Page 11 of Queen’s Gambit

“Angelo, Dario, Enzo, Lucas, Stephanie, and Lorenzo. Mario and Mario’s sister Patricia. Maria is also coming, and I think Tony, but I’m not sure. He was trying to get out of a family dinner.”

“Sounds fun,” I said.

“Sure, about as much as a funeral, based on that tone.”

I crossed my arms. “I’m just not in the mood, man.”

He gave up, and I went back to staring out the window. I couldn’t get the conversation with Ana out of my head. She’d smiled and tried to hide it, but she was upset. I’d hurt her, and I never wanted to do that. When Marcus mentioned the movies, I’d jumped at it without asking when. I should’ve backed out the second I learned that it would interfere with my call to Ana.

We pulled up in front of the theater, and Marcus jumped out. Maurice turned to look at me.

“I’m not leaving the parking lot. So if you don’t feel well and want to leave, I’ll be here.”

It was his subtle way of saying he knew I wasn’t myself and would help me escape.

“Thanks, Maurice,” I said.

Getting out, I spotted our group and walked over. Patricia stared at me and blushed whenever I looked in her direction, but I wasn’t interested. Her father was connected, and my father kept hinting that she would be a good match, but I didn’t want her. There was only one girl that I wanted to marry, and I had to find a way to make that happen.

Ignoring the glances and whispers, I entered the theater only to be hit with the smell of popcorn. I loved it, but it made me think of Ana when she asked me how it tasted. She’d never even been to a movie. I couldn’t believe it.

There were so many things that I took for granted that she had never experienced. She’d never been rollerblading or swimming in the ocean. She hadn’t ridden a bicycle until the last time I was visiting with my father and found one in a shed. It was in great shape, and I had spent the entire time teaching her how to ride it. The smile she’d given me, as well as the hug, had set my heart flying.

“Can you get me my usual,” I asked Marcus, and he nodded. We didn’t have to worry about paying. The owners knew who we were, and everything was billed to our families.

Needing some space between me and Patricia, who had inched closer, I went to the bathroom. Even after I was done and had washed my hands, I waited until I knew the movie was about to start before exiting. Thankfully, they were gone already. I made my way to the box, but the entire time, I just wanted to go home.

It might be stupid. Marcus told me every chance he got that I’d lost my mind, and it was never going to happen. But it didn’t matter what he or anyone thought. And I didn’t care about our age. I felt what I felt and had since the first time I saw Ana four years ago. Not a single day had gone by that I didn’t miss her, want her, and dream of her. She was my soulmate. Fourteen or not, I felt her heart as if it was my own.

When I got to our seats, Marcus was in one seat chatting to Maria. The spot beside him was open, but on the other side was Patricia. Shit. I should’ve suspected a setup.

I sat down, ignoring her and closing my eyes, hoping she would get the message. She didn’t.

“Hi, Eddie.”

“Don’t call me that,” I growled, and she shrank away from my angry tone. “Never call me that.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. I was just wondering if you saw the first movie,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be here to watch the second one if I hadn’t,” I snarled back.

I felt like an ass for being such a jerk to her, but I wanted her to go away. Better yet, I wanted her to tell her father that she hated me and never wanted to marry me. Maybe then Papa would knock off the contract talk.

“Oh…okay. Are you doing anything fun for summer break?”

“Traveling. I’m hoping not to be in Italy much,” I said, which was also a lie.

At least the part where I wouldn’t be around much. I had two trips planned. One to Portland, Oregon, in the USA, to visit an academy called Wayward. I wasn’t really interested in going, but Papa insisted it was the best place for me to finish high school. All I heard was that it was farther away from Ana. The other trip was to Australia for a week with my father.

“That’s a shame. I thought maybe we could hang out,” Patricia said, leaning closer.

“I’m not interested in hanging out,” I said.

“But Mario says you love boats, and we just got a new one. We could take it out for the day.” Patricia placed her hand on my arm, and I jerked it away, spilling some of my popcorn all over the floor.

“Don’t touch me.”

This wasn’t the first time Patricia had tried to get my attention. We went to the same school and had multiple classes together. I’d been able to avoid her flirting before, but now she was pushing boundaries, and I needed to put an end to it.