Highschool

THIRD PERSON

Luke had withdrawn his initially positive impression of Valentino when he overheard Riccardo, visibly annoyed, shouting through the house about everything that had gone wrong with him. The rant had been remarkably detailed, which Luke found somewhat amusing, though he also braced himself for what might come next.

Riccardo had clearly been displeased at being woken up. Still grumbling, he rubbed his eyes and hadn't noticed who else was sitting at the table. Looking undeniably hungover, he collapsed into an empty chair. "Why didn't we just leave him in Canada when we had the chance?" He laid his head down on the table. "And why are we eating here today?"

Valentino seemed to find this amusing. "Oh, Riccardo, how can you behave like that in front of our guest? I'm so sorry, Luke, what must you think of us?"

Luke wasn't sure of many things, but one thing was certain: Valentino wasn't sorry at all. He stole a quick glance at Josephine, who seemed to shrink further into herself, then cleared his throat just as Riccardo's gaze snapped up. They stared at each other for a tense four seconds before Luke spoke. "Hello, Riccardo."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, Rico, what's with the rudeness—ah, Matteo's joining us, how nice!" Valentino clapped his hands, as though the situation were a performance.

Luke could feel the tension in the room thickening as Matteo pulled up a chair. His voice, though dripping with amusement, carried an unmistakable edge. "Well, this should be interesting," he said, settling into his seat. Luke didn't respond, his attention split between Riccardo, still glaring at him, and Valentino, who seemed entirely too pleased with the situation. Josephine, on the other hand, was retreating further into herself, her arms crossed tightly, eyes downcast. Luke had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a pleasant breakfast.

Riccardo broke the silence with a growl. "So, Luke," he began, his voice low, "what's with the face? I never saw you looking worse."

Luke's hand instinctively went to his sore nose, still a reminder of the previous night's events. He had hoped to keep the story under wraps for a little longer, preferably until he left the house.

Valentino, ever the mediator, flashed a grin. "Now, now, Riccardo, don't be so hard on our guest. He's had a rough night." His tone was dripping with insincerity, and Luke could tell it was more out of politeness than any real concern.

Matteo leaned forward slightly, clearly intrigued. "Yeah, you look like you've been in a fight," he said, his voice casual but his eyes sharp.

"It's nothing," Luke muttered, trying to downplay it. "Just a little incident last night."

Vito, who had been quietly observing, suddenly leaned back in his chair. His tone shifted, growing more serious. "I'd suggest you thank him, because without Luke, your sister wouldn't be sitting here at this table."

The shift in the room was immediate. What had been a tense and suspicious atmosphere moments ago was now heavy with concern. Both Riccardo and Matteo quickly turned their attention to Josephine, their faces morphing from irritation to genuine worry.

Riccardo's eyes widened, and for the first time, Luke saw a flicker of something more than skepticism in his gaze. "What are you talking about?" Riccardo's voice was rough, a mixture of disbelief and growing concern.

Matteo didn't say anything immediately, but his gaze locked onto Josephine, waiting for her to confirm what Vito had just hinted at. Josephine remained silent, her face pale, her eyes fixed on her plate, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

Luke could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him. The truth about what had happened was now unavoidable, and the tension in the room was palpable. He had hoped for a way to ease the situation, but it was too late.

Riccardo's face darkened, his fists clenching at his sides. Matteo, however, was already on his feet, moving toward Josephine with clear concern. Before he could reach her, Domenico stepped in between them, his voice calm but firm. "Don't, her ribs are hurting."

Matteo froze, his hand still outstretched as he turned to Domenico, confusion evident in his furrowed brow. "What do you mean, 'her ribs'? Is she hurt?"

Domenico nodded quickly, his expression unreadable. "Josephine's ribs were bruised in the altercation," he explained, his voice steady but tinged with concern. "She'll be fine, at least that's what she says—she doesn't want anyone looking at them."

Riccardo took a sharp breath, the weight of Domenico's words sinking in. His anger momentarily subsided, replaced by genuine concern for his sister. He turned toward Josephine, his expression softening, though the tension in his shoulders remained. "Why didn't you tell us?" His voice was tight with frustration and fear, the realization of how close she had come to being seriously hurt hitting him hard.

Josephine's eyes flickered, and she met Riccardo's gaze for the first time. "And when? While you two were out partying?"

Luke, standing off to the side, did his best to remain unobtrusive. The weight of Riccardo and Matteo's scrutiny was still heavy, but he didn't speak. He had done what he could last night, but now wasn't the time to explain himself.

Matteo, still on edge, turned to face Luke. His voice was calmer now, but suspicion still lingered in his eyes. "And you—" Matteo began, his gaze narrowing slightly. "You got hurt too. For her."

Luke met his gaze evenly. "I didn't do it for thanks. I did it because she needed help. And I wasn't going to let them hurt her."

Riccardo, having quietly processed everything, shook his head, still struggling to contain his emotions. "But why didn't anyone call us? We would have come home immediately!" He looked to Vito for confirmation. "Did you find them?"

"Yes, Domenico, Valentino, and I found them quickly," Vito replied firmly. "As I told Luke and Josephine, the men were handed over to the police, and they'll handle the rest." His eyes briefly met his younger brother's, sending a silent message Luke couldn't quite decipher.

"Good," Matteo answered, his tone controlled, but then he hesitated. "Wait, if you three were gone, who was with Josephine?" Matteo's eyes flicked over to Luke, suspicion once again clouding his gaze. Luke hesitated before raising his hand slightly.

"Oh no," Riccardo said, his voice rising. He stood up, walking around the table. His eyes narrowed as he circled Luke. "No. Nope. You're not seriously telling me you spent the whole night with my little sister, are you?"

"Well, someone had to be here when you two couldn't," Luke replied nonchalantly, not realizing the full weight of his words until they left his mouth. The room went still. The tension thickened, the air now charged with an intensity that felt almost suffocating. Riccardo's jaw clenched, and his posture became more menacing. Matteo's face remained unreadable, though his fists were clenched at his sides.

The protectiveness the brothers had always shown Josephine was now reaching a boiling point. Riccardo didn't just see Luke as a guy who helped out—he saw him as a threat to his sister.

Riccardo stepped closer, eyes blazing. "You've got a lot of nerve, coming into our house and—"

"Rico, please," Josephine said softly, her eyes locking onto her brother's. The look she gave him made Luke's heart ache, but it worked. Riccardo's posture softened immediately, his concern for her returning.

"I'm sorry, Josie," Riccardo muttered, his voice now quieter. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Josephine smiled gently. "You didn't. And just to make things clear," she added, glancing at Luke, "he slept in the guest room, and the others weren't gone for long."

"And we were with her the whole night," Domenico chimed in, his tone calm and reassuring. "She wasn't alone."

Riccardo glanced between Domenico and Josephine, his expression conflicted. His protective instincts were at war with the reality of the situation. "Alright," he said slowly, his voice more controlled now. "I just... I need to know she's safe. That's all that matters."

Josephine nodded, a small but genuine smile on her face. "I am, I promise." She glanced at Luke, her eyes softening with silent gratitude. Luke nodded back, thankful for the moment of calm.

Matteo, sensing the shift, moved behind Josephine. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a gentle embrace, careful not to touch her bruised ribs. He whispered something in her ear, too quiet for Luke to hear. Josephine's lips curved into a small smile, and she nodded. Matteo kissed the top of her head before letting her go and returning to his seat.

"Okay," she murmured, visibly relaxing.

Matteo looked at Riccardo, his voice calm but firm. "Let's talk about it later, alright?" Riccardo nodded, his expression still a little tight but understanding.

The room fell into a tense silence as everyone settled back into their seats. Luke could feel the weight of Riccardo and Matteo's eyes lingering on him, but for the first time, there was a sense of cautious understanding between them. He couldn't help but wonder what Josephine had meant to them—how deeply they cared—and how much they still resented the fact that they hadn't been there when she needed them most.

Josephine took a deep breath and then spoke, her voice a little more composed now, though still soft. "I think we should eat," she said, attempting to break the lingering tension.

Matteo nodded in agreement, his face softening as he looked at her. "Good idea," he said, his tone quiet but kind. "Let's not make the food go to waste." He picked up the coffee pot and poured himself a cup, the motion calm, almost ritualistic, as if it helped ground him in the moment.

Riccardo cleared his throat and leaned forward, eyeing the spread of food on the table. "Josie, plate." He demanded, his voice was gentle, but firm, as though he wasn't going to let her off the hook. She smiled softly at him, the bond between them undeniable, while she handed him her plate.

As the food was passed around, the atmosphere lightened slightly. There was no longer the sharp edge of anger or fear hanging in the air, but it wasn't yet entirely comfortable. Luke found himself trying to blend in, taking small bites of his food while trying not to make too much noise. He could feel the undercurrent of unspoken words between him and Josephine, the quiet gratitude that passed through her eyes whenever they met.

Matteo, ever the smooth operator, cut through the moment of awkwardness by placing a slice of bacon on Josephine's plate and adding with a grin, "It's not as good as my cooking, but I think it'll do."

Josephine chuckled softly, the sound like music to Luke's ears. She reached over and squeezed his hand in appreciation. "Thanks, Matteo."

Luke watched the exchange between them, trying to push away the lingering discomfort he felt. As much as he wanted to be part of the family dynamic, he was still an outsider—someone who had come into their lives under difficult circumstances. Still, he couldn't help but admire how they all looked out for each other, especially Josephine. He could feel their eyes on him again, particularly Riccardo's, but now the atmosphere was at least more relaxed. It was clear that Riccardo and Matteo were protective of their sister, and that wasn't something Luke could easily ignore.

Josephine, noticing Luke's discomfort, gave him a small smile, her eyes soft. "Are you alright?" she asked, her voice gentle.

"Yeah," Luke replied, his voice steady. "Just a bit... intense, you know?" He let out a quiet chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "But I'm fine."

She nodded, but her gaze lingered on him for a moment before she picked up her fork and continued eating. Matteo and Riccardo continued their conversation, but it was now more about the food, about what they were going to do next. But for now, in this quiet moment, Luke allowed himself to relax just a little, taking in the warmth of the room and the feeling of being surrounded by people who cared about each other—even if they were still figuring out what to do with him.

_________

"What are they still talking about?" Matteo asked impatiently, glancing out the kitchen window at Josephine and Luke, who were still engaged in conversation. "He said he was leaving!"

"I don't know, but if you keep talking so loud, we won't hear anything!" Valentino muttered, pressing his face even closer to the cool glass.

"Saved or not, I'm telling you, you can't trust him," Riccardo whispered under his breath.

Behind them, Domenico stepped closer. "What are you doing here?"

"We're watching them," Riccardo answered without taking his eyes off the two outside.

Domenico joined them at the window, his gaze turning to the scene outside. "Why is he still here?"

Outside, Josephine rubbed her arms, and her four brothers watched in shock as Luke reached for his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "This is going too far!" Matteo said through clenched teeth. "We should go out there!"

"Josie will have our heads if we do," Valentino countered, his voice low but firm. "Although she might be to small for that."

Luke tucked a strand of Josephine's hair behind her ear. Domenico stepped back. "That's enough," he said, turning and leaving the kitchen.

"Do you think he's going outside?" Matteo asked, his voice tinged with hope.

"I don't think so, he's gone toward the back," Valentino replied.

But just moments later, they heard the commotion. The three dogs ran across the yard toward the couple, and startled by their sudden appearance, Luke jumped back. With a satisfied look, Domenico returned to the kitchen, followed by Vito, who gave his brothers a disapproving look, shaking his head in silence.

-end of Be our guest-