Kingpin (An Italian Mafia Romance) by Ws Greer Page B

he’s making money, and from what he tells me, he even helps his mom with some of her bills—although their relationship has soured over the past couple of years. When he walks into the school, the other guys become little boys. He’s bigger, more confident, and more mature than all of them. To these high school girls, Dominic is like the big, sexy guy who graduated and went on to college, except he didn’t. He’s a freshman just like me, but it’s like he’s from another planet, and it takes everything in me to ignore how I feel about him now. We’ve always been friends, and even though I’ve always known how he feels about me, I’m worried that my feelings towards him will somehow ruin what we have, and I couldn’t handle it if that happened. I need Dominic in my life, and I can’t risk what we have by crossing that line. So, as I walk down the stairs for breakfast, I ignore thoughts about what it’d be like to go to homecoming with Dominic instead of the guy I’m actually going with.
    “Good morning, sweetie,” my father says when I reach the kitchen. To my surprise, my mother is sitting at the table. Usually, she’s gone by now, but she’s wearing her scrubs, so I know she’ll be leaving soon.
    I grab a box of cereal out of one cabinet and go to reach for a bowl in another.
    “Good morning,” I reply. “Surprised you’re still here, Mom.”
    “Yeah, I’m getting ready to go in a bit,” she replies. “I told them I’d be late this morning. There’s something me and your father need to talk to you about before I go, though.”
    The look on her face worries me. She’s scrunching her forehead and glancing back and forth between my father and me.
    “Okay, what’s up?” I ask as I pour my Froot Loops into the bowl.
    “Umm, well I have some news,” my dad chimes in. “It’s about my job.” When I don’t reply, he’s just spits it out. “I got orders last night.”
    I set the box of cereal on the counter and turn around so I can face them.
    “You got orders?”
    “Yeah.”
    “So, we’re moving?” I ask, even though I already know. That’s what getting orders means in the Air Force. The military is making us move to another base.
    “Yes,” my dad answers, looking at the floor. My parents know how much I love living here.
    “When is this supposed to happen? And to where?” I press, feeling hot all over.
    “We have a couple of months left,” Dad answers. “And it’s to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. In Anchorage.”
    “Alaska?” I snap, making my mother jump. “We’re moving to Alaska? Are you freaking kidding me? A couple of months? That’s insane!” I feel tears already starting to sting my eyes.
    “I know, sweetie. It’s a little short notice, but you’ll still be able to go to homecoming, at least,” my mother says, trying to show me the silver lining.
    “So what!” I snip. “I’ve been here since the fifth grade. All my friends are here. Dominic is here!”
    My parents glance at each other with that look they have when I mention Dominic. They’ve never liked him because of who his father is and the rumors that go around about them.
    “I know, sweetheart, but you know this is how the military works,” my father reminds me. “We don’t stay in one place for too long. The good news is, we’ll be able to stay in Alaska long enough for you to graduate high school. You’ll be there your sophomore, junior, and senior year. So, you’ll have made plenty of friends by then. Graduation will still be awesome.”
    “Stop it, Dad!” I yell. “It’s not about that. My whole life is here, and I don’t want to move to fucking Alaska!”
    “Hey! You watch your mouth, young lady! Where do you get off talking like that?” my dad barks, but I don’t care. The tears are flowing and I’m too upset. I get up and stomp back up the stairs, leaving my parents and my bowl of cereal behind.
    Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this day would come. Now that it’s