Verona felt like her heart was beating out of her chest when he had touched her chin and had looked into her eyes. She felt strange. He felt familiar yet she felt nervous around him.

Ottavio stared into her eyes silently. He stated "But you are mine Verona... Don't forget it..."

The secretary just returned and cleared her throat "Sir... The packages you were waiting to see are here now sir... I just thought I let you know in case you wish to take a look."

Ottavio let go of Verona's chin and took a step back. "I will be right back...." He then entered the office and disappeared inside.

Verona decided to leave the admin building with every intention of disappearing from Ottavio's radar for a while. She walked outside and aimed to walk away to find somewhere to think.

Verona heard him call her name as she was walking "Verona..."

Verona from experience knew it was a bad idea to ignore him. She said "Yes Ottavio..." But did not turn around and kept walking.

Ottavio caught up to Verona and said "Don't walk away from me..."

Verona kept on walking. She was one of the few who could walk away from him without getting slaughtered. Ottavio was so unforgiving and brutal. Verona explained "Ottavio... Please let me be alone for a while..."

Ottavio repeated "I said don't walk away from me..."

His tone made Verona stop. She could not ignore him for longer. She knew when not to push him. It did not end well for others when she made him mad. She was immune from his wrath. But others were never as lucky. She looked at Ottavio "What do you want?"

Ottavio looked into her eyes and stated "I want you to acknowledge that we are not strangers Verona... You are mine... You have always been mine... Why do you walk away from me?"

Verona looked at his towering form. He was taller than her and was looking down at her into her eyes. He took in his form. She breathed "Ottavio... I just need some time..."

Ottavio shook his head "You need time for what? To accept that you are mine? or to avoid me and run away? Explain yourself..."

Verona explained "Ottavio... ... Please let me have some time to think... I never meant to come to your school... I never expected to see you after all this time... I never thought you even remembered me..."

Ottavio raised an eyebrow "Really? How can you doubt how I feel about you? How? I love you Verona... You can't say it back... Not yet... But at least you must acknowledge that you are mine..."

Verona looked away. "Ottavio... Just give me time... Ok... I need time... I need space to think.."

Verona closed her eyes and felt him get close to her.

Ottavio leaned close to her and said "You have time... I never said you have no time... Just while you keep me waiting, try to behave yourself... Alright... Just don't make a habit of closing your eyes when I am with you and in the process denying me the pleasure of looking into your eyes like you do now... When I talk to you because I prefer to see your eyes... Your eyes are so beautiful..."

Verona opened her eyes and looked at Ottavio as she nodded silently. She said "We are friends Ottavio... To me we were always just friends... Seeing you as something more has not crossed my mind... I never thought about us and never wanted to think about us being together...."

Ottavio gave out a dark chuckle and then his expression became serious "Don't lie to me Verona... No.... Its not that... Its not about us... Don't even go there.... Admit it... Its not that you did not want to think about us... You never wanted to think about me..."

Verona swallowed hard "Maybe... That as well..."

Ottavio nodded "Good... You admit it... You did not want to think of me and be reminded of me ... That is why you returned my gift to you when I last saw you. My gift was just a pendent with my family crest, a white Rose... You did not have to even wear it... You didn't want to even keep it because it could remind you of me... You didn't think that years later I will be standing right in front of you again or maybe you thought I might forget you... I will never forget you Verona..."

Verona said "Ottavio... I did not forget you too... But I tried not to think of you..."

Ottavio smiled "More honesty... I love that about you so much Verona... So you admit it... Its ok... I forgive you..."

Verona knew it was a big deal to return a gift to him. It was a personal insult to him. Maybe it would not have meant much to others if she returned their gift but he felt insulted and she knew it. Finally he said he forgave her for that. That was progress.

Ottavio said "Let's get back to present now... Either way you are mine and every single person in this school knows it... Nothing changes the fact that you are mine Verona ... Everyone around you acknowledges that I have claimed you but not you... Not yet... But you will... One day..." He then took a few steps back.

Verona took a sigh of relief. At least he kept his word and seemed like he was going to leave her alone to think and have some space.

Ottavio said "Don't make a habit of walking away from me when I am talking to you... You have no where to run so you naturally will have to come back to me whenever you walk away... All the paths here lead to me in this place for you... You cant run from me..." He then turned and walked away leaving Verona relieved but quite filled with emotion. Verona was not ready to be his girl. But she was willing to think about it.

They went way back... She got along with him when no one else could. He showed him a side he never showed anyone else. When he dealt with anyone he proved he was incapable of love. But he loved her and proved it always. She felt like being his girl meant a huge commitment... She was not ready for it... It was like having a big responsibility. She was not ready to be his girl. Could she ever be?

****

Verona was sitting in one of her classes and listening to the teacher and making notes. She was sitting right at the back in an empty corner to avoid attention. Her situation was crazy... She was one bridge away from her dream normal high school experience. Everyone at this school site knew who she was before she got there. They had heard of the Rosarios. In this school they did. But at the school at the other side of the bridge no one knew her. Her dream of having a normal school experience was close within reach and she could not live it.

After Ottavio had singled her out in the cafeteria, the word has spread like wildfire that she was special to Ottavio. "Special." That word was an understatement and way too simplified to describe their relationship. She was special to him. Alright. Way too special. Now everyone treated her like royalty. The students were very polite to her. The crowd parted where she walked, they opened doors, they offered her to jump queues. So much for the normal time she had hoped for in this new school.

The bell rang indicating lunch time that was going to be an hour long. Verona decided she had gotten enough attention for her first day and wanted a break from being treated like a queen by the students. So she decided to go back to her boarding accommodation and spend time in dorms during lunch. She had plenty of food there in her en suite room.

She entered the dorms building. As she walked towards her room in the corridor, she was startled when a familiar face appeared in front of her.

She gasped "Oh my god... Natan?" He was his aunt Vienna's younger son who was the same age as her.

Natan smiled "Happy to see me? Where is your wide smile then? Do you have so much fun around here?" He laughed "Sorry if I dropped by without notice. I heard you are joining here so I came to check on you and see if everything is ok..."

Verona shook her head "Things could be better."

Natan frowned "Has anyone given you a hard time?"

Verona said "No. Its the opposite Nathan... Everyone is very nice to me here..."

Natan nodded "All right... Write a list of things that bothers you and I will take care of it... I am going down there and ready to tell the Irish to watch their step..."

Verona asked "The Irish?"

Natan said "Yes... In case you haven't noticed the entire population of your school is Irish or Irish American... Whatever they identify as..."

Verona said "The school across the bridge is Irish... I didn't know that... There is something you should know..."

Natan asked "What is it?"

Verona said "There has been a mix up... I enrolled in the wrong school..."

Natan's smile disappeared "Come again? No... Tell me you haven't enrolled where that hellfire dragon owns the place... You are not enrolled at his Hellfire kingdom... Right?"

Verona nodded "Yes... I am attending school with that Hellfire dragon and I attend his Hellfire kingdom..." Ottavio had a fitting nick name for sure and it suited him. She did not mind using it and Ottavio did not mind hearing it.

Natan sighed "How on earth did this happen?"

Verona said "I mis-read my appointment location... They sounded similar.... I told the guide to tell me to the wrong site... Mistakes happen..."

Natan said "You cant stay here... But how am I supposed to get you out of here? You have to tell your father to get you out... I cant get you past security here... Unless I use live ammunitions... This place is a fortress... Only if you call your father, then you can be saved from here..."

Verona said "No... Natan... I dont want to ask anyone to come save me.... This is not what this fresh start is about... I want to be independent and solve my own problems... The whole point was that I did not want to be treated like a princess so I decided to move away from protection of the Rosarios."

Natan stated matter of factly "But you are a princess and I can assure you Rosario name will always mean something no matter where you go..."

Verona said "Thats not true. The Irish across the bridge don't know..."

Natan said "Actually about that... They are Irish... Yes... And mostly they are not highly ranked enough in Irish crime families to know about us... But I can think of someone who knows all about us and he has just joined the school across the bridge after graduating as a captain from military school... His name is Stanley Allistair.... He knows Nicandro and I ... So yes, even if you joined the other school I am sure Stanley would have watched over you there knowing you are related to us... However, I guess you could have a more normal experience if he watched over you discretely... So yes... You could have a normal school experience over at the other side of the bridge... Stanley could make sure of it..."

Verona became curious upon hearing about Stanley Allistair. She knew the Alistair family were an Irish crime family but had never met any of them. She asked "An Alistair? Around here? What would he be doing here? Isn't he far away from his home? That family operate in Boston ... Not here..."

Natan said "They have investments in New York and doing some business with my father... But yes. They mainly are based in Boston... That is a good point. He is known as Rebel-Outcast amongst us who know him... Apparently he does not get along with anyone in his family... He has convinced them to let him study in New York in boarding schools somehow... I dont know. He joined this school because they have connections to Yale University which is where he is meant to attend for College... Studying is a good excuse to get away from them... He is not like the Alistairs and does not act like them..."

Verona nodded "That is interesting to see there are others who change school to get away from something... " She had heard about the Alistairs from Natalia who was Natan and Nicandro's sister. She had met the Allistair females and she described them as mean, cut throat she devils with very strong characters.

Natan said "Its understandable in his case... His family are trying to force him to act like a typical Allistair... He cant stand his family .... Good luck to him during holidays when he has to go home..." He looked at his watch "I should get going... When I came over here I thought I go over and talk to Stanley one last time..." He sighed as he looked up at Verona "I tried so hard to convince Stanley to join the O'Neil school but he said no... Damn it... He would have been an excellent addition to our football team... But no... He had to join this Irish school across the bridge that does not even have a football team.... They dont even have a military school element or even a survival camp... Its so boring over there ... I think Ottavio has recruited him to help him at the military school here at this base on part time basis... But maybe I can try convince Stanley today one last time. Over the phone he said no... I need to go get recruiting... I should go now..."

Verona said "Thank you for checking on me Natan... But you can go after lunch.. Let me get some sandwiches from inside my dorm and we can go outside to eat it...Then you can go...." She then walked towards her dorm room

Natan said as he watched her unlock her dorm room and enter "Verona... I really should get going to get to Stanley before his lunch time ends... Are you sure you want me to have lunch with you? If I hang around I might bump into that hell fire dragon and he does not like my jokes..." He laughed as he watched as Verona disappeared inside her room.

An unfriendly and rough voice came from behind him "That is correct. Yes. He does not like your jokes... And the hellfire dragon will slay you if you dont get out of here... Who invited you here to disturb Verona in her dorm on her first day? Disappear or I will make you disappear..."

Natan turned around and chuckled "How are you gonna make me disappear Ottavio? Magic..."

If looks could kill Natan was dead in an instant.

Verona was inside grabbing two sandwiches from the fridge and was contemplating what drinks to take outside. She put them in two paper bags and walked outside. Just then Verona stepped outside with two paper bags she said. "I am back.. Let's go..." She then stopped mid sentence as she saw Ottavio outside leaning to the wall waiting for her and there was no sign of Natan.

Ottavio said "Hi again..."

Verona said "Oh... Hi... Where is Natan?" She looked around.

Ottavio said "He had to go across the bridge to meet Stanley..."

Verona hoped he was telling the truth. She asked "So he left without saying goodbye?..."

Ottavio said "He had to go..."

Verona sighed and nodded "Right... Erm... I better put this bag in the fridge... I was going to have lunch with Natan. But he is gone now... I will have lunch alone... But I need to talk to him and say goodbye..." A phone call could be her way of trying to check on Natan to see if he was ok. She wondered if Ottavio was going to allow that to happen...

Ottavio said "You want to have lunch alone? Why? Join me for lunch and I will make sure to get a hold of him on a phone call... If you choose to have lunch alone then that is fine too... Then, I guess I can go catch up with Natan... Maybe I can keep him company during lunch once he gets back from seeing Stanley. I can bet you it will be a short meeting between Natan and Stanley. Stanley does not want to play football. I have already tried recruiting him for my football team..."

Verona knew this was Ottavio's way of doing a trade. She could have lunch with him or he was going to have lunch with Natan. Bad idea. Natan's chances of survival in the Hellfire Kingdom of Ottavio were not that great. This was not an O"Neil or Rosario School. This was Orsino land.

Verona said "Fine... Let's go have lunch together..."

Ottavio turned around with a smile "Excellent...I know the perfect spot..."

The next thing she knew Verona found herself sitting at the top floor of the tallest building in the school site that was for social activities. The multi storey building with cinemas, dance floors, arcades and any other entertainment facility anyone's heart asked for . There was a nice private area with tables and chairs on the top floor and the view of the surrounding was amazing. The sitting area was only accessible by the football players and whoever that accompanied them.

Verona was eating her sandwich and admiring the view. They had been eating in silence. True to his word Ottavio had made a phone call and she had spoken to Natan who assured her he was ok and they had said goodbye. Verona thought life was not so bad here when she compromised with Ottavio. The school was great for someone who wanted to study medicine. So it was ok to stay here... But she just didnt have a normal experience.... Ottavio did give her space and time. She could not ask for more... But she knew Ottavio was going to get impatient of waiting for her to accept him and be his girlfriend. She could feel how much he wanted to be with her.

*****

It was after school and Verona was in the library of the school. She had been there for hours now just looking through books. She had every intention of excelling in her studies and get top grades to get into the medical school of her choice. It did not matter that it was the first day and most students were having a relaxed time after school hours as there was no homework. She wanted to read ahead and had made a plan of how to get through the entire reading list for this term in the next couple of weeks.

She drank some water from her water bottle and looked at her watch as she decided to stop. She gasped. It was dinner time. Had she been in the library that long? She put away the books and picked up her back pack. She walked towards her dorm. She kept walking and then she noticed she had taken a wrong turn and was no where near her dorms. She saw a group of younger students gathered around a window looking inside. They looked worried.

Verona walked to them and said "Are you okay?"

They looked at each other and looked troubled. They kept silent.

Verona asked "What's wrong?"

One of the students looked up and said "We.... We are in trouble..."

Verona asked "Why? What's happened?"

The students told her to be quiet and be careful who she was talking to.

Verona said "Dont worry... Just tell me what's going on. I can try to help..."

That same student who seemed to have the courage to speak said "We... We ... left our duffle bags inside the changing rooms... We have curfew how long we can play on the field because we are first year students. Dinner time is the cut off time... It is now out of hours and the door is locked... if our duffle bags are found inside the next morning, we will be in so much trouble..."

verona said "Show me... Where is this changing room..."

The students pointed to a door. She looked at the door and its lock. She quickly took off her hair clip and effortlessly unlocked the door as the students gasped. She opened the door and said "Come in and get your bags..."

The students shook their heads. The student who was the spokesperson said "If we enter without permission we get punished much worse..."

Verona rolled her eyes. She entered the building and shook her head at the rules they had for first years. It was to keep them in line. She located the changing room and grabbed the bags. She walked outside and handed the bags to the students. She then locked the door. She noticed the grateful looks on their faces as they repeatedly thanked her and ran.

Verona looked at the door. She knew this type of lock. She had to lock it from the inside because she did not have a key. She walked inside and closed the door. She could just leave from inside. She walked around the corridors and then tried to locate the direction of fire exit to leave. As she was walking around she heard laughter and shouts. She got curious and walked towards the noise. Who was in this sports building at this time? Wasn't this dinner time?

Verona found the room where the source of the noise was. She opened the door to a room. She gasped. It looked like a massive common room with sofas, games, a TV screen and of course a round space in the middle where she saw members of the football team standing in a circle surrounding a boy who was kneeling on the floor who seemed horrified and looking around. She had been warned about this. They sometimes had a court hearing in their common room to discuss certain cases of someone offending them and then the poor condemned soul could end up enduring some pure torments and punishments depending whatever they had done. She thought that the boy must have done something serious to offend them. But as she was listening to the boys were laughing and shouting things she gathered he only had spilt someone's soda in the cafeteria. That someone was one of the team members. She did not see Ottavio there though.

Suddenly one of the boys saw her at the door and blew a whistle. The entire room fell silent and the boys football team turned around to look at her. Recognition crossed their faces and they looked at each other unsure what to do.

Verona cleared her throat "Erm... Hi... I am looking for Ottavio... Where is he?" She did not know what else to say. What else could she be doing in the boys' sports facilities.

One said "He is in the office down the corridor... The office with a black door."

Verona smiled "Thank you... I go find him..." She turned to leave but then got an idea. She turned to the boys "Can you dismiss this court. The case doesn't have enough evidence to convict..."

The boys nodded with no sign of protest off course obeying the order from the queen herself and the one with the whistle told the boy kneeling on the floor that he was free to go.

Verona did not know why she did but the grateful and amazed look on the boys' face who was free to go and the thank yous that he kept repeating made her not regret it. She then turned around and walked away. She had to go say hello to Ottavio... She couldn't just leave. She had to go to see the hellfire dragon and not let him hear that she dropped by from his team mates. She started walking towards the black door down the corridor.