Page 1 of Amore
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FRANKIE
Fourteen years old– Thirteen years ago
Moving awayfrom my friends sucked.
I didn’t want to leave Charleston, but my dad got a new job in Nashville. He was a plastic surgeon, and the job in Tennessee would pay him more.Whatever.It wasn’t like I could stay in South Carolina by myself—even though I wanted to.
We packed up our entire house, and after the movers loaded everything into their truck, we drove like nine hours. The movers had to make a stop before heading to us, so after my parents got the keys, we stayed in a hotel in Nashville. We got up before the sun, had breakfast, and then drove to our new home.
A home I’d never been to before.
A home I hated instantly.
I rode with my mom while my father drove his car. When the cars stopped in front of a two-story home, I asked, “I can still pick whatever room I want?” That was the deal for moving—like I had a choice. My parents thought it would make me feel better if I got to choose, but I didn’t even get a say in the house they bought. They went one weekend without me and did it all, buying a house on the outskirts of Nashville.
“Any room,” Mom confirmed.
“Even the master?”
My mom opened her door. “You know that’s not an option, Frankie.”
I rolled my brown eyes and got out of the car. My dad parked behind us, and I could hear the beeping of the moving truck as it backed into the driveway.
“How long is it going to take them to unload?” I asked.
“As long as it takes,” Dad said, walking over. “But I have a surprise for you.”
“We’re going back to Charleston?”
“Come on, piccola. Give it a chance. You might really love it here.” Piccola meant small in Italian and was Dad’s nickname for me since I was a little girl.
I didn’t want to give Tennessee a chance. I’d lived in Charleston my entire life, and everything I knew was there: my favorite places to eat, my favorite places to go with my friends, and my favorite people.Everythingwas back in South Carolina, and there was nothing in small-town Tennessee. It wasn’t like I could drive to Nashville whenever I wanted. It was thirty minutes away, and I didn’t have my license yet.
“Why couldn’t we live in Nashville? This town is so small.” When we drove through it, I saw no movie theater and no mall. Nothing except a one-street town you’d see in a small-town romance movie. I’d seen almost every Christmas romance movie because my dream was to star in one. I’d never told anyone that I wanted to be an actress. My parents assumed I would be a doctor like my dad because I was named after him, and therefore, it was expected I’d follow in his footsteps.
But I wasn’t. As soon as I could, I would apply to Juilliard because a few of my favorite actors went there.
“Frankie, that’s enough,” Mom scolded. “You’ve known about this move for months. Just let it go.”
“Fine!” I huffed and followed my dad toward the front door. “What’s the surprise?”
He unlocked the door and swung it open. “Go look in the backyard.”
“Is there a pool?” I beamed, hopeful.
Dad shook his head. “No.”
My brow furrowed. “Then what is it?”
“Go look,” he urged.
I rolled my eyes and walked toward the back of the home, my parents following. I could smell fresh paint. I had looked up the house online after they’d bought it and saw that the kitchen was very dated with dark wood cabinets, tile counters, and a yellow stove. But my parents had remodeled, and when I entered the kitchen, there were stone countertops and white cabinets. The updates made me like the house a little more, I was still pissed we had to move.
When I got to the french-style doors that led to the back yard, I unlocked them and stepped through. There was no pool, like my dad had said.
I looked around the well-manicured back yard. “What’s the surprise?” I asked.
