Crush from birth

Chapter 4: Celebrating Dante

By the time Dante and Aurora walked down their shared street, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of warm orange and soft pink.

Neither of them had even bothered to take off their school uniforms. Aurora’s pleated skirt was a bit wrinkled from the bleachers, and Dante was still rocking his official varsity soccer jacket over his uniform shirt, the collar slightly askew. Honestly, the thought of walking upstairs to change before food hit the table was a physical impossibility for both of them. High school seniors operate purely on hunger and vibes.

Between their two houses, there was no fence. Antonio and Fabio had literally torn it down with chainsaws and a pair of trucks ten years ago, claiming that "true brothers don't let wood get in the way of a good barbecue." Instead, their lawns melted into one massive, beautifully manicured backyard, completely dominated by a huge patio table, string lights, and a massive brick grill that was currently smoking up the neighborhood.

"I smell garlic!" Dante shouted, his mood instantly skyrocketing as he threw open the back gate. "Tell me we have garlic bread!"

"Of course we have garlic bread, you human vacuum cleaner!" Valentina’s voice boomed from the patio. She was wearing an apron that said 'Queen of the Kitchen' while aggressively tossing a massive bowl of Caesar salad.

Fabio and Antonio were standing by the grill, tongs in hand, loudly debating soccer tactics while flipping steaks.

"I'm telling you, Antonio, if the midfield doesn't press on Friday, Dante is going to be running in circles!" Fabio gestured wildly with his tongs, nearly launching a piece of charcoal into the air.

"Fabio, relax! The boy just gave a speech that practically made the principal cry. Let him eat a steak first!" Antonio laughed, turning to see the teenagers walking up. "Ah! The stars of the day! Come here, Maggie, let your father smell how much high school sweat you brought home."

"Gross, Dad, no!" Aurora laughed, dodging his greasy hug and sliding onto the wooden bench at the long patio table.

“Go take a shower kids, you’re all sweaty” Mint Rossi said

, walking out of Aurora’s house carrying a massive tray of steaming lasagna. She shook her head, though her eyes were laughing. "You two are impossible. Go change!"

"No time, Mom, the lasagna is a time-sensitive issue," Dante argued easily, sliding into the empty seat right next to Aurora. He didn't even hesitate before reaching out and sliding his arm over the back of her seat, his fingers brushing against her shoulder. "Besides, Rory looks great in school colors."

Aurora's heart did a quick, dangerous flip, but she kept her face entirely deadpan. "I look like a giant highlighter, Dante. Don't lie to me."

Just then, the back door clicked open again, and Giovanni walked out. But he wasn't alone. Holding his hand, looking completely radiant and entirely too pretty for a casual backyard dinner, was Laura—Aurora's absolute best friend in the entire universe, and officially, Giovanni's girlfriend.

"Look who I found wandering the streets," Giovanni announced with a proud grin, pulling Laura closer to his side.

"Laura!" Aurora gasped, instantly forgetting her hunger as she jumped up to give her a massive hug. "You didn't tell me you were coming over!"

"Gio invited me to lunch today at school, and then he practically kidnapped me for dinner," Laura laughed, her eyes crinkling as she hugged her back. She looked over at the table and winked. "Hey, Dante. Great speech today. Even Chloe was swooning, though we all know who the real brains behind the microphone was."

Dante laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Guilty. Rory is the only reason I didn't accidentally read my calculus homework out loud."

"Sit, sit, Laura!" Valentina beamed, immediately pulling out an extra chair and placing a mountain of food in front of her. "Any friend of Aurora's is family, and since you're dating my son, you get double portions!"

"Thank you, Mrs. C," Laura smiled, melting right into the chaotic energy of the table.

As the food was passed around, the table became a battlefield of flying breadsticks and loud conversations. Across the table, Valentina and Mint exchanged a look. It was the look. The silent, motherly telepathy that they had been practicing since Room 302 of the maternity ward. Valentina raised an eyebrow, and Mint gave a subtle, encouraging nod.

"So, Dante," Valentina started, her voice dripping with an entirely too-innocent tone as she served him a massive square of lasagna. "Now that you're the big captain, I’m sure all the girls at school are noticing you even more. Any special young lady catching your eye lately? Someone you might want to invite over for Sunday dinner?"

Aurora instantly choked on her water.

Laura immediately slapped her back, trying—and failing—to hide a massive smirk. Laura knew everything. Aurora had spent the last three years screaming into her pillows about her feelings for Dante.

Aurora glared at her mother, trying to send a silent, telepathic scream that said: MOM! STOP IT RIGHT NOW OR I WILL DROWN MYSELF IN THIS SALAD BOWL!

Giovanni choked on his soda, coughing into his fist to hide his laughing fits. Antonio suddenly became deeply invested in scraping the grill grates.

Dante, completely oblivious to the sudden tension thick enough to cut with a knife, just laughed and shook his head, taking a massive bite of lasagna. "Nah, Mrs. C. Honestly, girls at school are way too much drama right now. Between practice, scouting reports, and trying not to fail calculus, I don't have the time."

"Oh, nonsense," Fabio chimed in, leaning against the table. "A handsome boy like you? You need a good girl by your side! A supportive partner!"

"I already have one," Dante said easily, turning his head to look directly at Aurora. His dark eyes were warm, shining under the golden string lights of the patio. He reached over and playfully pinched her chin. "Rory's my lucky charm. As long as she's in the front row cheering for me, I don't need anyone else. Right, Maggie?"

The whole table went dead quiet for a split second.

Aurora felt her heart hammer violently against her ribs. He said it so beautifully, with so much genuine, raw affection—but it was entirely platonic. To him, she was his rock, his best friend, his sister from another mister.

Laura let out a sharp, tiny intake of breath, casting a fiercely sympathetic look at her best friend. Valentina let out a small sigh, while Mint reached across the table and gently patted Aurora's hand.

"Right," Aurora managed to say, her voice soft but steady as she knocked his hand away from her chin with a playful smirk. "But if you don't pass that calculus test on Friday, your lucky charm is going to lock you out of her window."

"See? Fierce," Dante laughed, completely unfazed, turning back to his food. "Pass the parmesan, Gio!"

As the dinner dissolved back into loud laughter, shouting parents, and Giovanni teasing Dante about his terrible video game skills while Laura giggled beside him, Aurora took a slow breath.

Her family’s teasing was relentless, and the boy next to her was completely blind, but as she sat there in her wrinkled school uniform, surrounded by the people who loved her most, she couldn't help but smile.

The slow burn was going to be agonizing, but looking at Dante's laugh, she knew it was going to be worth every single second.