Carmine POV

For the first time in a very long time, I felt at peace being around my family. I know it bothers them that I don't talk to them, but I can't explain why I did it, it's been over a decade since I've been like this, and I still can't explain the exact reasons I stopped talking to them.

Still, it warms my heart that Iris makes a conscious effort to actually make me feel included in the family. I don't blame my brothers for not including me all the time, it's difficult and I know it, but that doesn't mean that I can't appreciate Iris.

Today had been going exceptionally well, despite the fact that Iris barely bought anything, I enjoyed hanging out with Iris and Leandro, and up until right now, everything had been perfect.

My eyes slowly go over every inch of the restaurant, until I see a man come up behind Iris. Nobody else seems to notice, they're all engrossed in their conversations, and without thinking, I do the first thing I can think of.

I scream, using my voice for the first time in fourteen years, but I'm too late. The man punches her head? I mean, it's kind of a weird spot to punch, but I mean, I know it's going to hurt both of them because why the hell would you punch a person in the head?

Immediately, Leandro, who's sitting next to Iris grabs the man by the arm he hit her with and snaps it. No, I don't know how he had the strength to just break his hand like that, it's Leandro, we've all just decided to no longer ask questions.

Leandro punches the guy in the face before a shot rings out from somewhere in the restaurant, and I'm immediately gesturing at Iris for her to get under the table without catching too much attention. In the meantime, everyone else in the restaurant, including the staff all run out, scared that they're going to get shot. Stupid.

Leandro was right, we should've brought guards.

"Holy shit, did you get shot?" Luka asks, turning to Leandro who just shrugs. Blood is already pouring out of his stomach, but he doesn't seem to care.

"We'll worry about that later. Iris, stay under the table. Carmine, Luka, stay here. I'm going to try and find the shooter. Luka's friends, I don't give a shit what you do."

With that, Leandro walks off casually almost as if he hadn't been shot. I blink in confusion, and Iris, who's still under the table, scoffs.

"Did he actually get shot?" She asks, having not seen anything.

"Yeah, in the stomach. Seemed like a flesh wound though." Luka answers.

"You mean to tell me that we just let him walk off after he was shot? And we're just sitting here doing nothing because there might be a shooter somewhere?" She questions, her voice a higher pitch than usual.

"Uh, yes?" Luka replies.

"If course," She scoffs, "Why exactly are we sitting around?"

"So nobody gets lost." Luka shrugs.

"Whatever. Why aren't your friends panicking? And why would the guy punch my head?"

"They're used to it, and they're all involved in some way or the other."

I sign that he can tell her to get out from under the table, which he sighs before doing it.

Iris immediately comes up from under the table and walks over to the other side - which is where I am - before she hugs me.

"We'll talk about you actually speaking later, yeah?" she whispers.

I nod in response, not feeling comfortable enough to actually speak out loud again. What can I say? It's difficult to suddenly speak in front of people after fourteen whole years. What if I sound like an idiot?

Once she pulls away from the hug, I sign 'are you okay?' to which she nods before smiling at me.

"I'm fine, he hit like a girl." She shrugs, looking at the man who's now passed out.

"Well, talk about a weird day." Jay sighs, pursing his lips, making Slater roll his eyes.

"It's only weird because you make it weird." Zayna replies, sticking her tongue out at Jay.

She's probably the prettiest girl I know, and I'm not afraid of admitting that I have the biggest crush known to man on this woman.

She's probably the only person I genuinely like to spend time with aside from Iris, but she's Muslim and refuses to date before marriage, but that's a problem for another day.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care about the fact that she's Muslim, I respect it, and I respect her for wanting to wait till marriage, but I do wish things were slightly different sometimes.

Moving on, Jay looks offended at Zayna's words, and gasps, putting his hand on his heart for dramatic purposes, of course.

"You... You really think I make things weird?"

Zayna sighs and rolls her eyes. "Jay, you make everything weird."

Slater, who's more on the quiet side smirks. "She's right, you know? You did it this morning and you're doing it now."

"You both are uninvited from my sleepover next week."

"Oh? Can I be uninvited too?" Aaron perks up, looking excited.

Jay shrugs. "Depends, you gonna offend me?"

"I mean, I can."

"Well, you're still invited until you do."

"Jay, your hair is always a mess and I've never liked it." Aaron smirks.

"How dare you? After everything I've done?" Jay gasps, his eyes wide.

"Yes. Am I uninvited now?"

"Yes, yes you are." Jay sighs.

Iris and I just look at each other, both of us unimpressed while Luka and Zayna seem to be amused and Slater is just.. Slater, I don't really know what he's meant to be feeling.

After a few minutes more of Aaron and Jay bickering, Leandro walks in, covered in blood.

"There were four more people. Grab this guy," He gestures to the guy who's passed out on the floor. "And let's go. I'm sure there's more people on the way, and I'd rather not be here for that ambush."

"Okay, but why are we raking the dude?" Luka asks, furrowing his brows.

"To question him. I don't know who sent these people or why he came in and randomly punched Iris... Which reminds me, how's the head, kid?"

Iris smiles back at him, "It's fine, I can't even feel it. Dude doesn't have a strong punch at all."

Leandro laughs, making his way to Iris and ruffling her hair. "That's my girl."

With that, we make our way to the parking lot, a seperate car already outside to load the mysterious dude who punched Iris.

It's only when we're almost home and my stomach growls that we all realise that we never did end up getting our food...

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This chapter is a bit silly. I used to love writing like this before lmao. It was the best.

It's the only way I could write back in the day (2020)

Anyway, so either y'all read the last authors note and listened and it was accepted for today instead of yesterday, or y'all didn't and this was all me, but I didn't go to school today. So update lol.

But my wifi is out, so we shall see about how to publish this. I hate the freaking wifi. It has no reason, it's just acting up because it can.

I'm sick rn lol. That's how I ended up staying home, because I told my dad "dad, I don't want to go to school."

And he went "Okay, whatever."

Let's be clear, he's only the boss right now because my mother isn't home, but when she is, she's probably gonna be pissed he let me stay home.

But let's be real, school sucks ass. I'll gladly be sick if it means no school.

Anywho, that's it from me. Byeeeee.

Oh wait, let me know if you guys want more chapters from Carmine's point of view. Also, keep in mind that I haven't disclosed the ages of any of the brothers friends.