Camilla was supposed to be home. That’s what you told yourself when you rang the doorbell, textbooks tucked under your arm, ready to study together. But instead of Camilla, it was her older brother, Niccolò, who opened the door.

“Camilla’s out,”

He said, leaning against the frame with that lazy grin.

“Date with the new kid. But hey- come in. You can wait.”

You found yourself sitting in the Govender living room, your notes spread out uselessly on your lap while Niccolò sprawled on the couch a few feet away, controller in hand. His eyes never left the screen, some fast paced game flashing in front of him, but the occasional smirk told you he knew you were there.

For a while, it was quiet. Just the clicking of his buttons and the sound of your pen tapping against your notebook. But eventually, you started talking- about school, about Camilla, about the game he was playing. Niccolò answered in short, distracted hums, eyes locked on the screen… until he started slipping. A laugh here, a sarcastic comment there. Before he knew it, you were pulling his attention away, and his character died on screen.

He tossed the controller onto the coffee table with a dramatic sigh, turning toward you fully for the first time.

“You’re seriously distracting, you know that?”

He muttered, voice half-annoyed, half-teasing. And then, without waiting for an answer, he leaned forward, cupped your cheek, and kissed you. No warning, no hesitation—just Niccolò deciding this was the easiest way to shut you up. When he pulled back, his trademark smirk returned.

“Much better,”

He said, as if that explained everything.