"He did what?"

Judging by her friend's sudden outburst, Alessia feared that Alicia was about to make a U-turn, right there on the highway.

"Why didn't you tell me what happened when I came to pick you up?"

By then Alessia just wanted to get out of there, never wanting to step foot in the shop or that town ever again. The tailor had been startled by her swift goodbye, that she knew, but Alessia hadn't dared look him in the eye once Biaggi had left the store, afraid he'd see the tears filling up her eye socket.

"Are you gonna tell Valentino, you have to tell Valentino what Biaggi did to you."

"No!" Alessia shouts, but quickly regrets it, shifting her head to the backseat. Esmeralda was still asleep.

"Alessia." Alicia sighs. "Biaggi could have..."

"But he didn't." Alessia protested. "Somehow Max had already figured out things between Vale and I. If I were to tell Valentino about Max...how he..." Alessia struggles with the words, something getting caught in her throat. "...touched me...how he touched me. Who knows how Valentino would react. You know how he is."

"Punch first, ask questions later." Alicia nods.

"Exactly, so let's just leave it be, this way Max might not tell him anything."

Alessia was thankful for the silence that followed, they stayed that way until the city light of Tavullia approached them in the night.

"We're home." Alicia yawns, shrugging Alessia's body in order to wake her. Slowly Alessia's eyes adjusted to the city lights. This wasn't it, she thought, this wasn't home anymore. Home to Alessia is wherever Valentino was.

"My house or your house?"

"The Rossi's" Alessia said distinctively.

"B..but I thought that...you guys have separated?"

"Esmeralda is still a Rossi."

"But you?" Alicia frowned.

"There is no way I'm going back home."

Alicia shakes her head in disbelief "As you wish, we're still going shopping tomorrow aren't we?"

Alessia couldn't help but to smile. "I love you Alicia."

"Love you too." She turns to pout her lips.

"I was thinking about seeing Etienne tomorrow, it's been so long."

"So you are going home?"

Alessia is quick to shake her head. "No, I'll just look for him at the motorpark, I'm sure he'll be there after school."

"The motorpark..." Alicia hymns, her fingers tapping the steering wheel. "I'm afraid I won't be escorting you there, for obvious reasons."

Alessia chuckles, feeling her mood brighten more since they left the town.

"We'll have our shopping spree, promise." She said, leaning forwards in order to plant a kiss on Alicia's powdered cheek, leaving it to blossom with the warmth from her lips.

With a heavy heart, Alessia walked up the driveway to Rossi's house, Esmeralda asleep in her arms. Her knocking wasn't as powerful as she had wanted, light and quiet. Movement was heard coming from behind the door and soon the porch light illuminated as it flung open.

"Alessia you're here?" Mrs Rossi, already dressed in her night robe, stood in the frame.

"Did Valentino call?" Alessia asked, her angst tracing her words. Mrs Rossi's expression mellows. "He called." She nods.

Alessia hears the whimper escape her quivering lips.

"Oh baby, don't cry." Mrs Rossi was quick to step to the side, inviting Alessia to step inside. Alessia felt herself stumble over the threshold, the warmth of the home the first thing to hit her.

"There there, sweetie, it's alright, everything is going to be alright now" Mrs Rossi comforts, unhanding a sleeping Esmeralda. "You're home now, everything is going to be alright."