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.”
He looks personally attacked. “My nonna would faint if she heard you say that.”
“Tell your nonna I say hi,” I smile innocently.
“Tell her yourself when she haunts you,” he says, completely serious.
I burst out laughing.
Matt plops down on the couch. “Well, a little birdie told me you guys won,” he says, clearly changing the subject before Luca decides to exile me from Italy altogether.
“Oh my God, yes!” Yana lights up instantly, eyes sparkling.
“It was insane. In the last round, Tilly dove for the ball, and Zara spiked it so hard it echoed. The crowd went silent, and time slowed for a second, then suddenly everyone went wild. I swear I could hear my heart beating louder than the cheers.”
As she describes the play, her hands flail around like she’s reliving the moment. Matt leans back, laughing at the funny view.
Luca listens quietly, nodding along, eyes flicking toward me.
I sit beside him, curling my legs up on the sofa, adding in some details that Yana skips.
The laughter fills the room like sunlight.
It feels like breathing again after holding my breath for too long.
I didn’t even realize how much I’ve missed this.
The apartment are my people.
My whole heart.
I look at Luca and smile.
“Ok, stop staring at us like we’re a cheesy sitcom reunion,” Yana says, tossing a pillow at me.
“Sorry,” I laugh as it hits me in the face. “Just missed my weird little family.”
“Weird?” Matt gasps. “I’m perfectly normal.”
“That’s literally the biggest lie I’ve ever heard,” Zara says dryly.
“Wait, guys, I just remembered.” Yana jumps up and disappears into the kitchen for a second.
When she comes back, she has a massive tub of ice cream in her hand. “I bought ice cream! Cookies and cream, strawberry cheesecake, mint choc chip, and vanilla bean.” She reads from each tub.
“Yes!” Matt says instantly, already halfway off the couch. “I needed this. I had no cheat days, and it was torture!”
“Yeah, I agree with the guy.” Luca grunts. “I’ll go for the spoons.
When he gets back, he hands one to each of us, and we dig into the tubs at the same time.
Matt grabs the remote and starts scrolling through our Netflix.
Once we agree on a show, we lie back, and Matt presses play.
I look at Luca and lock my eyes on his when I realize he was already looking at me.
“I really missed you, T,” he whispers.
“I really missed you, too,” I whisper back, then wrap my arms around his torso.
He freezes for a second before laughing under his breath and hugging me back. His hoodie smells like laundry detergent and him.
“You know, winning was great, but I prefer winning when all of us play,” I tell him, my voice muffled against his hoodie.
I know I said I love international games, but international games with Matt and Luca are better.
God forbid a girl likes to change her mind.
“How many other excuses will you find to bring up your win?” He teases.
I look up at him. “Millions.”
“Mhh,” He nods, grinning. “That’s what I thought.”
“Guys, focus on the movie!” Matt gives us a disappointed look.
I look at Yana, who is sitting next to Matt on the other side of the sofa, and at Zara, who is next to her, and they give me a knowing look.
I shake my head and mouth no.
They nod.
Before I mouth anything else, a spoonful of ice cream flies through the air — splattering against the wall.
“Zara!” Yana yells.
“He started it!” Zara points at Matt, who is doubled over laughing.
Matt throws some back at Zara, and it gets on Yana.
“Matt!” she wipes the pink off her hair, trying and failing to stay serious.
Luca and I are no better. I flick a bit of vanilla on his hoodie and instantly regret it.
He gives me that slow, dangerous grin. “Oh, you’re dead.”
“Luca, no—”
Cold mint choc chip lands on my cheek.
I squeal, wiping it off with my sleeve, both of us laughing.
When someone gets on the TV, we all seem to simultaneously remember that we were watching a show, and Zara gets up, laughing.
“Ok, ok, we need to clean this up.”
Matt boos.
I look around. The kitchen looks like a dessert war zone.
Matt is trying to lick ice cream off his arm. Yana is mumbling about needing new friends, and Zara is still doubled over laughing and trying to wipe the ice cream off the wall.
I’m sitting on the floor trying to get up and falling back down from my laughter.
Luca is kneeling next to me, trying to clean the ripped, empty tubs, but also failing.
“What even happened?” I ask Zara.
“He tried to steal my ice cream,” she points at Matt.
“You are so childish,” Luca manages to get up and gives Matt a look.
Eventually, after a good hour, we all collapsed on the couch, changed, and washed.
Zara and Yana end up sharing a blanket, and Luca and I share another one.
I start giggling.
We are so weird .
The kitchen is still a mess, but the living room is mostly clean, and we have the leftover ice cream in bowls on the table.
Luca’s a rm rests casually along the back of the couch, not close enough to touch my back, but close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off it.
I sigh and rest my head on his shoulder.
The movie keeps playing, but I can barely keep my eyes open.
Yana falls asleep straight away.
Zara is making sarcastic commentary.
I glare at Luca when he steals my spoon.
This is a blessing.