Dylan wasn’t finished, however.
“Despite this episode you are having, you know you are expected to fall in line. Your parents are only going to be lenient for so long. Eventually, they will cut you off.”
This was also probably true. But would it be so bad? Isabella seemed to manage just fine without my fancy life. Of course, giving up the cars would hurt, but if my parents wanted to disown me because I wanted to be a good person, so be it. They would regret it.
“Dylan. Even if I wake up tomorrow and suddenly decide to turn back into a spoiled brat, I’m not going to start dating Cassidy again. It’s over. Instead of wasting all your time trying to talk me into getting back with her, maybe you should try spending it getting her to back off.”
Throwing his hands in the air, he cursed.
“No. I know you aren’t ready to give this all up. You left me no choice but to join in Cassidy’s crusade. Apparently, she is the only one that may still be able to knock some sense back into you. Once you’re done with this Italian piece of trash you dug up from the garbage dump, you’ll come crawling back.”
It wasn’t until I had Dylan pinned up against the wall that I realized how easily he goaded me into returning to the guy I was trying so desperately to avoid becoming again.
“Don’t you ever talk about Isabella that way again, Dylan. She’s the best thing that has happened to me in a long time.”
Dylan pushed me away and shook his head.
“I told you that guy was still in you. Liam, you can’t escape who you are. Deep down, you’re always going to be one of us. You’re always going to be that egotistical, spoiled, rich trust fund baby that belongs in the country club. I just hope when you finally start to understand that you can’t live in this pretend world you wrapped yourself up in, it won’t be too late. There is only so much we will tolerate. I’ll let Cassidy know that I saw the glimmer of the old you today so she keeps pushing you.”
I sighed.
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
“Yeah, well, I wish I had my best friend back.”
With that, Dylan walked out of the kitchen and slammed the door behind him. My enemy list seemed to be growing, but at least my friend column wasn’t empty any longer. I still had Isabella, and I believed wholeheartedly that she was my guardian angel. I wouldn’t let myself slip back into the person I was again. I couldn’t. Not as long as she was around. She promised she wouldn’t let me, and I wasn’t going to disappoint someone else. Not again. My heart couldn’t handle another break.
Cost of starting life over: Dylan.
Isabella
My younger brother and sister were finally settled and doing homework when Rosalina hurried through the door, Francesca in tow. They had both just come from their shifts at the restaurant but still seemed overly energetic. Francesca had brought dinner with her and they hurried to the table.
“Spill it, Izzy. I want to know everything.”
I looked at her, confused.
“What are you talking about?”
My cousin smiled.
“We heard about you at the ice rink. So, spill the beans or I’m telling Uncle Enzo you were kissing a boy that didn’t get permission to date you.”
Collapsing into a chair, I groaned.
“Who told you?”
I was pretty surprised, actually. It never occurred to me that someone from the neighborhood would be at the ice rink. My sister smiled.
“Beth’s sister was there, and she told Beth, who told cousin Elena, who, of course, told me.”
Sighing, I looked at my sister.
“And you went and told Rosalina?”
“Of course. She needed to put the fear of God into Elena so she wouldn’t go blabbing to the rest of the family. I mean, Papa cannot find out about this.”
It was common for Italian men to get permission from a girl’s father before dating them, but I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Especially since Liam wasn’t Italian. How would he even have known to do such a thing? I sighed. Clearly, everyone would have expected me to tell him.
