Girls talk

Danielle

I feel like I hit a brick wall and take a physical step back, wanting to increase the distance between us but he lifts his hand, cupping my chin, keeping me from distancing myself more.

My breath hitches in my throat as I look back up at him, getting imprisoned by his icy glare, “I just don’t want you to be alone tonight. Your week was bad enough.”

I nod lightly, making him sigh. “Good night,” he says to no one in particular before he turns around to get into his car.

“Good night,” Loredana says from behind me.

“You aren’t going to break your promise, right?” I ask, stepping between the car and the open door.

He looks up, and finally, I get him to grin at me. “Of course not.”

“Okay,” I whisper, taking a step back and hugging myself as he closes the door.

Loredana comes to stand next to me, hugging me to her side as we watch Giovanni's and Valerio’s car drive off the parking lot.

As I walk home with Loredana in the cool summer night air, I have officially given up on