Highschool

THIRD PERSON

(@MaddyJones726 (I remembered))

"It can't be that complicated!" Domenico cursed, playing the video again. Josephine sat in front of him, biting her lip. She had already reached this point multiple times herself and could understand his frustration. Domenico shook his head, still staring at the video on his phone as if it might suddenly make more sense. But even the instructions from the girl on the screen didn't seem to help.

"It's just a braid, not the moon landing!" he muttered, pressing play on the video once more. "Why can't we get this right?"

Josephine had to hold back a smile. It was almost funny how much he was getting worked up over such a small thing. "Okay, maybe we're just not cut out for this. I'll just leave them down," she suggested, glancing up at him.

Domenico looked at her with wide eyes. "Really? You're giving up now?"

"Not giving up, just... rethinking it," she replied with a shrug. "It was a stupid idea anyway."

"No, it's not stupid, and no, we're not giving up!" Domenico protested, a sudden spark of determination in his voice. "Come on, let's move to the living room and watch it on the TV. Maybe a bigger screen will help."

Josephine stared at him, slightly incredulous. "Are you seriously suggesting that a bigger screen will make a difference?"

Domenico shot her a grim look. "It's worth a try. Besides, it might help if we see it from a different angle." He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her toward the living room, the dogs trotting right at their heels.

As they entered the living room, the dogs settled on the floor with an audible sigh, as though they too were tired of the constant back-and-forth. Domenico immediately grabbed the remote and flicked the TV on, quickly navigating to the video again. Josephine flopped down on the couch, leaning her head against the armrest.

"Alright, let's see if this miracle of modern technology is the key to our success," she muttered.

Domenico raised an eyebrow. "You'll see. How much time is left?"

She glanced at her watch. "Half an hour till he arrives. Seriously, it's no big deal if we can't get it done."

At that moment, the door opened, and Matteo stepped in. With a broad grin on his face, clearly aware of the situation, he leaned against the doorframe.

"And what exactly are you two doing?" he asked, his smile widening as he took in the sight of them, armed with two brushes and multiple hairbands.

Josephine groaned. "We're trying to braid my hair. But it seems to be a lot harder than we thought."

Matteo took a few steps closer, still amused. "Ah, this is the infamous braid? Looks more like a disaster."

Domenico shot him a pointed look. "We're working on it. Don't make it worse."

Matteo leaned over to get a better look at Josephine's hair, inspecting it with a raised eyebrow. "You know, it's not as bad as you think," he said, half-grinning. "Though, I'm starting to see why you two are struggling. It's more complicated than it looks."

Josephine glanced at him, a bit suspicious. "Oh, so you think you can do it better?"

"Maybe," Matteo replied casually, his grin widening. "I've got a steady hand. How hard can it be, right?"

Domenico rolled his eyes. "You're really going to try?"

"Why not?" Matteo shrugged. "If you're both stuck, might as well give it a shot."

Josephine was about to protest but then thought better of it. "Alright, then. Go ahead, show us your skills."

With a mischievous smile, Matteo sat down next to her, grabbing the brush and inspecting her hair. "Alright, step back and watch a professional at work."

Domenico leaned against the wall, arms crossed, clearly skeptical but trying to hide his amusement. "I'm already intrigued."

As Matteo started working through the strands of her hair, Josephine glanced at Domenico. "You realize if he pulls this off, he'll never let us hear the end of it."

"Let him try," Domenico said with a grin. "It'll be fun to watch."

Matteo worked with surprising focus, his hands moving with practiced precision as he began braiding Josephine's hair. The tension in the room, a mix of skepticism and mild amusement, hung in the air as the braid slowly began to take shape.

Josephine couldn't help but watch him, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't think you had it in you."

Matteo chuckled, not looking up from his task. "You'd be surprised. I'm a man of many talents." After a few more minutes of concentrated effort, Matteo finished the braid. He carefully adjusted the strands and pulled it tight, giving it one final, satisfied tug. "There. All done."

Josephine touched the braid gingerly, feeling the neatness of it. "I can't believe it! It actually worked!"

Domenico's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what? You actually managed it?" He walked over and inspected it from all angles, clearly impressed. "Huh. I've got to admit, I didn't think you had it in you either."

Matteo beamed, clearly enjoying the praise. "Told you I could do it."

"Thank you so much Matteo." She stood up, shaking her head to see if it was really thight enough. "I need to get ready."

She headed up the stairs toward her room, the sounds of her footsteps fading as she left the living room. The moment she left, the rest of the brothers entered the living room. Valentino was at his phone, busy typing some messages to who knows who, while Riccardo was visibly still in a bad mood.

Vito was the first to speak, spotting Matteo with brushes in his hand. "What did we miss?"

Matteo grinned widely. "Oh, just saving the day. Got Josephine's hair braided like a pro." He turned to Domenico, practically gloating. "Am I right?"

Domenico rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You're the braid king now. Let's see if you can handle the rest of the day without bragging about it."

Valentino raised an eyebrow, gazing up from his phone. "Wait, Matteo did her hair? Well, I'm impressed. I thought that was a job for someone else."

Matteo leaned back on the couch, looking smug. "I have many hidden talents. Just wait, there's more to come."

Vito chuckled. "We'll see about that." The sound of Josephine's footsteps from upstairs signaled that she was getting ready. The brothers exchanged knowing glances, and the mood in the room shifted slightly. Vito cleared his throat. "So, the big night is finally here," he said, his voice a little more serious. "Josephine's date with Luke. Remember before she's back down: we will all be supportive, no matter what. Am I clear?"

Valentino looked up from his phone again, his expression turning slightly more thoughtful. "They grow up so fast, don't they?" Riccardo, who'd been lounging in the corner, raised an eyebrow but said nothing. His silence spoke volumes. Valentino glanced at Riccardo, then grinned. "Look at our Rico here. He always said he would leave us once he was 18, and I dread the day he really does. How long ago was your birthday?"

Riccardo's gaze flicked up briefly, meeting Valentino's for just a moment. He shifted in his seat, shrugging nonchalantly, though there was something in his eyes that hinted at a deeper thought. "I can't leave Matteo and Josie behind," he replied, his voice low. "God knows what would happen if they had to spend more time with you."

Valentino put his phone into his pocket and took a few steps closer to his brother. "Care to repeat that?"

Riccardo smirked, not backing down. "You need a hearing aid?"

Valentino's eyes narrowed in mock anger. "Oh, say more and you will need a wheelchair."

Riccardo didn't flinch, only raising an eyebrow. "Even with a wheelchair, I'd still be much faster than you."

Valentino took a step forward, his grin widening. "Is that so? You wanna test that theory?"

Riccardo tilted his head, sizing Valentino up. "I don't need to test anything, I already know the outcome."

Valentino grabbed Riccardo's shirt just as they heard a cough from behind. All five brothers turned around to see their little sister, who didn't look so little anymore. Josephine stood there, her hand lightly resting on Ares, who now stood by her side. Her posture was straight, exuding a quiet confidence she didn't feel. She was wearing a simple yet elegant jumpsuit, the color a soft, muted lavender that complemented her skin tone perfectly. Her hair, of course, was the focal point—it was braided neatly, except for a few stray strands falling into her face, and her makeup made her eyes look mesmerizing. She looked so different, no longer that underweigthed short haired girl. She grew up, literally as figuratively. Speechless, the five brothers stared at her. When had this happened?

Uncertain, she looked at each of them. "How do I look?"

Vito cleared his throat. "You look enchanting."

"Are you sure?" She looked down at herself. "Isn't this a bit too tight?"

Vito understood why it was hard for her to accept compliments, and he quickly shot a sharp glance at his brothers, signaling them to keep quiet. Grimacing, Riccardo closed his mouth again, clearly irritated.

"You look perfect," Vito said more firmly, his voice softer now, but still carrying that unmistakable protectiveness.

Josephine bit her lip, glancing between all of them. "Really?" She didn't quite believe it, even though they were her brothers and would rarely lie to her. "It's just... it's not... inviting?"

A flicker of frustration sparked in Domenico's eyes, but he bit his tongue, the words lingering unspoken. The priest was already dead, and there was no point in burying the dead again. He could already tell that she was struggling with her insecurities, and he didn't want to add to it.

Vito, ever the calm and collected one, smiled softly. "No, but if you feel more comfortable in something else, then wear that. It would be a shame if you spent the whole evening feeling uncomfortable and couldn't enjoy it properly."

Josephine hesitated for a moment, her fingers still gripping the fabric of the jumpsuit, but then she nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "You're right," she said quietly, before turning toward the stairs. "I'll change." Ares, who had been quietly sitting by her side, followed her with his tail wagging slightly as she ascended to her room.

For a moment, the house was silent. The brothers exchanged glances, none of them speaking, as though each was waiting for the others to say something. Valentino, his face serious for the first time in a long while, was the first to speak. "I'll be honest," he said, his voice quiet but heavy. "We clearly dodged a bullet here."

"Fuck," Riccardo cursed, staring up at the ceiling in frustration. "Since when did she get this pretty?" The words hung in the air like a weight, and for a brief second, there was an uneasy quiet in the room. The brothers, usually quick to joke or mock each other, seemed caught off guard by the sheer force of Riccardo's admission. They weren't used to seeing Josephine as anything other than their little sister—the girl who had always been the source of their protective instincts.

Matteo, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable, shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I'm not sure what's happening here," he muttered. "I mean, we've always known she'd grow up... but this?" He let out a low sigh, running a hand through his hair. "It's like she's... a different person now. But I guess that's what happens when you're not looking."

Valentino glanced at Domenico and then at Riccardo, a half-grin playing at the corner of his mouth. "She's not just pretty. She's... grown up." His tone was half-amused, half-wistful. "And we've been blind to it."

"We should've say no to that boy." Domenico looked at his brother as if everything was now his fault. Then he heard a car arriving. "I'll let him in," Domenico finally said, his voice a little tight, but he didn't wait for another response. He moved toward the door, trying to shake off the mounting tension.

As Domenico opened it, Luke stood on the other side with a grin, though there was a flicker of wariness in his eyes as he met Domenico's stare. He wasn't exactly oblivious to the fact that the brothers weren't exactly thrilled with his presence, but he had been expecting it. The only thing was, it didn't make it easier to face them. "Hello Mr. Marini," Luke greeted, his voice casual, but his posture seemed slightly more guarded than usual, holding a plant in his hand. "How's it going?"

Domenico didn't immediately respond. His eyes flicked to the car parked outside, the glossy black exterior gleaming in the evening light. "You driving a different car tonight?" Domenico asked, his tone low, but there was a steeliness in his voice that couldn't be ignored.

Luke glanced over his shoulder briefly at the car, and then back at Domenico. "Uh, yeah, its from mum's boyfriend. I read the secruity guidlines you send and this one should meet your expectations or at least get close to it."

Domenico's eyes narrowed slightly. "Right." His voice was flat, as though he didn't entirely believe Luke's explanation. "You still better be careful," Domenico added, his tone turning even more serious. "If you mess this up, you'll have to answer to me."

Luke nodded quickly, clearly trying to stay calm under the intensity of Domenico's stare. "Got it Sir."

Domenico didn't move aside to let Luke in immediately. He paused for a moment, sizing him up, and for a brief moment, there was an unspoken challenge between them. "Well, good luck," Domenico finally said, stepping aside. "You're gonna need it."

Luke, looking both relieved and a little unnerved, walked past Domenico into the house. His hands were a bit too clenched in his pockets, and there was a quick glance at the other brothers in the living room. The moment their eyes met, Luke swallowed and straightened his back, suddenly aware of the collective attention on him. The brothers' gazes were a mixture of silent judgment and protective wariness, and for the first time, Luke felt the weight of that gaze more acutely than ever.

He took a deep breath, forcing a more confident smile onto his face, though the tension in the room still hung thick. "Hello, Valentino, Mr. Marini, Riccardo, Matteo," he said, nodding to each in turn. When his eyes landed on Riccardo, his expression tightened, and he added, "Greetings from Eve, Matteo."

Matteo raised an eyebrow, clearly confused for a moment, before a smirk slowly tugged at the corner of his lips. "Oh, please send her my regards."

Luke's smile stayed cool, but his voice sharpened just a touch. "Nope, not doing that. I only said them because she wanted me to." His eyes locked with Matteo's, the unspoken message clear: he wasn't about to entertain any unnecessary back-and-forth between him and Riccardo, or anyone else.

Matteo's smirk faltered for a brief moment, but then he just shrugged, leaning back against the wall with a quiet chuckle. "Aren't you the one who's going out with my sister?"

Luke's jaw tightened slightly, but he kept his expression steady. His gaze didn't waver from Matteo's, the unspoken challenge hanging in the air. "Yeah, I am," he said, the words measured, calm, but still carrying an edge. "And that's why you surely understand why I'm not doing that."

Matteo held his stare for a moment, something flickering in his eyes, but he didn't respond right away. Instead, he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, as if silently acknowledging the line Luke was drawing. Valentino, who had been watching the exchange with a smirk, glanced over at Vito and gave him a thumbs-up, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Vito raised an eyebrow at his brother's theatrics but didn't comment, instead leaning back in his chair with a quiet smile, as though this was just another one of their ongoing family dynamics playing out in real time.

Luke, sensing the growing tension, shifted his weight slightly, his eyes flicking briefly to Valentino before turning back to Matteo. "Look, I'm not here to cause trouble," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I'm just here to take—woah." He suddenly froze as Josephine appeared at the top of the stairs, her figure framed by the soft, dim light from above. She looked magnificent—the blue sweater underlined her eyes in a way that made them seem to sparkle, the intricate braid of her hair catching the light just enough to make it look almost ethereal. For a moment, Luke forgot what he was going to say. The sight of her caught him completely off guard, and he couldn't help but stare. His breath caught in his throat.

"God, our children will be so beautiful," Luke said out loud before he even realized what he'd said.

The words hung in the air like a confession, awkward and unplanned. The room fell silent. No one knew what to say. Josephine's footsteps faltered for a brief second. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, her expression a mixture of surprise and something else—was it confusion? The flush on her cheeks deepened as she blinked, trying to process the unexpected comment. Her eyes flicked to the brothers, all of whom were now staring at Luke with varying degrees of disbelief. Luke blinked, realizing exactly what he'd just blurted out. "Probably shouldn't have said that out loud," he muttered to himself, his face reddening as the words hung heavily in the air.

Valentino was the first to break the silence, raising an eyebrow and leaning casually against the wall, clearly amused. "Well, that was bold," he remarked with a smirk, his tone laced with playful sarcasm. "A little forward, don't you think?"

Luke, now flustered and feeling the weight of the brothers' gaze, let out a breath and looked between Josephine and the group. His usual confidence had deflated a bit, but he forced himself to smile. "Uh, yeah... definitely not what I meant to say," he muttered, his face burning. His voice softened further as he scrambled to recover, the awkwardness thick in the air. "I mean... I meant our children, but—uh, far, far, far in the future. Like, way in the future. Just... uh... not anytime soon." God, he was digging himself a grave here. Akwardly, he handed her the plant when she reached him. "Its an aster, your birth flower. The guy in the store said, you should plant them outside next spring."

"Thank you." She smiled, and for a brief moment, Luke forgot where he was. Her smile, warm and genuine, sent a wave of relief over him, washing away the awkwardness of his earlier blunder. He felt himself relax, just a little, but that didn't stop the flush from lingering on his cheeks. For that split second, the tension in the room seemed to dissipate, and the noise of his racing thoughts faded. All that mattered was her—her smile, her presence—and suddenly, everything else felt insignificant.

"You're welcome," he said quietly, his voice softer than before, a little more genuine now. He glanced down at the aster in her hands, almost as if seeing it for the first time. "I hope it blooms... and reminds you of your special day."

Josephine's eyes sparkled a bit, though there was still a hint of amusement there. "It will, I'm sure," she replied. "Shall we go?"

"Yes, please!" Luke replied a bit too eagerly, as though her question had been exactly what he needed to hear. He cleared his throat, quickly trying to regain some composure, but he couldn't hide the relief in his voice.

Josephine gave him a knowing look, her lips twitching upward in a smile. She paused for just a moment before both of them said their goodbyes to the rest, the soft click of her heels on the floor echoing as she walked. Luke followed her, feeling an unfamiliar sense of calm settle over him as he caught up. As they stepped outside, the evening air hit him, cool and fresh, and Luke took a deep breath, as if trying to shake off the tension from the house. He glanced at Josephine as she slid into the passenger seat, her presence calming in a way he hadn't expected.

"You have no idea how nervous I was," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "I even waited twenty minutes in front of the gates just to be punctual."

Josephine couldn't help but smile at that, her eyes twinkling with amusement, while she suddendly felt much calmer herself. "You're serious?" she teased lightly. "Twenty minutes?"

Luke laughed, a little embarrassed, but the smile on his face was genuine. "Yeah, well... I didn't want to screw this up. And I thought if I showed up early, I could maybe get my nerves under control." He shot her a sideways glance, his smile softening. "Turns out, it didn't really help. Do you think its a good sign that nobody said anything?"

She laughed.

Back at the house, there hadn't been any laughter. None of them even knew what to say and even Riccardo and Matteo couldn't deny any longer that Luke was serious about her.

"Well, that was something," Valentino said after a long pause, trying to break the silence, but his words had little weight to them. He glanced at Riccardo and Matteo, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "You two realize what that means, right?"

Riccardo scoffed, but there was no bite behind it. "What, that he's actually serious about her? Yeah, I noticed. You think I didn't?"

Matteo rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze still hard as he stared at the door Luke had just walked through. "You could see it in the way he looked at her. I don't know what's worse—the fact that he's got it bad for her, or the fact that we can't do a damn thing about it."

Valentino glanced up from his phone, the screen lighting up his face. "Anyway, I need to head out," he said, his tone casual but with a slight urgency. "Sloan's gonna kill me if we miss the movie."

"Got a date?" Matteo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Valentino let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "She'd take my balls off if I even called it a 'date.' No, we're just going to watch the new Statham movie in Hilsbourg."

"Hilsbourg?" Matteo frowned. "Isn't that—"

"—Two miles from Newfolk where Josie is? Yeah. They've got amazing popcorn," Valentino interrupted with a smirk.

-end of A Date-