Back & Forth | Book 1 of Back & Forth Series

I jump onto my bed and grab the TV remote control from the nightstand while Luciano closes the door. I turn on the TV as Luciano sits on the bed bench with his gaze glued to phone screen. I ignore him and start to search for something to watch as I frown at the TV. I glance at Luciano and see him still busy with his phone.

“Do you want to watch something?” I asked.

Luciano looks up from his phone and then shrugs at me. “No. Watch whatever you want.”

“Alright then.” I shrug to myself and continue to scroll through the list of movies. I ignore one movie poster that shows on the TV screen but then stopped when I see the poster of one of my favourite movies. Bad Boys for Life. One of the best action comedy film I’ve watched so far in my opinion. I also like the previous movies from the franchise so that’s probably why I like the third movie as well. Should I just watch this instead? I don’t know. I feel like I still don’t really want to watch anything now.

“I can’t help but notice something there on the TV.” Luciano said. I look at him and see him smirking. Is he thinking what I’m thinking?

“What is it?” I asked, feeling nervous about his answer. Kinda afraid that he’s actually thinking what I’m thinking.

“That.” Luciano said, nodding at the TV and I’m absolutely sure that he means what I mean. I look at the movie poster and then give him a blank look. Knowing that he actually has watched that movie makes me feel weird on the inside. Is it the embarrassment? I’m embarrassed if I admit everyone that I’ve watched that. Now he’s literally making me talk about it.

Shit. Fuck my life. Maybe you know what it is from my description. The movie is kind of like a music video compilation that’s being disguised as a film with lots of unholy scenes. You definitely know what I’m thinking about now. It’s that movie Luciano talking to me about right now. Oh god. This is so embarrassing that he probably knows that I’ve watched that movie without even admitting it by the look on my face right now.

“Dude. I was ignoring it on purpose. Why do you have to point it out?” I said, groaning in annoyance as I throw my head back.

“Wait. You actually know that movie? You’ve watched it?” Luciano asked. The smirk on his face turns into an ear-to-ear grin.

“Yes.” I admitted. My cheeks immediately burns in embarrassment. Fuck. Why did I even admit that? I shouldn’t have said that. Now he knows my dirty secret.

“What do you think about that movie?” Luciano asked, smirking at me. Why does he even want to know about that.

“Uh. I’m not going to tell you about that.” I said, my cheek tingling from embarrassment.

“Alright then. I want to know something. How do you think us mafiosi actually act and do?” Luciano asked.

That’s an easy question.

“I’ve read books about Cosa Nostra for my studies so, I know that you all don’t act like how mafiosi do in most fiction books. Well, it’s fiction so I don’t really expect anything much about factual stuff in that kind of books. Back in the day, mafia families preferred to be under the radar. To be low key and not recognised by the public. However, since our famiglia is pretty well-known in the public eye because of our legal businesses, we can’t really be like that anymore. To be people who’s in the spotlight, you have to be careful in taking various actions regarding the illicit businesses or you might get caught by the authorities that are against you.” I explained.

“Yes. You’re right. We haven’t been really careful lately with the moles problem though but we’re not worried about the authorities that much. We have connections to let us get away with pretty much everything we’re doing.” Luciano said.

That means that we have an immunity to law. Doing illegal shit yet we won’t be ‘caught’. I wonder how much law the famiglia have broken and the consequences of doing it if we don’t have said connections that give us the immunity.

“We should still be careful about our enemies. They definitely have plans lined up in their books. Who knows they’ll set us up and get us caught and jailed even with all the connections we have with the authorities and other important people.” I said. My eyes widen as realisation hits me.

Shit. What if our rival stealing our drugs to set us up? Like they store all those drugs somewhere and then gave the fake information to the authority? Trapping us without our knowledge? That could be their plan. To get rid of us. Fuck.

“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” Luciano asked. I open my mouth to tell him about my conspiracy theory but then close it again when my gaze suddenly shift to the lamp on my left. Could it be that thing?

I curiously look into the lamp and gape as I take off something suspicious from it. I turn to Luciano and hold it up to him. Luciano eyes widen at the sight of the tiny device and takes it from my hand.

“No way.” Luciano said.

“Yes way. Don’t ask me how I find it but I just feel like looking into the lamp. What is this actually?” I said.

“It’s an audio bug. To listen in to our conversation. Someone’s definitely spying on us. Do you get anything else in there?” Luciano asked.

“No. Just this.” I said.

“Shit. Could they tapped the other rooms as well?” Luciano asked. They probably did already. There’s no way they just decide to tapped my room only.

“Possibly.” I said.

“We should tell Alessandro and Alessio about this later. Let’s try to search around your room now for anything else.” Luciano said.

“Okay.”

As I get on my feet, the door to my room swings open. Speak of the devil, Alessandro walks into the room and smirks at the two of us standing near each other.

“What happened in here? Why are you looking at me like you’ve been caught?” Alessandro asked. I can see a hint of mischief in his eyes.

“Don’t joke now. We have an important thing to discuss. I just found this.” I said, pointing at the tiny device between Luciano’s fingers.

“Where did you find it?” Alessandro asked.

“The lamp.” I answered, pointing at the table lamp behind me. I look behind Alessandro, waiting for Alessio, he’s not coming into the room. Where is he?

“Where is Alessio?” Luciano asked.

“He has to do to the office in downtown. Something urgent came up.” Alessandro explained.

“Oh. Okay.” Luciano said.

“We have to be more careful now. There’s definitely more of this shit in here.” Alessandro said, scowling as he looks around the room.

“I know. You probably have some in your room too. You should definitely let Martino know about this. Tell him check every rooms in this house for any spy devices. Only him. Not everyone else. Who knows if someone might lie about not finding anything. I have a feeling there’s two moles who put this up in almost every room in the house.” I said, searching around the room for anything suspicious from where I’m standing.

“I’ll tell him about it later. For now, let’s search through your room first.” Alessandro said.

I go to the bookshelf in front of me and search through the books and decorations on the shelves while Alessandro goes to the closet and Luciano goes to the bathroom. I take the blue ceramic vase with fake flowers and pull out the flowers. I take a look into the vase and find nothing. I then look at the flower and find the device hidden between the flowers. I take it off and then throw the audio bug onto my bed.

I continue to look through the bookshelf, feeling like there’s something else here, but can’t find anything. I stop myself from the search. Okay. I’ll go back here later. I better look around the bedroom for now.

I go the AC situated next to the bookshelf and look into it. I squint at it and find a red dot in there. Could it be a hidden camera or is it just the AC machine? I turn my head and look at Luciano who’s walking out of the bathroom.

“I found nothing in the bathroom.” Luciano said.

“Okay. I’ll recheck it later. Could you look into the AC? I don’t think I can reach it even with a chair.” I said.

“Sure.” Luciano said. He pulls the dressing table chair and put it right in front of the AC. He gets on the chair and pulls something from the AC. He turns to me and shows me what he got. A spy camera. Fucking creep. Why do they put a camera facing right at the bed? Why do they even have the need to spy on me? It’s not like I know anything much about the famiglia.

I take the camera from Luciano and the throw it on the floor. I stomp on the device furiously until it shatters to even smaller pieces. Luciano jumps off the chair and then stands next to me.

“Whoa. Calm down there.” Luciano said, putting his hand on my arms, trying to calm me down. I ignore him and keep stepping on the tiny pieces a few more times.

“Fucking asshole.” I muttered, stepping back from the crumbling device.

“Are you okay?” Luciano asked.

“Not really. I fucking swear when we’ve found these stronzi, they’ll face my fucking wrath. Do they think they can get away from this? From violating my fucking privacy? They fucking thought wrong about that.” I said. My jaw tightens as I scowl at the broken camera.

(Bastards.)

“We’ll definitely going to find them sooner or later.” Luciano assured.

“Thank god I’ve never walked out of the bathroom in nothing. There’s no way I’m letting these perverts getting a free show. Hell, I’m not even going to do it even if I get money from it.” I said. I turn my head and see Alessandro walking out of the closet with an audio bug.

“I only find this in the closet. Nothing else.” Alessandro said, showing the audio bug to us. He then looks at the floor, slightly shaking his head the the mess.

“What? I deserve to be angry.” I said, giving him a look.

“I know.” Alessandro said. He puts the audio bug into his pocket and then go to the nightstand. He picked up the telephone and dial a number.

“Manda qualcuno a pulire la stanza di Allura. Abbiamo delle cose rotte qui. Portate l'aspirapolvere." Alessandro said. He then puts down the phone right after and turns to us.

(Send someone to clean Allura's room. We have broken stuff in here. Bring the vacuum cleaner.)

"Okay. What now?" Luciano asked.

“Have you find something else?” Alessandro asked me, and I shake my head. “No.”

I look at my bookshelf again and then notice the glowing red eyes of the white ceramic bunny. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I grab the bunny and throw it onto the floor. It shatters to small pieces and now the cameras are out in the open. Damn. That thing is so fragile.

Three fucking cameras pointed at the bed? You’ve got to be fucking joking. Did they actually think I’m going to fuck with someone here? They seriously have a sick mind for thinking that I would do that. What would they do about the footage anyway? Put it on a porn site? Or worse, keeping it for themselves. The fuck is wrong with them?

I hand the cameras to Alessandro and he lets me put them onto his hand. He still look a little perplexed of what I just did but he accept the small cameras anyway.

“Thanks.” Alessandro said.

“You’re welcome.” I said, smiling at him innocently. He only shakes his head as he smiles back at me.

“Thank god I told them to bring the vacuum cleaner.”

“Luciano. Come with me. Allura. You better lock the door after the staff cleaned your room.” Alessandro said.

“I will.” I said.

Alessandro and Luciano wait for the housekeeper to come. After a few seconds of waiting, she finally appears from the hallway with a vacuum cleaner in her hand. She walks into the room and then start working with the vacuum cleaner. While she works, Luciano and Alessandro walks out of her room, leaving me along with the woman. The loud noise from the vacuum cleaner annoys me so bad but then the woman finishes her work after a few seconds. Thank goodness for that. She stares at the floor, checking for anything left behind. Satisfied with her work, she turns to me.

“Thank you so much. You can leave now.” I said, smiling at her. She gives me a little smile and then leaves the room right away. I quickly go to the door and lock it.

I sit on my bed and look around the room once again, making sure that I didn’t miss anything. I guess I’m just being paranoid right now because I don’t feel like there’s actually something else in here anymore. I have a feeling that there’s nothing else in the bathroom and closet as well. That’s good. I guess they have enough decency to not put anything in a room where I’ll be naked the most. How long have these devices been here anyway? Just like what I felt before, I don’t think they’ve tapped the room since yesterday or before it. I think they just did it this morning. At least for my room. Thank god I immediately find them.

I swing my legs up onto the bed and rest my head against the headboard. I then hear knocking on the door and I quickly jump from the bed. I go to the door, standing there with my hand on the handle and key.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s me.” I heard Luciano said. I open the door right away and let Luciano get into the room. I look into the hallway and see that Alessandro is not there.

“Where’s Alessandro?” I asked.

“He’s with Martino searching through Alessandro’s office for any hidden cameras and audio bugs.” Luciano explained.

“Oh. Okay.” I close the door and then walk to my bed.

“What will you do with the devices?” I asked as Luciano walks towards the bed and then sits next to me. I’m not really sure how those things work but if they do work wirelessly, can they be tracked down? I mean the recipient?

“Martino is going to check it later.” Luciano said.

“Good.” I said. I hope Martino can track whoever put it up and find the moles. However the devices work.

I feel my eyes unfocusing themselves and now I’m staring at the TV blankly. Oh here we go again. I feel myself dissociating from reality and I just let it happen. Not wanting to fight it because I really can’t do it anyway.

“Are you okay?” Luciano asked. I can clearly hear the concern in his voice.

“Don’t mind me. I’m just tired. I’m in my power-saving mode.” I said.

This always happen to me after I do something that’s draining me mentally. Like after working on an assignment or after getting yelled at by my own parents. Time after time I always keep telling myself that I don’t fucking care about it but deep down, I guess I feel hurt each time it happens. Even when I consciously ignore their constant anger at me.

“You miss me?!” I heard someone said. Definitely Alessio. Surprisingly, I didn’t jump from his loud shouting. I’m definitely feeling too tired right now to react to anything around me.

Silence stretch across the room. I bet Luciano and Alessio are now staring at me with confusion and worry without having to look at them directly. I feel Alessio stepping closer to me and I can see through my blurry sight that they are now standing right next to each other as they stare down at me.

“Is she okay? That doesn’t look normal.” Alessio said. I want to roll my eyes at him but I can’t. I just continue to stare at the TV with empty gaze.

“I’m not sure. She said she’s in power-saving mode.” Luciano said.

“Interesting.” Alessio said. “Where’s Alessandro?”

“He’s checking the office for any hidden cameras and audio bugs.” Luciano said.

“So you two were alone with each other?” Alessio asked. I can feel him smirking at some weird ass thoughts. I want to scowl at him but I can’t. When I got into power saving mode, I can’t do anything other than just staring at something blankly.

“No. Alessandro was here and then he left with me and told Martino about the devices we found in here. After that, I come back here and Alessandro went with Martino to check his office for the same devices.” Luciano explained.

Thank you for explaining it to him, Luciano.

“How did you find it?” Alessio asked.

“I just know. Alessandro did find one audio bug in the closet by himself though but I found three cameras and one audio bug in the bedroom.” I said.

“Oh. I get it now. You’re tired because you got psychic downloads. I always feel tired too after experiencing something similar. But I always go straight to bed, not staring at the TV emptily as if you’re dissociating from reality.” Alessio said. Oh, Alessio does feel like that too? I guess I’m not alone.

“I do feel like that.” I said.

“How long are you going to stay like that? You look like a taxidermied human by sitting that stiffly and lifeless.” Alessio said. Lifeless? That’s what I’ve always wanted to be.

“Maybe I’m turning into one slowly now.” I joked, but no one laugh at it. “Jokes aside, I don’t know. An hour or two maybe.” I said. It could be longer. I’m not sure.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you just go to sleep?” Luciano asked.

“What’s going on with her?” Alessandro asked.

Oh. Alessandro is back.

“She’s in power-saving mode.” Alessio replied.

“Okay…” Alessandro said, sounding unsure about what Alessio just said.

I just continue to stare at the TV and now I can see three figure from the corner of my eyes standing next to the bed. I feel like someone trying to reach me telepathically but I can’t get their message. Who is it? I then feel someone leaning down towards me, his face next to my ear.

“Did you hear what I said to you telepathically?” Alessandro asked quietly.

It’s Alessandro? Why did he want to say something to me telepathically? He could’ve just told me out loud. Is it something important?

“Oh. It’s you. No. I didn’t hear anything but I do feel like someone’s wanting to communicate with me. What did you want to say?” I asked.

“Is that everything? You didn’t find other cameras or audio bugs?” Alessandro asked. Oh. Right. That. I almost forgot we just find hidden devices in my own room.

“Nope. That’s all.” I said.

“Alright. Why don’t you just go to sleep now?” Alessandro suggested.

“That’s what I was saying.” Alessio added.

I wanted to but I can’t move. Whenever I’m in my power-saving mode, I just stay still and feel like I lost control over my own body. So, whenever I feel this going to happen, I hurriedly go to bed and lay there. At least no one will see how weird I look. Look at me now though. My cousins and Luciano are witnessing this weird side of mine. Now I can’t hide it from them anymore.

“I want to but I can’t move my own body.” I said.

“Okay. I’ll help you with that.” Alessandro said. He puts his hands beneath me and then move me forward. He lowers my upper body carefully and I finally feel the soft pillow under my head. Ah. I can finally rest peacefully.

“This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever witnessed in my life. I thought having you as our cousin is already weird enough.” Alessio joked.

“If you think this is weird, you haven’t witnessed everything on earth.” I said.

“Now close your eyes and go to sleep.” Alessandro said. I do as he told and immediately feel drowsier. Like I’m shutting down real quick. Oh wait. The drugs. I forgot to them about the possible plan of our rival.

“Wait.” I said, keeping my eyes shut.

“What is it?” Alessandro said.

“I had a thought that our rival might be stealing the drugs to set us up. Be careful. It might be his true plan.” I said.

“I didn’t thought about that before. Thanks for letting us know about that. Now go to sleep. Don’t think of anything else.” Alessandro said.

“Okay. Good night.” I said.

“It’s still 2.30 in the afternoon.” Alessio said.

“Yeah. Whatever. Good night.”