Bose POV:
Today was supposed to be a quiet day. Chapa and Sage were going to see Olivia Rodrigo, so I dropped them off at the concert, leaving me with time to finally confront something I'd been avoiding for a while. I needed answers from SamâScar, as he liked to call himself. I hated the thought of it, but the nagging curiosity in my mind wouldn't rest until I knew for sure.
I arrived at his place just after 11 a.m., and when he opened the door, it was clear he wasn't expecting anyone. His apartment looked like it had survived a hurricaneâempty beer cans, clothes thrown everywhere, and a stale smell that hit me before he even said a word. He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes half-open, and mumbled, "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk," I said, my voice firmer than I felt. This wasn't going to be easy, but I had to push through.
He sighed, stepping aside to let me in, but as I glanced at the filthy couch, I opted to stand instead. "Why are you here so early, man?" he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.
I checked my watch and frowned. "It's already 11 a.m."
"Yeah, that's early," he muttered, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the fridge. He cracked it open, took a sip, and then asked, "What happened here last night?" He didn't even seem to notice how bad it looked.
"Just some friends hanging out. Nothing crazy." He took another long sip, then glanced at me. "How's Chapa?"
The question irritated me more than it should have. "That's none of your business." I snapped.
He raised his hands in mock apology, already heading out to the tiny balcony to light a cigarette. I followed him outside, feeling the tension between us rise as the door clicked shut behind me. The balcony was cramped, with two rusty chairs that looked like they'd collapse any second. I sat down, watching him puff smoke into the air.
"So, what's the deal? You here for some advice on how to keep things smooth with Chapa?" He smirked, clearly enjoying the jab.
My patience was wearing thin, and the heat rising in me was barely controllable. "I can give you some advice," I said coldly.
He laughed, offering me a cigarette like we were old pals. "Come on, man, one time won't kill you."
"I don't smoke," I replied, staring at the cigarette like it was poison. He sighed, shaking his head.
"Alright, alright. So what's this about?" He leaned back in his chair, flicking ash into a can by his feet.
I took a deep breath, knowing the next part of the conversation could change everything. "I want to know more about your dad's side of the family."
He raised an eyebrow. "I already told you. My dad lives in Texas, visits every couple months. That's it."
I pressed further, unwilling to let it drop. "What's his name?"
He looked at me oddly but answered. "Edoardo de Capra. Why do you care, though?"
The name hit me like a punch in the gut. De Capra. The same last name as my father. I tried to stay calm, but I could feel my heart racing.
"Does he have any other family?" I asked, my voice a little shaky.
Scar looked confused now. "Not that I know of. My dad's side is all from Italy, but he never talked about them much. He was kind of a jerk, treated my mom like crap."
I nodded, trying to process what I was hearing. My mind was already piecing together the puzzle, and it wasn't making me feel any better. "I think... we might be related."
He laughed, a sharp, incredulous sound. "You're joking, right?"
"I'm serious, Scar." I watched his face shift from amusement to confusion.
He leaned forward, flicking his cigarette off the balcony. "Wait, what?"
"My dad's name is Rafaelle de Capra. He's from Italy too. He gave me this old goat statue, just like the one you have."
Scar's face changed completely as the weight of what I said sank in. He stared at me for a long moment, then leaned back, exhaling slowly. "Damn. This is heavy."
He offered me another cigarette, and this time, feeling overwhelmed by the conversation, I took it. "Just for now," I muttered, lighting it up. The smoke filled my lungs, harsh and unfamiliar, but it strangely calmed my nerves.
"My dad's coming back in a week or two," Sam said after a long silence. "You could meet him if you want. Maybe get some answers."
I shook my head immediately. "I don't think that's a good idea."
He shrugged. "Do whatever you want, man. It's your call."
I stood up, needing to get out of there. "I should go."
He looked up at me, his expression unreadable. "You gonna tell Chapa?"
"No," I said quickly. "I'm not saying anything."
He chuckled, taking one last drag from his cigarette. "Yeah, probably a good call. She'd kill us both if she found out."
I left without another word, feeling the weight of the revelation sink deeper with every step I took.
Andrew POV:
I woke up feeling the softness of Mika's bed under me. For a second, I forgot where I was, but then I remembered. Her room was unfamiliar, a first for me, and I noticed how pristine everything looked. The pillow beside me was untouched, not a wrinkle in sight, like it hadn't been used at all. It was almost too perfect, like one of those hotel rooms where everything's set up just right. I shifted under the covers, realizing I still had my expensive $300 pants on. Great. Gross. I had taken off my sweater last night because I had a shirt underneath.
I noticed a door at the far end of the room. Curiosity got the better of me, so I walked over and cracked it open. Bathroom. I splashed some cold water out of the sink on my face, hoping it would clear my mind and wake me up a little more. As I dried off, I realized there was no sign of Mika. Where could she be? It was only 8 a.m., early for most, but maybe not for her. I quickly fixed my hair in the mirror, trying to look a bit more presentable.
I made my way downstairs, glancing around her house. It was bigâway too big. The kind of space you could easily get lost in. The living room, kitchen, and dining room were all empty. No sign of life anywhere. Then, just as I was about to wonder if she'd left the house altogether, I heard her voice coming from behind a closed door.
I opened it cautiously and found her sitting behind a large desk, deep in conversation on the phone. It was a study, but not the stiff, boring kind. It had personality, vintage but cute and stylish at the same time. There were flowers scattered around, soft colors, and little details that made it feel warm and lived-in. She was talking business, from the sound of it, but when she saw me, she shot me a quick smile. I leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to finish.
After about two more minutes, she hung up and turned to me. "You slept in," she teased with a small grin.
I laughed, shaking my head. "Slept in? It's only 8 a.m."
"That is sleeping in for me," she said matter-of-factly, stretching a little in her chair.
I raised an eyebrow. "What time did you get up?"
"I've been up since 6. I slept in the guest room," she explained, not sounding bothered by it at all.
I blinked in surprise. "Why'd you do that?"
She stood up and walked around her desk, leaning against it. "You fell asleep in my bed," she said, her tone casual.
I shook my head, feeling a little guilty. "You could've stayed. It's your bed, after all."
She crossed her arms and shrugged, her smile soft. "I didn't want to yet."
Her words took me by surprise. "Okay," I replied, a bit unsure of what that meant, but I didn't push it. Instead, I looked around for an easy exit from the conversation. "Mind if I use the shower?"
She nodded, pointing upstairs. "Go ahead."
With that, I turned and made my way back to the bathroom, still wondering why she hadn't slept beside me. It wasn't like I was going to bite. As I let the water run over me in the shower, I thought back to the way she'd said she didn't want to stay in her own bed. Something about it stuck with meâsomething I couldn't quite figure out.
Mika POV:
I had just settled into work again when the doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock, I wondered who could be visiting. I pushed away from my desk, heading for the door. When I opened it, there stood my mom, smiling brightly, holding a small box in her hands.
"Leftover cake from Aunt Didi's party," she announced, stepping forward without waiting for an invitation. "Thought you might want some."
"Of course, I want some," I replied with a smile, stepping aside to let her in. "Come in, Mom. Want some tea to go with it?"
"Tea sounds good," she said, making herself comfortable in the living room. I walked into the kitchen to boil the water, thinking about how my mom always had perfect timing for surprise visits. When the tea was ready, I carried the tray over to the table where she sat, and we both settled in.
"So, how's everything going?" she asked, cutting a slice of the cake for herself.
"Busy, but good. Work's been crazy, and Andrew's got his upcoming fashion show to manage," I said, pouring her tea. "How about you?"
"Same as always. Your aunt's still buzzing from the party, and, of course, she's already planning the next one." She took a bite of the cake and smiled. "Speaking of Andrew, did he enjoy it yesterday?"
"Yeah he did, he really liked it." I said, sipping my tea. The conversation flowed easily, as it usually did with my mom.
Just as we were laughing about Blaise pretending to be Maddie, the door to the hallway swung open. Andrew stepped in, completely shirtless, with a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. His hair was still wet from the shower, droplets running down his chest. He looked casual, like this was totally normal, until his eyes locked with my mom's.
"Hey, Mikaâoh..." He froze. "Uh... do you have a clean shirt I could borrow?"
My heart skipped a beat, and for a split second, I didn't know how to react. I quickly shot up from my seat, waving my hands frantically. "Andrew! My mom is here!" I half-shouted, half-whispered, hoping to avoid complete embarrassment. But it was too late.
My mom turned to him, eyes wide for a moment, and then she gave that all-too-familiar grin. "Well, hello there."
Andrew's face went beet red. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" He looked completely flustered, backing out of the room like he'd just walked into a crime scene. "I didn't realizeâI'll justâuhâI'll be right back," he stammered, quickly disappearing down the hallway.
I stood there, frozen for a second, before slowly turning back to my mom, dreading her reaction. Sure enough, she had that smirkâthe one that meant she was about to make a comment that would drive me insane.
"Well, well, well," she said, leaning back in her chair, clearly savoring the moment. "I can't wait for the grandbabies."
I felt a wave of heat rise up my neck. "Mom!" I snapped, sitting back down across from her. "Could you not?"
"Oh, come on, Mika," she said, raising her eyebrows. "I'm just teasing. But, you know, with a man like that walking around your house half-naked, I'm just saying... grandbabies."
I groaned, trying to keep my frustration in check. "We haven't even... done that. Okay? So there's no need to jump to any conclusions."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Oh really? You expect me to believe that?"
"Yes! And even if we had, it's none of your business," I snapped, feeling the tension rising. "I'm not planning on having kids anytime soon, and I really don't need you reminding me of it every time I see you."
"Mika, I'm justâ"
"No," I cut her off, my voice firm. "I know you're excited about the idea of grandkids, but I'm not interested in that right now. I don't want kids, at least not anytime soon. And I need you to stop acting like it's inevitable or like it's something I should want."
My mom blinked at me, surprised by the edge in my voice. I rarely pushed back like this, but she had crossed a line.
"You don't want kids?" she asked, her voice softer now, as if she was processing what I'd said.
I shook my head. "Not right now. Maybe not ever. And it's really frustrating when you keep making comments like that, as if it's already decided."
She sat back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "I didn't realize you felt that way," she said quietly.
"Well, now you know," I said, taking a deep breath. "And as for Andrew... you don't need to worry about that either. He's not staying over like that, and we're not... you know. So, can you please just stop?"
There was a moment of silence between us. I could tell she was trying to process everything I'd just said, but she didn't seem offendedâjust thoughtful.
"Okay," she finally said, her tone more serious now. "I'll back off. I didn't mean to make you feel pressured, Mika. I just... well, you know how I am."
"I know," I said, feeling some of the tension ease. "But I need you to trust me to figure this stuff out on my own."
She gave a small nod, and then, to my surprise, a soft smile. "Fair enough. I'll drop the baby talk. For now."
Just as I was about to thank her, Andrew reappeared in the doorway, this time fully dressed in one of my oversized T-shirts, looking much more sheepish than before. "Sorry about that, again," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Didn't realize it was a family visit."
My mom chuckled. "No harm done. Just gave me a little insight into my daughter's life."
"Mom," I warned, shooting her a look.
Andrew looked between the two of us, clearly sensing some lingering awkwardness but smiling anyway. "Well, uh... I'll give you two some space," he said, backing away again.
"Thanks," I muttered, shaking my head. As he left the room, my mom watched him go, then turned back to me with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Still don't want grandbabies, huh?" she teased, but this time her tone was much lighter.
"Mom," I groaned, but this time I couldn't help but laugh a little.
Andrew POV:
It was around 12 p.m., and I was still at Mika's place, stuck replaying the awkward moment from earlier in my head. Walking in on her and her mom like thatâshirtless, with only a towelâwhat was I even thinking? It was mortifying, especially when I caught the look on her mom's face. I'd apologized, but the tension between Mika and me hadn't really lifted, not entirely.
When I was getting ready to leave, I overheard her and her mom talking. What stuck with me wasn't the teasing about grandkids but the way Mika talked about us, like she wasn't interested in me that way. And sure, if she wants to take things slow, I'm fine with that. But it felt different, like she didn't want it at all, and that gnawed at me.
As I packed my things, Bose called, asking if we could meet up in Rivalton. It was just what I needed to get my mind off things. After saying a somewhat awkward goodbye to Mika, I jumped into my car, the 30-minute drive to Rivalton feeling longer than usual. I couldn't shake the conversation I overheard or the way Mika avoided the subject of us.
I met up with Bose at a bar, and we dove straight into work stuffâboth of us had a lot on our plates. He was busy with his own life and drama, but I couldn't keep my personal thoughts at bay any longer. Eventually, I shifted the conversation.
"So, uh...when did you and Chapa first, you know, do it?"
Bose shot me a look, sighing like he didn't even want to go there. "Why're you asking me that?"
I leaned back, shrugging, trying to play it cool. "Because of me and Mika. It's just...she doesn't seem to be into that."
He frowned. "What do you mean?"
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Like, last night, for example. I crashed at her place, right? And she slept in the guest room. She didn't even want to share a bed with me. It's like she's actively avoiding being close to me like that."
Bose raised an eyebrow, leaning in. "She slept in the guest room? Dude, that's... yeah, that sounds a little off."
"Right. And I don't know if it's just about taking things slow or if there's something else going on."
He gave me a measured look, like he was piecing things together in his head. "Well, from what I know... she had that thing with Jordan, right? Back in the day. He always pushed her to rush things, never really respected her pace. Maybe it's that. Maybe that's still messing with her head."
I frowned, mulling over his words. I knew about Jordan, vaguely. But I hadn't really thought about how that might've left a mark on her, made her wary. It made sense though.
Before I could dwell on that too much, I asked him about his own drama. "So, what's going on with you and Chapa, then? The whole maybe-baby thing?"
Bose sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "I bought her the morning-after pill, but she didn't take it."
My eyebrows shot up. "Waitâwhat? She didn't take it? Are you serious?"
He nodded, taking a slow sip of his drink. "Yeah, she didn't. I mean, I asked her about it, and she just said she wasn't feeling it. She might want to keep it, if it's there, you know?"
I sat back, stunned. "Wow. I mean, don't you think she should've at least talked to you before making that kind of decision? I mean, not taking the pill is huge."
Bose shrugged. "Look, it's her body. And it's my fault for not being more responsible. I didn't use protection. I can't really blame her for that."
I shook my head, a little frustrated. "Man, sometimes you're too nice, blaming yourself for everything. Sure, it's her body, but that's still a big decision to make without talking to you first. You guys are in this together."
He nodded slowly, like he knew what I was saying but was still trying to wrap his head around it all. "I get that. But it's not like I'd be against having a kid if it happened. I'd be open to it, you know? If she's on board, I'm on board."
That hit me. Bose was always so laid-back, so ready to roll with whatever life threw at him. I wasn't sure if I could be that calm in his situation.
"Still," I said, "it wouldn't hurt to talk it out more, man. You can't just leave everything to chance. That's a lot to take on, even for you."
He sighed, nodding again. "Yeah, you're probably right."
Bose sat back in his chair, swirling his drink, clearly distracted by something else on his mind. His expression was thoughtful, like he was trying to figure out how to say what he needed to.
"Man, there's something else I've gotta get off my chest," he finally said.
I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What's up?"
He hesitated, then leaned in a little. "I think... I might be cousins with Chapa's ex."
I blinked, staring at him like I hadn't heard him right. "Waitâwhat? Like, cousins? How the hell did you figure that out?"
Bose nodded slowly. "I went to his place today. We even employed him, he was one of our music teachers for a while, Sam Williams. You were in Italy when he was working for us. I already suspected a few things. While I was there, things started to line up. We got into talking about his dad's side of the family, and... turns out, our dads have the same last name."
I leaned forward, still processing. "Hold up, you're saying his dad's last name is the same as your dad's? How do you even know your dad's last name?"
Bose sighed, rubbing his forehead like it was a headache he didn't want to deal with. "I didn't know at first. But I met up with my mom a few days ago, and we got into this big talk about family. She finally told me about my dad's side, you know? Things I didn't know. And that's when she mentioned the last nameâde Capra."
I leaned back in shock. "No way."
"Yeah," Bose continued, "So when Sam brought up his dad, I asked for his name, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Edoardo de Capra. Same as my dad's last name. And his dad's from Italy too, just like mine."
I stared at him, still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. "Man, that's wild. So, you're telling me you and Sam, Chapa's ex, are probably related? That's insane."
Bose let out a short laugh, but it was more out of disbelief. "Trust me, I'm as surprised as you are. It's too much of a coincidence."
I shook my head. "That's crazy. So, what now? Does Chapa know?"
Bose sighed, looking down at his drink. "Nah, I haven't told her yet. I mean, how do you even bring that up? Like, 'Hey Chapa, by the way, I might be cousins with your ex'? It's the weirdest situation ever."
I chuckled. "Yeah, that's not exactly something you can just casually mention. But man, she's gonna be more freaked out than mad, for sure."
Bose nodded, clearly not thrilled at the idea of that conversation. "I know. I mean, it might not even be true, but I can't just ignore it."
I leaned in, trying to reassure him. "Look, if it's true, she'll understand. It's not like you had any control over this. It's just... crazy family stuff, you know?"
Bose took a deep breath and shook his head with a slight smile. "Yeah. It's just another thing to deal with on top of everything else. And it's not like I can even tell her right now. She's already stressed out with everything going on."
I laughed, feeling a little better about my own problems. "Hey, we've both got our own drama, huh?"
Bose smirked. "You're telling me. I wish I could have your drama. But we've all got our own issues to sort out."
I chuckled, grateful that, for once, I wasn't having as many complications as Bose had.