Ugh , I hate Mondays. I wish my birthday would come sooner so I can finally do whatever I want on my own. I'm Angelo, Angelo de Vilio. I'll be 18 in a month, but summer in Italy isn't when I'd like my birthday to be. But there are giant pools nearby, so my pool parties are highly known around my area of town.
"Angelo! Come get some breakfast before you go!"
"Coming!" That's my mom, Angelica Julio. I was named after her with the last name of my father, Santo de Vilio. I have no knowledge of who my father is. Every time I ask about him, my mother tenses up and tries to change the subject.
"It's about time. What took so long up there?"
"I was just making sure I looked good today. No Mondays can ruin my good looks."
"Haha, they can't dampen your self confidence, either. So courageous, just like.......uh, nevermind."
"Just like who?........Dad?"
"I said nevermind. Now eat your breakfast before the bus arrives."
"Mother, please. I love you, and don't want to trouble you, but why won't you mention anything about Dad? After almost 18 years of not knowing who my father is, can you at least answer me this?"
"Oh, my sweet Angelo. I wish I could. It just pains me to talk about him. There were complications between us before you had been born. I know you've always wanted a father to help guide you, but you know I do as much as I can to be there for you."
"I know, Mama. And I appreciate it very much."
"Bus is here. You'll just have to eat on the bus." She handed me a container with my leftover breakfast and sent me out the door. "Have a good day!"
I boarded the bus and sat next to my best friends, Giovanni and Sierra. Sierra's a great listener, and Giovanni and I have been friends ever since we can remember. We've all got each other's backs no matter what.
"Hey Angelo, what's that?" Sierra asked.
"My breakfast. Want some?"
"I had a big breakfast, today," she replied.
"I'll have some of those eggs," Gio said.
"You'll eat anything, won't you?" I snickered.
"As long as it's good." We all laughed at his response. Gio and I are like the joking kings of the school. I'm also the fencing captain, and he plays on the school soccer league. Sierra is the front chair of the school choir. Her singing is jaw-dropping.
With a half-eaten piece of toast and a little bit of eggs left, we got to school: Dominic Vertolli High School. The only thing keeping me through the day would be the fencing meet after school. I've got a real treat for the captain of Westward Valley HS.
School finally ended, and I went to the gym where the meet would be. Some of the others on me team had started laying the mats down. After they were all placed, Coach Caeser positioned each person to a mat, where we stayed until the Westward Valley fencing team arrived. I had been paired with Carlos Siago, the Westward Valley captain. He was a pretty tall guy, but you know what they say: "the bigger they are, the harder they fall".
"This is my competitor? My challenge? They might as well have paired me with an overgrown celery stock."
"I might not have the advantage of size, but at least I have actual combat skills."
"You think I'm not skilled?! Well I'm your new.teacher, so prepare to get schooled! ONGUARD!"
"TU GASHI!"
The "great wall in tites" and I clashed our swords and tried to startle one another. We had both shared the advantages of being watchful and agile, so it took a while for either of us to land a hit. After 30 minutes, he began to tire, but that fed his will to finish this even faster.
"Enough dancing, ballet boy. There's a reason I'm the 2nd undefeated champion."
"And there's a better reason why I'm first."
Apparently, that was just the big enough spark to light his match, because then he started to force more speed and frustration into his tactics. It seemed almost unnatural. He eventually knocked me off balance, but I swiped him from under his leg when I had regained my upright position.
"Now when you think of number 1, you'll remember the name Angelo de Vilio."
My team had cheered me on and have me high-5s, but Carlos didn't give in so easily. He tried to lunge his sword almost through me when I wasn't looking. Giovanni came in when he heard the cheering and blew Could've cover in time for me to step aside. Then when he fell forward, he had a blank look. He might have had too much coffee or something.
Today's been a busy day. And a day of more victory. But I still can't get over Could've reaction. When we began, he seemed very cocky, but then started to enrage as we continued. Then he tried to attack me, and acted like he wasn't even there after. Many strange things have been happening as my birthday gets closer. I don't know if their outrageous coincidences or results of nervousness/paranoia. But either way, I'm keeping my eyes on the prize:
-Turn 18
-Win the fencing championship
-Make a load of birthday money
Later that night, at around 11:40 p.m., Angelo had a terrorizing dream. He had awoken in a room that was burning all around him. Out of the flames, walls, and floor appeared creatures that would whisper in his ears, speaking too many conversations for him to follow. "WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?!" he shouted. The creatures and flames formed into a giant, shadowed figure with flaming eyes, a muscular silhouette, millions of grinding teeth, and was half the height of the empire state building. He sent a chilling whisper through Shari'a head saying: "IT'S TIME TO COME HOME AND CLAIM THE THRONE."
