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"That's true. So, have you had fun tonight?"
I nodded. "I really have. It's so weird to me being in amongst all this. Halloween isn't such a big deal in the UK, and I've always thought it looked really fun over here."
"Oh yeah. We take this shit seriously. Doesn't quite compare to the July fourth celebrations though."
I grinned. "Luca, that was like a dream! The food, the fireworks... it was epic!"
He laughed. "So, are we any closer to making you stay?"
I gave an almost apologetic shrug. "I still haven't refused the offer, but I'm going home at the end of the year. I'm ready to go back."
Luca's eyes dimmed for a moment, and I looked at him curiously. "I know we haven't hung out as much as you have with Evelyn and Lewis, but I was sorta hoping maybe we could change that. I've been wanting to ask you on a date since we first talked, but... with us working together, it felt... weird."
There was no disguising the surprise on my face. Man, I hadn't noticed he might have been interested in me. To be fair though, I hadn't really noticed any of the guys around me in that way. My thoughts were consumed only with Brayden.
"Oh, Luca..." I began, but he shook his head.
"It's okay, Charley, really. You don't have to feel bad for not being into me..."
"It's not that," I interrupted. The truth was, had I been looking, Luca would very much have been my type. "I mean... it's just... there's someone back home I need to get back to, and being with anyone else isn't an option. You're lovely, Luca. But I can't think about going on a date with anyone."
He smiled. "He's a lucky guy."
"I don't know about that."
"He is, Charley. I hope he knows how lucky."
I smiled up at him, and I felt a rush of warmth as I imagined, for the millionth time, what it would be like to be inside Brayden's arms. God... it was rough to be so far away when all I wanted was to go to him.
"Come on," Luca said, interrupting my thoughts. "Let's go get a drink."
**
The Halloween party was a massive success. Students and teachers left the school building shortly before midnight, still dancing and singing as they wandered out into the night. Evelyn, Lewis, Luca, and I were equally as buzzed, and instead of going our separate ways, Evelyn invited the guys to come back to our apartment.
As soon as we got through the door, we threw ourselves down on the sofas while Evelyn went to grab a bottle of wine from the fridge, and four glasses. She sat on the floor and poured our drinks then handed us a glass each.
"That," Lewis said, raising his glass, "was an awesome night."
I raised my own glass. "Agreed. I needed that. It's been a long week."
"When did we get old?" Evelyn mused, before taking a long drink. "I mean, granted, we have jobs, and rent to pay, and blah, blah, blah but we're still in our early twenties. We should be going out more often and to more exciting things than a work's Halloween party."
Lewis grinned. "Some of us do."
Evelyn rolled her eyes at him. "That's because you are a total man whore, but what about the rest of us?"
"It's not my fault that you two choose to spend your weekends painting each other's nails and watching Channing Tatum movies." Lewis pointed at Evelyn and me. "Although, it wouldn't kill you to invite me to a Channing Tatum-athon."
I burst out laughing. "Lewis, you are always invited. You're just too busy going out and looking for your own man to want to stay in with us."
"There's a lot to be said for a quiet night in," Luca said, resting his feet on Evelyn's coffee table, earning himself a slap on the ankles from my roommate. He smirked as he put his feet back on the floor. "Takeout, a movie, a beer and I'm all set."
"See!" Evelyn poked his leg. "This is what I mean! We are all under twenty-five! You are talking like you're fifty-five!"
"I'm with Luca," I said, leaning my head back against the edge of the sofa for a moment. "I like a night out as much as anyone, but I don't think you can beat a Friday night at home with good food and a movie or two."
"You two should hook up," Lewis said, chuckling and pointing from me to Luca. I felt my cheeks warm in light of our earlier conversation, and I couldn't bring myself to look at him.
