Locked Fates

prologue | 00

June 2019
Oxford, Oxfordshire

This was not how Joanna imagined her graduation day. She should be celebrating her new diploma with her loved ones, but the only thing on her mind was how distant her and Giuliano had become. She had only seen him on the stage today. They hadn't even seen each other last night. Or over the past couple of years, though they went to the same university.

'Lau, ik ga mijn spullen van mijn kot halen, can you tell my parents if they ask where I am,' she asked her cousin adjacent friend. She needed a minute to herself.

'I'm coming with you, so we should probably ask V or Theo to tell our parents,' Lauren inserted herself in her plans.

'One day you'll need to navigate the world on your own,' Joanna said, sweeping the room for their respective brothers.

'That day is not today,' Lauren hooked her arm in Joanna's and led them across the room. 'Hey, can you tell the parents Joanna and I are going back to her apartment?'

Theo and Lauren had grown up with Giovanni and Joanna and had had a tight-knit friend group since before Lauren was on earth. Giuliano was part of that friend group, too, but hadn't been hanging out with them to avoid her. She knew he still hung out with the rest of them. Her brother, Giovanni, had been in Egypt last week, the same week Giuliano posted himself partying in Hurghada on his close friends' story. Joanna saw the post through Lauren's phone, she would bet on the fact that he had blocked her.

'Giuliano,' Lauren exclaimed next to her, drawing Joanna out of her thoughts as they neared the exit of the venue.

'Hey,' Giuliano laughed, his deep voice instantly galvanising Joanna's stomach to release butterflies. He took Lauren into a tight hug before leaning down to give Joanna a polite air kiss. Fuck him. 'You two look good,' he said, taking a step back to see them. His velvet suit brought out his eyes, also complementing his tanned caramel skin.

'Thank you. You look as ugly as ever,' Lauren responded, twirling in front of him to show him her lilac Nadine Merabi bustier dress. That wasn't true, Giuliano was extremely good-looking, but his beauty was impossible to put into words. His charisma skyrocketed him into levels of attractiveness that were unimaginable until you listened to him talk. 'We'll see you tonight, right?'

'Of course you'll see me tonight, you know I never miss a good party.' He turned his attention to Joanna. 'Where are you two going?'

'That concerns you because?' Joanna spoke before Lauren could answer his question. Giuliano hadn't shown one inch of interest in her since Figueira da Foz, but now he cared?

'Oza mère ya palais, of course I care,' Giuliano gave her his panty-dropping smile, and it would have worked on her, but Joanna caught herself in time.

'Go to hell.'