Purposefully Coincidental ✓

27. Roman

Josephine

I haven't seen Leo in a week. His birthday was the last time I saw him. We call and text every day, but I've come to really enjoy and miss his company.

He sampled everything I made that night and he liked everything. He even wanted some leftovers to-go.

When I pestered him to tell me if there was something he didn't like, he told me the cake could do with a bit less frosting. I took his comment and pocketed it for the next time.

Anya and Candy kept throwing me these looks the entire night as Leo kept his arm around my shoulder the whole time. And I liked it. A lot.

It made me feel protected in some way.

Leo just has this aura around him. He's calm and collected. He may not be the most talkative person on planet earth but he only talks when necessary and I know he tries really hard to keep our conversations going, especially when we're on the phone.

Every time our eyes meet, he smiles at me and his eyes do this thing where they appear to become brighter.

When everyone left, Leo helped me clean before he kissed me on the forehead and left.

Marco called the next day to ask me about him. He just told me to be careful and as long as I'm happy, he's happy.

I love Marco.

Why couldn't Roman react like him?

Now, I'm balancing a tray of two dozen cookies as I enter the key in my parents' house. I can hear loud noises from outside. Safe to assume my brothers are all here already.

When I open the door, I take off my shoes and go directly to the kitchen to set the cookies and wash my hands. Mama is there, making food.

"[Jojo, how have you been, sweetie?]" I give her a quick hug and ask if she needs help. But she shoos me away, telling me to go spend time with my brothers and papa.

I go to the garden and their loud voices are near deafening.

My papa catches my eye and his smile turns into a grin.

"My favorite daughter." He motions for me to come sit next to him.

"I'm your only daughter." I take a seat beside him.

"Exactly." He throws an arm over my shoulders. "That's why we didn't try for more baby girls. You came out perfect."

"Hear that?" I say to George, my oldest brother. "Guess that makes you the least favorite child if mama and papa had to have five more children after you."

"Funny." He deadpans and balances seven months old Liam on his lap.

"Gimme." I make grabby hands at Liam and he squirms to reach me. I leave kisses on his chubby face until he laughs and kicks his little legs.

•••

After eating food and cleaning the table, we sit in the garden with our bellies full of yummy food.

My mama brings the cookies I made and the Panna cotta she prepared .

My brothers all grab desserts, but I don't.

"You're not gonna eat any sweets?" My mama asks me in confusion.

"No, I've had a lot of sugar this week." I explain. "There were a lot of leftovers from Leo's birthday."

"Leo?" Roman says. "The same guy I caught in your bathroom?"

Oh, my god. What a jerk.

I glare at him, then meet my mama's eyes.

"Yes, but for clarification, he was in my bathroom because he spilled a drink on himself."

"Jojo," my papa puts a hand on my shoulder. "We don't mind if you have fun with boys every once in a while. We just want you to be careful with bringing strange men into your apartment."

Everyone is silent and listening to this conversation.

"Change the topic, please." I plead as I slide further down on the couch.

I appreciate my parents wanting me to be safe, but I don't need to hear them saying 'having fun with boys'.

It's not like I'm a prude, like some girls in high school called me, but sex wasn't a topic we openly talked about in this household.

Sure, I got the 'sex talk' and 'menstrual cycle' talk when I was old enough to understand. But that was with my mother only.

Imagine the horror of my brothers when they found out I first got my period at thirteen. They stayed a mile away from me in fear I'd lash out at them because of my mood swings during my cycle.

Which weren't so bad. Only two days before my actual period.

My brothers never talked about sex, or even uttered the word, in front of me. With me being a girl and the youngest, it was weird for them to talk about it while I was in earshot.

I eavesdropped a few times, but they don't say much about the matter to each other either.

I still get shy when we talk about it with Anya and Candy. Especially when the latter goes into too much detail about her night.

"[Just be safe]." My mama says with a warm, motherly smile. I'm not sure if she means for me to use protection or be careful with letting 'strange' men into my apartment.

"She'd be safe if she didn't see this guy, Leo, at all." Roman declares.

"What do you know about him?" I say, baffled. He literally only met him once. And Leo only said a few words then. That's not nearly enough for one to get to know the other.

"Enough." He huffs.

"Stay out of my business!" Roman has this special talent where he makes me say things typical of a bratty teenager. One that slams her bedroom door and yells to the world, 'I hate my life!'

"You're my baby sister. I'm not gonna stay out of your business." He counters, crossing his arms and glaring at me.

At times, I appreciate his stubbornness and wanting to look out for me. But this is uncalled for.

"I don't meddle in your life." I say.

"That's because I'm older."

"Oh my god!" I hand Emily—George's wife—her daughter Olive. I'm getting really agitated and sweet little Olive doesn't deserve my fingers digging into her stomach. "Papa, please tell him he doesn't have a say in who I'm friends with."

"Roman." My papa warns as if that's enough for him.

"He's bad news. I'm telling you." Roman warns.

"Roman." My mama intervenes. "[She's an adult and knows what she's doing. Leave her alone]."

Thankfully, that gets him to stop and our conversations continue into lighter topics.

Roman and I lock eyes and we both give the other our meanest scowl.

He can tell me to stop being friends with Leo all he wants, but I'd rather cut my leg than do something crazy like that.

• ••• •

A/N:

Roman, Roman, Roman...

Do you think Roman would do something to sabotage Leo and Josephine's relationship?