The thoughts of Donald and my friends get cut off when I hear mum's shout.

"Layla, sweetheart, breakfast's ready!" I hear mum's cheery voice.

She's been nice to me these past few days and honestly I don't care whether it's fake or not.

I let out a sigh as I wipe the spilt tears off my cheeks before standing up. I tie up my knotty hair into a loose pony, before I head out the door and down the stairs.

I catch a glimpse of the kitchen through the open door and see dad and mum already sat, talking to each other.

I slowly make my way and enter, heading towards the chair across from mum.

When she sees me, she immediately gives me a smile, standing up from her chair and heading over to the orange counter, picking up a plate of pancakes. Which is our everyday breakfast meal.

She walks to me, the smile remaining on her face, as she places six pancakes on my plate and my eyes widen, before I look back up at her.

"Is there a problem, sweetie?" She beams and I quickly shake my head, as I take a seat on the chair, before I begin to dig in.

I look up and catch dad's gaze as he stares at me intently, whilst stabbing pieces of his pancake using a fork, and shoving it in his mouth.

After a few moments, he gives me a smile and I couldn't tell if it was fake or not, so I looked away and continued eating.

After a while, I look up and see mum staring at me, still smiling.

Okay, what the hell is their problem?

"Um. Where's Heidi?" I ask feeling slightly uncomfortable, with their stares.

Mum lets out a small laugh. "She went with Killian of course. Won't be back for another three days."

What? I frown, as I continue to eat, licking the syrup off my lips.

Why did he take Heidi and not me?

I continue to frown as I rip another piece of pancake, popping it in my mouth. After a while the awkward atmosphere once again breaks, with mum's voice.

"So, what are your plans today then, hunny?"

I flicker my gaze up and see both my parents beaming at me, and I let out a sigh.

"Nothing." I shake my head, plastering a small smile.

"Like always then." She laughs, and I frown as dad begins to chuckle as well.

"I'm going to go out." I mumble after a while, clearing my throat, and looking down.

She hums. "What did Killian say?" I see her tilt her head. "You can't go on your own, can you?"

Why is everyone acting like Killian is a king. He's not!

..King Killian. Hm, Sounds kind of cool.

"Well?" Mum cuts me out of my thoughts, and I roll my eyes in response.

"Layla, did Killian say you can go on your own?" She asks again when I don't respond, her voice laced with irritation.

I grit my teeth, before I place the fork back down, leaving the two pancakes there, before I look up at mum.

"He said I can do whatever I want without his permission because he knows I'm not a little kid." I say as calmly as possible, as I wipe my sticky fingers on the tissue provided.

She hums in response. "Have fun then." She smirks, placing her hand under chin, still gazing at me.

"Kay." I push the chair back, feeling slightly annoyed, as I lift myself off the chair and turn around, walking to the door.

"Oh, sweetie. You haven't finished your breakfast." Mum calls after me.

"I'm full." I state, as I head out, I walk straight near the exit and just when I'm about to slip my shoes on, the door opens.

I turn slightly, and a smile makes it's way to my face, when I see Luca enter in his usual suit.

His eyes land on me and he smiles. "Hey, tesoro. You alright?" He asks, as he closes the door shut.

I nod, putting the shoes down and turning to him. "Yeah, are you?"

He nods in response, "Have you started your course yet?"

"Yeah, I drew some stuff for my coursework." I grin. "I can't wait to show you."

"I can't wait to see them." His grin widens. "Decided the theme for your exam work, yet?"

I shake my head, my mind drifting back to the themes.

He nods. "Don't worry about that, I can help you out." He unbuttons his blazer as he swings it over his arm.

"Just give me a minute." He ruffles my hair, before walking over and into the kitchen.

"Okay." I begin to ascend the stairs, with a big smile on my face as I enter my room. I stand in front of my bed, and fall on my knees, fishing out the big pink folder that Luca had bought a few days ago, before standing up and placing it on the bed.

I gently pull out the drawings and place them over my bed, spreading out the total of five of the drawings, I've drawn so far.

The door then opens, revealing Luca.

He walks over to my side and I point at one of them.

"I've painted this one." I pick one out and show it to him, he takes it from my hand, staring at it intently.

"Very nice, lovely blending skills." He nods, a smile forming, and I smile back.

"Do you like art too?" I question him, curiously, I look up at him.

His smile falters slightly. "I'm not good, but my wife enjoyed it. She was an artist." His brown eyes glint with a bit of sadness, before it quickly vanishes. Oh she died..

My smile falls into a frown. "I-I'm sorry."

He chuckles lightly, shaking his head. "It was a long time, tesoro. I'm okay now."

I nod, as both of us continue to stare at the drawings, and after a while I speak again.

"C-Can I ask what happened to her?" I stammer, as I look back up at him, and he nods.

"...she was killed." He sighs and I let out a small gasp.

"B-By who?"

"Spanish gang member." He purses his lips. "I arrived too late, I couldn't protect her." He shakes his head, his eyes flashing with a bit of anger. "It happened five years ago."

Luca's thirty four, so he was twenty nine. (Quick maths)

I continue to look at him sadly, but my eyes widen at his next words.

"She was pregnant with my daughter."

A gasp erupts from my mouth, as I cover my mouth in shock. "S-She died too?"

He nods, sadly. "Victoria was very due at the time. Eight months pregnant." He says and my eyes widen even further, as tears brim my eyes.

"How c-could they do that?"

"...The Spanish gang are trained to be heartless, killing anyone in their way, even the innocents." He finally looks down at me, and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't cry, tesoro." He says and I quickly shake my head, sinking the tears down.

"I'm not." I croak out and he laughs slightly.

"Tell me about her." I clear my throat, and he smiles softly.

"As I said she was an artist, she drew all the time." His eyes drift off to his memories and I smile.

"She was Spanish." He then says. "I was on a mission when I met her in Spain." His smile then drops. "It was my fault." He sighs. "She was so innocent. In a way I was the cause of her death. I pulled her into it."

"No." I pat his arm. "It's not your fault, you fell in love, both of you did."

He looks back at me and smiles again, and I return it.

"You know, you are like a daughter to me."

My eyes light up and my grin widens. "Really?"

He laughs at my reaction and nods. "Yes." He ruffles my hair.

"...You are not like my dad." I laugh, and he chuckles in response, shaking his head.

"How did you guys meet?" I ask after a while.

"Ah." He folds his hands together. "I met her in the park." He smiles, which turns into a chuckle. "She had asked to draw me."

"What did you say?" I giggle.

"I said yes." He laughs. "So I just sat there for hours until she was done."

"Wow." I smile. "So what happened next?"

"She gave me the drawing." He smiles. "I began to go to the park everyday, she'd wait for me and sometimes I'd wait for her."

"Wow." I repeat. "What does she look like?"

"She was absolutely beautiful." He sighs. "Long dark hair, grey eyes."

My eyes widen. "She looked like me?"

He chuckles. "Sort of, you remind me so much of her." He ruffles my hair again.

I sigh. I wish he was my dad.

"Do you have any siblings?" I tilt my head and he shakes his head.

"Killed when I was five, whole family."

My face falls, slightly. "That's terrible." I wrap my arms around him. "You've gone through so much." I mumble, as he begins to pat my head, as he hums in response.

"It is what it is, tesoro."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What are the themes?" Luca asks, as he continues to examine each of my work and give some tips.

I was in Killian's room last night after he left and I found this really old black laptop which is sort of crap since everything I search for is blocked. But luckily the course site works.

I quickly log on to my account, before scrolling down the list. "It says I have to choose from, people, hinges, horses, or circles."

"What?" He laughs. "Hinges?"

"I know right!" I exclaim. "That's a definite no." I continue to look at the ideas they give at the bottom of each theme.

"It says I get extra marks if I do observation drawings." I tell him.

He hums, as he looks down at the screen.

"Either people or horses?" I ask him.

He narrows his eyes. "Horses. No." He shakes his head. "You should aim for the higher marks so you should do observations, you won't find any horses here."

But my dad's a horse.

I laugh slightly before nodding my head. "People?" I question.

He thinks for a moment then nods. "I think that is the best option."

I smile. "Great!" I scroll down to the people theme and read the description.

"Should I draw you?" I look at him. "Or will that be dangerous?" I then frown.

He chuckles, shaking his head. "Not at all dangerous, tesoro. You can draw me if you wish." He grins. "I am sure the examiners aren't after me."

I laugh and nod my head. "I'm drawing you now." I quickly close the laptop, pushing it aside, and quickly but gently put the drawing back in the folder, then leaning off the bed and tucking it under the bed.

I jump back to my position and then turn to him with a wide grin causing him to chuckle. "Excited?"

I nod, vigorously. "Very."

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