It's been three days since I told Lorenzo everything.

At first it was weird, after our drive I woke up in my bed after an awful nightmare. I waited a few hours before going down for breakfast but when I got to the kitchen everyone was acting weirdly. It only took me a couple minutes to realise that Lorenzo must of told them everything.

They continued to walk on egg shells around me that whole day but things soon returned to normal. Lorenzo was right, I do feel better now that it's all out in the open and the secret is no longer weighing down on me alone.

Today at breakfast Angelo nonchalantly mentioned that it's Dante birthday today. They were all confused why I was upset that they didn't tell me, claiming that 'he wouldn't care' if we did nothing for his birthday. I didn't even get to wish him a happy birthday before he left for work.

Growing up in the orphanage, I know how it feels for nobody to even acknowledge your birthday and I won't allow that for Dante.

The boys only go to school three days out of the week and today is one of those days which is annoying because I could have really used their help in deciding what to get Dante.

Lorenzo and Arlo work from home most days to look after me but whatever they do has been keeping them very occupied lately, I've been mostly left to my own devices over the past two days.

Not wanting to disturb their work, I silently slip out of the house with Bear following. I hop on my bike and head towards my first stop, the place me and Dante walk Bear every morning. I want to paint him a card with the serene landscape on the front.

I have to cycle much slower than I did with Luca so Bear can keep up but we eventually make it. I sit down on a wooden bench and start and restart my painting over and over again, wanting it to be perfect for Dante.

"Wow that's really good," A voice rings over my shoulder, effectively making me jump out of my skin. I turn and make eye contact with a girl with long dark hair and deep brown eyes. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," She chuckles, "I'm Jordan," she says while sitting down next to me.

"I'm Darcy," I reply, trying to sound as confident as possible. I'm much more comfortable talking to people I know can't harm me, Jordan is just as small as me so I doubt she could do much damage.

We talk for an hour and I find out that she goes to the same school Romeo went to when he was younger. She showed me this thing called 'henna' and drew some pretty patterns on my hands before she told me she had to get back home. I don't have my phone on me so she wrote her number down in my notepad and we parted ways.

Satisfied that I had made the perfect card for Dante, me and Bear headed off to our next stop. It takes me two hours to get to town, having to go extra slow for Bear who is somehow just as energetic as when we left. I swear this dog never get's tired.

I lock my bike against a pole and head to the market I spotted when I was out with Luca. People are yelling and shouting over one another, causing me to become very quickly overwhelmed.

The screaming causes my mind to flash back to memories of the orphanage as I dig my nails into my palms, attempting to calm myself down. I pull through and straighten up, determined to remain composed as I start to look at the stalls.

Using the last of my money from Mrs Gail, I buy fresh ingredients to make Dante's favourite meal. I get a range of vegetables, rice, eggs and salmon. I'm going to make the best meal he's ever tasted.

Next, I stop at another stall selling jewellery. I pick out two identical sets of layered bracelets so we can match.

They're not as expensive as all of his other jewellery but it's all I can afford. I thank the woman behind the stall for wrapping the bracelets so prettily and head to my next and final stop, the grocery store.

I instruct Bear to sit and wait, knowing he can't come in and head straight to the party aisle.

Having only twelve euros left, I get a small cake and two candles leaving me with six euros. I then spot one of them luau flower necklaces they give out to tourists in Hawaii and grab a blue one, knowing it's Dante's favourite colour.

On the way to the cashier I grab a bouquet of Dahlias, my personal favourite flower and carry it over to be rung up. The whole time the cashier is scanning my items I was psyching myself up to have enough confidence to ask him for the time.

Handing him my money I say, "Um sorry do you know what time it is?" He tells me it's five-fifty pm. Knowing Dante get's home from work the latest at eight-thirty I try and calculate how much time I have.

If it takes me just bellow two hours to get home I should have just over forty minutes to cook his dinner and prepare his cake. Perfect

I speed home, Bear running happily behind me and rush into the foyer. I prepare to ask one of the boys to help me with the oven but to my surprise the house is completely empty. Strange.

The boys are normally home from school by now.

I brush it off, making my way to the kitchen and pre heating the oven. Years of cooking for myself has prepared me for this but I still struggle to figure out this new fancy oven.

I spend the next thirty-five minutes putting my blood, sweat and tears into making the most mouthwatering meal ever to exist. I plate it all up, making sure to pay extra attention to the presentation of Dante's plate as I hear the front door open.

"No we've already looked there just keep searching at-" Lorenzo yells into the phone but stops immediately when he spots me. I wave at him before turning back to my plate.

"Darcy where the fuck have you been!" Lorenzo and the rest of my brothers except Angelo and Dante storm over to me. I turn around, startled. "Well! We've just been out combing the woods looking for you!"

I back into the counter as he approaches me, confused as to why he's yelling at me. "Well? Where have you been?" Gabriele asks, equally as mad but not screaming.

"In town," I reply

"Alone?" Arlo practically screeches at me. Sensing that telling him I was alone would only enrage them further I lie, "No, I was with Jordan," technically I'm only fudging the truth a little.

"A boy! Oh my god I'm going to have a heart attack," Gabriele exclaims rather dramatically.

I open my mouth to try and tell him that Jordan is a girl but Lorenzo interrupts me, "Are you okay? Did he touch you? What's that on your hands?" I don't know which question to ask so I just nod.

Once I confirm that I'm okay his concern turns back to rage. "Going off by yourself Darcy? I mean seriously don't you know how reckless that is! You're only a child you can't fend for yourself out there, you could have been kidnapped or killed." He continues his rant while Angelo walks in the door, looking relieved to see me.

I'm slightly offended by Lorenzo saying I can't fend for myself, I've been doing it all my life I'm sure I can handle a couple more hours.

Lorenzo continues his rant, "This behaviour is unacceptable, I'll be taking your phone-" and blah blah blah

Just then Dante walks through the door completely oblivious to the whole situation. I push past Lorenzo, ignoring his angry ramblings.

"Happy birthday!" I shout, trying to surprise him. I run up to him and motion for him to lean down, placing the flower necklace around his neck and handing him the bouquet.

"Well thank you Darcy," he laughs, kissing my forehead. I take hold of his arm and lead him to the dining room, having to push past the mob of angry boys.

"Move out the way birthday boy coming through," I command as they continue blocking the table which causes Dante to burst out laughing.

Once I seat him at the head of the table; Lorenzo's usual spot, I go and get his still hot dinner.

"I made it just for you!" I exclaim proudly. He thanks me profusely and tucks in. The rest of the boys are still mad but reluctantly join us at the table.

"Damn I'm loving all this attention,"Dante chuckles, still shoving food in his mouth. "This is really good Darc," He praises, making me blush.

The conversation starts flowing as the boys have fully calmed down now, I reach under my chair into my bag to pull out Dante's present.

I slide the card with the bracelet neatly wrapped on top in his direction. "Awh for me? You didn't have to bambi," he says while picking up the card.

He reads it, smiling brightly before laughing at the little inside joke I slipped in there, he then careful unwraps the little present.

"Look we're matching!" I show him my bracelet, unable to contain my excitement.

"I'm honoured," he laughs before slipping it over his enormous hands. "I'll never take it off," He declares, showing the bracelet off to everyone.

A huge smile spreads across both our faces, I look around to see the whole table looking jealous. I feel bad about not getting them anything but it's not their birthdays.

"One last thing," I excitedly jump off my chair and run to the kitchen counter, pulling out the cake with a two and three candle sticking out. I grab a lighter out of the counter drawer and slowly walk back to the table.

"Make a wish!" I tell Dante, placing the cake in front of him. He thinks for a second before blowing out both candles. I clap but turn around to scowl at my brothers when I hear that they're silent, causing them to start clapping too.

Dante laughs and pulls me into a bone crushing bear hug.

"I love you so much," He whispers, squeezing the life out of me.