1)Another Deal
Rava
"Do I seriously have to spend my whole summer there?" I sound like I'm seconds away from flipping a table. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm asking. It's not like my family has ever cared about what I want.
They didn't before, they won't now, they're never going to.
If they could take my entire brain out and replace it with one of theirs, they'd do it with zero hesitation. Like whoop, problem solved, Rava upgraded to Family-Approved Edition.
"Rava, we've talked about this," my mom says, calmly. "This deal is the biggest one our family has ever negotiated. We need you there."
Nonsense. I roll my eyes, pacing across my apartment. It's always the same freaking script.
This is important, Rava. This is family, Rava. We need you, Rava. Translation: Cancel your plans, Rava. Forget what you want, Rava. Be a good little accessory to the empire, Rava.
Bend over so we can fuck you too, Rava.
"It's wild to me how everyone suddenly pretends they forgot what happened the last time we teamed up with Gio's family." I swear, they act like the past just... evaporates. I still remember the last time our families tried to work together, years ago. It was a freaking disaster.
"It's different this time, Rava. I promise. We made a huge deal. We won't mess up again. It's important, please don't make this hard. You're coming, okay?"
Sure. I'll come.
Crying. Jesus.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I will actually go. Not because I want to. Because I know myself. If I don't go, I will spend the next three months feeling like a shitty human being.
"Fine."
She softens immediately. "Great! Thank you, Rava. We really miss you here. And you have to save me from your siblings. They keep getting more and more annoying."
I smile at this. I miss Daisy and Jin.
"Oh, right! How's Sophia? Are you... still together?"
Oh, good. Sermon number two. Perfect.
Sophia. My girlfriend.
For... whatever amount of months we're pretending we've been normal. My family hates her without even meeting her.
'She looks snobbish,' they say.
'She's using you for your money,' they say.
Which is actually insane, because who the hell dates someone just for money?!
Like... hello? Are they saying I'm ugly? That I can't pull a girl on my own? Wait—did they mean that the whole time?!
Anyway. I clear my throat.
"She's fine. Yes, we're still together." Mom goes silent for a beat. "Well... would you be happier if she came here in Italy too? Ask her if she can. We will take care of everything."
Oh. Okay.
So she's good enough to judge from afar, but also good enough to sacrifice to the Gio-Fontana-Family-Circus? I rub my face. Sure. Let me just throw her in the deep end.
Like, 'Ay, Sophia, girl, follow me into this beautiful disaster we call a family. It'll be fun. No one cries on the first day.'
