Meeting..

My phone buzzed for the 6th time that hour. I reached out and answered the call. The voice on the other end was of excitement. “Dawn !!! Why weren’t you answering my call? You know right that you are supposed to attend my party?”

“Chill girl.. there’s no way I can forget about your birthday party. I was a little busy. Sorry for not answering ya. And Happy b-day”. I replied.

It was Summer’s 17th birthday today and she had thrown a party for all her close friends. “Yeah, yeah. That’s the... 16th time you’re wishing me!! Well get ready quick. I guess Aura is coming to pick you up. Noah and Kiara are already at the Emperor Hotel with me.” She answered, the excitement still lingering in her voice.

“Roger that!” I said and hung up.

For the next 30 minutes I got myself ready. So long?. Common its my best friend’s b-day after-all!.. “Dawn!” , called out a voice from downstairs, followed by footsteps. Aunt Hazel came in. She looked at me with a surprised look.

“My!! You really look beautiful in that dress!!!”.

I looked at myself. Yeah.. The dress I was wearing was white from the top and was shaded with shades of blue till the end. It dropped a little below my knees, longer at the back than the front. It perfectly set out my ocean blue eyes and blonde hair.

“Thank you aunt Hazel !” , I smiled and said.

“Now, do you want me to drop you ?” she asked.

I was still searching for my bracelet so I answered with a quick look at her, “umm.. no need for that. Aura is coming to pick me up and drop me back after the party is over. Oh and also do you know where her birthday gift is? I mean I don’t remember...” I looked up at her as I said the last word.

“Hmm.. ok come down fast then..” she flashed a smile and left. After putting back everything I had removed, I found it on the bed. I almost thought I had lost it. It was my favourite charms bracelet. It had been with me for a long time. I grabbed my hoodie and phone and raced down the steps into the hall. I gave aunt a hug.

“Take care Dawn. Call me if you need anything.” She said softly.

“yeah aunt don’t worry about me. Don’t stay awake for me. I’ve the spare key. Bye!” , I opened the door and waved to her.

“Bye Apollo. Be a good boy!”, I said giving my pet dog a pat. He was An Australian Shepherd who was adopted by my aunt when he was a little puppy.

Aura was already outside. She was tapping something on her phone then looked up and waved at me.

“Coming !!” I yelled. When I was in the car, Aura waved at aunt. “Bye aunty!! Don’t worry about us. See ya !!”.

Aunt smiled ,as we took off down the road.

“Hmm. Now we head for the Hotel”. She looked down at the phone in her lap “do you have range in here. I guess my net pack is over” ,I nodded. “Then please could you put on your GPS and enter the ‘ Emperor Hotel'”

It took just a few seconds for me to get the directions for the hotel. we sped down into the main highway, listening to music and exchanging news and jokes in between.

The hotel was filled with talks and laughs. Waiters kept migrating from table to table. The Emperor Hotel was well known in Sky Depths and the top floors were sometimes hangout places for big shots as well. Summer came from a very good family that’s why she could afford this place.

“Oh there’s Summer”, Aura pulled at my hand, pointing to a fair girl standing at a distance, talking to the waiter. “ Yeah. That’s Summer”, I answered.

She was wearing a red dress. A bit longer than mine. Her brown hair was left and curled at the ends. Her brown eyes spotted us and she waved. “here!”, she called.

Before sitting we all exchanged a hug. The waiter brought her cake. It was a Chocolate Swiss with white chocolate chips here and there. We sang her a b-day song. Gave gifts, put a little cake in her face, clicked pictures. Boy!.. it was so much fun… The cake was really divine!!!... We cracked so many jokes, updated our statuses as well!..

Suddenly two waiters came up and went to each table one by one. Telling something in a quick way which was hard for me to catch. One by one they cleared the tables and the people went down. Just then 4 boys came up. Their dressing sense conveyed they were some important people.

“Hey!.. I think I know that guy in the white sweatshirt..” , Aura whispered.

The bearer of the white sweatshirt had golden brown hair. He was taller than me, ofcourse older than me too. His height and good built matched the boys around him. Close to him stood another boy. This one in a white suit. Talking to the other waiter. A little behind stood another guy. He was wearing a black hoodie and jeans. His light brown eyes completing his good looks. At the end, leaning on a pillar was the 4th boy. His eyes ran through the screen of the phone he was holding. He was the bearer of a black full sleeves t-shirt which matched his hair.

“You do!”… we all said together.

“Shhh…. Lower your voices!!!”, Aura said softly. She was right... if these people heard us talking behind their backs they would surely be pissed.

“If I’m not mistaken that guy in the white sweatshirt is the heir of the Falcone family. He just returned to Sky Depths”, she finished.

“Whoa.. but that doesn’t explain why he is making everyone get up from here..”, Noah whispered.

Now almost all of the seated people had gone. The boys gave us quick glance but as the waiters were moving towards us the dude in the white sweatshirt said, “waiter!.. its ok… no need to move any more of 'em”

Yeah.. you can get out now”, answered the guy with a hood.

The waiters went away leaving us, the boys and a few more people here and there who had not been told to move. All were in confusion but no one enquired about the situation. Everyone sought of settled down except us. We stole quick and curious glances at the boys who were now sitting at a big table, talking.

“Here”, Kiara said as she broke the silence between us, “That guy with the sweatshirt is Luca Falcone ..”

“How do you know that ?” , I asked.

“Google”, Kiara answered without looking up. She was still scrolling her screen.

“Ok.. tell us what you’ve read so far ..”, Summer said. She was the most curious one I guess.

“Uhh.. guys.. why are we suddenly talking and hunting for information about those people anyway ?” I asked, “I mean we are here to enjoy ourselves right ?”

“Yeah.. you’re right Dawn but it’s funny how they show up from nowhere and make so many people leave their seats”, Aura grinned.

“Ok ok.. you guys win.. tell us what you’ve learned Kiara..” , I said playing with my spoon.

At last Kiara looked up and filled us in on what she had learned, “Luca Falcone. He is the heir and the current leader of Falcones. He’s currently 21. Those other dudes beside him are friends. And the one with the white suit is Horas, someone who’s with him everywhere, maybe a.. whatever...”

“You mean to say the Mafia Falcone Family??”, Noah asked, surprise creeping up her face.

“Oh.. the Falcone family.. but Falcone is not exactly a Mafia Family”, I answered “they say it’s a Mafia Family but it’s not actually. I remember reading on the paper about it. It said he was searching for his little sister who was separated from him during childhood when there was a… fire..”

My head suddenly hurt. I supported it with my hands. Fire ?.... I kinda hated saying it.. But why? Just like the night...”

“Dawn ?.. you ok?.. what fire?..”, Summer asked in a worried voice.

“Yeah.. I’m ok.. my head just went blank for a couple of seconds..”, I answered.

“You sure?.. you want me to drop you? I’m ok with that. You can go and have a rest if you’re not feeling well”, Kiara said as she put an arm around me.

“no.. I’m really ok.. let’s just continue”, I said.

“Ok then.. so tell us what you read in the paper.. about the… fire..”, Aura said.

“Ok.. so I remember reading that Luca Falcone was searching for his little sister who was separated from him when their house was on fire. He lost both his parents but he was sure that his sister was alive. Her name was not mentioned. It stated that he killed a few people after learning from them the leads of the person behind his parents death. He hasn’t yet found out the culprit but he is still hunting for them at the same time looking for his sister”, I finished.

“hmm.. quite a story. So maybe he’s here looking for his sister..”, Summer asked giving Luca a quick glance.

“Yeah.. maybe.. or he’s here to kill that bad dude..”, Noah grinned.

I was looking at Luca now. He was smiling and taking to his friends, sipping his juice in between. Suddenly his eyes turned at me. That’s when I noticed them, Amber eyes. I couldn’t read his face. We just stared at each other but it didn’t seem weird. Just for a while we didn’t seem like strangers. Then I turned away from him just as Summer nudged at me. Motioning me to finish my food.

After an hour we were ready to go. We paid the bill and got up from our seats.

“Had fun sneaking peeks at us ?”, said a voice. We turned back just to find the hood guy standing behind us. Luca was sitting watching the scene with another boy while Horas came and stood next to Mr. Hood.

“excuse me”, I said

“You very well heard what I said just now”, replied Mr. Hood.

“We weren’t glancing at you guys for fun. We were just confused due to your sudden appearance which caused so many people to leave their seats and go.”, came Aura's firm reply.

“Oh.. that.. we had to do that.. had no other choice.”, said Mr. Hood.

“ok.. but you all were observing us ?”, Noah asked.

“Sought off. Thought you girls recognised us. We have to be alert you know.”, Mr. Hood grinned.

“As a matter of fact we did recognise Mr. Falcone there..”, I said turning my eyes to Luca. “and You.” I looked at Horas.

“Oh..”. Mr Hood sounded surprised.

Luca stood up and as he came nearer he said, “It’s a privilege to know you read the newspaper and remember me.”

Mr. Hood grinned again. “So it means you don’t know us.” He said, motioning towards himself and the other boy who was seated with Luca earlier.

“You are right. We don’t know you.” Answered Kiara.

“if that’s the case, I’ll introduce us...”

He was interrupted my Summer. “No need for that. We are leaving now. Sorry for the peeking business we did. Enjoy yourselves.”

“That’s ok. But you know me and Horas. I think you should know them too.” Luca smiled. He sure was enjoying the drama.

We tried telling them that we had to leave now, but in vain. They were acting like little kids who were determined to introduce themselves.

“Fine. Fine. Make it fast.” I gave up.

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