"Domenico!" His older sister's surprised voice came over the line the second she picked the call. Andrea.

"Buon giorno, those are the words." He chuckled, rolling unto his back on his bed. He could almost not feel the heaviness in his chest, the familiar voice of his sister, the longing to be home helped ease his fraying nerves.

"Domenico de'Cerintti! You called me!"

His chuckled turned into a laugh.

"Yes I called you." He replied between laughs. He stopped when she didn't say anything else.

"Hello? "

"I miss you." His sister voice came over the line again," Its been long I heard you laugh that way."

His lips drew into a thin line. He didn't want to talk about it.

"I know you won't tell me what happened to you but I want you to know that I'm here for you, I'm always here for you. Domen trust me on that one."

He kept mute. Not because he didn't believe her but because believing just wasn't enough for him.

He cleared his throat, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." She answered with a sigh, " Been very busy lately. Marco's been working late recently so iy have to take care of Mario and Gio all by myself throughout the day. You can imagine."

He chuckled, he sure could.

"Maria's been helping but she has a fiance now, she can't be as dedicated as she was before."

"Little pepper?" he asked, his smile becoming wider at the mention of his little sister's nickname.

She gave a short pleased laugh,

"She's been such a darling." She coed, " She makes things a tad bit easy for me."

"Of course that's..." he paused, hearing a faint girly voice in the background.

"Is that little pepper? Give her the phone."

"Baby! "he heard his sister call, her voice sounded very faint. She must have put the phone away.

"Its brother, brother Domen!"

He heard an excited squeal and soon the voice of his 6 year old yonger sister filled his ears.

"Brother Domen! You finally called! "She exclaimed in Italian in her tiny babyish voice

He feigned a frown even if she couldn't see him.

"Finally? Don't I call you? "

"The last time you called me was about a month ago and sister Andrea said you almost never call her, she said you are a bad bad brother."

He forced down his laugh keeping his tone neutral,

"Little pepper, am I a bad brother?" he asked in a lowered voice feigning sadness.

"Yes! You are supposed to call me everyday!"

He laughed aloud this time around, his shoulders shaking with the sound. He crossed his legs.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Promise to call everyday? "

"I promise."

"Good, now we're on good terms."

His smile didn't drop.

"So tell me. What..."

"Bye brother, dodo, I'm off to play with baby Mario before he cries himself to sleep." she said quickly.

He chuckled. She would trouble him about not calling and then not up to two minutes into the call, she would get off hurriedly. Her reason, big people talk are boring.

"She's really your little pepper." Andrea's voice came back on the line.

"Yeah."

" So when are you coming home?" she questioned, her tone no longer playful.

"Coming home?"He asked although he knew what she meant. He started counting the rows of panels up on the ceiling.

"Yes Domenico. When are you coming home? You've been away for over 6 months, only calling at intervals to assure us that you are still alive and we do mot call a search party."

"I'm at school." he answered turning over on his stomach. He leaned his phone against the headboard and placed it on loud speaker then rested his jaw, on his left hand.

"School? You've accepted your admission? You registered? When?"

"Three weeks ago. I've gotten an apartment, not far from the school. I'm settled in."

"That's great. I thought you were going to waste your life."

They fell silent until she spoke again.

"Just be careful, Domenico and whatever it is you are struggling with, drinks and girls are not the answer."

"I don't....."

"Don't lie to me. I know, I know everything. I know you either bury yourself in your engineering books or bury yourself in a woman's arms. I know and it has to change. You weren't brought up to be promiscuous."

"It's my life."

"And it's mine. Your life is my life, I don't live for myself, I live for you, my family, those I care about and so I don't behave carelessly. You, your life, you live selfish. very selfish."

The heavy rock in his chest was beginning to appear again, making him anxious and uncomfortable.

"I can take care of myself." He said again, his voice cold.

A pause.

"We love you."

"Tell Mario and Gio and your husband I said hi." He spoke and waited out of respect for her to cut the call before he switched off his phone. He felt like he was being suffocated and he got up, going over to his study table at the window. He sat on his chair and opened the big book on engineering he had been studying the night before. A few seconds and he was engrossed in the book.

Andrea was right after all. He either buried himself in his books or in the women. Although the last part, he cancelled a long time ago.

They could already hear the italian sensation playing a good distance away from the magnificent villa Fernando D'osellioti owned. Fernando was the handsome, rich senior that hosted the best parties. His parties were popular and a rave. He threw it three times a year, spring, summer and winter. He had everything right, the large house, the unlimited alcohol, the music and what not but funnily enough, Fernando never attended his own parties or any other party; he had girls flocking around him but there had never been any news of him being promiscuous, rumors had sprang up but they were quickly debunked; Fernando was always with his friends or at some school gathering or meeting or any other clean social gathering but he always scored the highest at the end of each semester. Fernando was mysterious.

That was the story his ears were filled with by Marino as they drove to the party venue.The wide double doors to the villa were wide open and one could see the inside from the outside clearly. There was already a crowd, its buzzing could be heard even from outside. He made sure to pass the entrance with his 2010 Ferrari 458 italia, his pride, knowing it would gain him the attention he sought and then he circled around and drove past again until he found a good parking spot.

"Man, you're good!" Marino hailed when he switched off the engine. He smirked. This was his first show, he had to play it well.

"You ready?" Marino asked, a mischievous smile on his face, "I get to be the friend of the guy who owns a Ferrari, we have to step in together."

He chuckled, straightening his suit jacket. The code of dressing for Fernando's parties were always the same, suits for men and dresses for the women.He ran his thumb over his collar, gazing at himself in tge rear view mirror. He loved his look and the women loved it. Wavy dark brown, almost black hair that fell a little carelessly over his forehead; piercing blue, almond shaped eyes that ladies had testified entranced them; he could only see those details in the mirror but he knew the rest. Long pointed nose, narrow face with small chin that amplified his eyes, full heart shaped lips that the ladies loved... He had the looks. He looked away from the mirror and inspected his long slender fingers, three stoned rings on each hand.

"If you're done ogling yourself, can we go out now?" Marino eyed him, "You don't even look half as good as I am."

He shot him a glare before opening his car door and stepping out, Marino following shortly after.

"Hmmmmn." Marino chuckled, looking around.

He shut his door and they both walked to the entrance of the villa. They already had the attention of the few ladies, even men that were outside. He chuckled to himself, loosening an extra button on the top of his shirt, he had three buttons off now.

They stepped into the villa.

He felt the pause of the crowd, he felt the awe and admiration, he felt the confusion and surprise.

Domenico Pietro de Cerintti was back.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rosetta Verona Catherine D'armani sat cross-legged on the velvet cushion at a deeper part of the living room , making sure that the skit of her gown revealed as much of her smooth creamy hot kaos that would make any guy who saw it hypnotized.

Her friend, Milena, was sitted beside her, the cushion only fit for two. Aryanna, the third, was somewhere probably with hounding the male folk.

"Grazie." She smiled seductively at the charming waiter who offered her a glass of champagne from his tray.

She held the wine glass lightly in her slender petite fingers, taking a sip then licking her lips. She had a few guys eyeing her, a few had come up to her boldly and she had turned them all down except for two who had mesmerized her. One dance with each and two rejected proposals, she returned back to her seat.

She had made her fane already. Rosetta D'armani, the hard to get.

She knew what would come next, a long list of men vying for her attention and seeking to win her over and be the first to get her in bed. She was ready for the challenge. After all, what was life without the thrill.

"You're not going in?" Milena questioned, gesturing to the crowd milling about.

"No, you go. My tonight is just to watch." She replied after taking another sip.

"Luigi is misbehaving, I need to go get him." Milena informed her with her usual pretty smile. She looked to the direction Milena had indicated, Luigi was sure there. He had a few women clinging to him and he seemed to be handling them real well. She looked back to Milena who was already on her feet and strutting confidently to him.

She shook her head. Unrequited love. Milena was a strong one, not many women would be able to not break down after having their heart broken repeatedly by the same man. Milena stayed strong, she was determined to make Luigi fall for her.

She hoped Milena got her wish. She deserved it.

She was bored, she realized with a sigh, gulping down the contents of her glass.

She noticed people glancing at the entrance. Since she was sitting and the cushion was a little hidden, she could see what was making the entrance so alluring.

She decided to wait, she would definitely get front row seat. She nodded her head to the loud music pimping out of the speakers. Fernando was good.

She could recognize a good number of faces in the crowd, people from her highschool and neighbouring highschools. A good number of them had picked Colland, it was close to their hometown and it was a less expensive town to live in.

She could see Leonardo. He saw too and sent her a wink. Almost a year since highschool and he was still pinning over her.

She felt the crowd go still and she grew curious. She also noticed the surprised looks on quite a few people's faces, mostly those from her highschool and all eyes were directed towards the entrance.

She stood up, unable to contain her curiosity and she moved forward, her gown sweeping behind her until she got to a good vantage point where she had an almost good view of the entrance.

There were two men, freshmen she decided, handsomely dressed.

She knew the one on the right, Bernard Marino... She couldn't remember his surname, he had tried to work his charms on her in the past. The second... She watched him as he walked further into the living room. She didn't know him but he felt familiar.

He had her attention alright. She could already feel the familiar excitement building in her stomach, the excitement of the thrill.

He captivated her, everything about him captivated her and she came to one conclusion... She wanted him...at all cost.

She watched him pick a glass from a waiter's tray, the action alone was alluring. Also the casual sweep of his hand through his hair, the quick glance at his wristwatch, the slight upturn of his lips, the quick closing and opening of his eyes as he swallowed down white wine, his confident strides... She wanted him.

"Domenico."

She heard someone gasp and she snapped out of her lustful gaze. She didn't recognize the lady beside her who was staring open mouthed at him but she could recognize the burning feeling of jealousy in her chest. She wanted to rip the lady's eyes off.

"Domenico de Cerintti."

The name slipped out of the lady's mouth in an awed gasp. She froze...Domenico?

She looked back to him, he was sharing a laugh with Marino. She watched him carefully and in a second she felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

It really was him.

Domenico...

Domenico de Cerintti.