Chapter Five

Jason POV

I did not expect for her to actually be here in this house.

I turn to look at her to find her laughing. "Okay lady you have the wrong person" Cleo tells her trying to pry her off of her.

"No I don't have the wrong person because I am your mother, we are your family" she says pointing at Pablo and Matteo.

" Very funny ma'am prank over but my parents and brother died in a car accident" She tells her starting to get pissed off.

"We are your family" Mariah says once more.

"Oh yeah if you are my parents here's a question only my parents would know.How did I get the mark on my right arm under my elbow" she asks.

"You got it from trying to climb higher than your brother then you fell from the tree" Aunt Mariah answers as she keeps on smiling at her daughter who is still confused about what is happening.

"Okay let me explain to her why we are not "dead" like she thinks we are" Uncle Pablo says pulling back his wife.

"It started when you had just turned four I was going through a tough time doing gambling and i was in need of some money so I turned to an old friend and he gave me the money, I lost the bet and he said we could repay him by giving him the house and everything in it or hand you in instead and giving you away was the safest choice you where still going to get the love and happiness from him and his family and plus your friend was there so I knew you weren't going to get lonely,So after we dropped you off we called them to tell you we died" he says with a lot of regret in his eyes.

We look over to Cleo waiting for her reaction she seems confused on what to do wether to be happy or upset.

"So you're my family" she says looking at them .Mariah nods her head and starts heading to her ready to hug her but Cleo put her hand out stopping her from getting closer.

"So you're the family that abonded me just because you didn't want to loose your perfect house"

She says " While you where here getting an amazing life I was left suffering" she says as she starts getting more angry.

She continues "You know after you left me it turned out that girl I call ed a friend didn't like me after all none of her parents did I was turned into a house maid for the rest of my four year old life and yes a maid I would Clean that girls room serve her food and when it was time to sleep I would always sleep in the basement talking to the stars I thought where you, They didn't like having me around anymore and sent me to the orphanage where I was beaten up ,denied my right to eat and bullied by the other kids,And I was finally adopted at the age of ten by a sixty five year old man" she says starting to break down.

She stops Mariah from talking to continue her life story "I never got the chance to go to school I would clean up,cook for him and he would come home drunk and beat me up for no reason but that never stopped me from talking to your stars and one night it happened he came into my shabby small room and he raped me that very same man took my innocence away and it never stopped there he would do it every night even call his friends over to come and "have a taste" He forced me to work at the age of fifteen as a God damn stripper and bartender just to get him money for his gambling addictions."

Hearing that story sparked something in me.I had the urge to walk over to her and hug her pain away but I stopped myself.

Scarlett,Elizabeth,Mom and Aunt Mariah where all in tears and to my surprise Cleo didn't even shed one single tear. Matteo was even more upset because he never forgave his parents for abandoning his sister and hearing this story angered him even more.

"In a sense you guys are still dead to me and forever will be" she says with a lot of venom lacing around her voice.

"You don't mean it" Aunt Mariah says ready clearly shattered on the inside.

"Yes I mean it and I don't regret it

"Even being in the same room as you guys is just suffocating, I can't I need some air" and with that said she left the room.I find myself following her and I see her seated in the middle of the garden looking at the stars I make my way over to her and sit next to her she still hasn't noticed my presence she seems to be lost in thought.

"Those three bright stars up there where the ones I would talk to" she says as she looks at me.

"I would always tell them everything from my trouble's to the good moments like when I was adopted to a good family after the old man died".

"I know it won't change what you had to go through and i know that their decision was really bad ,but I think you should hear them out it will leave you shocked, did you know Matteo wasn't always like the way he is now rude ,cold hearted and closed off like me,after your parents left you when he grew up and found out he never forgave them even to this day his still angry" i try reasoning with her.

"Really?" She asks shocked from hearing what I had just told her.

"Yep really and you should let them tell You because your family is here they stI'll love you to the point that they never allowed anyone to go into your old bedroom, all your baby clothes and toys are still there".She starts laughing calming down a little.For some reason it felt good that I was the one making that smile appear.

"Yeah I think you're right it's not every day that your family comes back into your life" she says looking into my eyes.Id be lying if her eyes weren't gorgeous because they are.

Okay that one was uncalled for."Okay I'll just go and call them"

Cleo POV

For a small family gathering this one very dramatic.

I hear a lot of movement from behind and I just know it's my "family". Mariah is the first to break the silence.

"Isa we are-". "You aren't allowed to call me that name you lost the right to when you abonded me"I explain to her.

"I know what we did was very much wrong but we thought you where going to live a happy life we didn't know at all that you where suffering that much" Carlos says as him and Mariah stand on either side of me.

"You know on your fourteenth birthday we went to the house to come and get you and they did tell us that they took you to the orphanage we went there immediately and they had told us you where adopted already we demanded for the name of the person and their address and when we found out the person that adopted you Matteo shut down the whole orphanage and sent the kids to a better place leaving those people jobless". Mariah says as she begins to tear up a bit.

I look at the back to find Matteo still where he was when he came and still looking at the ground.

Mariah continues "We went to the apartment and saw the man that adopted you he told us you died and I didn't want to believe a thing he said and we went on looking everywhere around the house for you we couldn't find you and he gave us the address to your "grave" and we have been going there every year on your birthday after that and we never missed a single visit" she finishes.

So that's why he stuffed me in his secret cabinet that day because he knew they where coming.

That old hag.

And he lied about me being dead that just adds to the much hate I have for him.Good thing he's gone.

And the fact that they would go to that grave yard every year,means they actually cared.

"I didn't know you cared that much".I say as they where about to head out probably giving up since I wasn't talking much.

They all stop and come back to where they where standing.

"We don't just care about you, we love you very much Cleo" Carlos answers.

"Ohhhhh you guys are gonna make me cry which I don't do" I say and motion for them to come in for a group hug.

"Me hugging you guys does not mean I have fully forgiven you guys you'll have to earn it" I tell my parents as we break from the hug.

"For you anything even if we have to give up our house like we where supposed to do we would do it"Carlos says and Mariah nods her head in approval.

I look up to see Matteo in the corner looking at the ground lost in thought.I walk over to him,he looks up and has a look of confusion.

I lean in and give him a big hug." Thank you for what you did Big brother" I tell him he looks down at me and hugs me back.

We stay like that for a while after my parents left us we sat on the swing and began catching up on everything we missed from being apart.

After our amazing conversation I head upstairs to my room as I am passing the living I hear shuffling noises in the kitchen.

I quickly hold on to the gun I always stick ,on the right side of my thigh.I head into that kitchen to see a muscular and tattoed back facing me and I already know who it is.

I sit myself on the counter putting my gun back where it belongs. "Didn't your mom teach you it's wrong to stare, I mean I don't blame you I'm breathtaking" Jason confidently states.

I roll my eyes at his ginormous ego that doesn't seem to be fading any time soon.

"My biological mother didn't teach me that but my foster mom said it's okay to look ,you gotta keep on doing it until you find what you are looking for" I answer honestly.

He smirks and leans against the counter infront of me "Oh so did you find what you where looking for"

"Well no but I'll keep looking"I reassure him and starts to laugh a little.

"I hope you find it" he answers as he takes sips off his water.

"Oh hey um I wanted to thank you for what you said back there if it wasn't for you telling me to give them a chance I wouldn't have found out that they cared all along"

"It's nothing and your welcome"

"I was a bit rude earlier when we first met so,hi I'm Cleo Isabella Mandez and I would love to be your friend" I reach my hand out giving him a genuine smile.

He looks at my hand warily and reluctantly stretches out his hand.

"Jason Ramano and I don't want to be your friend" he answers smirking as my mouth drops to the floor.

"Oh c'mon it would be nice to have a female friend , and one you will never get the chance of sleeping with. And plus I'm an amazing friend" I say wiggling my eyebrows at him.

"If I say yes will you leave me alone"he asks clearly annoyed.

"Yes I will but when we need to hang out like friends then I will not be leaving you alone"

"Fine" he answers as he takes a bite of the chips from the packet that he found in the pantry.

"Great!!!! You will not regret it" i answer happily.

"Now "friend" I am pooped out a lot of things happened today so I'm gonna head up to my room so talk to you later" I say getting of the kitchen stool.

I head up to my room,getting out of the dress get in the shower and after the shower I got dressed in an oversized shirt and shorts.

Once done i get cozy in my blankets and drift off into sleep.

So yesterday was a busy and problematic.I get out of bed and head for the balcony I seat myself on myself on one of the chairs.

The sun is starting to be seen behind the mountains.Its beautiful honestly.A few minutes of sitting by myself with my thoughts and there is a knock from the door.

The door opens a bit and I see the heads of my two best friends.They both look around for me, to find me already looking at them from the balcony.

They make their way over and seat themselves on the chairs that where placed next to me .

Elizabeth is first to break the silence, "Hey how are you holding up yesterday must have been pretty overwhelming for you huh?"

"I'm doing okay and yes it was overwhelming appreciate your concern"

"So how did it go we saw you talking to them" Scarlett asks.

"Oh um yeah they explained themselves saying about how they where sorry for what I had gone through and the decision they made back then, what they did and went through to find me and I decided no point in holding a grudge because it won't erase all the pain I had to face, so like they always say let bygones be bygones although I haven't fully forgiven them they will have to earn it"

"Can we please change the topic all this talk about what happened last night is pretty exhausting" I ask.

"Yeah that's why we are here we are going out for some shopping and then lunch afterwards and unfortunately the guys are coming along Jason wasn't going to let us go without protection" Elizabeth says with a lot of irritation written on her face.

"Oh sounds like fun what time are we leaving" I ask them as we all start exiting the balcony heading into my room.

"As soon as you have gotten dressed now go on we will choose your outfit" she says pushing me to the bathroom door.

"It better not be a dress" I yell over my shoulder knowing for a fact Elizabeth never heard a thing that I said.

After my relaxing shower I head in to my walk in closet to already find them arguing over what I must wear.

"She is going to wear this because it compliments her curly hair" Scarlett says shaking her head in agreement.

"No way that's so not going to go with this at all" Elizabeth says getting frustrated

"Both your outfits aren't my style so I'll choose myself now go on wait for me downstairs" I tell them ushering them out of my room.



I end up choosing a dress seeing as I haven't worn one in a really long time.After something I finally decided on what I was going to wear.

Once done I head downstairs to see the girls at the bottom of the stairs already dressed and talking.

I make my way to them."hey you guys look amazing as always" I tell them.

The guys can be see outside waiting at the cars.We head outside and there these three big suv' s parked behind the guys cars.

Lucas smiles while Matteo frowns and Jason just stares.

"Okay you guys will have to decide on who you'll going with and don't mind the SUV' s they are for back up" Lucas finishes up and grab Scarletts hand draghing her to his car.

Ofcourse he would choose her Scarlett clearly looks happy with his decision.Elizabeth hopped in the car with Matteo and Tiffany ran in to one of the SUV which Tony(her part time fling) was in.

Looks like it's just me left I turn to Jason who was on his phone, he looks up notices that I'm the only one left and rolls his eyes and tells me to get in which I quickly do.

I make myself comfortable in the front seat and he starts the cat.I noticed when it was time to hit a turn how he's muscles tensed up.And how he's face would always remain serious and grumpy like.

"So friend what's got you making that frowny face huh?"I ask him turning my whole body in his direction he looks at me from the corner of his eye.

"Just thinking about how I ended up with you" he says smirking waiting for a reaction out of me. Which i was not going to give him.

A few minutes later and we arrived at the

"Liar I'm an amazing friend you just don't know it yet" I tell him.And he just stayed silent.

"Fine can I borrow your phone then" I ask and with that he gives me the device without unlocking it. I look at him to a find mischievous grin on his face. Asshole

I look out the window and my finger was on the screen by mistake and it accepted the pin I look at the password only to find out the password is 0000 like what the fuck is that.

And I thought his password would be impossible but instead it's just 0000 like seriously.

So basically sophisticated guys have the simple passwords and the simple guys are the ones with hard passwords.

After my little victory dance I waste no time going through gallery to find no pictures at all.Obviously.

Better fill it up.I start taking tons of silly selfies of me doing weird faces and secretly taking Snapchat selfies and videos of me and Jason.

There was one picture of the two of us which was nice so I edited it as best friends and put as his home screen.

I start going through his contacts since he has no games AT ALL.(What a grandpa) I continue browsing and see that he saved Rachel as Annoying bitch I try my best not to laugh.

I add in my number and save it as:Your Bad Ass Female Bestie😉❤🎶 and start sending all the pics I took.

A few minutes pass by and we already arrived at the mall. I get out of the car on my own because the Jack ass left me behind.

I run to tey and catch up to him but he takes longer strides to leave me behind.We arrive to the entrance where the others are.

Elizabeth has an uneasy look on her face whereas Scarlett is smiling from ear to ear.

"You went with my brother" she asks giving me a suspicious look.

"Oh um yeah everyone else was gone so he was the only option left".i reassure her.

"Yeah okay let's go" she says still unconvinced and grabs my arm dragging me to Scarlett and Tiffany who where a bit ahead.

1 hour later.

We have spent a whole hour roaming through the empty mall.Empty because Jason rented the entire mall for the day.Pretty cool huh?.

It was mainly Elizaebth and Tiffany who bought the most clothes .Scarlett bought a few equipments for her computer.I didn't buy anything I did see a lot of things I wanted but ignored them.

After a lot more roaming we headed over to ths food court and sat at the biggest booth. We got our food and ofcourse Jason was seated across me.

He pulled out his phone and looked up giving me a death glare which returned and he rolled his eyes before displaying a real small smile that you needed to see up close but quickly covered it with his usual straight face.

Jason POV

I don't even know why I've decide to keep this picture she put for my wallpaper.And how in the world did she figure out my password.

When I first saw her outfit back at the house I was blown away.

I couldn't drive straight knowing that her dress had hicked up.It took everything in me to not stop the car and fuck her senselessly.

Just thinking about it got my member excited.Okay I need to get laid fast before I go crazy.

Lucas breaks me from my dirty thoughts."Okay Is it okay if I ask you ladies some questions about yourselves so we get to know you guys".Okay this I have to pay attention to.They all agree and the questions begin