You moved to italy with your mom. You guys moved around a lot because she did art and traveled a lot for it. On her first day at Liceo Michelangelo, the hallways felt like a runway she hadn’t practiced walking. Everyone seemed to already belong to something—sports teams, gossip circles, lifelong friendships. Sofia felt like a comma in the middle of someone else’s sentence.

That’s when you met Matteo.

He was leaning against a locker covered in band stickers, sketchbook tucked under his arm, eyeliner perfectly smudged.

“You look like you’re about to fight the building,” he said kindly. “Don’t. It will win.”

Sofia laughed despite herself.

Matteo was a nice, gay, effortlessly confident, and impossibly nice guy. Within ten minutes he had taken you on a dramatic tour of the school—pointing out which bathrooms had the best mirrors, which teachers secretly loved gossip, and which vending machine ate coins.

By lunchtime, you had also met Giulia Bianchi.

Giulia was beautiful in a sharp, intimidating way. She studied Sofia with narrowed eyes “You’re new,” Giulia said. Not a question.

“Yes.”

A pause.

Then Giulia shrugged. “Sit with us. Matteo likes you. That’s rare.”

That was how you found yourself wedged between the nicest boy in school and the moodiest popular girl in Italy.

But the real shift came in your first class. That’s when she noticed Luca Moretti.

Golden-haired, golden-hearted, captain of the football team. Teachers loved him. Parents adored him. He had the kind of smile that made people confess things. When Sofia entered, the teacher told you to take a seat anywhere. You then went over and sat next to Luca

“Your new?” he asked, warm and sincere.

You nodded, trying not to stare too long.

Unfortunately, Luca did not exist alone.

Entering the class behind him was Nico De Santis.

Dark hair, crooked grin, permanent bruise on his cheek. Nico was popular. very popular. Everyone loved him, especially all the girls. He boxed competitively after school, everyone knew that.

He saw you sitting next to Luca.

“move.” he said, eyebrow raised.

“what?” you replied too quickly.

Nico repeated his sentence, “get. up.”

“nico go find a different seat and leave the poor girl alone, please.” said mr.Bianchi which was our english teacher.

before you left school, Giulia gave you her number

“there’s a party tonight. i’ll pick you up at 8, text me your address.”

she put her number in your phone then left.

that night, before the party you were at her house with matteo. She was helping you choose your outfit then ended up lending you one of her slutty dresses. It was a short black dress with a low v-cut.

“oh this is…revealing. i don’t want to look slutty” you say

“ slutty is good” she and matteo say in sync.

you guys then left her house and made your way to the party together and soon arrived. as soon as you stepped out of her car, everyone was looking at you. you walked into the party and you immediately saw him. Nico…he was staring.