Mateo POV

I just left my sister's room in a daze. She was settling in and she definitely looks better than last night. She was really pale and I was worried. I just thought she didn't like the attention she got from the Faraday family and that she was shy, but when she got sick I felt guilty because I should have realized she was sick. It made sense because I heard Dad saw her sleeping with wet hair next to the open window and she danced in the rain before that, but I just thought her immune system was strong because she didn't show the same symptoms as Wes and Ash.

I got a text from my brother in earlier the morning. 

Weston: Come up with us, we're going to watch TV in Rory's room.

I still wasn't sure if it was a good idea. What if she wasn't comfortable with me? I was older than her, she might not want me there. Or worse, she got to know me and didn't like me at all because we didn't have anything in common. I still hadn't made my decision about my future. It was important because I didn't want to risk my family and friends.

On one hand, I could go in my Dad's footsteps and take over the law firm once he wants to retire. I already work there and I like the job, but Dad didn't interfere in our family's business a lot. Only when things were above board. My uncle didn't want to risk him or our family by asking him to work on the other side of things, where the law wasn't written on paper.

My cousin Antonio was one year older than me, so we grew up together. We are basically brothers, and he also doesn't have any siblings because Aunt Camilla died when I was three. I don't ever want to find out what that feels like, but I want to be there for him. I can't do much, but I can be his right-hand man. He has no one and I want to help him, but if I do I will probably leave my Dad's firm, so it isn't associated with the family business if anything comes out or goes wrong. 

My Mom always told me she wasn't going to make me choose one or the other, she was all about doing what we thought was right for us. After all, she was a part of the business until she had me after college. She is pretty good at what she does, and even now sometimes she still helps Uncle Alessandro if he needs it, even if he doesn't ask her for it. Mom was a badass, she was trained in martial arts since she was little and was very good at disarming someone quickly and efficiently. She was also a very good shot. Most teens go on the range to shoot with their dad, but my Mom took me when I was 16 to teach me for the first time. 

Our family's legacy isn't all rainbows and roses and it got a lot more bloody when my aunt died, but I would never trade it for anything. I was afraid that my choices would put someone I love in danger though. That's the main reason I hadn't told Stella how I felt about her. She has been my best friend since I met her in first grade. Her family is close to ours and we often go on vacations together. She was my star, I loved her ever since I could understand what that meant, but I never told her. If my instincts were any indication she wouldn't reject me, but I would put her in danger if I decided to officially get involved in my cousin's business.

The same goes for Aurora. If anyone finds out the three women in my life were my weak links they could use that against us... use them. If we weren't that close the chances of them being sacrificed were smaller. I knew I had to keep my distance, but talking to her now I know I can't. She is so bubbly and innocent. She even made a joke about periods, which I wasn't expecting. I want to know my sister and I would make sure she is the safest around, no matter what I decide to do about my future.

We all had lunch together and it was a loud affair, but I saw how my sister softly smiled at us and outright laughed at Weston's impressions. I shared a look with my dad and mom, we were so happy she was opening up to us even though she didn't say much herself, she was participating in the conversation.

After we had lunch Dad called her into his office and I took her there, so she didn't get lost or anything. She had been there before, but I wanted to be there for her if she needed to ask me something... I was already a total sap for anything related to Aurora. We should have had years together. I should have seen her first steps, her first day at school, and many more firsts. I was pissed off because we didn't have the chance to know our little sister and now it seemed like all we were doing was catching up. We couldn't find a single thing about her family or where she was for the last 17 years of her life.

"Come in sweetheart. Sit down." My Dad waited for her to choose where to sit and she chose the comfy couch instead of the desk itself. I sat down in the chair in front of my father's desk, while he took something out of a drawer and went to sit next to her on the couch.

"I don't know what phone you had before, but I bought you the latest and most popular model. We all use it in the family, but the back is a different color for each one of us. I have black, your step-mom has red, Weston has orange, Asher has yellow, and Mateo has blue. I had a couple of colors brought here, so you can choose one." She looked at the pink, purple, and aquamarine phones he put on the table and pointed to the pink one. I hid my smile, of course, my sister loved pink. Dad gave it to her, but she was hesitant to use it right away. I didn't know a teenager who strayed away from phones in any capacity, but my sister wasn't a normal teen.

My dad must have seen something I missed because he said "If you don't know how to use it, you can ask any of us to teach you. It's no problem sweetheart, we will make time. We need to get a hold of you right away if something happens." What he didn't say was that we also needed to know where she was if she wasn't with us. All our phones had GPS chips implanted in the phone itself, which were different than the location services that came with the phone itself. It was for safety reasons, but my brothers didn't know that and I'm guessing Dad wasn't going to tell her either.

I asked "Are you not used to this type of phone? We can switch it if you want a different brand." Aurora looked at me perplexed and then looked at the phone. "It's fine. This is my first phone anyway, so I will trust your judgment." FIRST? Seriously? What kind of teenager doesn't have a phone nowadays? I guess if her family lived off the grid it's understanding, but still weird. 

"There is something else we have to talk about. Our family doctor is coming, I am sure someone already mentioned it to you." Dad pointedly looked at me. He knew me too well, I guess. "I want you to get a check-up to see if you are still sick and maybe he can look over the tattoos and see if they are healing nicely. What do you say?"

"Okay." She didn't sound too enthusiastic, but who likes to go to the doctor? He told her that the exam would be in this office and we didn't have to stay if she didn't want to. She didn't seem to have an opinion on the matter like she didn't know what we were talking about. Did they have doctors where she lived? Did my sister not have access to basic care? I left the room once the doctor showed up because I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. I went to my office to do some work before dinner.

I received a text from Stella, she agreed to come over. My heart did a flip every time I got a message from her. She was the most beautiful and genuine person in the world. I think she will like Aurora and my sister will like her back. At least I hope they will like each other. I couldn't sit still so I went to the garage and got my car, so I could pick her up. 

Stella's parents owned a vinery close to us and they lived in a mansion next to it. The Arnold family was very well-known in the industry. They owned one of the most famous wine brands in the world - Fertilis.

After I arrived I just saw her leaving her front door. When she saw me she smiled warmly and ran to my car. "Hey! You didn't have to pick me up." I couldn't help but smile and tease her. "And leave you to drive, no thank you! We all know what happens when Stella Arnold gets behind the wheel." She gasped "You know that was an accident and it wasn't even a big one." I answered honestly "Tell that to your dad's favorite car and mine, and the church donations van you scratched up in our last semester of high school."

She shook her head "All those instances have a perfectly good explanation for happening. It wasn't my fault!" I answered "Yeah, that explanation being you behind the wheel. I don't even know how you passed and got your license in the first place." She got a stubborn look in her eyes and told me very proudly "I will tell you I have driven many places without accidents, it's not my fault that other drivers aren't as considerate as me." We talked more while I drove home. I could talk to her about anything. I guess that's why she's my best friend, although secretly I wanted her to be so much more than that. I just couldn't let her get hurt because of me and that's why we will never cross the "just friends" line. I want to kill her one-day serious boyfriend and you know "accidents happen" like she said one of the many times she drove and scratched her car.

"How is your sister? And also how are you doing with everything? I know you won't talk about your feelings, but I am here now." She thought I couldn't hide things from her because we were best friends and she could read me so well. Mostly I didn't hide things from her, except the fact that I loved her as more than just a friend. The truth is she can't hide things from me I am very good at reading people, like my Mom and Dad.

"She is settling. I don't know if she knows how she feels about everything yet, but she did smile while I was showing her the family pictures. She even teased me." My little sister teased me, I was happy about that. "I can see you're all peacocky about that!" I just shrugged. "She's lucky to have you as one of her brothers. I know you always wanted a sister." I did want a sister, but I never mentioned it to my parents again after what happened to my Mom.

We got home and went to the dining room. Only my Mom and Grandma were there. "Where is Aurora? I want her to meet someone." My mother looked past me and smiled "Stella! I am so happy to see you." They hugged each other and then Grandma hugged her and we sat on the table. "She is out with your Dad. He took her to the ice cream place we used to go every Sunday." I smiled at that, ever since I was little my Dad would take us to this ice cream shop whenever he wanted to tell us something, or just have father-son time. I was glad he was bonding with her.

Weston and Asher came through the kitchen door "Yes, he took only her. It's not fair! I was showing her how to use her phone. Did you know she doesn't know how to use a smartphone? Who doesn't know that these days, especially a teenager?" Asher has always been good with technology ever since he was little, if one of us had to install a new monitor or something tech-related we always asked him to do it because he was a natural with this stuff. I answered him "I am sure you can continue your lesson after dinner or even tomorrow. Stella's here to meet Aurora, they could want to have a girl talk"

Weston said "Why hello Miss Stella, I am glad you came over. I just wanted to tell you whatever you do don't mention boys to Rory. She doesn't need that headache not for quite some time." Everyone laughed at that, but I knew my brother was serious this time. He was a teenage boy himself, so he knew what he was talking about. 

I thought to ask "What did the doctor say?" My mom wasn't going to sugarcoat things, even if Stella was here. "Nothing abnormal at first glance, no signs of the flu or any other virus. He took some blood to run it, but he said she was perfectly healthy. The tattoos are even almost completely healed." I was happy for my sister but perplexed. She was just sick, if she didn't get the flu, like Wes and Ash, why did she puke in the kitchen? It was weird. My mind was coming up with only one other explanation, but it can't be because she's only 17. She's a baby and I'm not going to think about that...ever.

Grandma interrupted my thoughts "We will know more once the tests come back. Your Dad even told the poor doctor to find someone to run a genetic test on the samples he took. He thinks that will help to find where she lived up until now. Stella surprised us all with her next question "Why don't you guys just ask her? I am sure she will be comfortable enough to share, especially once she sees the kind of family you guys are." The women in the room smiled warmly at the idea, while my brothers and I shared a look. We didn't believe she would tell us anything, for whatever reason. 

Grandma Gia, the forever optimist in the family, agreed with my little star. It's what I called Stella because her name means star. "I am sure she will open up in time, we just need to accept it will be at her pace. Now, they will probably be back soon, I will go start dessert since your Mom already made dinner.

Is Mateo going to reveal his feelings for his best friend?

What will Aurora think of Stella?

Question of the day: What is your favorite TV show?