eight,

episode six ~ beyond the aquarium

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Driving exactly the way the woman had told them, Gianna thought back to the time the three girls had been here together for the first time.

Back to the time when everything, well at least it seemed to them, was fine.

All for of them had gotten out of the car. Nicco held the door open for Gia, waiting for her to get out before shutting it behind her.

Placing a hand on her back, they walked next to each other towards the house, Ludo and Chiara behind them.

"You're feeling okay?" He asked her, sensing her worry. Gia gave him a smile and nodded, apreciating his concern.

When they got to the front door, Niccolo let go of Gia and gave her a look to make her stay next to Chiara in front of the steps.

Gianna did as he wanted her to do, and watched as Nicco walked up the stairs towards the bodyguard in front of the door. At the same time, two men walked out, both of them holding a girl between them, who could barely stand on her own.

Both Gia and Chiara turned around to look at Ludo at the same time, who stood behind them, looking terrified.

"Ludo," Gia said, worried for her best friend. Coming up to her, she placed a reassuring hand on her hand, caressing her.

"What's wrong?" Chiara asked.

"I can't go in there," Ludo told them, her voice trembling.

"We're just seeing if she's here. If not, we'll leave. I promise," Chiara assured her.

"I'm not going in there. You remember what happened here?"

"Yeah."

"You two are not going in either," Ludo told them.

Chiara rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but Ludo grabbed her by her arm and puled her back, preventing her from leaving. "We're getting out of here right now."

"We're already here. We can't give up now," Chiara snapped at her.

"Ludo, it's important we do this," Gia started, looking at Ludo in empathy. "You don't have to go, just wait in the car. We'll go and we'll be back quickly."

"You really think it's going to be that easy to just fix everything?" Ludo asked, her eyes switching between her friends'.

"Maybe not, but we can at least try!" Chiara exclaimed. "Come on, Ludo!"

"This plan is bullshit."

Chiara sighed and shook her head, "no it's not."

"I'm not going to go back to that shit," Ludo said, looking behind Chiara at the entrance. "And if you guys go in there, I won't stick around."

Chiara looked at Gia, "you're not going to stick around either?" She asked her.

Gia shook her head, "I'm going in with you, Chia, I told you."

"Then I guess we're going on our own," Chiara said, looking at Ludo in disappointment.

"You're fucking obsessed, you really are," Ludo told Chiara, anger in her voice. "Gia, don't let her pull you in," she warned her.

"Ludo, we're not going in there to find old dudes to fuck, we just want to find Natalia, to hopefully side with us and put Fiore behind bars for a long time," Gia explained, begging her with her eyes to not be like this.

Ludo didn't say anything, only turned around and walked away from them.

"Please stay safe!" Gianna yelled after Ludo, biting her lip in worry. But she gave her word to Chiara and she can't just back out now.

Chiara sighed, looking onto the wall in front of them. "It'll be fine. I'm here with you, okay?" Gia assured her, giving her a quick side hug.

Nicco came back to the girls, looking to where Ludo had taken off. "Where is she off to?" He asked.

"Home," Chiara said blankly.

"You're going to stay, right?" Gia asked him, playing with his fingers and swallowing nervously

"Of course," he nodded, caressing her shoulder in reassurance. "Everything's set, they're going to let us in," he informed the two girls.

Chiara nodded and started walking inside. Jogging up to the girl, Gia took a hold of her hand. Nicco walked right behind them, looking like their bodyguard.

"Don't leave my side, alright?" Nicco leaned forward, looking at Gianna and Chiara too, giving them a serious look.

Walking to the room where the main thing was happening, Gia looked around the room, girls dancing everywhere she looked.

"Do you see her?" Gia asked Chiara, looking around, trying to find Natalia so they could get out of here as fast as possible. This lifestyle did not seem temping anymore.

It never really did to her. Not the going on dates and getting paid. But neither did the partying, the skimpy dresses, the expensive drinks seem tempting anymore.

"No.." Chiara trailed off, not stopping her search.

A woman appeared next to Nicco, placing a hand on his shoulder and trailing it down his chest.

Gianna scowled, looking at the woman with disbelief and anger. Nicco shook his head and gave the woman a polite smile.

"I'm his girlfriend," Gia said with a tight smile, narrowing her eyes at the woman and linked her arm through Nicco's to show her.

The woman rolled her eyes and left to try and seduce someone else in here.

Chiara pointed to her left, "go search there," she told Gia and Nicco.

Gia shook her head, "no, Chia. I don't think we should separate."

"Don't worry. It'll be quicker this way," Chiara nodded and didn't wait for her response. Instead she turned around and started walking forward.

Gia sighed, but complied. Walking hand in hand with Nicco, she glared at all the women there that were oogling him, trying to touch him and seduce him, even though he was obviously not alone.

"So... girlfriend, huh?" Nicco asked and let out a chuckle, smirking at Gianna.

Gia rolled her eyes, "don't let it get to your head. I'm still waiting for your official proposal," she teased.

"I like it when you're jealous. You should be more often, it's hot," Nicco leaned down and whispered in her ear, smirk on his face.

Gia shook her head, frown on her face, "I'm not jealous," she pathetically lied to him, pissed off he was amused by this.

"Of course you're not," he chuckled, placing a kiss on her temple.

Finally after a while, they had reunited with Chiara, who's gaze was stuck to the woman few feet away from her. Natalia.

Walking forward, Nicco and Gia followed her, right behind her. Chiara walked even closer to Natalia, leaving the couple standing behind her.

Gia bit her fingernails in worry as she watched Chiara and Natalia's conversation, but she couldn't hear any words, because of the loud music.

It seemed like everything was fine, until Natalia walked away from Chiara. Chiara immedietly followed her, grabbing her by her hand and pulling her to face her.

Watching as Natalia leaned down to whisper into the man's ear, Gianna furrowed her eyebrows. Leaving Nicco standing behind her, she walked towards Chiara, turning her to look at her.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking at her and then looking at Natalia who was now looking at the girls as well as the man.

"You've got a great deal," Natalia said with a smirk.

"Chia, what the fuck?" Gia exclaimed, looking at her friend with wide eyes.

Chiara shook of her hand, shaking her head at her. Not saying anything, she turned around and started walking with the man next to her.

"Where the fuck is she going?" Nicco asked his girlfriend, looking at her with wide eyes.

Gia placed a hand over her face, letting out a deep sigh. She shook her head, "fuck," she cursed.

Turning around, she looked at Natalia who stood in her spot, glass of champagne in her hand. Narrowing her eyes at her, she gritted her teeth together and walked towards her.

"Do you think that's fucking normal?" Gianna yelled at her, fuming. "You're just as bad as Fiore," she snapped at her.

"She likes this life way too much," Natalia chuckled.

"She's in there trying to save her friends, don't you get that?" Gianna yelled at her.

Natalia shut up for a moment, before shaking her head, "you kids all think you're so great just 'cause you're rich."

"Is that why you're doing this?" Niccolo asked. "This is all just a game to you? Are you having fun? Huh? Are you having fun?" He asked, anger lacing his words.

"Do whatever you want about the trial, but we're going to find her," Gia said. Taking Nicco's hand, she dragged him behind her, in search of finding Chiara and hoping it wasn't too late to stop her.

Walking around the rooms in here for a while, Gia and Niccolo finally walked into the room from which the same man Chiara had walked away with came out off.

Chiara sat on the bed, her gaze on the ground and tears in her eyes.

Without hesitation, Gia ran up to her, crounching down in front of her, taking her hands in hers.

"Are you okay, Chia? Did he hurt you?" She asked, concern all over her face.

Chiara shook her head, "I sent him away," she said, sniffing.

"You did the right thing," Gia told her. She reached out and pulled her into her arms, giving her a tight hug. Chiara didn't hesitate and immedietly returned the hug, hugging Gia just as tight. "You did the right thing," she repeated.

"I'm done," Chiara said into Gia's shoulder where she was burying her face.

"Let's get out of this place," Gia said, getting up and pulling Chiara with her. Putting an arm around her, she walked past Nicco, who gave her a sad, but comforting smile and ran his hand through her hair quickly and then turned to follow behind them.

————

"Are you okay?" Niccolo asked Gia after they made sure Chiara got home safely and made it back to Gia's house.

Gianna shrugged, "as okay as you can be in this situation."

Niccolo sighed and nodded in understanding. He didn't hesitate as he pulled her into his chest, giving her a comforting hug that she very much needed.

After a while, Gia pulled away slightly, looking up at him, her hands wrapped around his waist.

"About me calling myself your girlfriend.." Gia started, trailing off. "I hope I didn't like scare you away, or something," she said, nervously chuckling.

"Fuck no you didn't, Gia," Nicco shook his head, smiling at her.

"Good. Because I like the sound of it," Gia chuckled.

"So do I," Nicco gave her a big smile, his whole face glowing with happiness. "Will you be my girlfriend, Gianna Alamanni? Since you wanted, you know, official proposal," Nicco shrugged, smile still across his lips.

"Fuck yes, I will," Gianna answered and laughed, pressing her lips against his.

"I love you," she told him for the first time. She didn't even care if he didn't feel the same, she just wanted him to know. "And I'm so happy you're here, with me. For me."

Niccolo's face lit up, big smile on his lips. He pressed his lips to hers, holding the back of her neck. "Fuck, I love you, too. So much."

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ahhh they're official!took them long enough, right? haha

one more chapter and then we're done ;(

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