed on her arm, spinning her around and her eyes widened when she came face to face with Valerio.

She opened her mouth to speak when

Valerio pulled her closer, placing his palm over her mouth.

"You didn't really think that I'd let you go without seeing you first?", he asked rhetorically.

Amara stared at him with wide eyes.

"I'm not at all pleased", he began, and Amara had to agree internally with him. He sounded calm... abnormally calm, but his eyes..... his eyes had an inferno raging in their depths. She wondered what or who had made him lose his patience.