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Massimo is different.

I can feel it in the way he talks to me, in the way he smiles. It's a gentle smile, one that doesn't make my stomach twist with fear or make me wonder what's going to happen next.

He's been so kind, and he's always careful with me, The way he speaks is soft, his voice full of warmth, not like the sharp, harsh tones I'm used to.

But Massimo...he's different. Or at least, I want to believe he is.

But even though he's kind, even though he's gentle, I can't stop the fear that bubbles up inside me. It's always there, like a shadow I can't shake.

I want to trust him-I really do-but the fear is stronger. What if I trust him, and he hurts me? What if all this kindness is just a trick, just like before? I've been hurt too many times, and the thought of it happening again makes my chest feel tight, makes it hard to breathe.

They all seem nice, not just Massimo. My father, Leonardo and Massimo -they all look at me with eyes that don't seem cruel.

They don't yell or get angry when I'm slow, when I stutter, My father...he's the one I think about the most. There's something in the way he looks at me, something soft, something sad, like he's been missing me.

I think he might really care, but I'm scared to believe it, scared that if I do, it will all come crashing down.

Massimo told me something in the car, something I've been holding onto even though it scares me to think it might not be true.

He said they all love me. I remember his voice, so sure, so full of something real. But I don't know if I can trust that. What if he's wrong? What if they don't really love me? What if they're just saying it because they have to?

And then there was what my father said-his words keep playing over and over in my mind, He said he loves me. He said he misses me. He sounded so...sad, like it hurt him to say it, like he really meant it. I want to believe him more than anything, but every time I start to let myself, the fear creeps back in. It's like a little voice in my head that whispers, "Don't believe it. Don't get too close. You'll just get hurt again."

I want to trust them. I want to believe that they love me, that they won't hurt me, that they're different from what I've known.

But trust is scary.

I think about what it would be like to have a family that loves me. A real family, not one that hurts me or makes me feel small and scared. I imagine what it would be like to wake up every day knowing that there are people who care about me, who want me to be happy, who won't turn on me the second I do something wrong.

The thought makes my chest feel tight in a different way, like hope is trying to push its way in, but fear is blocking the door.

When I think about my father, about Massimo, about all of them, I can feel that hope knocking, trying to get in. They're so different from what I'm used to. They smile at me, they speak to me kindly, they don't raise their hands or their voices.

They look at me like they really see me, not like I'm something to be thrown away or ignored. But the fear is still there, whispering that it's all too good to be true.

What if they don't really want me? What if they find out I'm not worth it, that I'm too much trouble? What if they decide that loving me is too hard, that I'm not worth the effort? I want to believe that they won't, that they'll love me no matter what, but it's hard.

I think about Massimo's smile, about the way he talks to me like I'm important, like I matter. I think about my father's eyes, about the way he said he loves me, he said that in the car he said that he loved me and missed me ,like it's the most natural thing in the world.

I want to believe them. I want to trust them. But trust is scary.

I know they're trying to help me. I can see it in the way they look at me, in the way they speak to me, in the way they try to make me feel safe.

I Don't want to trust them, and they will be like him , or my stepdad , I don't want that , I want to believe them and to belong with them , but I can't.

-just maybe-things could be different this time. That maybe I could have a family that really loves me, a family that won't hurt me.

I want to believe it. I want to trust them. But I'm scared. I'm scared of getting hurt again, of letting my guard down only to have it thrown back in my face. But I'm also tired-tired of being scared, , tired of being alone.

So maybe, just maybe, I'll try to take that step. Maybe I'll let myself hope, just a little, that this time, things will be different. That this time, I won't be hurt. That this time, I'll find what I've been longing for-a family that loves me, that really, truly loves me.

And maybe, if I'm brave enough, I'll let them in.

Now Massimo is opening the doors of the big , big house , now I am going to see new people, my 3 other older brothers, I hope they are nice like Massimo and leonardo.

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"Buddy , you ready to get inside?"

It was Massimo who pulled me out of my thoughts now the door is open standing there is my father and leonardo, the three of them smiled at me.

I am not ready to get inside , I am not , I just .......I am so scared .

"Buddy, do you want me to hold your hand "

Massimo said again his voice is so soft , he is now crouching in fron of me , I feel tears im my eyes now , I don't know why ........ but I don’t know why , He is son kind , They all are , Do I deserve it?

I want to hold Massimo’s hands , I want to , But still I am scared , But Massimo is so kind to me .....Maybe he won't hurt me I will hold his hands , Just .....Just this time

I nodded to him , I didn't want to talk , He just smiled so big at me , And in his eyes It looked so ..... Happy , like.. like he didn't expect me to approve that .

He just toke my hand in his big one

It felt so warm so kind , He.....He didn't even hurt me .

I ......I trust Massimo, I trust him.

He was now leading me to the big house , I just use one crutch , For my injured leg, I guess , But still Massimo’s hand supports me.

" It is going to be okay , Luca , Remmember, All of us loves you Luca , It is going to be okay "

We have entered the house while Massimo was saying that.

Yeah , I trust Massimo.

"Th-Tha-nk y-you"

He just looked at me and smiled.

__________

We entered thouse it was so big , it was huge , My father went to my other brothers room , Which I knew therir names know , They are , Ricardo, Alessio and marco , Leonardo told me that Alessio and Marco are twins which means that they look like each other a lot.

Now Massimo lead me to the couch still holding my hands , when I sat down on the couch , I puted my crutch and settled it under my leg so I can straighten my leg up , It doesn't bend it really hurts when I try to

Leonardo was sitting on the other couch , and he was holding .... something and he was looking at something infront of me that looked same like the I pad that I remmember my stepfather was siting in the couch that thing in front of him , I don't remmember it is name , It was .....tele.....t.v I guess But it looked like the thing that Massimo brought to me at the airplane , It looked Just bigger And then he put on the same cartoon that I love while we were at the plane , He then looked at me and smiled

"Th-Tha-nk y-you "I mumbled shyly

He just looked at me and smiled wider

After that my dad came with other 2 people with him , And they went Near to us , My father sat beside Massimo, and then a man who looked younger than Massimo, looked at me like he was going to cry , But he didn’t, He just crouched at me but not so close.

"Hi , Luca , I am your brother Ricardo "He began , He looked nice .

"H-hi, R-rica-rdo"I said to him while stuttering, I always hated that , and mh stepfather and him Also hated it , but none of my brothers and father ever seemed bothered by it , I am glad

"Hi buddy" He said to me again while smiling which lead to me to smile a small shy smile ,

Then a boy came he looked young but older than me , like a lot but he was the youngest on I have seen from my brothers

"Hi Lukey , I am alessio" He said to me with a very wide smile and he called me Lukey , I like that nickname

I smiled widely at him , This is the longest I have smiled in like ......alot .....alot of time But this time I wasn't nervous , I felt .....I felt loved and I haven't felt that since a long time .

Now my dad was sitting on the armchair and he started to talk

"Luca , you haven't still met marco but he will come home soon , In that time why don't You go to see your room and go take a shower , Alessio will lead you to you room , Buddy"

I nodded at him , and I standed up wobbling a little with my crutch but Massimo was quick to help and he balanced me from my waist...... And I didn’t even flinch at him!!

Now we are at the stairs when Alessio asked me a question his voice was so gentle

"Can I hold your hand luca , just to help you get to your room"

I thought about it a little before nodding at him , I didn't trust him like Massimo but a little help is good right?

And he also seemed so nice like Massimo

All of them are.

While walking at the stairs I just kept thinking of why my brother Marco didn't want to meet me , doesn't he love me like the ,

Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no ,Please no

"Here we are Lukey this is you room do you like it?

Alessio asked me while smiling to me. ------------------ Aaaaaand done , Yeah a good cliffhangers to leave you guys at I know that this chapter had more thoughts but I really needed to explain how luca feels from all of this ,so yeah I made a long chapter with literally just Luca’s pov But I think next chapter it won't have more thoughts like this guys Anyway lmk what u think so far , I hope that you share the story withe ur friend and tell me what u think honestly to Improve my story , oh and I am not sure when I am gonna post the next chapter but It will probably be on sunday I am not sure tbh , byeeeeeee