I step back.
"Damn, Rav—"
"Don’t ever fucking say my name again," I say to Elio. My heart is still thudding like I ran five blocks. It feels like I’ve been holding something in my ribs since I was a kid and it finally cracked out of me. They both turn to Gio, silently begging for backup.
Gio just raises his eyebrows and throws up his hands. "Don’t look at me. You heard the man."
Good call, Fontana, because if you still backed them after everything, I swear I’d lose every ounce of hope I have for you.
I shift, ready to walk away.
He follows, an arm draped casually over my shoulders like we’re best friends. I tense on instinct. Then he leans in.
"Damn. That shit kinda turned me on."
What the fuck.
I turn to look at him, wide-eyed, not sure whether I misheard or my brain just can’t compute what he said. My mouth opens but nothing comes out. Nothing intelligible.
Gio grins. "Relax," he says, like I’m the insane one. "Don’t look at me like I just said I’m gonna throw you down and fuck the lights outta you right here."
Holy mother of God. These jokes need to be banned, because the last thing I need is to picture me and Gio having sex.
He laughs softly, looking straight into my eyes like he can see my thoughts, then tilts his head.
"Cute."
I hate that word in his mouth. Or maybe I don’t. I don’t know. I’m not sure of anything at that point.
Someone calls out from behind us.
"Yo, Gio, you in for poker?"
Oh. Hold on. This might actually be my shot to not look like the awkward extra chair in the room.
Poker is literally the one thing I have in common with these people, the one thing they can’t laugh at me for. I know the game. I’m good at it. I might even be better than half of them.
"Yeah," he calls back, still looking at me. "Count me in." Then he pulls away. "Catch you later, unless you wanna sit next to me. Watch and learn."
"I want to play."
He pauses and turns. "You know what poker is, or are you just high on your own ego right now?"
Poor guy. I meet his eyes. "I know exactly what it is."
He stares at me. "…Shit," he mutters. "Okay then."
And just like that, I’m in.
23) Watch Your Mouth
Rava
I stand near the table, trying not to look like I’m analyzing every molecule of air, when a guy sits down next to me.
He looks over and smiles. "You ever played before?" he asks.
"Poker?"
