First Love Only Love (The Life 2)

After mom married Felix, things had changed, mom had made sure of it, and I’d done the rest. I’ve done my part over the last decade and more to build the relationships I have with the friends that were once hers. All those girls from affluent snobby families who’d barely given me the time of day even as kids but were now my followers. I can’t lose to her, not like this.

But when I look at that screen, something inside me tells me that the days of me ruling Gia’s life were coming to an end. It was bad enough when she no longer seemed to care what I said or did to her, but this, this was something unexpected. Because all those friends combined didn’t add up to one of the Russos, and everyone knows it. Why had they chosen her? Why had he?

It took mom calling my name a couple of times for it to register. “WHAT?”

“Why are you making that noise?” I stared at her like she was crazy while the echoes of a keening sound faded away in the recesses of my mind. Was that me sounding like a wounded animal just then? “Mom!”

I didn’t have to tell her how I felt as I crawled over to her and laid my head in her lap. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I’ll have them take the picture down tomorrow as soon as school starts. And when she gets home tonight, I’ll deal with her. You don’t have to worry; I’ll make sure she’s never invited to the Russo’s place again.”

Her words were soothing at least, but there was a lingering doubt in my mind that said it might not be that easy this time. Somehow, I get the feeling that the same things that worked in the past wouldn’t work as well on Gabriel Russo, and it’s him I need, no want, on my side.

If Gia ends up being chummy with that family or, worst yet, getting close to Gabriel, I don’t think I can bear it. The tears started then, long-drawn-out sobs that felt as if my heart would break. How am I going to turn this around? What can I possibly do? From the looks of things, Gabriel was already firmly in her corner.

The hate that thought invoked added some much-needed warmth to my frazzled nerves, and I felt the slightest glimmer of hope. Why was I giving up so easily? It hadn’t been easy to beat Gia the first time, and I’d done it when I was much younger. Granted; mom had been of some help, but I’d done most of the work. Either way, I just need her to be here; no matter what, no one can protect her from me behind these walls.

After I burn that wig, I’ll be sure to destroy anything she’d gained this weekend, and then I’ll go to work on severing whatever ties she’d formed with the Russos—time to put my thinking cap on. I looked at the picture one last time, seemingly drawn to it against my will, and felt that dip in my stomach again.

The stupid thing already had more than six hundred comments, which was more than half the student body and definitely more than the sixty or so kids in our grade. Just reading the first few gushing compliments was enough to have me rushing to the bathroom to throw up. Looking at myself in the mirror as I rinsed my mouth out, I felt like that ugly little girl once again. The girl who never quite compared to the little princess everyone wanted to be their friend.

My heart broke in two at the thought that after all that I’d done and how far I’d come, we were right back here, with Gia being the center of attention, while no one even mentioned my name.

FELIX

After leaving the Russo residence, I didn’t go directly home; I had too much to think about. The kid seems to think that I don’t care about my own daughter, but nothing could be further from the truth. I’d spent all weekend rehashing everything he’d said to me the last time we met, trying to make sense of his assumptions.

At first, I thought Gia might’ve been telling tales out of school, but that’s not like her; she’s too much like her mother, my late wife.

Adrienne had been the sweetest, kindest, most unassuming woman in the world, and I see some of her in our daughter. Until he planted those seeds of doubt in my mind, I always thought Rebecca did the things she did and acted the way she does with Gia because she wanted to do the best for her old friend’s daughter. I saw all the restrictions she placed on Gia as her going above and beyond to take care of the child left behind by someone she once loved like a sister, but could I have been mistaken?