Between the Lines

Chapter 2 (Fifth Part)

I got into the car, slamming the door a little harder than necessary. Danny was already waiting in the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone, completely unbothered. As soon as I settled in and started the engine, he turned to me with a grin that was way too smug.

"So, how was Marcello?" He practically sang his name, his eyebrows wiggling like he'd just discovered the juiciest piece of gossip.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't start."

Danny ignored me, of course. "Oh, babe, the sexual tension in there? I could feel it through the library walls. If the two of you don't jump each other soon, I'm going to scream."

"Danny" I groaned, backing the car out of the parking spot, "there is no sexual tension. None. Zero. Zilch. I don't even like him."

"Uh-huh," Danny said, leaning back in his seat like he wasn't buying a word of it. "And that's why you two were having a whole 'grabby-arm' moment back there. Real platonic."

"Don't call it a 'grabby-arm moment,'" I shot back, pulling out of the parking lot. "And he was being a control freak. That's it."

Danny shook his head, clicking his tongue dramatically. "Babe, I've seen this movie. The brooding guy with his intense eyes, the fiery girl with a smart mouth—next thing you know, there's a scene in the rain where he pulls you in for a kiss, and BAM! Cue the romance."

I snorted. "Danny, please. Marcello's the last person I'd ever want to kiss. I'm not interested in him, and even if I was, I wouldn't act on it."

Danny raised a perfectly manicured finger. "Mmm, denial. Classic. But fine, I'll drop it... for now. So, we crashing at your place tonight?"

I glanced at him, shrugging. "Yeah, if you want. You can stay over, but I swear to God, if you complain about Sophia or Antonio, I'll kick you out."

Danny gasped dramatically. "Your siblings are monsters, and I will never stop complaining. Sophia acts like she's the queen of the universe, and Antonio... ugh, don't get me started on Doctor Perfect."

"Hey, you asked to stay over," I said, grinning as I pulled onto the road that led to my house. "You know the deal."

"I'll suffer for you, babe," Danny sighed, laying his head back with a theatrical sigh. "But just know, the minute Antonio starts talking about brain surgery, I'm out."

I laughed, the tension from earlier finally fading. Danny had that effect—he could turn any situation into a ridiculous soap opera, and honestly, I appreciated it.

A few minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of my house, the massive estate looming ahead of us. I parked the car and we both got out, heading straight inside. I could already hear the muffled sounds of my parents talking in the other room, but I wasn't in the mood to deal with family right now.

We headed up to my room, Danny trailing behind me. As soon as we got in, he flopped onto my bed like he owned the place.

"Ugh, your bed is a cloud. Can I live here?" Danny sighed, kicking off his shoes.

"Yeah, sure, you can deal with Sophia and Antonio all day. Sounds like a dream, right?"

"Nightmare," he muttered, grabbing a pillow and hugging it. "But, you know, a nightmare with good interior design."

We ended up ordering pizza, because obviously, no sleepover is complete without pizza. Danny was practically bouncing in his seat when the delivery guy showed up, and we devoured the slices while watching some random movie neither of us was paying much attention to.