Chapter 27 #7
I smirk, stirring the sauce. "Glad to know I'm giving post-brawl vibes." He points at his own cheek. "Think you could give me one just like it? Small. Strategic. Just enough to make people scared of me, you know?"
I turn to him fully. "Jin," I say, completely serious, "it would be my honor to be the one who punches you."
He beams. "I can handle it. I'm tough." I raise an eyebrow. "You almost cried when I beat you at basketball, idiot."
"That was different."
"Was it?"
"That was betrayal," he argues. "You humiliated me."
"You missed a lay-up and threw yourself on the ground."
"I was one month younger back then."
"Bitch, you literally cried."
"Almost. There's a difference."
I'm chopping peppers, then he screams.
"YOU HAVE A CAT?!" I glance over my shoulder and see him holding Lulu at arm's length. I raise an eyebrow. "No, I just enjoy letting strays walk into my house and claim my furniture. Keeps me humble."
He squints at Lulu, then cautiously sets her down on his lap. She immediately curls into a purring ball of royalty. "Oh my god. A fluffy ball of perfection." His voice drops into full awe. "I brought a stray dog home once, but dad made me return it. I'm hoping Daisy adopts him for her new place."
I turn to say something when I catch sight of Lorenzo and Rava on the other side of the kitchen, fully engaged in a chaotic wrestling match over Rava's phone. "Give it back, you ass!"
"No. I'm talking with my baby."
"Lorenzo, I'm warning you—"
Suddenly Daisy walks in, and the entire energy in the room shifts.
Lorenzo freezes. He blinks once, and then without a single ounce of shame, drops the phone back into Rava's hand and throws himself dramatically into Daisy's arms like a man returning from war.
"There she is. My terrifying girlfriend. The reason I breathe."
"You're such a freak," she mutters, trying not to smile as she gently shoves him off.
I'm checking the pasta when I hear soft footsteps behind me. "Do you want help, Gio?" Rava's mom appears by my side, rolling up the sleeves of her linen blouse. "You do the pasta, I'll do the salad and the—"
I shake my head immediately. "No, no, I got it. You relax for once. Take the day off from being Kitchen Commander."
She chuckles. "Well, cooking is the only damn thing I do anymore. Cook for these ungrateful little creatures." She glances toward the living room like she is expecting them to hear. "Can't even rinse a dish, let alone say thank you!"
I laugh. I've heard this exact speech too many times to count.
"Speaking of which…," she turns to me. "How's your mom, sweetheart?" I turn down the heat and nod. "She's doing a lot better. Honestly. With a bit of care, I think she might bounce back fully."
I mean it. Saying it out loud makes it feel even more possible. She gives me a warm smile and gently pats my back. "That's good. That's really good, Gio." Then she turns away, wiping her hands on a towel. "I'm gonna go set the table before these animals decide the floor is good enough."
I smirk. "You're raising legends, honestly." Then I go back to the stove.
We start gathering around the table, one by one. I'm still by the counter, holding way too many plates in one arm. Rava comes up beside me quietly and he takes half the stack from my hands before I drop them all.
"Thanks," I mutter, bumping my shoulder against his. He just nods, and I lean in and press a soft kiss to his cheek without even thinking. That is it. That is all it took.
"MOM! RAVA'S MAKING OUT!" Jin's voice shatters the moment like a goddamn siren. Rava, already red in the face, snaps back.
"IT WAS JUST A KISS ON THE CHEEK YOU STUPID DELAYED GREMLIN CHILD."
"Wow," Lorenzo says, completely unfazed. "I think you guys are convincing me I actually want siblings." Daisy just reaches over and wraps an arm around his shoulders, gently patting his head like he is a golden retriever.
Lorenzo doesn't fight it. I set the plates down on the table and look around. We all finally sit. Of course, Lorenzo has to open his mouth first. "So Gio's a chef now?" he says, grinning. "Didn't know prison cafeterias were hiring."
Daisy immediately side-eyes him. "Shut up and take notes instead." I chuckle, but my eyes drift toward Rava, who looks at his mom. "Has dad really not come home since yesterday?" he asks softly.
His mom gives a half-shrug, not looking up from her plate. "No…I assume he's staying at a friend's. Couldn't stand the sight of us after what happened, I guess."
I watch Rava's expression shift. Barely there, but I see it. The guilt. The way he looks like he's trying to push something heavy away from behind his eyes.
That's when I jump in. "Okay," I clap my hands once. "Rava has a huge announcement to make, and I promise you're not ready for it." Rava looks at me, startled. "Gio—"
"No no no. No backing out." I turn to the rest. "Guess. Go."
Lorenzo leans over, clamping a hand on Rava's shoulder. "You finally realized Gio's insufferable? Took you long enough."
"What? No!" Rava says, immediately offended.
Jin squints across the table. "Did Gio get you pregnant?" "Shut the fuck up," Rava snaps, and his mom lightly smacks Jin's arm with her napkin. Daisy leans in next. "Wait—I know. You're staying in Italy!"
The table falls silent. Damn.
Okay, maybe not the best guess.
I jump in again. "No, it's none of that. Yesterday, he got a call. Rava tell them."
He hesitates. His eyes meet mine. I know that look.
The what if this changes everything look.
But I just give him a tiny nod. So he takes a breath, and starts. "I got a call from my Master's program," he says.
"In Canada. They're offering me a full scholarship. All of it. Tuition, housing, everything."
Chaos. "SWEET BABY JESUS, I KNEW YOU WERE A BEAUTIFUL GENIUS!" Lorenzo shouts, pounding the table.
Daisy gasps. "Oh my god, Rava!! That's amazing! Wait—does that mean we'll have a reason to visit Canada again? I hope so. I need to shop there."
His mom reaches across and squeezes his hand with both of hers. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. I mean it. You deserve this. You worked so hard."
He just smiles. A little shy. A little overwhelmed. I look at him, at that quiet joy in his eyes. My heart does that thing again.
That clench that's not quite pain but way too big to be just happiness.
Because that's all I ever wanted. For him to be seen.
To be celebrated. To finally feel like he matters.
Like he earned a place in the world and the world is finally giving it to him.
God, he looks so damn beautiful when he smiles like that.
"How long is the program?" Daisy asks, already scooting closer, about to start taking notes. "Two years," Rava says quietly, fingers fidgeting with the edge of his napkin. Lorenzo opens his mouth too fast. "So that means you guys will br—"
Before he can finish the sentence, Daisy snatches a piece of bread and shoves it straight into his mouth.
"Eat," she orders sweetly. "This is amazing. Shut up and eat."
Lorenzo mumbles something through the carbs, shooting her a betrayed look. I just watch her. And I smile.
Thank you, Daisy.
There is this unspoken thing between us lately, like she can read the things I can't say out loud. That I am scared. That I don't want anyone planting doubts in Rava's head.
That I need this moment to stay golden for just a little longer. She gets it. Rava looks at me. And I can tell, he knows exactly what has just happened too.
He gives me the softest smile. And it grounds me.
Like… maybe we still have time. Maybe two years don't have to mean the end. Maybe this isn't the beginning of the goodbye, maybe it is just the start of us figuring out how far we'd go to stay together.
And damn if that isn't the most terrifying, beautiful thing I've ever felt. "Someone say something about the food," I finally say, pretending to be annoyed. "Don't let the dramatic announcements overshadow the fact that I slaved over a stove for this."
Lorenzo looks up at me with the most ridiculous fake serious face I've ever seen. "You sound like my mom," he says.
"But I gotta admit, I love your food, daddy Gio." Jin bursts out laughing, nearly spitting out his water. "Daddy Gio?!"
Lorenzo slams a hand on the table. "Yes. Guys. We are NOT letting this man's achievement go uncelebrated. Tonight, we're getting absolutely fucked up. There's an open beach party down by the shore. We're going. We're dancing. We're honoring the genius that lives among us."
Jin opens his mouth immediately. "Can I come t—"
"No," Daisy cuts in, already pointing a stern finger at him. "You can go drink some milk. You're sixteen. You're not getting drunk. Mom, tell him something—"
"No need," Jin says, cutting her off with a huff.
"I don't wanna hang out with you guys anyway.
You're old. You'll embarrass me. I'm going out with my own friends.
And if I do see you guys there, Rava's paying the price.
Again. I'm casually stealing his glasses and watching him squint like a grandpa. "
Rava whips his head toward him.
"Say that again and I'll donate every single one of your stupid ugly Funko Pops or whatever they're called to charity, you little shit."
Jin gasps. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
Daisy just shakes her head like a disappointed mom. "For the love of god," Rava's mom groans, raising her hands. "You two are acting like you're five. Clearly, I stopped grounding you way too early."
"I'm actually excited now," Daisy grins.
"This is gonna be so fun." Lorenzo is leaned back in his chair.
One hand waving me over like I'm his personal waiter.
"All right, chef," he says. "Food was amazing.
Now be a good boy and bring us some watermelon or something, okay? Chop-chop, come on, look alive."
I blink at him. "Oh you want watermelon now? Get your lazy ass up and fetch it yourself before I shove the whole thing where the sun doesn't shine."
He grins. "Oh, kinky. I like it."