A few more days had passed by so it was time for Apolline to go back to school. She was against going. The stares and whispers were not something she wanted to deal with. All eyes would be on her for days until it all blows over.

Apolline begged Matteo if she could just be homeschooled for the rest of her junior year. She would be able to spend more time with Marisol and be with Robby. Her cousin immediately said no. Matteo wants her to finish her junior year at school and not at home where she can get easily distracted by other things.

She got into a small argument with him but in the end, Matteo won. Apolline would be going back to school the next morning despite not wanting to. She would have to face people.

It was now late at night. Robby wrapped his arms around Apolline's waist as her back was against his chest. He was asleep while his girlfriend wasn't. She was looking at the wall. Sleep didn't overtake her.

Apolline carefully moved Robby's arm and placed it on himself. Carefully, she slowly got up from the bed, not wanting to wake her boyfriend up. Apolline slipped on her flip flops and walked out of the bedroom.

She walked straight to the kitchen. Baking was the first thing that she thought of doing. Apolline was worried about her being back to school so baking would help get some of her worries out. She looked through the cabinets and got what she needed to make Brigadeiros.

As Apolline was making one of her favorite desserts she used to have in Brazil, she didn't notice Robby coming down the stairs. This was a sight he would see from time to time. "You gonna head back to bed?" He asked.

"No." She answered as she broke a dark chocolate bar with her hands. Robby noticed the dark circles under her eyes. They have been getting darker with each day. Apolline hadn't gotten much sleep since coming back. Nightmares would sometimes plague her. The night she came back was the only night she had gotten a proper night's sleep.

Robby grabbed the chocolate from her hands and placed it down. He placed his hands on Apolline's cheeks and made her look into his eyes. Robby could see through her facade. "You okay?"

She shakes her head. "No. I'm not." Apolline let a few tears fall out of her eyes and roll down her cheeks. She buried her head in the crook of Robby's neck. "I miss home." He knows what she means. To his girlfriend, home is her father, Izan, but he is gone. Gone from the world.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───

Apolline and Robby stayed up for an hour just simply talking about whatever. Apolline was the first one to fall asleep and Robby soon fell after. The two managed to get some sleep.

Before the alarm could go off at six in the morning, Robby turned it off. He wanted his girlfriend to catch some more sleep before she had to wake up for school. He removed the blanket from his body and got up carefully without waking Apolline. Robby knows what to do. He had to do the morning and night routine for over a month.

Robby walked to Marisol's room where she was slowly waking up. She was stretching so it meant she just woke up. As he was in the nursery, Apolline began waking up. She turned her head to the alarm clock on the nightstand.

"Morning, Robby." Apolline extended her hand to the left side of the bed. He wasn't there. She got up from the bed. Apolline walked straight to Marisol's room. A smile grew on her face at the sight. Their daughter was looking at Robby's face with curiosity.

Marisol's little hands moved all over. From his eyes to his lips. She stopped once she saw Apolline standing in the doorway. A delighted squeal left her lips. "Wanted you to sleep in," Robby said as she grabbed Marisol from his arms.

"Can't sleep in ever again." Apolline combed her hand through her hair. Her ring gets caught in her hair causing a small hiss of pain. She tugs it out. "Since you're up..." Apolline gives Marisol back to Robby. Their daughter whines at the loss of contact. "I'm gonna do what I can with my free time before I need to get ready."

Apolline leaves the nursery. Marisol babbles when her mother leaves her bedroom. "Looks like it's gonna be me and you," Robby whispers. She tries to pat his cheek and then places her head in the crook of his neck. He chuckles before leaving the bedroom.

Marisol whines once he steps out. Robby quickly grabs the stuffed black dragon and gives it to her daughter, who immediately stops whining.

Apolline headed to the room where Matteo was sleeping—her dead father's bedroom. She slammed the door open and looked around for something to wake him up with. Apolline went to the kitchen and grabbed a pot and a steel spoon. She went back to the room and slammed the two together.

Matteo screams at the sound. "Me deixe em paz, idiota!" Apolline banged the pot and spoon directly next to his ear. "Nada de dormir para você! Você tem que se levantar. Vai me deixar na escola em menos de uma hora e meia."

Her cousin takes the pillow next to him and throws it at Apolline. She dodges it in time. In the living room, Marisol started bawling at the loud noise her mother had just made. She hates any type of loud noise.

Apolline left the room. She went straight to the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Marisol." She grabs her from Robby's arms. Her daughter buries her head in the crook of her neck. Her little hands tightly grab onto her shirt. Apolline rubs her back with her free hand as she makes Marisol's milk.

She gestures to Robby to grab a toy from the playpen in the living room hoping it could stop her from crying. He grabs the first toy he sees, a toy roller. He waves it in the toy. "Look what I got, Marisol." She looked up, saw the toy, and continued crying.

Apolline gives Marisol to Robby. She told him to put something on the TV to distract their daughter while she made her milk. Robby put on a sensory video and Marisol instantly stopped crying. She became immersed in the dancing fruits on the screen.

Robby put Marisol on the couch. Apolline came over with the baby bottle. She put the top of the bottle in Marisol's mouth. She quickly began drinking it. "Hold it. Gonna do some stuff before I have to get ready."

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ──

Since waking up from the coma, Matteo was driving Apolline to West Valley High School for her first day back. His cousin was wearing a plain white T-shirt. Over it was a plaid black and white button up shirt she took from Robby's side of the closet. She was wearing black jeans with it and black combat boots.

Apolline was wearing green, gold butterfly earrings. Marisol helped her pick out what pair she should wear. She changes her earrings every two to three weeks (or every few days). Apolline was fiddling with her black clover necklace. She was hella nervous for her first day back.

Matteo glanced at his cousin. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Apolline looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He is insane if he thinks everything is fine. She turned her head back at the window. After another ten minutes of silent driving, they arrived at the school.

She saw many students entering the high school. They were so oblivious. Oblivious to what was coming. Matteo grabbed Apolline's arm before she was able to grab her bag from the backseat of the car. "If you wanna leave at any point of the school day, just call Nerissa. She'll pick you up." He said. He looked at the stuff Apolline put up behind the painting. Matteo made some calls and found out where one of the guys lived.

"Okay. See you later." Apolline grabs her bag and exits the car. As she was walking to the entrance, people began noticing her. The whispers and stares began. It was hard to block them out so Apolline grabbed her headphones to play some music. That would help her.

She doesn't notice one person staring at her once she steps foot inside the high school. Miguel Diaz.

Apolline didn't care about the rivalry between him and her boyfriend. It was a bit stupid in her opinion. She has talked to him a couple of times. He was nice.

Miguel's friend, Eli/Hawk was someone she did not like at all. He turned into a total asshole. Eli did flirt with her a few times without knowing she was in a relationship. She turned him down several times.

Miguel saw Apolline struggling to open her locker. Her hands were shaking every time she tried to turn the little dial on the combination lock. He goes up to her to help and talk as well.

"Here, I'll help. What's your combination?"

"27, 17, 39." Miguel rotated the little knob. He pulled it on, successfully opening the lock. Apolline thanked him. "So, how are you?"

"Fine." She answered in a monotone tone. She grabbed what she needed from her locker and slammed it.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───

Apolline left school after the fifth period. She couldn't stand being in a building full of curious teenagers. Once she left, she went to wherever Santi was which was some random fancy ass hotel. He has high end taste so he does tend to stay at fancy places most of the time. Even the clothes he wears are super expensive.

Santi was taking a sip of his whiskey as his cousin's daughter walked into his room. Apolline knew he would scold her for not being in school. "I couldn't stand being at school any longer. I felt suffocated with all the stares, pointing, and whispers."

Her late father's cousin sets down his drink on the table. Santi knows there is another reason as to why she is here. Apolline can't hide anything from her. No matter how she tried. "I can't tell you what I know. You are too young. Focus on school, your family, your daughter. All of the good and none of the bad."

Apolline balls her fists up. She knew that Santi would lead his own investigation while she was in the coma. He would want revenge just as bad as she wanted it. She uncurls her fists and lets out a breath. "Fine."

She walks out of the room. The minute she exited out, Apolline got a text from Matteo. He texted her an address. After that, he told her to come meet him if she was out of school.

As Apolline left the hotel building, she was oblivious to Santi watching her. He wants to keep her safe. Safe from the harm and betrayal that would come. Safe from the emotional pain that would envelop her life.

He took out his flip phone to call someone. If he wanted to keep her safe then he would have someone watch her until this whole thing is resolved.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*:☆ﾟ. ───

Apolline made it to the address. It was some shabby apartment building. She found her cousin's car parked a few feet from it. Walking toward it, she found Matteo sitting in the front with his eyes closed and arms crossed.

She opened the front door. "Acorde." Matteo opened his eyes as he yawned. He stretched his arms. "You took forever." He mumbles as his arms stretch over his head. Apolline ignored that comment.

She asked him why he wanted her here, at this place. "I did some digging and it turns out one of the men, Max Soloman– he was there that night and lives in one of these rooms. I know which one." Matteo unbuckles his seatbelt. He is gonna be the one exiting the car to do the talking.

"Let me come. I deserve answers as well." Apolline said. She needs answers to the questions she had for days. Matteo immediately said no. It is too risky for her to come with him. Her emotions will take over her and she might do something bad to the man.

He opened the car door and exited. Matteo took one glance at his cousin before unlocking the door with a bobby pin. He walked up three flights of stairs straight to apartment 3b.

Before Matteo knocks on the door, he facetime someone who is connected to the guy. He holds his phone up to the door viewer as he knocks. "Yeah."

"Got something for you." The man on the other end says. Max opens the door only to be faced with Matteo pointing a gun at his face. "Wanna talk to you about December 24th."

ᵀᵒʳⁱ'ˢ ᴺᵒᵗᵉˢ

hello everyone... it's been a while

this chapter was a pain in the ass to write.  there was supposed to be more at the end (like a fight scene but i suck at those and wanted to finish up the chapter). a lot more will be revealed as this story keeps on going

also the faceclaim i chose for the main guy in the flashback is joseph morgan. he is important in season four

don't forget to leave comments