Highschool

JOSEPHINE

The bell rang, signaling the end of the last class before lunch, and a wave of noise swept over the hallway. I hurried through the crowded corridor, weaving between groups of students chatting and laughing. My sneakers squeaked against the linoleum floors as I made my way toward the locker area, my mind already on the next class.

"Josephine!" I turned the corner to the row of lockers, eyes fixed on mine. "Hey, Cottencandy!" Oh, I hoped I did my assignment right. Mr. Carlton wasn't my biggest fan already, thanks to Valentino. "Marini!"

I stopped, looking around to see who had called me. Me, and every other student in the hall, it seemed. Great, the center of attention, my most favorite place to be. Oh God, it was Luke. I glanced down at the floor, hoping that somehow, this moment would pass without anything more happening. But of course, it didn't.

"Hey, Josephine!" His voice was smooth, like warm caramel as he made his way toward me. I couldn't help but glance up again, and for a split second, I wondered if I was hearing things. What was he doing, talking to me?

"Hi," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, but it came out much softer than I intended. Luke took a step closer, closing the distance between us, his presence somehow making everything feel more intense. I wanted to say something clever, but nothing came to mind.

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" He leaned against the locker next to mine, his eyes still on me. I didn't know whether to nod or just blink at him like I'd lost my ability to form coherent sentences.

"Uh, sure," I managed, although the words sounded foreign in my own mouth. What did he want? Did I forget something? Was I supposed to know him better than I did?

Luke smiled, but there was something different in it now. A little more hesitant. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime." I blinked, staring at him. My breath hitched in my chest. This was absurd. I had to be misunderstanding this. Luke Hastings, asking me out?

"I—what?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I felt my face heat up as I fumbled to process what was happening. Luke Hastings—Luke Hastings—just asked me out? After everything he had to endure because of me?

He seemed to sense my confusion, his expression softening. "I know this probably sounds weird, but, um... I really like talking to you. And I thought maybe you would say yes. Just, you know, in case..." He paused, a slight nervousness creeping into his voice, which I found oddly endearing. "I mean, you don't have to say yes. It's just... a thought."

My heart was beating so loud in my ears, I thought everyone in the hallway could hear it. I stared at him, still processing the fact that he was standing in front of me, waiting for me to respond. I felt like my brain was short-circuiting. "I... I didn't—" My mouth was dry, and my palms suddenly felt clammy. What was I supposed to say? Yes? No? Why was he even asking me?

Luke seemed to sense my hesitation and took a step back, his smile faltering slightly. "Hey, if you're not into it, no big deal. I just thought I'd ask, and I don't expect an answer already. How about you think about it and let me know on Tuesday?"

The relief I felt at his nonchalant attitude was followed by a new wave of confusion. What was I supposed to think now? What was I supposed to feel? "Um... I didn't expect that," I finally said, managing a weak laugh as I forced the words out.

Luke chuckled too, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah."

I nodded, my chest tight with uncertainty. I wanted to tell him yes, that I would love to go out with him, but I couldn't quite bring myself to. I wasn't sure if I was even capable of handling the idea. What if it was all some kind of joke? Or worse, what if it turned out I couldn't keep up with someone like him? "Let me think about it?" I said, though it didn't sound as confident as I hoped it would. "And I need to ask Vito first, to see if he's okay with that."

"Of course," Luke said, a light in his eyes as if he understood. "Take your time. Oh, and greetings to your brothers." And with that, he gave me one last smile—genuine and warm—and walked away, leaving me standing there in front of my locker, feeling more confused than I had in ages. What just happened?

I stood there for a moment, my fingers still clutching the cold metal of my locker. My heart was still thudding erratically in my chest, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something had just happened that I couldn't fully comprehend. Luke Hastings, asking me out? Me? It was almost laughable. I swallowed hard, trying to pull myself together. Maybe I was just imagining it. Maybe it was some sort of weird dream. I mean, I was still shaking, still trying to figure out why it felt like I had just stepped off the edge of something I couldn't even see. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tangle of thoughts in my head.

I walked quickly, trying to push everything from my mind. The cafeteria was already packed with students, the buzz of conversations rising in the air, the clatter of trays, and the smell of the infamous mystery meat wafting through the room. Maya was already sitting at our usual place, but before I could get to her, I looked at my brothers' table and froze. Matteo was sitting there, surrounded by their friends, and once his eyes found mine, his expression turned more serious. He stood up, and I quickly turned around. Maybe I could just text Janu and Maya to meet me in the library. That sounded good. A quiet place, no one else...

I bumped into someone and didn't bother to look up. If I can't see him, he can't see me. Simple as that. But when I tried to go around him, his arm shot out and held me. "Don't you even think about it," Riccardo growled.

"I was just on my way to the library," I said, as if that was any defense.

"Great. We will guide you then," Matteo replied, and I let my shoulders sag. "After you." He politely pointed at the door, and resigned to fate, I started walking. I felt like I was walking in slow motion, my feet dragging with each step. Every part of me wanted to turn around, to bolt back toward Maya and pretend I was fine, but I couldn't. Not with Matteo and Riccardo flanking me like two relentless shadows. They weren't going to let me escape this, that was for sure. I'd barely processed the whirlwind of emotions that had come from Luke asking me out, and now I had to face whatever was about to happen with my brothers.

The hallway noise felt distant, muffled, as if I were underwater. I could barely hear the chatter of other students over the pounding in my ears. My thoughts were racing, but none of them seemed to make any sense. I kept thinking about Luke's smile, the way his eyes had softened when he asked me out. It wasn't a joke, not a dare. I could tell that much. But it also felt... too much, too fast.

"What did he say to you?" Matteo's voice broke through my foggy thoughts.

I glanced at him briefly but kept my eyes ahead. It was hard to face him directly. He had that look in his eyes—the one that said he already knew the answer, that he was just waiting for me to admit it. I had no idea how they got the information so fast, but gossip seemed to travel faster than anything else. "He asked me out," I mumbled, as if saying it too loudly might make it more real.

Riccardo let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "You're kidding, right?"

"I'm not kidding." I had to force the words out, my throat tight. "He wants to go out sometime. He asked if I'd... think about it."

Matteo's expression darkened, his brow furrowing in a way that made me feel like I was about to be lectured. "How did he react when you said no?"

"Because there's no way you could've said yes, right?" Riccardo crossed his arms.

I bit my lip. "I didn't give him an answer. He said I should think about it until Tuesday."

Riccardo let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. "Tuesday? Seriously? So you're actually thinking about it?" His tone was heavy with disbelief, his arms still crossed tightly across his chest.

Matteo's eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened, that familiar protective stance of his taking over. "You don't need to think about it, Josie. There's no 'maybe' here. The rule is clear: no dating for you!"

I bit my lip, feeling the pressure of their words weighing on me. I knew they were just trying to look out for me, but this was getting frustrating. "I'm not saying yes right away," I muttered, my voice low. "I just told him I'd think about it. What's wrong with that?"

Riccardo scoffed, rolling his eyes. "What's wrong with it? Let me tell you what's wrong with it. Luke Hastings is a player, Joe. He's got this golden-boy reputation, and he knows how to use it. He's not looking for something real. He's just trying to add another girl to his list."

Matteo nodded, his voice serious. "Exactly. And you're not one of his little flings. You're not some prize for him to win and toss aside."

"Sounds more like you two are speaking about yourselves." The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and the moment they did, I regretted it instantly. Matteo and Riccardo both froze, their eyes narrowing as they turned to me.

Riccardo's jaw tightened, the muscles in his face going rigid. "What did you just say?" His voice was low, almost dangerous, and I could tell that it wasn't the playful banter I'd been expecting.

I winced, feeling heat rise in my cheeks. "I... I didn't mean it like that," I stammered, backpedaling quickly. "I just... I mean, you guys make it sound like anyone who doesn't live up to your standards is somehow... less than."

Matteo shot me a sharp look. "Don't play games. You know exactly what we mean." His voice wasn't as harsh as Riccardo's, but the underlying tension was there, thick in the air.

"I'm just saying," I continued, trying to salvage the situation, "I don't know what I'm saying! Why do I have the feeling that it's my fault he asked me out?"

Matteo's voice was sharp, but there was a hint of disbelief in it too. "Don't be silly," he repeated, shaking his head as if the thought of me blaming myself was completely out of place. Of course he wouldn't take the hint.

Riccardo rolled his eyes dramatically, clearly exasperated. "That's the problem. You're not the one doing anything wrong here. He's the one crossing lines, not you." He patted my head.

"No one's crossing anything here! And to be fair, after all that happened, I think he proved that he's not only here for the talks." Why couldn't the bell just ring and save me from this conversation?

Riccardo, as usual, didn't bother with subtlety. He huffed loudly and threw up his hands in exasperation. "Are you hearing yourself? Seriously, Josie—he's not interested in you, he's interested in the idea of you. The whole 'mysterious Marini sister' thing. Don't kid yourself."

I opened my mouth, but the words didn't come out the way I wanted them to. I knew they were just trying to protect me. I knew that. But the more they spoke, the more it felt like they didn't trust me to make my own decisions. "You guys are acting like I'm some helpless idiot," I muttered, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice. "Like I can't tell the difference between someone who wants to use me and someone who actually takes me seriously," I said, the words sharp but laced with a bitterness I couldn't quite hide. "But guess what? I do know the difference."

Riccardo let out a heavy sigh. "We're just trying to protect you," he said. "We don't want you to get hurt."

I glanced at them, feeling the weight of their care but still feeling like I couldn't breathe under it. "I get it, I really do," I said, my voice tight. "But it's a fine line between protecting me and suffocating me." I could feel the words slipping out before I could stop them, but they were the truth. Without waiting for their response, I turned away, walking quickly, trying to put space between their overprotectiveness and my need to think this through on my own.

The bell rang just as I rounded the corner, and I didn't look back.