Love Thy Neighbour

“So you’re the Costanzo?”

I shifted uncomfortably as I was being scrutinized by two guys. One, with dark hair with matching brown eyes, looked at me with obvious disdain and disgust and the other had dirty blonde hair and lazy blue eyes looked at me with curiosity and amusement. Why was meeting new people so intimidating?

“Uh, yes.”

“Can’t you tell just by looking at her?” The brunette shook his head at the blonde. “Are you blind?”

“Shut up,” the blonde playfully shoved the brunette, “I’m just making sure.”

The brunette scoffed at me and turned to Khristiano. “The hell did you bring her here for? She’s a Costanzo.”

“Shut up Crevello,” Khristiano grunted as he sat down. He motioned me to sit. “I’m her guide or something. It’s fine. She’s new so she doesn’t have much friends, anyway.”

Thank-you, Khristiano, thanks for that. It’s great telling your friends I don’t have any friends when I’m right in front of you, isn’t it? I glared at him. I hate you so much.

The mean brunette – or ‘Crevello’ as Khristiano called him, snorted. “What-the-fucking-ever, man. This will be your problem. Not mine.”

I stared at this guy. Was he trying to tell me I was a problem? How rude! That Crevello turned to me and gave me a slow and condescending onceover. It was that moment I decided I didn’t like Khristiano’s friends.

The blonde guy sighed. “Forget him,” he waved a dismissive hand at Crevello. “I’m Raul, by the way. You’re new here, right?”

I nodded. “Y-yes. Um, nice to meet you.”

Raul smiled at me. At least he seemed nice. “So how do you like it here? This school much different to your old one?”

“It’s really different. And actually I was home schooled – ”

“Oh my fucking god, you two.” Crevello groaned. “Do you hear yourself talk? Have you no pride in your families?”

Khristiano rolled his eyes, “It’s fine, Crevello. Remember her family cut off their ties?”

Crevello scoffed. “It won’t be my problem if you get burned later for this.”

“Burned?” I looked at Khristiano. “You – ”

“So I heard you and Birchmier, hey?” Raul interrupted me and winked at Crevello.

Crevello snorted. “Fuck no, man. She’s only good for one thing.”

Khristiano rolled his eyes and began to eat. “You’re sick.”

Raul chuckled and ruffled Khristiano’s hair, “What’s wrong, Kaz? Scared of them girls?”

Khristiano smacked Raul’s hand away. “You’re all disgusting. Where is your pride?”

“Aw, come on,” Raul cooed. “I hear they’re good. When she gives them, they’re like – ”

“Man, don’t do that.” Crevello sighed, “Not when we’re eating. That’s just disgusting.”

“Dude, it’s just a blowjob.” Raul laughed.

Khristiano made a face at Raul. “We’re eating.”

“What’s a blowjob?” I asked and looked at them.

Khristiano blanched, Raul blinked and Crevello choked on his drink. “Are… are you fucking serious?”

“Is it some kind of new hair cut or something?” I frowned at Raul as I leaned closer to him, closely examining his hair. “But I don’t see how that…”

Everyone just stared at me.

Khristiano pulled me away from Raul. “That’s… It’s not really important…”

“Actually, it’s when a girl, or guy, gives – ”

Khristiano punched Raul in the shoulder. “Shut up.” He turned to me and sighed. “I knew you were naïve but… to be this innocent till this day…”

Raul slowly shook his head at me. “Wow. I’m… I’m impressed. Have you been living under a chicken your whole life?”

I blinked at him. “Huh?”

“That’d explain why she’s such an egg…” Crevello mumbled.

Khristiano nudged him. Crevello frowned at Khristiano. “What?”

“A-anyway,” Raul quickly said, changing the subject. “That reminds me,” Raul laid back in his seat as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “Mavelli was burned the other day.”

“What an idiot,” Crevello chuckled and shook his head. “Told you he was a problem.”

Khristiano shrugged. “True that.”

I frowned at them. “What? ‘Burned’? Is he okay? It’s not too serious, is it?”

The three of them stared at me. For some reason, I felt I was being patronized from all their staring.

“But… Isn’t playing with fires dangerous?” I asked. My voice was noticeably quieter.

Raul started laughing, Khristiano sighed and Crevello sent me a look of disgust.

I frowned at them. “What? What’s so funny? You don’t really think someone getting burned is funny, do you?”

“Lyzelle,” Raul said slowly, “when we say he was ‘burned’ we mean he was ‘killed’.”

I blinked at Raul. “Wha-what?”

Crevello shook his head at me. “How come she doesn’t understand simple slang, Kaz?”

“Hell if I know.”

“‘Simple slang’? How is that ‘simple slang’?” I frowned at them. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say at a funeral say ‘I’m sorry for the loss of your dear pet cat. I’m sorry, he was burned because I accidently ran him over’.”

“You’re one of us, but you know nothing,” Crevello muttered as he shook his head at me.

It took me a moment to realize what Raul had said earlier. “Wait, wait. You said ‘burned’ meant…” I frowned at Raul. “Wait. So you mean, someone… someone was killed?!”

Khristiano just shook his head at me. “Firstly, who holds funerals for their pet cats and invites people to them?”

Raul burst out laughing. But everyone else ignored him.

“Why do you act so surprised, Costanzo?” Crevello frowned at me.

“Huh?”

“Probably because she’s got nothing to do with us.” Khristiano murmured.

“What?” Raul immediately stopped laughing and sat back up. For once, he looked a bit concerned, “Shit. Are you serious, Kaz?”

Khristiano halfheartedly shrugged in response.

“See, why the hell did you even bring her here?” Crevello looked upset too. “She’s like a little… like a little child trying to live in an animal world. She doesn’t even understand the simple concepts of our world…”

“I didn’t bring her here – ”

“Oh, what-the-fucking-ever, Kaz.” Crevello rolled his eyes, “She’ll probably rat us out.”

“The hell you planning, Valentino?” Raul narrowed his eyes at Khristiano.

“Look guys, I’m just her guide for today. She’s new and she knows nothing. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here right now.”

I stared at these guys. What on earth were they talking about? I was right here and they were talking as if I didn’t exist! “What are you guys talking about? I’m right here!”

“So you friends with Kaz, here?” Raul suddenly asked as he gave Khristiano a noogie.

I shifted uncomfortably. What was with all this? “Well… Y-yeah, I guess.” I bit my lip. No. That wasn’t entirely true. I just didn’t want to reject Khristiano in front of all his friends.

Raul nudged Khristiano, and locked him into a headlock. “Hear that? You two are friends.”

Khristiano frowned and shoved Raul off him. “Yeah, yeah.”

“And that isn’t ‘fine’,” mumbled Crevello as he sent death glares in my general direction.

Khristiano groaned, “Shut up. You’re all being annoying today. Just eat, already. I’m hungry. Lunch is nearly over.”

Raul shrugged and Crevello scoffed at him before turning to me.

“So I saw you hanging with that Kovalevski kid.”

I looked at this guy. Was Crevello just trying to start a fight with me or something? I knew he didn’t like me for some reason, but geez. Did he enjoy being annoying? “Van? Yeah, he – ”

“Oh, sorry. Van.”

I frowned. I didn’t really get why he was so… mean. “Yeah. He offered to be my partner.” Because no one else wanted to.

“Oh, really?” Why did Raul’s voice sound incredulous?

“Yeah. Why?”

“She really doesn’t know anything.” Crevello groaned.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

Crevello rolled his eyes. “God, you’re so stupid. Don’t you know your Families – ”

Khristiano punched his friend in the arm. “Idiot. It’s fine if she doesn’t know. It’s not our place to tell her.”

I ignored Khristiano. “Do you have a thing against Van or something?”

Crevello scoffed at me and rolled his eyes.

Khristiano shrugged. “He’s a pretty alright guy, but – ”

“He’s a complete ass,” Crevello rolled his eyes.

Raul groaned, “God, and let the pathetic bitch-fest begin…”

“Pretentious son of a bitch thinks he’s better than everyone else,” Crevello continued.

Khristiano snorted, “You’re just biased because your Family – ”

But Crevello ignored him and Raul, “He’s arrogant but he’s such an ass-kisser who only loves himself…”

“Oh my god. Let it end, already.” Raul groaned.

“Anyway, if you knew any better, you wouldn’t be hanging with him,” Crevello narrowed his eyes at me, “Or us.”

I stared at Crevello for a moment. “What? Am I ruining your perfect equilateral triangle or something? Please don’t think I’m like, purposely intruding your ideal dates with your boyfriends, it’s just – ”

Raul laughed and even Khristiano was chuckling.

“You! You’re so damn annoying.” Crevello growled, “Look, you just piss me off. Like I said, you know absolutely nothing so – ”

“Absolutely nothing?!” I repeated, “I know stuff!”

“Yeah, like what?” Crevello taunted.

“Like… I know multiplication and Murphy’s law – ”

Crevello scoffed. “Not book smart. I meant street smart.”

I frowned at him.

“If anything you need to know about surviving this school, no this city, you’ll need to know about the seven strongest famil – ”

Khristiano nudged Crevello and gave him a meaningful look. Crevello looked at Khristiano and frowned. I stared at the two. Crevello cleared his throat. “I mean, you need to know your place and not mess up anything – ”

Khristiano nudged Crevello again. Crevello frowned at him. “What?”

Raul sighed and shook his head at the two. “Ignore the two idiots. They just mean there’s a strong social hierarchy here and that you should be careful.”

I frowned at the three. They were acting suspicious and I knew they were all hiding something from me. I shrugged it off. Whatever, it’s not like I care. It was lunch and I was hungry.