Highschool

THIRD PERSON

"When do you think he's going to ask her?" Domenico glanced at his brother, who had just lifted his gaze from his screen. Before Vito could respond, the sound of car doors slamming shut echoed from outside, followed by the front door creaking open.

"You guys are such idiots!" Josephine's voice rang through the house, sharp and unmistakable. "Both of you!" The brothers exchanged surprised looks.

"Oh, yeah? Then go ask Vito! He'll say the same thing!" Matteo yelled, and they heard the sharp sound of the front door slamming shut with a finality that suggested their argument was far from over. Vito slowly closed his laptop and stood up, moving toward the hallway. Domenico followed, a slight grin tugging at his lips.

"I think he asked her," Vito said, his voice low but sure.

"Can't I just think for myself for once? Is that too much to ask?" Josephine's voice rang out, filled with frustration, as the brothers heard the sound of her footsteps moving deeper into the house.

Domenico [4:01 p.m.]

Drama ahead.

Valentino [4:01 p.m.] Already on my way!

"But you can, Josie. Just not when it comes to something like this!" Riccardo's voice cut through the thick air, sharp and unforgiving. His words hung in the room like a challenge, as if daring her to disagree.

Josephine, who had been pacing back and forth, stopped abruptly, her heart pounding in her chest. She turned to face him, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger, confusion, and something deeper she wasn't ready to admit. "Not when it comes to something like what?" she shot back, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions. "You mean, when it comes to me trying to make a decision for myself?"

Riccardo's jaw tightened, and he crossed his arms over his chest, his posture defensive. It was a stance she knew well—one that said he wasn't just about to back down. "Exactly that," he said, his voice hardening. "You're not just going to do whatever you want without considering what could happen. This isn't about you, Josie. This is about him. You don't know him like we do."

Josephine's pulse quickened, her chest tightening as she fought to hold onto her composure. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words came out sharper than she intended. "And you certainly don't trust me enough, right?" she snapped, her voice cutting through the silence.

Riccardo's eyes narrowed, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them, but he didn't waver. "It's not about trust, Josie. It's about protecting you. You're not seeing the bigger picture here."

"Oh, so now I'm too naive to see the bigger picture?" Josephine laughed bitterly, the anger rising in her throat. "What, because I don't see the world through your eyes, I'm not smart enough to make my own choices?"

The door to the hallway creaked open, and Vito and Domenico entered the scene. Both of them stopped short when they saw the tension between Josephine, Matteo, and Riccardo, their expressions shifting to something more guarded. The air was thick with unspoken words, and it felt like the entire house was holding its breath, waiting for someone to break the silence.

Vito gave them a long look, his gaze flicking from Josephine's flushed face to Matteo and Riccardo, both standing stiff as statues. "What's going on?" he asked, his voice steady, but there was a trace of concern behind his words.

Before she could answer, Valentino jogged towards them from behind, his sneakers squeaking slightly as he came to a halt. He leaned in toward Domenico, his voice low as he whispered, "What did I miss?"

Domenico gave him a quick, almost dismissive glance, and leaned closer to whisper back. "That Luke boy has asked Tiny for a date."

Valentino froze for a split second, his eyes widening slightly as he looked between his younger siblings. Josephine was glaring at the floor, Matteo was glaring at her, and Riccardo was standing like a statue, arms crossed and jaw clenched. But none of them even acknowledged Valentino's presence. The silence was deafening.

Valentino's brow furrowed as he processed the information. Luke Hastings? Asking Josephine out? Huh. He glanced around at his brothers, who were still standing like immovable objects. "Of course he would. You could smell that a mile away." he said quietly, a slight edge of disbelief in his voice.

"Seems like not everyone here has such a good nose as yours," Domenico muttered, a small, almost sarcastic smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

Matteo, his gaze sharp as ever, turned toward Josephine. "Josephine wanted to ask you something, Vito," he said, his voice steady but still carrying an undercurrent of concern.

Josephine, who had been staring at the floor for what felt like an eternity, finally looked up. Her eyes were dark, a mixture of frustration and hurt flashing across her face. "Seems to me like what I want is no priority here," she shot back bitterly, her voice thick with emotion.

Vito looked between his siblings, trying to gauge the situation. "Did something happen at school?" he asked, his voice casual.

"Luke asked Josephine out on a date," Riccardo interjected bluntly, his words cutting through the room like a knife. "And she didn't say no, although she knows the rule you made."

The room went still. It was as if the youngest held their breath, waiting for Vito's reaction. Matteo shot a sideways glance at Josephine, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read her every move. Riccardo's arms remained crossed, his stance defensive as he waited for Vito to speak.

Vito blinked, processing what Riccardo had said. His face remained unreadable, but there was something almost thoughtful in his eyes. "Does he want to take her swimming?" Vito asked.

"What? No!" Riccardo snapped immediately. "The other one! The rule about her not dating until she's forty-five!" He threw his hands up in exasperation, as if the thought of it was absurd.

Vito's lips twitched in what could have been a smirk, but he quickly suppressed it. "I see," he repeated, his tone casual. He glanced at Domenico and Valentino, who were standing off to the side, trying to keep their expressions neutral but failing to hide their amusement. "So, it's really about the rule, huh?"

Riccardo's jaw tightened, but he didn't reply immediately. It was as if Vito's question was a challenge, and he wasn't sure how to answer it without further antagonizing him. Valentino shifted his weight and gave a slight shrug. "Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is." His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of impatience in his words. "Josephine's not a little girl anymore. She's old enough to make her own choices."

Domenico, who had been standing with arms folded, now stood up straighter, his gaze fixed on Riccardo and Matteo. "I agree with Valentino," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Look, I get it, okay? We've all had our share of... protective instincts, but Luke Hastings seems to be a decent kid. Popular, sure, but that doesn't automatically make him a bad guy."

Riccardo's eyes narrowed as he met Vito's gaze. "And you honestly think Luke's going to treat her with the respect she deserves? The guy's got a reputation."

Vito didn't flinch. His expression remained calm, almost too calm for Riccardo's liking. "We're all allowed to grow up and change, Riccardo. Besides, Josephine's not some naive little girl who can't take care of herself." His voice softened slightly as he turned toward her, his gaze holding a mixture of pride and something gentler. "If she's made up her mind, then I think she should be trusted to handle it. She knows what she's doing."

Riccardo opened his mouth to retort, but Vito held up a hand, cutting him off before he could speak.

"And what if he hurts her?" Riccardo demanded nevertheless, his voice low and tight with frustration.

The tension in the room grew thick, but Vito's response came quickly, almost effortlessly. "Then we handle it with grace and dignity, of course." He didn't seem remotely worried. He glanced at Domenico, who gave a casual shrug.

Domenico's eyes flicked back to Riccardo, then to Matteo, his lips curling in a wry smile. "But as far as I know, Tiny didn't even decide yet what she wants to do, so maybe we can all calm down a bit until then, right?" He stepped toward the door, the tension in the room almost palpable as he opened it. "So how about we go out, see how the weather is, and Vito and Josephine here can have a quick chat, yeah? Give her some space to think things through. I'm sure the rest of us could use a breath of fresh air."

Josephine's gaze flicked between her brothers. Her emotions had been running high, and the last thing she needed was more pressure from them, but Domenico's suggestion was the first sign of ease she'd felt in hours. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' towards him.

Vito smiled faintly, glad to see the tension shifting away from confrontation. "Thanks, Domenico," he said quietly, the weight of responsibility resting on his shoulders as the others filed out, leaving him and Josephine alone in the hallway.

As the door clicked shut behind them, Josephines shoulders slumped down. "You know, it's kind of frustrating," she admitted, her voice quieter now that they were alone. "I get that they're trying to protect me, but it feels like they don't trust me at all."

Vito leaned against the doorframe, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, studying her. "I get it," he said, his voice carrying a deeper understanding than she expected. "They want to keep you safe, and yet you're capable of handling things on your own." He paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing. "It's not easy for them to let go of that need to protect you, especially after everything you survived. You're the youngest, their little sister. And it's not easy for anyone in the family to accept that you're growing up. It's hard for me too, sometimes."

Josephine shot him a sideways glance, surprised. "You? You're not trying to tell me what to do."

"I think that there has been enough people telling you what to do and as long as you wouldn't harm yourself or risk your life, I don't see a need."

Josephine blinked, taken aback by Vito's words. For a moment, she just stared at him, as if trying to figure out if he was being serious or if he was just being his usual calm self. "So you're saying you're not going to lecture me?" she asked, a small, skeptical smile tugging at her lips.

Vito's expression remained steady, though there was a hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth. "Not unless you're about to do something reckless. But I don't think you're about to do that." He took a step closer, his tone softer now. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Josephine. I trust you to figure it out. I'll talk with Matteo and Riccardo."

She didn't know why, but something in his words finally broke the dam inside her. All the frustration, the tension, the weight of her brothers' protective expectations... it all started to loosen. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she stepped closer to him, and before either of them could stop it, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. For a moment, there was nothing but the warmth of his arms around her, the familiar scent of his cologne, the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek. "Thank you."

"Anytime.", he replied, hugging her tighter.