You don’t belong in public.
You deserve to be here, in the dark, in the night, hiding under a blanket that hates being so close to your jagged skin.
Chapter 14
Tilly
“Hello? Anyone home?” Matt’s voice echoes through the apartment.
I squeal and practically launch myself out of bed, my book flying somewhere onto the floor. I have been reading the whole day, mostly out of boredom, partly because I’m trying not to think too much.
They are back.
My feet slap against the wooden floor as I sprint to the living room, my heart racing faster than it has in weeks.
I turn the corner, and there they are — Matt and Luca, bags in hand.
Yana and Zara are already there, both mid-hug, laughing and talking over each other like they have been apart for years.
I look at the boy I swear I don’t have feelings for, the same boy who made me happier than I was in months without even needing to see me, and the same boy whom I have been waiting to see for three weeks.
I throw myself at him, throwing my arms over his shoulders.
He catches me with no problem, his arms wrapping around me, warm and solid and familiar.
“I’ll take that as an ‘I missed you,’” he says into my neck.
I tighten my arms. “You understand me so well, Dreamer boy.”
“We all missed you,” Yana says from behind me, laughter in her voice.
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Matt says, hand on his heart.
“I was talking to Luca,” Yana side eyes him, and I laugh at the view.
He hugs her either way, and she laughs with me.
I turn back to Luca, grinning. “So… where’s my ranch?”
“Calm down, I just got here.” He gives me a look that makes my stomach do backflips. “Don’t you want to, I don’t know, spend time with me first?”
“Sure,” I say sweetly. “While eating pasta with ranch and cheese. Also, the ranch will go bad if we don’t use it.”
I regret the words immediately.
“I’m sorry?”
Right. I’ve just said that to an Italian.
“I meant… on a sandwich,” I blurt out, my hands flying to my mouth as if I haven’t already messed up.
“Yeah,” he says slowly, like his soul just left his body.
“Don’t be offended,” Yana cuts in, betraying me. “She eats ranch with pickles, salt, and vinegar chips, ketchup, and vegetables, basically everything.”
Luca just stares at me. “You need saving. Culinary saving.”
“Hey, at least I have taste,” I shoot back. “You’re just bitter because your entire culture cries at the sight of a condiment.”
