Locked Fates

prologue | 01

JOANNA needed a minute to come down from the emotions Giuliano had stirred up in her. What game was he playing? Joanna had only started to come to terms with not having him in her life, but she was back at square one. His laugh, the feel of his smooth skin against hers, his big hands on her waist.

'I think you two need to talk,' Lauren whispered in the passenger seat.

'I hate him. I hate him so much,' Joanna said quietly, trying her best to keep in her tears. 'Why the fuck does he care to talk to me all of a sudden? En dan noemt hij mij nog «mère ya palais» fils de pute ! Sorry, Tia,' Joanna caught herself, Giuliano's mother didn't deserve to be cussed out for her son's shenanigans.

'I think you should talk to him tonight, you guys have a lot you need to tell each other.'

'I have nothing to say to him, that son of a b- Sorry.' Even if his attitude annoyed her, a weight lifted off Joanna's shoulders, they weren't as far gone as she had thought.

They went to dinner with all three of their families, Joanna did her best to stay away from Giuliano. Her tears were a ticking bomb, but she had no idea what would set them off. Dinner was so much fun, but being near Giuliano for the first time in years made her overly aware of her actions.

After dinner, Emir, Lauren, Giuliano, Giovanni, Minerva, Celeste, Theo and Joanna went back to her brother's place, he was throwing a party for Giuliano, his best friend, and her. The staff was slow to give her her coat, forcing her to ride in Giuliano's car. It was just the two of them, it felt like a set-up, but Giuliano left her alone the entire drive. Joanna wished he talked, she wouldn't be so fixated on keeping her breathing even.

'Thank you,' Joanna thanked him as he opened the car door for her, extending his hand to help her out of the low car.

'You're most welcome,' he smiled, closing the door. Joanna blushed, returning his smile. She wanted to tell him she had missed him, but instead Joanna dropped his warm hand, crossing the distance to the elevator.

It was awkward to not be on Giuliano's arm, but Joanna stood firm in her decision of not letting him come back like the past two years didn't happen. Joanna stayed on the balcony for the majority of the night, needing the soft summer breeze to cool her skin.

'I'm telling Giuliano to come be with you on the balcony, how are you both gonna look miserable at your own graduation party?' Lauren was already back inside before Joanna could say anything, and just as quickly, her longtime ex was outside and the people who had crowded the balcony were gone.

'Lauren said you didn't feel good,' Giuliano said, crouching down in front of her. He checked her temperature and the tears she had been holding nearly broke free.

'I drank too much whiskey.'

'Oh,' Giuliano chuckled. Joanna was a lightweight and whiskey was her kryptonite, but whiskey Coke was her favourite drink. 'You want me to fix that?'

Before she could think, Joanna nodded. Giuliano walked them to his parents' apartment three streets away from Giovanni's, Joanna in his arms. He placed her on the couch to have free movement as he went into the kitchen. Giuliano came back a few minutes later with an inch of brown liquid in a glass.

'It's still early for you to be in this state,' he said, placing it on the table. 'I'll bring you back to Giovanni's apartment once you feel better.'

'I don't wanna go back,' Joanna stood up, wobbling a bit until she found her balance and went into the bathroom with the glass. After all the years she had taken it, Joanna still wasn't sure what it was made from, but it worked.

Giuliano held her hair out of her face as she threw up in the toilet bowl, leaving her alone to freshen up. Joanna used one of Minerva's bonnets to protect her hair from the water as she showered. Joanna wanted to crash on the burnt orange couch in the living room, but Giuliano told her to take his bedroom to nap.

'Can you stay with me?' Joanna was groggy, exhausted after her long day, but also exhausted from trying to keep walls up between the two of them.

'I'll be in the living room when you wake up.' Giuliano was being respectful of her wishes, but Joanna wanted to fall asleep in his arms. They still had so much to work through, but for the next hour, they could pretend things were normal.

'I meant in bed with me.' Giuliano stared at her for a minute before silently tucking her in.

'I don't think that's a good idea.'

'Just until I wake up,' she pleaded. 'Please?' Joanna fell asleep immediately, but still saw him evaluating her request.