Chapter 5: I think I'm Actually Straight

Emma's POV 

I woke up the next morning before my alarm, my heart already racing as if it had been running a marathon while I slept.

For a few seconds, I stared at the ceiling of my bedroom, trying to anchor myself. The pale morning light filtered through the curtains, illuminating the familiar mess of my desk and the chair where my black dress from last night sat in a crumpled heap. Then, the memories hit—the heat of Luca’s skin, the weight of his body, the way he had looked at me as if I were the only thing in the world that mattered.

I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling. The text from Hannah about the silver earring was still there, sitting like a ticking time bomb at the top of my notifications.

I found something in Luca’s room...

I was about to spiral into a full-blown panic attack when a new message popped up.

Luca: Check your trash.

My brow furrowed. I looked at the small wastepaper basket by my bed. Sitting right on top was a tiny, shimmering silver hoop.

My heart did a violent somersault. I scrambled out of bed, grabbed the earring, and checked my jewelry box. Both of mine were there. Luca hadn't just "handled" it; he had broken into my apartment—or used the spare key Hannah kept—to return the evidence and replace it with a decoy.

Me: How? Hannah said she found it.

Luca: She found 'an' earring, Emma. Not yours. I told her it belonged to some girl from the party. She threw it at my head. We’re safe. Just breathe.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, the silver metal biting into my palm. He was willing to let his sister hate him just a little bit more, to let her believe he was the ultimate playboy, just to keep my name out of it. It was the sweetest, most terrifying thing anyone had ever done for me.

"Emma? You alive in there?"

The door swung open, and Mia leaned against the frame. She was already dressed for the beach—a neon orange bikini under a sheer sarong, holding a green smoothie like it was a weapon.

"I'm awake," I said, quickly sliding my phone under my pillow.

"Good. Because Hannah’s downstairs. She’s in 'protective mode' today. Apparently, her brother is a pig and she needs some 'girl time' to recover from the trauma of his dating life." Mia stepped further into the room, her eyes raking over me. "You look like you didn't sleep a wink. Still the tequila?"

"Maybe," I mumbled, heading for the closet. "I just need coffee."

"You need a better poker face," Mia whispered as I walked past her.

I ignored her, grabbing my denim shorts and a white linen shirt. I didn't want to think about what Mia suspected. I just wanted to get through the day without crying or screaming or accidentally whispering Luca’s name.

The drive to the lake was filled with the sound of Hannah’s "Summer Vibes" playlist. She was driving her beat-up Jeep, the wind blowing her hair into a golden mess. She looked happy. 

"I’m seriously done with him, Em," Hannah said, her hand reaching over to squeeze my shoulder. "I went into his room this morning to see if he wanted breakfast, and it smelled like... I don't even know. And then I found that earring. He didn't even care. He just laughed and said some girl named 'Tiffany' or 'Brittany' probably left it."

"That sucks," I said, my voice sounding hollow to my own ears.

"It’s just gross. Why can't he just be normal? Why does he have to be so... reckless?" She looked at me, her eyes softening. "I'm just glad I have you. You’re the only person in my life who doesn't constantly disappoint me."

I looked out the window, the guilt twisting in my gut like a knife. "I'm not perfect, Han."

"You're perfect to me," she murmured.

We found a place to park and strolled down to the beach and met Mia, who had already claimed a spot under a large umbrella. The sun was hot, the water a shimmering blue, and for a few hours, I almost managed to forget. We swam, we tanned, and we laughed at the tourists.

But then, the wine came out.

Mia sat up, adjusting her sunglasses. "Let’s play a game. I’m bored. 'Deep Dives.' No surface-level bullshit allowed."

"I hate your games," Hannah laughed, but she sat up too. "Fine. What’s the first topic?"

"Relationships," Mia said, looking directly at me. "

"What!, Why are you looking at me like that?!" I snapped playfully at Mia.

Hannah interrupted, leaning back on her elbows. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something, Em. I watched this movie last week—one of those indie GL stories. You know, girls loving girls. It was so intense. The way they looked at each other... it made me wonder if you’d ever felt that. Like, could you ever see yourself with a girl? Or do you think men are the only ones who can give you that 'fire'?"

The question felt like a trap, but I didn't know which side was closing in. I thought about the "fire" I’d felt with Luca. It had been so physical, so overwhelming.

"I don't know," I said slowly, trying to be honest without being revealing. "I think... I think passion is passion. If you find someone who makes you feel like you’re finally seeing the world in color, does it matter who they are?"

"Exactly!" Hannah said, her voice a little too eager. "I mean, sometimes your soulmate is the person who's been standing right in front of you the whole time, right? Someone who knows all your secrets."

"Or someone who shares them," Mia added.

Then her eyes flashed toward the parking lot.

I followed her gaze. A black SUV had just pulled into the lot.

My breath hitched. Luca hopped out, looking devastating in just board shorts and a t-shirt. He wasn't alone. He reached back into the car and pulled out a cooler, followed by a tall, leggy girl in a tiny black bikini.

"Oh, great," Hannah groaned. "He’s here. And he brought another 'guest'."

Luca walked toward us, his stride confident, his eyes hidden behind dark shades. As they got closer, the girl laughed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Hey guys," Luca said, his voice that low, bone-melting rumble. He stopped at the edge of our blanket. He didn't look at me. Not at first.

"Luca, we’re trying to have a 'girls' day," Hannah snapped.

"The lake is public, Han," he said smoothly. He finally shifted his gaze, his shades sliding down his nose just enough for me to see his eyes. They weren't cold. They were burning.

He looked at me, then at the girl beside him, then back at me. It was a warning. A challenge.

"This is Chloe," he said.

"Hi!" Chloe chirped, waving. She looked at me. "Are you Emma? Luca told me so much about you on the way here."

The air left my lungs. My heart stopped.

"He did?" I croaked.

"Yeah," Chloe smiled, her teeth white and perfect. "He said you were his sister’s 'innocent' best friend. He said I should be careful not to corrupt you."

Hannah let out a harsh laugh. "Corrupt her? You’re the one who should be worried about him, honey."

Luca’s jaw tightened. He looked at me one last time—a look that said Trust me and I’m sorry all at once—before turning to lead Chloe toward the water.

"See?" Hannah said, turning back to me. "That’s what I mean. He’s a lost cause. You’re lucky you don't have a brother like that, Em."

I looked at the silver earring I’d hidden in the pocket of my bag. I looked at Luca’s back as he walked away with another girl. And then I looked at Hannah, whose hand was inching closer to mine on the sand.

We went into the water a few minutes later. I was wading out when I felt a hand grab my ankle beneath the surface. I gasped, slipping under for a second.

When I came up, Luca was there, his back to the beach, blocking me from Hannah’s view.

"Don't scream," he whispered, his hand sliding up my thigh under the water.

"What are you doing? She’s right there!"

"I need to tell you something," he gritted out, his face inches from mine. "Chloe isn't a date. She’s a decoy. Mia’s phone is recording us right now from the umbrella. Don't look at her. Just listen. Tonight, midnight, the old boathouse. If you don't come, I'm telling Hannah myself."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me, Emma. I want more of last night."

He let go of me just as Hannah swam up.

"You okay, Em? You went under for a while!"

I looked at Hannah’s worried face, then at Luca’s disappearing form, and finally at Mia, who was indeed holding her phone up, pointing it straight at the water.