Love in the Spotlight

Family Ties and Jealous Vibes

Gianna's family gatherings were always a little chaotic. It was something she'd grown accustomed to over the years. The noise, the laughter, the constant flow of people coming in and out of the house. This time, however, something felt different.

Maybe it was because Hana was here, sitting at the kitchen island next to her, chatting with Gianna's mom while she helped prepare dinner. Hana had met Gianna's parents, and that had gone surprisingly well. But today was different. Today, Gianna's cousin, Vanessa and her family, were in town, and Gianna wasn't sure how this would go.

She'd been told by her mom and aunt that Vanessa was a flirt, someone who had a tendency to get overly friendly with people she met, especially when they were cute. And while Gianna was used to her cousin's antics, she wasn't entirely sure how Hana would react.

Hana, for her part, seemed completely at ease, her deep voice blending into the conversation with her mom. She laughed lightly at something Lena had said, her head tilting back as her long, brunette hair caught the light. Gianna's heart swelled with warmth watching Hana so effortlessly fit in.

But then the doorbell rang, and everything shifted.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Gianna muttered under her breath as she moved to the door.

She opened it, greeted by Vanessa's bright smile. Her cousin was always impeccably dressed, her fashion sense borderline intimidating with how effortlessly she pulled off anything. She was tall, with long, curly hair and a mischievous glint in her eyes. Gianna knew the look all too well.

"Cousin!" Vanessa chirped, pulling Gianna into a tight hug. "You didn't tell me how cute your girlfriend is! I think I'm in trouble."

Gianna chuckled nervously. "Oh, no. Trust me, you'll be fine."

Vanessa flashed a wink and a devil-may-care smile before stepping inside. Gianna couldn't help but feel her stomach churn just a little. Vanessa always had this energy about her that made people, especially women, gravitate toward her.

As they moved into the kitchen, Vanessa's eyes immediately locked onto Hana, who was still talking to Lena.

"Is this the infamous Hana?" Vanessa asked, her voice light and teasing as she slid onto the barstool next to Hana.

Hana turned, surprised but quickly recovering with her usual easygoing charm. "Yeah, that's me. Nice to meet you."

Vanessa's smile stretched wider as she leaned in a little too close, her eyes scanning Hana's outfit, her tone laced with playful curiosity. "Nice to meet you too. You've got this whole... confident vibe going on. I like it."

Gianna felt a pang in her chest. She stayed quiet, pretending to focus on setting the table, but every word exchanged between Vanessa and Hana made her feel like she was losing something—something she wasn't sure she was ready to lose.

"Well, thank you," Hana replied, a small but noticeable smile on her lips. "I like to keep things casual."

"Casual, huh?" Vanessa said, leaning even closer, her hand casually brushing against Hana's arm. Gianna noticed the gesture, and her breath caught. "I could definitely get used to this," Vanessa continued, her voice turning a bit flirty.

Hana seemed completely unfazed, which Gianna appreciated, but it didn't stop the knot from forming in her stomach.

Vanessa wasn't the type to take no for an answer, and Gianna could tell her cousin was already sizing up the situation.

Gianna forced herself to stay calm as she set the last of the silverware in place. She didn't want to overreact. She was being ridiculous, right? Hana was her girlfriend, and they were doing just fine. But something about the way Vanessa kept leaning in closer made Gianna's chest tighten.

She watched as Vanessa let out a laugh, brushing her hand against Hana's again. Hana seemed oblivious to the way her cousin was flirting, but Gianna wasn't.

"Okay, that's enough," Gianna said, her voice coming out sharper than she intended.

Vanessa turned to her with a playful smirk, clearly unbothered. "What? I'm just being friendly, Gia."

Gianna folded her arms across her chest, staring her cousin down. "Yeah, well, I think you've made your point."

Hana's head turned, and her eyes flickered with amusement. "Hey, I'm not made of glass, you know."

Gianna's eyes softened, but the jealousy that bubbled up inside her wouldn't go away. She'd never felt possessive before, at least, not like this. But seeing Vanessa flirt with Hana in front of her was like a dagger to her pride.

Vanessa's grin didn't falter. "Oh, I know. I'm just getting to know her better."

Gianna opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by her mom, who stepped in with a warning look. "Alright, enough of that," Lena said, shooting a pointed glance at Vanessa. "Let's just sit down and eat, okay?"

Gianna silently nodded in agreement, trying her best to mask the frustration bubbling beneath her skin. She wanted to say more, to tell Vanessa off, but she wasn't sure how to address it without making things awkward—especially with Hana still here, not noticing how much her cousin's flirty behavior was getting under Gianna's skin.

Vanessa followed them to the table, still full of energy and charm, but Gianna couldn't stop the nerves from taking hold. She tried to focus on the conversation, but all she could think about was how close her cousin had gotten to Hana.

It wasn't like Hana hadn't faced this before. She was used to attention from people—hell, she was used to people being all over her. Gianna knew that. But there was something different now. They were together, and the idea of someone else moving in on her felt strange, unsettling.

As they all dug into dinner, Gianna couldn't help but throw occasional glances at Hana, watching her interact with the others, laughing and smiling in that way that always made Gianna's heart skip a beat.

But whenever Vanessa laughed a little too loudly or leaned a little too close, Gianna's stomach churned.

She wasn't used to feeling like this—jealous, insecure—but as Hana caught her eye across the table and smiled that genuine, heart-melting smile, Gianna realized one thing: she didn't want to share this. She didn't want to share Hana with anyone.

And maybe that was something she'd need to work through. But right now, it felt like something was slipping out of her hands, and she wasn't sure how to stop it.