6 | Breaking the News
FIORELLA
I’m still buzzing when I step into the apartment—that sharp, fizzy kind of adrenaline that’s made up of thrill and dread. The lights are low, the air smells like detergent and jasmine tea. Lila’s on the couch folding laundry, the hum of the dryer still running somewhere in the background.
I drop down beside her, sprawled across the cushions, and she dumps a pile of towels straight onto my lap.
“Make yourself useful, lazy bones.”
The heat seeps through my jeans, grounding me just enough to keep from shaking. I shove the pile off me, grab one, fold it just to keep my hands busy. Then I take a deep breath. “I’m moving out.”
Lila tosses another towel at me without looking up. “You made twelve grand because of me, Ella. Don’t pretend you’re still mad.”
I still my hands, fingers pressed into the soft cotton. I meet her gaze, steady and calm. “I’m not joking.”
That earns her full attention. Her mouth opens, then shuts again, like her brain can’t compute it. “That’s not funny, El.”
I shake my head. “It’s not. I swear it’s got nothing to do with you guys. I just… got an offer. One I can’t refuse.”
Her brows pull together. “Alright, Don Vito. You’re starting to scare me.”
“I know it’s sudden,” I murmur, folding another towel, lining the edges up perfectly to avoid looking at her. “It all happened today.”
She shifts closer, moving the pile out of the way. “Is it a work thing?”
I nod too fast. “Yeah. Kind of a big gig. More like a partnership, really. It opens a lot of doors. I’d be stupid to turn it down.”
Lila’s still watching me, that slow, searching kind of stare that makes it hard to breathe.
“And you’re moving for it? Is it far away?”
“No. Still in the city. I’ll be around all the time, when I’m not working.”
“So you’ll stop working at the restaurant?”
My breath catches. “Uh… maybe. Depends. I’ll have to check the contract.”
Her eyes narrow. “And it’s a modeling thing?”
I shift again, picking at a loose thread on the towel. “Sort of. It branches out—multiple areas, really.”
She folds another towel, her movements painfully stiff. “And when would you be moving?”
“Tomorrow.”
Her head snaps up. “Tomorrow?!”
“I’ll still pay rent,” I rush out, pulse roaring in my ears. “I wouldn’t leave you guys with extra bills. But maybe… it’s smart to start looking for someone new.”
“Ella…” She lays her hand on my knee, eyes full of that quiet hurt that makes my stomach clench like a fist. “If this is about something I did—”
“God, no.” I pull her into a hug, desperate to mend things. “I’d stay if I could. I promise I would. It’s just—”
She leans back, searching my face. “Are you in trouble? Does this have anything to do with Luca?”
I shake my head. “Luca’s fine. I told you, he’s staying with my parents until he gets back on his feet.”
Her stare sharpens. She’s not buying it. “And who did you say this partnership was with?”
“I didn’t.”
“Exactly.”
“Lila, I’m fine.” I force the words out, plastering on a reassuring smile. “I went to see the place I’ll be living at today—it’s beautiful. I’ve got my own room, there’s a gym, a pool, an actual chef. It’s… my dream life.” The last words taste bitter on my tongue.
Her voice softens, almost pitying. “What brand hires models to live on-site? What are you moving into, the Playboy mansion?”
I choke on a laugh. “Didn’t that guy die? Does that place even exist anymore?”
“You’re dodging my questions,” she says, squeezing my knee again.
“It’s private,” I murmur, folding the last towel. “I signed a clause.”
A door opens down the hall. Mia pads in, hair wrapped in a towel, a mug of tea in her hand. “Why are you guys whispering like someone died?”
Lila looks at me, then at her. “She’s moving out.”
Mia freezes mid-step. “What?”
“I’m not joking,” Lila says, like she still doesn’t believe it herself.
Mia’s face flickers—confusion, disbelief, then irritation. “What the hell do you mean you’re moving out? Did something happen?”
“No,” I blurt. “It’s not—it’s not like that.”
“Then what is it like?” she snaps, crossing her arms. “Are you in trouble?”
My jaw tightens and my hands ball into fists.
“That’s what I thought,” Lila mutters, glaring at me.
“Seriously, El,” Mia presses, eyes sharp. “You’re pale as hell. What’s going on?”
“Nothing!” My voice cracks. “God, you guys act like I’m being abducted or something.”
“Are you?”
“Mia!” My eyes flick between them—both of their faces tense, worried. My chest tightens. “I’m not—” I rake a hand through my hair. “Fine. It’s not a modeling job.”
Lila stills. “Then what is it?”
I exhale shakily, forcing a smile that feels like it belongs to someone else. “It’s… someone.”
Mia blinks. “Someone?”
I nod. “I’ve been seeing him for a while, kind of on and off. I just didn’t tell you guys because I wasn’t sure it’d go anywhere.”
Mia’s tone goes flat. “So you have a secret boyfriend you didn’t want to tell us about because you weren’t sure about him, and now you’re—what—moving in with him?”
“Just for a bit,” I say quickly. “To see how things fit.”
Lila studies me like she’s reading between every syllable. “How long have you been seeing him?”
“Pretty long,” I lie, the words sour in my throat. “I didn’t want to make a thing out of it until I knew it was serious.”
Mia drops onto the armrest, setting her mug down. “So when do we get to meet him?”
I laugh weakly. “Soon. I promise.” The words ring hollow.
Lila looks at Mia, then back at me. “And you love him?”
My throat goes dry. I could lie again. I should. But the truth slips out instead, small and unsteady.
“There’s this weird pull between us. Every time he looks at me, it feels like the world stops.”
Something shifts in the room. Lila exhales, finally leaning back. “Oh, El.”
Mia smiles faintly. “I had that with Evan.” Her gaze narrows. “And it’s been like that this whole time? It hasn’t faded?”
I swallow hard. “It’s been like that since the first time I saw him.” I shrug weakly.
It’s not much, but at least I’m not lying.
Lila reaches for my hand. “Alright. But promise you’ll come right back if things go south. You’ll always have a place here. Even if it’s the couch.”
I nod, my chest tight. “Deal.” I take a sip of tea, the warm jasmine doing little to calm my nerves.
Mia raises her mug in mock salute. “Guess I get first dibs on the tattooed rich dude you met the other day, then.”
I choke mid-sip, coughing hard enough to make my eyes water.
Mia smirks. “Hey—if you’re serious enough about your secret boyfriend to move in with him, you can’t get mad over my fantasies about the hot stranger you met once.”
I raise my brows, nodding but not meeting her eyes.
Lila cuts in before I have to say more. “Alright, this conversation feels too heavy for tea—who wants to go get coffee?”
Mia glances at the clock. “Is it too early for cocktails?”
I push to my feet, relief coursing through me. “It’s never too early for cocktails.”
----
I'd be needing a stiff drink too, if I were Ella, how about you????????