Oblivion

B| Be our guest IV

Highschool

THIRD PERSON

Luke had withdrawn his initially positive impression of Valentino when he overheard Riccardo, visibly annoyed, shouting through the house about everything that had gone wrong with him. The rant had been remarkably detailed, which Luke found somewhat amusing, though he also braced himself for what might come next.

Riccardo had clearly been displeased at being woken up. Still grumbling, he rubbed his eyes and hadn't noticed who else was sitting at the table. Looking undeniably hungover, he collapsed into an empty chair. "Why didn't we just leave him in Canada when we had the chance?" He laid his head down on the table. "And why are we eating here today?"

Valentino seemed to find this amusing. "Oh, Riccardo, how can you behave like that in front of our guest? I'm so sorry, Luke, what must you think of us?"

Luke wasn't sure of many things, but one thing was certain: Valentino wasn't sorry at all. He stole a quick glance at Josephine, who seemed to shrink further into herself, then cleared his throat just as Riccardo's gaze snapped up. They stared at each other for a tense four seconds before Luke spoke. "Hello, Riccardo."

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, Rico, what's with the rudeness—ah, Matteo's joining us, how nice!" Valentino clapped his hands, as though the situation were a performance.

Luke could feel the tension in the room thickening as Matteo pulled up a chair. His voice, though dripping with amusement, carried an unmistakable edge. "Well, this should be interesting," he said, settling into his seat. Luke didn't respond, his attention split between Riccardo, still glaring at him, and Valentino, who seemed entirely too pleased with the situation. Josephine, on the other hand, was retreating further into herself, her arms crossed tightly, eyes downcast. Luke had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a pleasant breakfast.

Riccardo broke the silence with a growl. "So, Luke," he began, his voice low, "what's with the face? I never saw you looking worse."

Luke's hand instinctively went to his sore nose, still a reminder of the previous night's events. He had hoped to keep the story under wraps for a little longer, preferably until he left the house.

Valentino, ever the mediator, flashed a grin. "Now, now, Riccardo, don't be so hard on our guest. He's had a rough night." His tone was dripping with insincerity, and Luke could tell it was more out of politeness than any real concern.

Matteo leaned forward slightly, clearly intrigued. "Yeah, you look like you've been in a fight," he said, his voice casual but his eyes sharp.

"It's nothing," Luke muttered, trying to downplay it. "Just a little incident last night."

Vito, who had been quietly observing, suddenly leaned back in his chair. His tone shifted, growing more serious. "I'd suggest you thank him, because without Luke, your sister wouldn't be sitting here at this table."

The shift in the room was immediate. What had been a tense and suspicious atmosphere moments ago was now heavy with concern. Both Riccardo and Matteo quickly turned their attention to Josephine, their faces morphing from irritation to genuine worry.

Riccardo's eyes widened, and for the first time, Luke saw a flicker of something more than skepticism in his gaze. "What are you talking about?" Riccardo's voice was rough, a mixture of disbelief and growing concern.

Matteo didn't say anything immediately, but his gaze locked onto Josephine, waiting for her to confirm what Vito had just hinted at. Josephine remained silent, her face pale, her eyes fixed on her plate, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.