Face

11

"I did." Dad said.

"You?"

"You hit Gio?" I questioned him as tears streamed down my face.

No one replied to me. I looked at Gio who avoided eye contact.

"Gio?" I called as I walked up to him. "He hit you? Why?" I asked holding his chin so he look me in the eyes.

"May it's been over 10 years. Leave the topic alone." Gio said but I shook my head. "No."

"What did he do so wrong that you had to hit him so much that his body is covered with scars?! Huh? What did he do?" I yelled.

"I-" Dad started. "I did it when I was young, it was a mistake."

"Mistake? How could you mistakenly hit someone. His marks look like you whipped him, and you say it's a mistake? You're a sick freak!" I yelled.

I don't know what had gotten over me but I couldn't handle it. The fact that he laid his hands on Gio was enough for me to rip his head off.

Antonio, Enzo, and Nico rushed to the room to see what happened.

"May, watch your words. I'm your father! He's forgotten what happened already."

"Father? You're not father to me. No father ever puts his hands on his child like that. And you say he's forgotten? How can he forget his past when it's written all over his body?" I yelled breathing heavily now.

"I said it was a mistake!"

"Fuck you and your mistakes." I replied making everyone's eyes widen. Gio pulled me back as he whispered in my ear. "Calm down May."

"No, what did he do to you? He can't even give me a reason for why he did it for fuck's sake, and you want me to calm down." I said shoving Gio's hand off me.

"You deserve to rot in prison!" I said as I walked passed, shoving the guys at the door.

I went into my room slamming the door shut.

I wasn't able to control my anger, I didn't know what to do. I'd never felt this angry before, never. I'd never even swore at someone older than me, but here I am swearing at my own father.

But he deserved it.

How could he touch Gio?

Those marks weren't ordinary. Some were of cigarettes, some from whipping, and other that I'd rather not know.

I paced around the room trying to calm down, but I couldn't. I heard everyone leaving Gio's room.

I waited a while before opening my door and making my way back towards Gio's room. I knocked on the door and heard a faint 'come in' so I slowly opened it.

I saw Gio sitting on his bed, as he looked up at me.

I was unsure on what to do, but I suddenly felt bad. I didn't comfort him but instead I ended up bursting out in anger.

I walked towards him on the bed as I sat beside him. I held his hand as I leaned my head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Gio." I said as tears streamed down my face.

"You didn't do anything wrong, you don't need to be sorry." He replied as I turned to face him. He looked up at me and tried to smile but failed.

"Don't cry my stellina." He said as he wiped my tear away.

"Stellina, that's what you called me years ago. What does it mean?" I asked him.

"It means 'little star.'" He said, he paused for a second and then spoke again. "You've always been a star for me May. Always the brightest star in my darkest nights." He said making me confused.

He realised my confusion so he spoke. "When father beat me, you were always there. You might have been younger than 7, but your presence alone was enough for my pain to go away. You would always be cheerful and it was contagious. That's why I call you stellina. A little girl who would light up my dark life."

I couldn't take it anymore as I sobbed, I sobbed in his arms as he tried to calm me down but I couldn't.

"It's ok May. Look we are here together now, and there's no more pain." He said trying to comfort me.

"You say there's no pain, then why does it hurt? Why is your pain hurting me?" I asked unsure why I'm feeling this way.

"Because that's how you are May. I still remember you as a little girl. You would overwater plants because you didn't know when to stop giving. You were afraid they'd die so you kept giving,even though you were sweating in the heat." He said.

"You need to care for yourself more than other people." He added.

"Gio-" I was cut off my him. "It's time for you to sleep. It's so late." He said but I shook my head making him sigh.

"You want to sleep with me?" He asked and I nodded. "You'll never grow up May." He said with a chuckle.

He got into bed tucking me in with him.

"You know, I never thought I'd ever hear you swear." He chuckled as I looked up at him.

"Honestly I didn't expect it either. I was just so angry." I replied honestly.

"Don't trouble yourself so much. I don't like seeing you like this. Just always remember, when you're happy, I'm happy." He said.

I held on to him tightly, afraid that if I let go he'll be gone. I know I'll never forgive my dad for what he did to Gio.

No one hurts my brothers, no one.

"I love you."