Keep it Secret Read Online Free PDF Page A

our embrace to get a better look at
her.
    “God, Vanessa, look at you
all grown up and shit. Let me see, gimme a lil’ twirl.” I teased
holding up her hand so she could turn. Instantly, she blushed from
embarrassment. I couldn’t help but smile. Same old shy
Vanessa.
    Rose cleared her throat as
she reached us. “Vanessa, sweetheart, you've grown so much. My God,
you're gorgeous.” She cooed at Vanessa giving her a hug.
    “Aunt Rose, I missed
you.”
    The front door opened again
catching our attention out parades Aunt Cynthia. Her eyes
immediately grew wide with…shock? Quickly, I looked behind me,
thinking she'd just seen a man pissing on her garden. That’s the
kind of look she was giving.
    “Ava, darling, wow
you’re…you're so grown up.” She said with distaste, walking towards
me with her arms extended out for a hug. Yes, Cynthia I've grown tits. They have a tendency to come in
during puberty.
    “Aunt Cynthia.” I replied
unmoved, returning her cold callous hug I tried to sound pleased to
see her.
    “Damn, there goes the
neighborhood!” A familiar voice interrupted. Thank God.
    “Billy!” I yelled, letting go
of Cynthia running up the front steps to greet my Uncle Bill. Billy
and I had always had a different relationship than Cynthia and I.
I’ve always felt like Aunt Cynthia was judgmental and cold but
Billy, he was like a friend or like a much older big brother. He
and my dad were best friends, had been friends since they were
teenagers when Babbo migrated to Colorado from Sicily. In all honestly I surprised
myself by being so excited to see him.
    “Avie, it’s good to see
you.” He said, hugging me. Hearing him call me by my dad’s pet name
my body instinctively stiffened. Billy stills noticing my
reaction.
    “I’m sorry, Ava. I shouldn't
have.” Uncle Bill apologized as he ran his hands through his salt
and pepper hair.
    “It’s all right, Billy.” I
said stepping back from him. Uncle Bill cleared his throat as he
headed in Rose’ direction.
    “Hello Rose. How are you?”
He asked with warmness in his voice something that was missing in
my greeting.
    “Better now. I haven't seen
Ava smile this much in a very long time.” She replied. Everyone
turned to look at me. Wow. Okay
then. Talk about unwanted attention. My
hand flew to the cross around my neck clutching it for dear life.
Like the Angel of Mercy, Vanessa stepped in front of me.
    “Come on Ava, I'll show you
to your room.” She grabbed my wrist pulling me inside the house.
Leaving our “parents” outside.
Chapter
Four
    Vanessa

    Seeing how uncomfortable Ava
had become cranked my protectiveness to a ten. My instincts to
protect her kicked in causing me to basically drag her inside the
house with me.
    “Are you all right?” I
asked, closing the front door behind us, Ava smiled at me although
it appeared meaningless.
    “Of course.” She replied,
while walking up the stairs. I followed behind.
    “You’ll be staying in the room
you used to sleep in when you stayed here. The one with the
adjoining bathroom to my room, do you remember?” I asked, not sure
where my boundaries lied, if I was even allowed to speak about the
past. After how she reacted to Daddy calling her Avie I was scared to
push her too far.
    “Yeah, I remember. I figured
I would.” She said, looking around the hallway, a lot had changed
since the last time she was here. Mother liked to keep unused rooms
closed, so when we reached the door to her room Ava stopped
suddenly, staring at it like it would grow a mouth and eat her. She
stood in the hallway leery of stepping inside but suddenly her
features hardened and her eyes became guarded. Caution disappeared
as she opened the door and strutted inside making me wonder what
was passing through her mind at that moment.
    “So? What are the parties
like around here?” Ava asked, collapsing on the bed.
    “Um…I wouldn't know.” Can I
sound more like a loser? Mother controlled my life so I was
constantly