A Goodbye Never Said

Chapter 6

Melissa's POV:

.

"Math is officially the enemy. If Romans could conquer the world with swords, then surely I can conquer algebra with a little help from my friends—or at least a lot of whining about how unfair it all is."

I slump down at our lunch table, still reeling from the chaos that was our math exam. The others join me, one by one, each of them wearing the same "I'm ready to retire from life" look on their faces.

Nicole is the first to speak. "Okay, but what was Question 7 even supposed to be? I stared at it like it was written in ancient hieroglyphics."

Monica chuckles, shaking her head. "Was that the one about the train leaving Copenhagen at 3:30? Because I was like, 'Honey, I don't care when or where this train is going, I just want to get off.'"

Carolina looks at us, wide-eyed, clutching her pencil case like it's a life raft. "Wait... was the answer to Question 7 not 42?"

The table goes silent for a beat before we all burst out laughing. Sophie, practically choking on her juice, wipes a tear from her eye. "42? Girl, are we answering math problems or solving the meaning of life?"

Carolina grins sheepishly. "Well, it felt like both, to be honest."

I throw my hands up in mock despair. "Honestly, the Romans had it easy. No algebra, no quadratic equations—just good ol' swords and conquering empires. I would've crushed it back then."

Nicole leans in, her eyes glinting. "Yeah, but then you'd have to fight gladiators. Maybe algebra isn't so bad after all."

Sophie gasps dramatically. "Imagine Michael as a gladiator. Would he still say 'Ciao Bellas' before entering the arena?"

Before I can reply, Monica pipes up, eyes glinting with mischief. "Speaking of Michael, Carolina, we have some juicy news for you."

Carolina raises an eyebrow. "Oh no, what did I miss?"

Nicole leans forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So, Melissa's lifelong best friend, Michael—"

"—Italian heartthrob," Monica cuts in.

"—has started dating Maya," Nicole finishes with a flourish, grinning like she's just dropped the biggest bombshell of the century.

Carolina gasps, hands flying to her mouth. "No way! Michael and Maya? Our  Maya?!"

I nod, deadpan. "Yep. It's official. My best friend is now dating someone who thought ravioli was a type of pizza."

Monica bursts out laughing, slapping the table. "Still the funniest thing ever! How does that even happen? It's like someone dating a Viking and thinking they invented pasta."

Sophie nods sagely. "I mean, at least Michael says 'Ciao Bellas.' That's a step up from most of the guys at our school who think 'Do you like cheese?' is a solid pick-up line."

We all burst out laughing again, and for a moment, it feels like everything's normal. That is, until Maya herself walks by, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

"Oh hey, Melissa," she calls out sweetly. "Michael says 'hi,' by the way. He's been meaning to call you."

I manage a tight smile. "Oh, great. Tell him I said 'Ciao Bellas.'"

Maya doesn't seem to catch the sarcasm, simply nodding and walking off to her group of friends.

Monica rolls her eyes. "Girl, how do you not crack up every time she talks? I swear she lives in a different universe."

"Where lasagna is pizza," Nicole adds, making us all laugh again.

Sophie leans back in her chair. "So, when are we all hanging out with Michael, then? Like, we need the tea straight from the source."

I glance around the table. "Actually... today. He's meeting us after school."

Nicole and Monica exchange glances. "Oh, this is gonna be good," Nicole says, already grinning in anticipation.

After School

Michael's POV:

.

As I wait for the girls outside the school gates, I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. I adjust my sunglasses and lean against the wall, trying to look as casual as possible. When I see them approaching, I can't help but grin.

"Ciao Bellas!" I call out, throwing in a wink for good measure.

The girls giggle, and I feel a wave of confidence wash over me. They're all smiles, which is a good sign. Melissa rolls her eyes but can't hide her smirk. She's good at pretending she doesn't find me charming, but I know better.

"Really, Michael? Do you have any other lines?" she asks, her voice playful.

I shrug, putting on my best nonchalant face. "Why mess with perfection?"

We start walking toward a nearby café. The chatter flows easily between us, and I'm glad to see that the whole Maya situation isn't making things awkward. In fact, it feels surprisingly normal, like we're just a group of friends hanging out. But I can't shake the feeling that everyone's a bit curious about how I ended up dating Maya.

"So, tell us more about life in Italy," Nicole prods, leaning forward with an eager smile.

I can't help but chuckle. "What do you want to know? I mean, it's not all pasta and pizza, you know."

Celine's eyes light up. "Do you eat pasta every day? Like, how do you not explode?"

"Just a little every day keeps the heart happy," I reply, chuckling at the image of myself rolling around after a week of feasting.

As we settle into the café, the conversation shifts, and Carolina finally asks the question I've been anticipating. "So, how did you and Maya even happen? I mean, isn't that kind of... random?"

I lean back in my chair, ready to keep it light. "It just sort of... happened. We met, we clicked, and I guess the rest is history."

Nicole laughs, clearly skeptical. "You clicked? That's it? You make it sound like it's as simple as pressing a button."

"Pretty much!" I say, enjoying their teasing. It's all in good fun, and I can see Melissa rolling her eyes at us, but she's smiling too. It feels good to be part of this crew.

Before I can elaborate, a loud thump echoes through the café. A student trips over their backpack, papers flying everywhere, and the moment is too good to pass up.

"Ah, the drama never stops, does it?" Monica quips, shaking her head.

The laughter bubbles up again, and I find myself grateful for this moment, this friendship. It's nice to forget about the complications for a while

As we're getting ready to leave the café, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, glancing at the screen. A text from Maya flashes before me, and I can't help but smirk.

"Well, ladies," I say, standing up and tucking my phone away, "looks like we've got an invite to a very interesting party this weekend. And guess who's going to be there?"

I pause for dramatic effect, watching as the girls lean in closer, eager for the scoop.

Celine groans. "Just tell us, Michael!"

I can't hold back the grin any longer. "Maya."

The reaction is instantaneous. The girls erupt into a chorus of groans, laughter, and dramatic gasps, and I can't help but chuckle at their over-the-top responses.

Melissa looks at the other girls. 'soooo..... we going or nah?'

Monica grins 'Of course we are! I need more drama in my life'

Carolina laughs 'I think we have enough drama already'

Celine gives Carolina the side eye 'there's never enough drama'

Looks like this weekend is gonna be anything but boring.