Theo laid back on his bed, hands behind his head, eyes fixed on the ceiling. His mind was focused solely on you. You were his best friend, the one person he could always count on—besides his closest mate, Mattheo. But with you, it was different. After being friends for so long, he had fallen deeply in love with you. From the moment you two met, you had him hooked. Your playful, laid-back attitude was something he absolutely adored. He found himself craving the nights you spent laughing together, watching movies, and the way you’d eventually fall asleep on him. He loved having you close.

The best part of his day was always seeing you. You were the light in his otherwise dark world, someone he could be completely open with. He’d never felt this way about anyone before. None of the girls he had dated made him feel the way you did—that’s why none of them lasted.

He let out a low groan, dragging his hands over his face. He knew he needed to tell you. It was killing him inside—not telling you, not being with you in the way he wanted. He hated it when other guys flirted with you. He wanted you all to himself.

While Theo was lost in thought, you had made your way to his room. The door was slightly cracked open, and you saw him lying on his bed, hands covering his face. Smiling to yourself, you slipped in quietly, deciding not to alert him. Luckily, he didn’t hear you—he was far too deep in his head. Feeling playful, you decided to jump onto him the moment you reached the bed.

Theo grunted when you landed on top of him, but his hands immediately moved to your waist, and a wide smile spread across his face when he heard your laughter—something he loved more than he’d ever admit.

“What was that for, Bella?” he asked, looking up at you.

You just shrugged. “You weren’t paying attention to anything, so I decided to be a bit cheeky.” You grinned down at him, and his grip on your waist tightened slightly.

“You always know how to put a smile on my face, la mia bella ragazza,” he said, his heart fluttering like always.