Karina
"Hi."
I stood there in shock as I stared in the eyes of the man I didn't think would ever speak to me again.
"Griffin, what are you doing here?"
"Can we go to your room?", he asked after noticing my brother sleeping on the couch.
I nodded slowly before leading him to my room.
I sat on my bed as he stood by my window.
"I'm sorry for coming so late. I saw that you were back on your Snap and I know you usually go to sleep late.",Griffin explained.
"It's fine. Griffin, what are you doing here?", I asked again.
He looked around my room. His eyes landed on a picture of him and I on my wall.
"Remember that day? I surprised you with a picnic in Central Park. You told me that no one has ever done something so romantic for you like that. We had our first kiss that day."
"I remember. It was on October 19th. It was cold, so you gave me your hoodie. I still have it."
"You loved stealing my hoodies."
"Because they smell like you.", I looked up at him. He was already looking at me.
"I miss you.", he said quietly.
"I miss you too, Griffin."
He sighed and came over and sat beside me.
"You're not a whore. I shouldn't have called you that."
"You were right, Griff. I cheated on you. I was horrible to you."
"You've made some mistakes. A lot of mistakes actually, but for some reason, I can't let you go."
"Griff."
"I forgive you, Karina. I want to give this another chance."
"I don't deserve your forgiveness."
He grabbed my chin with his hand.
"I love you, Ri. I don't want to be without you again."
"I love you too, but I can't do this.", I moved his hand away.
"I thought you wanted me. What's wrong?"
"I do want you, Griff. I love you so much, but I think I need to be on my own for a little while. I need to take some time and figure myself out. I don't want to hurt you again."
He nodded slowly, taking in what I just said.
"Okay. I understand. I can give you some time."
I smiled at him before resting my head on his shoulder.
"So friends?", I asked.
"Friends.", he responded.
We sat there for a few moments.
"Can friends fall asleep together?", he asked.
I smiled and nodded, and stretched my arms out. He climbed on top of me and rested his head on my chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist.
"I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks.", he mumbled sleepily.
I stroked his hair with one hand and turned off the lamp with the other. The only light in the room coming from the string lights that hung over my ceiling that was flickering in different colors.
I missed being this close to him. We used to sleep like this all the time.
"I need to tell you something.", he said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"I slept with another girl when we broke up. I know we weren't together, but I felt horrible about it after. I thought it would make me feel better, but it just made me miss you more."
Hearing him say that made my heart hurt. I hate that I made him feel so unwanted and unloved.
"Griff, I'm so sorry. I was so ungrateful. I didn't deserve you."
He looked up at me and stared into my eyes.
"Did you sleep with him after we broke up?", he asked me.
I tore my eyes away from his and cleared my throat.
"Yes."
He nodded and tightened his grip on me.
"Are you with him?"
I shook my head and he let out a sigh.
"He asked me to be with him. I told him no. We were just saying goodbye."
"Were the words not enough?", he half-joked.
"I know it sounds so cliche, but it really didn't mean anything. This time felt different. I don't know why, but it did."
He nodded. He lifted his head and came closer to me.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Griff, I don't think we should.", I said truthfully.
Things were complicated enough without us kissing.
"Just once and then we can pretend it didn't happen. I just need to see if it'll be different. See if my feelings have changed."
I looked into his eyes before meeting his soft lips. The kiss was sensual and slow before the pace quickened. We kissed each other hungrily. Griffin's hand made its way up my shirt while the other wrapped around my throat.
His fingers were centimeters away from my nipple when I broke the kiss.
We panted and looked at each other. Griffin pulled his arm from under my shirt, but left his hand around my throat.
"Have your feelings changed?"
He shook his head.
"No, I'm still in love with you. I mean, I am a little more turned on, but...", he trailed off as he looked at me again.
I let out a playful laugh and wrapped my arms around him.
"Were you always this horny when we were just friends?"
"Yes, I hid it well.", he said with a laugh.
I felt his dick press against me.
"You wanna go fix that?"
He blushed and nodded.
He got off me and left the room.
I let out a content sigh. I missed being around him. He was one of my best friends and it felt so good to have him back in my life.
About ten minutes later as I was drifting off to sleep. I felt my bed dip before feeling Griffin wrap his arms around me again. He rested his head on my chest.
"Goodnight, Ri.", he whispered before kissing my forehead.
I smiled with my eyes closed in response, too tired to speak.
I awoke to the sound of an obnoxious alarm going off. Griffin was still lying on top of me, snoring lightly.
I groaned and looked in the direction of the sound. It was Griffin's phone that was across the room.
"Griff, get up."
"No.", he mumbled back.
I groaned again and shook him.
"Your alarm is going off."
He let out a sigh and got off of me. I immediately missed his touch. I sat up in the bed.
"Shit. I have to go, babe. I'm supposed to meet the guys at the gym. Let's grab something to eat later?", he explained after turning the alarm off.
"Okay. Have fun, Griff. I'll text you."
He gave me a quick hug and left the room. I laid back down in hopes of falling back asleep. My dreams were crushed when my door swung back open.
"Karina!", Giovanni, Kai, and Lux yelled in unison.
I jumped at the sound of their voices.
"What?!"
"Why was Griffin here?!", Lux asked excitedly.
"He came over last night. He wanted to forgive me and give me a second chance. We're going to be just friends right now."
"But he slept over?", Gio asked.
I rolled my eyes and sat up. I wasn't going to be able to sleep any time soon.
"Nothing really happened. I mean we kissed, but it was only a one time thing.", I told them.
They all nodded in understanding.
"So, you two aren't going to get back together?",Kai asked.
"Not right now.", I told her.
Giovanni who seemed bored walked away as the girls came and sat down.
Giovanni
I sat down on the couch and checked my email. I saw that my school emailed me to let me know I could return next week and that I had a new dorm.
I looked around the apartment. I like it here. I like being around my sister and Lux.
Lux. I finally realized my feelings for her and it was too late. She's already falling so deeply for Donatello. Maybe it's better this way. Maybe I should return to NYU.
A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. I opened the door to see Donatello standing there.
"Hey, little Giovanni. I'm here for Lux.", he said.
He brushed past me and stepped inside. I rolled my eyes and closed the door.
"Lux!", I called.
Soon enough, Lux, Kai, and Karina came in the living room. Lux smiled when she saw Donatello.
"Donatello, you're here."
She hugged him and kissed his cheek.
I groaned inwardly. Karina looked at me with sad eyes.
"Yeah, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I'm sorry for just popping up."
"No, it's fine. I've been thinking about you too."
Donatello tore his eyes away from Lux and finally turned his attention to the rest of the room.
"You must be Kai.", he said before bending down and kissing her hand.
"I-I, umm...Uh-huh.", Kai nodded.
Karina held Kai's hand and whispered something in her ear.
"Little Giovanni, I thought you went to NYU."
"I do. I was just spending some time with my sister. I go back next week."
Frowns appeared on the girls' faces.
"Already? I thought you'll be here a little longer.", Lux said.
"It's time for me to get back to my life.", I said with my eyes fixated on hers.
We stayed like that for a while. Just staring at each other in total silence. Until Donatello cleared his throat.
"Uh..Lux, I want to take you out today. Spend some time together in the city."
Lux finally tore her eyes from me and looked at him. She smiled and nodded.
"I'd like that, Donatello."
"I'll go prepare some things and I'll pick you in an hour.", he said before kissing her forehead.
He waved goodbye and left.
"It seems like he really likes you, Lux.", I said.
She looked at me and studied my face. She slowly nodded after a while.
"Yeah. I like him too.", she said.
"That's good. I'm glad you like him.", I said before going over to the closet and grabbing my bags.
"What are you doing? You said you don't go back until next week.", Karina said.
"Yeah, but I have a friend there. I'll just crash with him until I can move into my new dorm. Thanks for letting me stay here, sis.", I said as I threw the rest of my things in the bags.
Karina donned a sad expression on her face.
"But I'll miss you.", she said quietly.
"Karina, I won't be that far away.", I said before giving her and Kai quick hugs.
Lux stood there looking at me.
"Well, I guess I'll see you around, Dominic."
"Goodbye, Lux."
Karina handed me her car keys and hugged me again.
"You're letting me take the car?"
"This gives me an excuse to visit you.", she said with a smile.
I began heading out the door, but stopped when Karina called my name.
"Yes?"
I turned to see that she had a puzzled look on her face.
"You never told me why you got into a fight in the first place.", Rina said.
"I put a picture of you on my desk. One of my dorm mates thought you were my girlfriend and started saying some real ungentleman-like things about you. I couldn't have him talking about my best friend that way."
Karina smiled and nodded.
"I love you, brother."
"I love you too."