"Carina, get your ass back here right now. I have an emergency !" I panic dialled my sister and she snorted on the other end.

"Sir politeness?"

"Carina can you please come back and help me out. I have got kind of a situation here" I humbled down and she hummed in response.

"Well actually I was turning back anyways. I left my school bag at your place"

"How long till you will be back?"

"Fifteen minutes?"

Great.

I cut the call and dialled my roommate's number.

"Yeah?" Vesper's cold voice greeted the ringing tone.

"I will be at the cafe in twenty minutes. So wait for me there Vespy" I instructed him.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he whined but mumbled a yes few seconds later.

I quickly packed my notebooks I took out back into my bagpack as I waited for my sister to arrive.

As soon as she entered the house, kissing Sienna a goodbye, I ran to my car.

I couldn't risk giving my address to someone outside my family, let alone Vesper, who just because of me was targeted by the mafia.

I drove over to Créme de la Créme, the cafe Vesper worked and parking my car, made my way in.

Vesper sat straight on a table, his books spread out in front of him, studying.

I walked over to him and waited for him to look up but just like the first time we met, he completely ignored me.

"Hey" I said as I pulled out the chair next to him and sat down and he looked up confused.

"When did you get here?"

"Five minutes ago that is including the time I stood here waiting for you to notice me"

He stared at me blankly for a few seconds before sighing.

"Alright. Sorry"

Sorry?

Was this guy who got mad at me for anything apologising to me?

"Uh...is everything okay?"

He shook his head and stretched his hands, leaning into the back of his chair.

"I need a partner for my internship at Highland before applying for it. Turns out they need two people to work under them together as personal assistants"

Internship?

"Well...isn't anyone else applying with you? I mean, you can't be the only one appling to such a prestigious multi-"

"Yeah that's the problem. Everyone is already paired up" he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Oh"

He needs a partner?

"Can first years apply?" I asked him and he nodded, his eyes closed, tugging at the roots of his hair softly.

'What about Sienna and your responsibilities?' my subconscious snorted as I considered the idea of volunteering.

"Well I think I have a solution to your problem" I spoke up after a few minutes, and he looked up at my face hopefully with his deep electrifying eyes and my breath hitched.

"I-I can ask my friends, you know, same major and first years-" I mumbled as he moved closer to me, his eyes lit up with joy.

"YOU WOULD DO THAT? THANKS!!!" he shouted, giving my shoulder a light punch before getting up and carefully putting all his books into his bag.

"I am so tiredddd. You have no idea how much trouble you saved me Caspian!" he smiled as he stepped out the cafe.

This is the first time he has genuinely smiled at me.

I smiled and followed him out.

⛓⛓⛓

"So Caspian, why are you doing a double major?" Vesper asked me, fiddling with the strings of his hoodie as he lay on his bed.

He sure was talkative today.

"I am not sure. Just because?" I answered uncertainly.

"Really? No specifics?"

Sylvia.

"Actually, my close friend wanted to be a lawyer so I guess I am completing her dreams for her" I mumbled as I turned over to face him, only to find me already looking at me.

Our beds touched the opposite walls with a narrow space between us.

"Her?" he asked and I hummed in response.

"Why do something she likes? Isn't it her dream?"

"Was, her dream. She isn't there anymore to fulfill them"

Silence filled the room as I waited for my words to make sense to Vesper.

"Don't tell me!" he gasped slightly before sitting up on his bed, "Is she...?" he trailed off.

"Yes".

"I'm sorry" he said and I looked away, closing my sleepy eyes.

Why was he sorry? He wasn't the one who killed her. It's just because of Agatino. If it weren't for him and Adrianna, my dad would have never left her alone in the house.

I hissed as Agatino's words rang in my ears.

"You De Niro's are emotional fools!" he spat, as I sat crying in front of Sylvia's coffin.

"Get away from her! You don't deseve to be here you son of a bitch!" my seventeen year old self cried only to be mocked by the Bernardii's.

"You guys tricked me! WE WERE NEVER IN YOUR WAY, THEN WHY?" I cried, kneeling down.

"You killed her Caspian, you should accept that instead of playing the victim card!" Nico said, kicking me in my ribs and I fell down, howling in pain.

"I LOVED HER YOU MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" I wanted to shout but darkness came over me.

"Caspian are you okay?" a soft voice called out to me, a cold hand's touch on my cheek and my eyes snapped open.

"I- I was tricked!" I panted, a bead of sweat rolling down my forehead.

Infront of me, Vesper kneeled by my side of the bed, his hand on my cheek.

Huh? Was I asleep?

"Are you okay?" he asked me, his eyebrows wrung up in worry.

Okay?

I haven't been okay since the past 3 years Vesper.

"No..." my voice came out weak as I tried to calm my rapid breaths down.

There was no mistaking. His eyes, they showed everything correctly, he was broken.

His voice as he pleaded in his sleep was so pained...it reminded of my past.

"It's okay, it's alright" I whispered and without thinking pulled his head into my arms.

He stiffened up, but almost immediately put his arms around my waist and pulled me close, burrying his face into my chest.

He was running from his past wasn't he?

Well, I am not going to let those demons haunt another soul. Not again.

I'll make sure he has me till he is ready to accept his story...just like Sandy made me accept myself.

"Shhh, I'm here, don't panic" I patted his head.

#

A/n: Happy New Year Sugars!!!❤💫

I hope you all have a fun and prosperous 2023, with lots and lots of love and joy!🥰

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