“Yes. Definitely backroads. Too late to change course now.” I haven’t even turned off our private road yet and could totally change course.
“But I have to pee, and backroads are bumpy!” Lil whines.
“Always pee before you flee!” I grin and turn left instead of right at the end of the road and gun it.
“Oh fuck you, Ari,” Lil says as we fly down the road. This one’s not bumpy, it’s just empty. The next one, that bitch will make your head hit the ceiling and your bladder hit the floor. I slow down as we get to it because I don’t want a broken ass car or more head trauma. We pull into the parking lot at the same time as Amanda, but our drive was more fun.
As we’re walking out of Lil’s first class, Melissa is in front of us, and she’s swinging her hips in an exaggerated motion. Lil and I look at each other like, ‘What the fuck is this?’ when she stops in front of Luca. He’s looking past her at me.
Luca and I have been dancing around this thing between us. Sure, we’ve kissed a couple of times. But he’s not mine. I mean, it feels like he’s mine. But we haven’t said that shit out loud, so it’s not like I have any actual claim on him. It still makes me want to hurt anyone who looks at him the way Melissa’s been looking at him since he showed up.
“Hey, handsome. We should hang out sometime.” She reaches out and places her hand on his chest. She’s never talked to him or touched him before. My eyes narrow in on her hand. I’d like tochop it off at the fucking wrist.Fuck. Hello, red flag. Might as well just piss all around him, Ariana.
He drops his gaze to her fingers on his shirt, then glares at her. “Don’t fucking touch me.” She removes her hand, and her smile falters as we stop next to Luca.
“Did you seriously just touch my cousin?” Lil looks wide-eyed at her.
Melissa flinches, then tries to regain her composure. “Ew, a DeVille? Never mind.” She turns and rushes away as fast as she can without running.
Luca frowns deeply. “Let’s get the fuck out of here. I need to burn this shirt and take a shower.”
Lil laughs. I try to calm my murderous rage.
“You’re a lot more fun than you were when you first got here, Luca,” Lil tells him.
He shrugs. “I blame you two.”
Every day that passes is a day I fall for Luca even more. It’s also another day I enjoy driving him a little nuts. It’s not just fun, it also seems like it helps break open that shell of his.
After dinner on Wednesday, Lil and Luca are fighting over what to watch when I have an idea. “Move the coffee table, we’re playing Beat Saber!”
“Yes!” Lil jumps up and starts dragging the coffee table off to the side of the room.
“What the fuck is Beat Saber, and why are you playing it?” Luca asks.
“Beat Saber is like having virtual lightsabers you move in timeto music,” Lil answers, huffing and puffing. To be fair, the table is a beast. “And you’re playing, too.”
“I don’t think so.” He remains sitting on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest.
“You think wrong.” I grin at him. “I’m first!”
I put the VR headset on and pick up the controllers. I know it looks ridiculous, but it’s fun as hell. I scroll through and choose a song, then start swinging the sabers as colorful squares come at me. It isn’t long before Luca’s laughing along with Lil and then with me as we watch Lil. After a few rounds, he agrees to take a turn. He’s a lot better than he should be since he’s never played before, but he’s also been a fighter for at least a couple of years. I’m still a little bit convinced he’s secretly a ninja. We play until Lil and I can’t anymore because all that arm swinging is tiring. Luca has way more stamina due to the fact that he actually fucking works out.
“Lightweights.” Luca laughs as he starts up a racing game.
“Hey, we should do something to celebrate after my last class tomorrow,” Lil says over dinner Thursday night.
“Like what?” I ask.
“Food,” she answers with a shrug.
Luca’s eyes light up. “Burgers and fries from Gordie’s?”
“Ooohhh, yes!” I bounce in my chair and clap my hands.
“Yeah?” Luca asks, almost as if he’s afraid I’m fucking with him.
“Hell yeah!” Lil says.
