"Look at this."

Motioning for him to be silent, I beckon Gabriele closer. Only twenty minutes ago, Alessandro had excused himself from our lunch-turned-dessert-buffet with a headache, and we followed not long after. It had been long enough, and both Gabriele and me were a bit worried about him.

His car was still present, but Hailey was sure she had seen him leave. And now, when I open the passenger door of Gabriele's car, I notice a lump on his backseat. A breathing lump, with a messy-haired head squished against the door.

"He's taking a nap," I tell Gabriele, who loosens a breath at the sight, clearly wondering where he had been before. "Isn't that cute?"

"Very. Now what are we supposed to do? I can't drive while he's asleep, that's dangerous!"

And letting me drive wasn't? He sees my look and relents, "Okay, but you were wearing a seat belt."

"How about we just wake him up? You'll both drive to your apartment and he can nap some more there," I propose. Gabriele doesn't seem too fond of that idea, finding allowing Alessandro to sleep a better outcome, but there's the matter he came with his car, too. They probably have men for these kind of things, but still. It sounds like an unnecessary hassle.

Eventually, he gives in. "Will you do it? You're probably more gentle than me."

I make my way to the backseat, making sure I don't cause any scratches. Even though I'm not silent by the least, Alessandro doesn't even twitch. He's really gone.

Not wanting to startle him, I gently start caressing his cheek, but it doesn't wake him up. All it does is make him nuzzle his head deeper into the feeling. I hear Gabriele snort at that behind me and swat his arm.

"Alessandro," I whisper, still trying to not startle him awake. No one likes waking up in a panic. "Alessandro, baby, you have got to open your eyes now."

In a matter of seconds, his eyes open, as if baby was the magical word. He looks at me, registers our position and pulls away from my hand, still on his cheek. His mouth opens around a confused comment, but he decides against it and sits up a little, unfortunately bumping his head against the roof.

Sleep still slowing his movements, he only flinches a little, blinking his eyes more open until he notices Gabriele and his surroundings. "Why am I in your car?"

"You tell me," Gabriele grins, not at all bothered by it. In fact, I think he finds it as cute as me.

Alessandro's brows knit together, but my arm sneaking around his shoulders has his attention pulled away. "You took a nap here. Is your headache better?"

He nods, shaking off the blanket he somehow found. "Are we going home?"

It is now our turn to nod. "Yeah. But I've just persuaded Isabella into going along with us to our apartment, so you haven't missed much."

I look at Gabriele. "Have you? I don't seem to have any recollection of that."

He gnaws at his lip before giving in, "Will you come over, darling? We would love to have you. Wouldn't we, Alè?"

Eagerly, Alessandro nods, obviously still not completely awake. If he was, he wouldn't show his enthusiasm like this, I'm sure. 

I pretend to think about it, only to have them looking at me this way a little longer. A mix of impatience and polite blankness, clearly not acted out right. "I have a dinner date tonight, so I can't stay too late."

"Dinner date?" they sputter together, Alessandro now fully awake and climbing out of the car. I don't attempt to follow him.

"Yeah. Any problems with that? I've spent all day with you, I thought you wouldn't mind sharing me," I tease, enjoying the way their eyes darken. It's easy to rile them up, and fun as well, and so unbelievably strange because why get worked up about me when they could have any woman they want? A woman that knows how to go about this lifestyle, or who could fit right in.

Gabriele doesn't pick the subtle approach Alessandro was trying to go for. "With who?"

Smiling, because I know what their reaction is going to be, "My parents."

And indeed, groans fill the air, not believing they fell for it.

***

"So you and Theodore kissed?"

Both Alessandro and me are enjoying this, since he apparently never heard this story either. Gabriele is blushing on the other side of the couch and stuffing his mouth with pistachios to avoid answering. 

He's really outdone himself, showering us with all sorts of snacks. Healthy ones, at that. Pistachios, cucumbers with dip sauce, and then all sorts of freshly prepared appetizers from all over the world. When I told him how impressive it was he could make them all from scratch—because he whipped out 5 different kinds in less than half an hour—the tips of his ears turned pink and he muttered a quiet thank you.

"We didn't actually... It was the atmosphere and the fact we were both nearly drunk. And, you know, Beau had set us up for a challenge, and neither of us had completed it yet so—"

Alessandro smirks, asking "What kind of challenge?" He is busying himself with my waist, lightly scratching it, entertaining himself. Somehow, he seems content just rubbing my stomach from his seat behind me. It reminds me of this afternoon and his toned thighs beneath me. It had taken me all my strength to not do unspeakable things after feeling them.

Unsurprisingly, Gabriele is even more flustered now. It baffles me how vulnerable they have both showed themselves today. Before, I thought they were both extremely cool, calm and collected, but it seems that was just an act. Now, I can recognize they're both gentle, soft men. Who blush easily, it shows.

"We both had to kiss someone, didn't matter what gender. And, well, we took too long drinking while we watched Beau make out with literally every dude there, so we were too drunk to start our own flirtation. It seemed the best solution at the time."

I look at Alessandro over my shoulder. "You have to give it to him, it's a good solution."

He looks up, eyes switching between me and Gabriele, clearly not having paid attention after asking his question. "Hm? Yes, yes. Very."

"What's got you so distracted? You were the one interrogating him," I tease, laying my arms over his around my waist. He makes a strangled noise before dropping his face onto my shoulder. "Lies. You started it."

Indignant, "I did not!"

I turn back to Gabriele, "Do you think I did?"

Something about my look makes him obediently shake his head. "No. Of course not."

To prove my point, I wave at Gabriele, showing him to Alessandro. "See? It's two against one."

He just grins, not in the least bothered by having lost against me, and relaxes against the back of the couch. "Now we've both told a few stories, but we're yet to hear about you. Trying to stay secretive, darling?"

I move away from his chest, having him pouting, but I am now seated in between them, a better position for the purpose of keeping a conversation. "What do you want to know?"

"You're in college, right? What're you studying? Last year? How old are you again?" Alessandro starts firing his questions, making me lean over and shush him by placing my finger against his soft lips. His eyes droop a little at the touch. 

"One at a time, sweetheart. Yes, I'm in college. English Literature. And I'm 22, so almost finished," I tell him, leaning back again. I sense Gabriele opening his mouth to ask a question, but I'm faster. "If you're about to ask about my brother, he's 26, named Liam and he loves cars. He would get along with you both well, since you each have a garage on your own."

A light bulb appears above my head. "Hey, you actually would get along together! If you didn't mention me, that is. Maybe you should go out sometime, it would be fun!" 

They glance at each other. "Would you like that?"

I nod before realizing it probably isn't the best idea. "Actually, never mind. You don't know each other. It would be awkward and on top of that, I don't know if he would be open for it. Forget about it."

Gabriele frowns, moving closer to brush some fallen strands out of my face, gentle as ever. "Hey, no. We would love to take your brother out if you want that. Why don't you propose your idea to him and let us know? It's up to him, then."

Alessandro nods, agreeing with his friend. "Exactly. You mentioned he liked cars? We could do something around that. Is there anything we should know before we meet up with him?"

A few things, actually. "Don't give him any alcohol."

Their faces morph in understand, faster than I wanted. They're now assuming things about him, but don't want to ask. Desperate, I rush out, "It's not like that! He's— it's just a coping mechanism. He's not hopeless or pathetic, I swear, he's just going through a difficult moment in his life and—"

"Hey, sweetheart," Gabriele mutters, softly, gently. "You don't have to explain. We're not judging, I promise. He's having a difficult moment, that's all. Yeah?"

Relieved, I nod. I wouldn't want them thinking Liam is an abusive drunk or taking pity on him. He'll get through it, really.

"What time did you need to be at your parents'?" Alessandro asks, catching a glance at his watch. "It's nearly five thirty already."

My heart stammers. "What? I have to be there at six! Even if the bus is right here, I'll never get there—"

A hand on my arm stops my frantic searching for my phone, trying to see when and where I can catch the next. How did I lose track of time so fast? "Baby, why would you need to take the bus? We'll drive you, promise."

This makes me draw a relieved breath. Until I realize what that means. My parents will never let it go I was brought by two men, let alone leaving them to drive off. They'll definitely get invited inside, if not for dinner then for a drink in the very least.

"That's very generous, really, but my parents..."

"Don't have to know," Alessandro fills in. "We'll drop you off at the corner and go on with our day. Just text us when you're safely inside, and all will be well."

That... actually sounds like the smartest plan yet. At my approving nod, Gabriele smiles. "Yeah? Alright, let's go then. Oh, and take a bottle of wine with you, for your parents. They'll enjoy it."

Considering they loved the last bottle I brought, I figure it wouldn't hurt. That is, until I see the bottle. "How much did this cost?"

Clueless as to what the answer would be to that, his eyes find Alessandro's, who shrugs. "I don't know?"

It must have cost hundreds. There's no way a wine with this illiterate of a name, such a detailed label and special glass is in our price range. "Let's just leave it here."

Confused, "Isabella, why don't you just take it with you? It doesn't matter how much it was, it's a gift. We have plenty more, and even if we didn't, we would have wanted you to have it. It's not a big deal, I promise you."

Frustration claws at my throat. "It's a big deal to me! Both of you, you just... throw money around. So many cars, bikes and dinners. You don't know what it's like to have to take on extra shifts anytime you can to gather enough money to get around. I have to pay for rent, groceries, school, my parents, and the money you spent in one single night could help me along for a month! It's not fair, not at all, and you don't even see how privileged you are. Yet here you are, giving away things that could pay my groceries for two weeks at least!"

Silence dawns on the room as they, once again, share a secretive look between the two of them. I set aside the bottle, shrug on my jacket and shove past Gabriele. "I'll take the bus."

"No, Isabella, come on," Alessandro immediately reacts, gently grabbing onto my arm before I am successful in escaping. "Let's not leave like this. Do the things we spend money on bother you that much?"

I don't think it's that. It's just the contrast between them and me, between our situations that has me upset. Why must the world be divided like that? Why can some people buy tens of cars on a whim, and why do other people have to skip lunch to have enough money left for rent?

"You can do what you want. I'm not in any position to tell you what to do," I murmur, feeling the urge to flee rising and rising. Why did he have to stop me?

"Perhaps not, but if we are making you uncomfortable with our spending, then you should say so. We can live without an expensive steak, but not without that smile, darling. We'll be mindful of it from now on. Pinky swear," Gabriele smiles, a little hesitantly, and sticks out his pinky finger.

Shy, I lock our pinkies. "Seriously, it's silly of me. You've only ever known money, it's not your fault. I think I'm just a bit upset with the difference between us."

"I didn't," Gabriele answers, tilting his head to the side. "I never had money in my teenage years. I was always saving, always refusing to go out and spend money. I understand your situation, and I'm sorry for making it seem like I didn't. It's just not something I stop to remember often."

My cheeks flame. "Maybe you shouldn't. You have the money now, why mix yourself into that situation again? You're both at the top of the world, and I'm not. I have ketchup in my hair nearly every evening while you can dine in the finest restaurants. And yet you insist on spending time with me. Why? I could never fit into that world of yours, even if I tried or suddenly had money. I'm not made for that."

"Woah," Alessandro cuts in, frowning confusedly. "Where is this coming from? We're not spending time with you to fit into somewhere. We're attracted to you by your smile, your personality and the way it's easy to have a conversation with you. Money or status has nothing to do with this."

Yet, I don't say.