Post by silent.lullaby on May 13, 2010 12:26:46 GMT -5
//We Run This Town//Chapter 021// Synthesised Voice
When I got to the Library I went directly to Gavin’s little nook. I debated on either knocking or going right in when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned to see Gavin, his hair was darker than the last time I’d actually taken a good look at him, he looked uncomfortable, probably because I was there.
“I’m behind,” I said finally finding my voice.
“I figured.”
I looked down, “I need help catching up,” I said grudgingly.
“I figured.”
I looked back up at him, “so, you going to help me?”
He nodded and took a few steps toward me, staring at me, he reached past and opened the door, “after you.” I stepped into the cramped space that felt familiar and safe. I sat down in the usual chair, and he sat down across from me. “Where do you want to start?”
“Science, I can do most of the rest at home... I’ll get the notes off people later if I have to.”
I pulled my science text book from my backpack. “I’m sorry about your brother.” A chill went down my spine and I froze for a moment staring down at the textbook in my hand. “I’m sorry about what happened to you... afterward.”
I calmly placed the textbook down and opened it to where I’d flagged the page with a bent sticky note, “I’m having a lot of problems with 3A, I just don’t get it,” my voice had little spikes, little tremors I tried to keep under control. My throat felt like it was closing and I willed myself not to cry. I swallowed hard and pushed the book a little toward him and was grateful when he dropped the ‘I care’ speech and started helping me with my science supplemental assignments.
“If our parents weren’t who they were,” he whispered.
“But they are,” I responded. “My last name is always going to be Lombardi and yours is always going to be Burke.” I looked up at him under dark lashes, “it’s just the way it is.”
We stared at each other for a moment. And in that moment I understood he felt the same confused way about me. We could be friends if we’d been born to different families. My ringtone broke our stare, “probably someone worried about why I haven’t called yet, everyone’s a little freaked since...” I shook my head and pulled out my phone, it was an Unknown number, which happens a lot, since most people use their pre-paids or disposable phones for a few months before switching phones and numbers. I opened the phone and put it to my ear, “hello?”
Silence. I waited a moment, “hell-o?” Silence again. “Who the hell is this?” Gavin looked puzzled, I took the phone from my ear and pressed speaker. “Hey? Why are you calling me?” I shouted.
“Lilianna.” The voice was synthesised and a chill went down my spine. “I seen you today, walking into the school. That’s a lovely blue shirt you have on.” I looked down, I was indeed wearing a blue blouse. “And those lovely black tight pants.”
Gavin turned to the computer, but I didn’t pay attention to him. I swallowed hard, “I’m with my father right now, and he’s hearing every word of this.”
“No you’re not.” The voice responded. “You’re still in the school, and your father’s at the hospital with your brother. How’s he doing anyways?”
“Burn in hell you son of a bitch. You tell me who the hell you are!”
There was a synthesised laugh. “If I wanted you to know who I am, I wouldn’t use the synthesiser now would I?” Another laugh. “I’ll see you around Lilianna. Oh, and don’t tell your family or your friends about this, wouldn’t want them to know who you’re getting lessons from would you?”
“I’ll tell them myself,” I said defiantly.
“Well if you want them involved, maybe I’ll go and get that pretty cousin of yours, what’s her name again? Gemma, yes, Gemma Fia Lombardi. I bet I could have a good time with her.”
“You stay the fuck away from her!”
“Then this stays just between me and you.” Laughter. “I’ll talk to you soon Lilianna.” Click.
I felt sick to my stomach as I looked, the number was blocked. The name unknown. I bit my bottom lip. Gavin turned the computer monitor toward me and I seen it was recording and editing program used mostly by the film students, but he’d used it to record the conversation. “Documented proof, you need to go to the police, I could talk-“
“No!” I nearly shouted at him, “he’s threatening to hurt Gemma!”
“If you go to your father.”
“He’d do the same if I went to the police, he just doesn’t... think... I... will...” I pondered rubbing my temples.
“What are you thinking?”
“That this person isn’t random. It’s not someone that my father has offended, but someone I personally have. It’s unlikely this person would have attacked Sergio.”
“How do you figure?”
“They would have owned it, said something like, look at what I did to your brother, I could do that to your cousin, or you. Who ever this person is, didn’t. They just used it as a dig.” I kept rubbing my temples my mind running. “I’m pretty certain it’s a male.”
“How so?”
“Voice said shirt and pants, a woman would have said blouse and jeans.”
He smiled lightly, “you should be a detective.”
I grinned slightly back, “I’ll leave that job for you.”
“If you aren’t going to the police... what are you going to do about this?”
“Wait for another call. Try to figure this out before whatever he’s planning is followed through with.” I sighed, “he’s baiting, trying to make me nervous, scared. Trying to ensure I’m under his thumb completely. He used Gemma wisely, he obviously knows she’s more than just a cousin to me. Which means this is someone maybe I was once close to?” I shook my head, “I don’t know. I’ll figure it out though. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“What about you?” Gavin asked grabbing my arm as I had gone to pack up. “Who’s going to be watching out for you?”
I looked down at his hand. “Seems you already kind of are. You have your proof... if something happens.”
“Don’t say that.”
I put up a hand to silence him, “if something happens to me, send the audio to my dad. You don’t have to hand deliver it or anything, just burn it to a DVD, send it in the mail. Slip it into Max’s locker here at school. Let them know somehow, they’ll figure it out.”
“And what if it’s to late.”
“Aw, look who cares,” I smiled but he still looked at me through his stormy blue-grey eyes. “This is the life I was born into Gavin. This is what happens when your father pisses people off for a living. You know what my family is, and I won’t admit it, you know that. People know, people suspect, most are oblivious. I’m not. I know. I’m a Lombardi Gavin... this is what happens to us. A few weeks ago you’d probably have been happy to hear I was in mortal danger.”
He shook his head, “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“I know now... you’re too good for that. I’m not. This is my life, I’m not to good to die.”
“Lil,” he whispered but I grabbed my backpack off the floor and threw it over my shoulder.
“I’ll be okay,” I reassured picking up my phone. “Probably.”
When I got to the Library I went directly to Gavin’s little nook. I debated on either knocking or going right in when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned to see Gavin, his hair was darker than the last time I’d actually taken a good look at him, he looked uncomfortable, probably because I was there.
“I’m behind,” I said finally finding my voice.
“I figured.”
I looked down, “I need help catching up,” I said grudgingly.
“I figured.”
I looked back up at him, “so, you going to help me?”
He nodded and took a few steps toward me, staring at me, he reached past and opened the door, “after you.” I stepped into the cramped space that felt familiar and safe. I sat down in the usual chair, and he sat down across from me. “Where do you want to start?”
“Science, I can do most of the rest at home... I’ll get the notes off people later if I have to.”
I pulled my science text book from my backpack. “I’m sorry about your brother.” A chill went down my spine and I froze for a moment staring down at the textbook in my hand. “I’m sorry about what happened to you... afterward.”
I calmly placed the textbook down and opened it to where I’d flagged the page with a bent sticky note, “I’m having a lot of problems with 3A, I just don’t get it,” my voice had little spikes, little tremors I tried to keep under control. My throat felt like it was closing and I willed myself not to cry. I swallowed hard and pushed the book a little toward him and was grateful when he dropped the ‘I care’ speech and started helping me with my science supplemental assignments.
“If our parents weren’t who they were,” he whispered.
“But they are,” I responded. “My last name is always going to be Lombardi and yours is always going to be Burke.” I looked up at him under dark lashes, “it’s just the way it is.”
We stared at each other for a moment. And in that moment I understood he felt the same confused way about me. We could be friends if we’d been born to different families. My ringtone broke our stare, “probably someone worried about why I haven’t called yet, everyone’s a little freaked since...” I shook my head and pulled out my phone, it was an Unknown number, which happens a lot, since most people use their pre-paids or disposable phones for a few months before switching phones and numbers. I opened the phone and put it to my ear, “hello?”
Silence. I waited a moment, “hell-o?” Silence again. “Who the hell is this?” Gavin looked puzzled, I took the phone from my ear and pressed speaker. “Hey? Why are you calling me?” I shouted.
“Lilianna.” The voice was synthesised and a chill went down my spine. “I seen you today, walking into the school. That’s a lovely blue shirt you have on.” I looked down, I was indeed wearing a blue blouse. “And those lovely black tight pants.”
Gavin turned to the computer, but I didn’t pay attention to him. I swallowed hard, “I’m with my father right now, and he’s hearing every word of this.”
“No you’re not.” The voice responded. “You’re still in the school, and your father’s at the hospital with your brother. How’s he doing anyways?”
“Burn in hell you son of a bitch. You tell me who the hell you are!”
There was a synthesised laugh. “If I wanted you to know who I am, I wouldn’t use the synthesiser now would I?” Another laugh. “I’ll see you around Lilianna. Oh, and don’t tell your family or your friends about this, wouldn’t want them to know who you’re getting lessons from would you?”
“I’ll tell them myself,” I said defiantly.
“Well if you want them involved, maybe I’ll go and get that pretty cousin of yours, what’s her name again? Gemma, yes, Gemma Fia Lombardi. I bet I could have a good time with her.”
“You stay the fuck away from her!”
“Then this stays just between me and you.” Laughter. “I’ll talk to you soon Lilianna.” Click.
I felt sick to my stomach as I looked, the number was blocked. The name unknown. I bit my bottom lip. Gavin turned the computer monitor toward me and I seen it was recording and editing program used mostly by the film students, but he’d used it to record the conversation. “Documented proof, you need to go to the police, I could talk-“
“No!” I nearly shouted at him, “he’s threatening to hurt Gemma!”
“If you go to your father.”
“He’d do the same if I went to the police, he just doesn’t... think... I... will...” I pondered rubbing my temples.
“What are you thinking?”
“That this person isn’t random. It’s not someone that my father has offended, but someone I personally have. It’s unlikely this person would have attacked Sergio.”
“How do you figure?”
“They would have owned it, said something like, look at what I did to your brother, I could do that to your cousin, or you. Who ever this person is, didn’t. They just used it as a dig.” I kept rubbing my temples my mind running. “I’m pretty certain it’s a male.”
“How so?”
“Voice said shirt and pants, a woman would have said blouse and jeans.”
He smiled lightly, “you should be a detective.”
I grinned slightly back, “I’ll leave that job for you.”
“If you aren’t going to the police... what are you going to do about this?”
“Wait for another call. Try to figure this out before whatever he’s planning is followed through with.” I sighed, “he’s baiting, trying to make me nervous, scared. Trying to ensure I’m under his thumb completely. He used Gemma wisely, he obviously knows she’s more than just a cousin to me. Which means this is someone maybe I was once close to?” I shook my head, “I don’t know. I’ll figure it out though. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“What about you?” Gavin asked grabbing my arm as I had gone to pack up. “Who’s going to be watching out for you?”
I looked down at his hand. “Seems you already kind of are. You have your proof... if something happens.”
“Don’t say that.”
I put up a hand to silence him, “if something happens to me, send the audio to my dad. You don’t have to hand deliver it or anything, just burn it to a DVD, send it in the mail. Slip it into Max’s locker here at school. Let them know somehow, they’ll figure it out.”
“And what if it’s to late.”
“Aw, look who cares,” I smiled but he still looked at me through his stormy blue-grey eyes. “This is the life I was born into Gavin. This is what happens when your father pisses people off for a living. You know what my family is, and I won’t admit it, you know that. People know, people suspect, most are oblivious. I’m not. I know. I’m a Lombardi Gavin... this is what happens to us. A few weeks ago you’d probably have been happy to hear I was in mortal danger.”
He shook his head, “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”
“I know now... you’re too good for that. I’m not. This is my life, I’m not to good to die.”
“Lil,” he whispered but I grabbed my backpack off the floor and threw it over my shoulder.
“I’ll be okay,” I reassured picking up my phone. “Probably.”