(edited)
"Why. Can. I. Never. Find. Something. To. Wear. When. I. Actually. Need. To. Be. Ready!" I half-screamed at my closet, still wrapped in a towel, hair done in two crooked pigtails with a bit of lazy straightening. The clock read 18:50. Ten minutes. TEN. That's all I had before Vince showed up, and here I was, basically a half-naked disaster.
"Val, if your ghost can hear me, I need help!" I muttered, flinging a pair of ripped jeans across the room like they personally betrayed me. "This is a code red"
Normally, I'm not that girl. I don't do outfit meltdowns. But when you're about to meet a cousin you haven't seen in fourteen years, who also happens to be a year older and probably terrifyingly good-looking, you want to look somewhat decent.
You might be thinking "Why not just grab one of your brothers' hoodies?"
Let me explain the Agostino Hoodie Law.
Stealing one of their clothes, especially a hoodie, is a declaration of war. The last girl who tried that woke up on a pool float in November, wearing only pajama shorts and a random t-shirt, teeth chattering like a cartoon character. And that unfortunate girl happens to be me! True story... So, yeah. I've been burned. Literally!
But... I'm also me. So I pulled the most reckless move I could manage and yanked on a dark blue hoodie I found on a chair, matched it with the ripped cabana jeans I just threw on the bed, and threw on a few silver rings. It was simple. Edgy. Safe.
Until I heard the doorbell ring and greetings echo from downstairs.
I froze. "No. Nope. Too soon!"
I was about to flop dramatically onto my bed for one last dramatic moment of panic when the door creaked open and, great, there stood Dylan. Arms crossed. Eyebrows up. Leaning against the doorframe.
"Nefeli, Vince is h—" he started, but then his gaze locked onto me.
His smirk slowly spread. One of those dangerous, slow-motion smirks. "What are you wearing?" he asked, voice laced with fake innocence.
I glanced down at myself in confusion... Confusion that soon turned into horror. Oh no. No no no no.
Of all the hoodies in this mansion of testosterone, I had picked his! Dylan's hoodie.
I started backing away, already giggling nervously. "Dyl... I swear... I didn't know it was yours... please, don't-"
Too late.
He grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing! I yelped, hanging upside down like a sack of potatoes, legs kicking and hands clutching the hoodie to keep it from riding up and flashing the entire kitchen. "DYLAN!"
"Oh, you're going to love this entrance!" he chuckled darkly, carrying me down the stairs like a proud big brother with a squealing, oversized baby.
"I hate you! I hate you so much!" I whined between giggles, my hair flying around and my dignity dying a slow, painful death.
"You should have thought of that before you stole my clothes, cattivella" he bounced me a bit on his shoulder making me yelp in anxiety of my hair messing up. Too late for that... (Troublemaker)
By the time we reached the kitchen, six pairs of eyes turned to look at me. Silence. Then chaos. Laughter, teases, chuckles...
"Wow!" Alex grinned. "The Agostino princess wanted a ride from her knight in shining cotton. How sweet."
Even Noah laughed. And Noah does not laugh. Ever.
Dylan plopped me into Chris's lap and took a dramatic bow.
My pigtails were flopping, my cheeks were on fire, and my hoodie- sorry, his hoodie- was now crumpled and twisted. I looked like I'd just escaped a tornado! I buried my face in Chris's neck, wanting to disappear.
"Aw she's shy now! Dyl! Look what you've done!" Chris cooed, rubbing circles on my back like I hadn't just been publicly humiliated.
"Aw, Neffie!" Cole chuckled, twirling my hair with one finger. "You haven't worn pigtails since you were five."
"I will physically fight all of you!" I threatened, earning another loud of amused, laughter.
I desperately looked to Noah for rescue. But of course, he just stared at me with that smug, amused expression he tried to pretend is serious... Yeah... Failed miserably...
"Okay, that's enough!" he finally demanded, and the room actually quieted. "Nefeli, this is your cousin, Vince."
I blinked and turned toward the guy sitting next to me.
Oh.
Vince smiled, warm and wide, dimples on full display. I offered a sheepish smile back as Chris gently set me down beside him.
"Hello!" I smiled awkwardly, pressing my lips into a thin line of embarrassment.
"Hey, little one!" Vince grinned. Without warning, pulled me into a hug. A big, warm, protective hug. One of those hugs that reminded you of home, even if you hadn't seen the person in over a decade.
"You haven't changed a bit. I missed you!" he murmured into my hair.
That caught me off guard. But I hugged him back anyway!
"Alright, man, don't suffocate our sister!" Cole said, prying me away.
Vince handed me something unexpectedly... a photograph. It was worn, bent at the corners. Two babies under a Christmas tree in matching Santa hats.
"This is us. Last photo before you left."
I held the picture, something tight and unfamiliar curling in my chest. I didn't remember the moment, but my body did. It felt like a memory that had been living quietly in my bones.
A small smile cracked across my face... Oh yes, this was home...
The room went quiet. Everyone was focused on our interaction, like we were a documentary on National Geographic! But I didn't care one bit... I just stayed there, struggling to remember at least a second of that day... But nothing was coming to mind. Just distant, faded imaginations about how it could have been.
"Wow, very smooth, man, good job!" Dylan, of course, had to break the silence with one of his signature snarky remarks. Idiot. He leaned back in his chair, smirking like he'd just won something.
I shot him a look, but before I could say anything, Vince dropped a bomb in the most casual voice imaginable.
"I'm staying over tonight." Vince suddenly announced, to take the glory off Dylan discreetly. I nearly fist-pumped the air. Finally. Someone even remotely close to my age. No more sitting in awkward silence while the older guys talked about things I didn't get, or teased each other to death.
"Alright!" Chris cut in, ever the responsible one. He raised an eyebrow like he already saw trouble brewing. "We eat, and then you two go to bed. It's been a rough two days!"
That sobered me up a bit. Two days? It had felt like a blur. Something tugged at me. "Wait, where's Enzo?" I asked, suddenly alert, heart picking up speed.
Vince waved me off with a laugh. "Chill, tornado. We dropped him home. He's fine." Oh so he knows him too... Great, looks like everyone knows everyone except me!
Relief hit me like a warm wave, sinking into my chest. I hadn't even realized how tightly I'd been wound until that moment.
Dinner passed in a flash. The table buzzed with easy conversation, clinking silverware, and the kind of laughter that only came when everyone was full and finally relaxed. Vince turned out to be a gold mine. He had so much dirt on my brothers, stuff I was mentally filing away for later blackmail. I laughed more during that meal than I had in weeks.
Later, full and a little sleepy, I headed toward the guest room we'd set up. The house had gone quiet, the kind of stillness that comes right before midnight. My door creaked as I opened it, but before I could step inside, Vince's voice drifted down the hall.
"Tomorrow, I'm waking you up early!" he whispered, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips. "I've got a plan..."
I grinned mischievously. 'Oh, I like this kid.'
___________________________________________
Thank you so much for your love so far, I really hope you enjoy this story!!
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Pleeeeeease!!
Lots of love, Nefeli 💕