050 | a little too smile-y

The morning sun filtered through the windows of Gianna's apartment, casting a warm golden light across the room. Gianna was standing in front of her mirror, adjusting her outfit for the day. She had just gotten off the phone with her mom, and after all the emotions of the past few days-Hector, the kiss, the uncertainty-she was feeling unusually lighthearted.

This was it, she thought to herself, brushing her fingers through her hair. I'm really going for this.

The smile that tugged at the corners of her lips was almost uncontrollable, and as much as she tried to tamp it down, it spread across her face like wildfire. She knew she had been a little giddy since the dinner with Hector, but today felt different. Today felt like the start of something.

As she finished getting ready, her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. It was a text from Marc: "I'm outside. Don't keep me waiting, little sis."

Gianna chuckled to herself, slipping on her shoes before grabbing her bag. She was looking forward to the visit to their parents' house. It would be a nice break from everything going on, and she loved spending time with her family-even though Marc's teasing could get a little intense sometimes.

She opened the door to find her brother, Marc Guiu, leaning against the frame of his car, arms crossed, wearing his usual smirk. But today, something seemed off about his expression. He was studying her, and Gianna had a feeling he was about to make some kind of comment.

As she approached the car, she could feel Marc's eyes on her, the usual teasing glint in them. She tried to play it cool, her smile still lingering on her face. "What's up, Marc?" she asked, unlocking the passenger door and sliding into the seat beside him.

Marc took one look at her and raised an eyebrow, his mouth twitching into an amused grin. "Okay, I'm not blind. What's with the extra smiley mood today, huh?"

Gianna's heart skipped a beat at his question, and she instantly looked away, focusing on buckling her seatbelt. She wasn't sure how to explain it-how could she tell him she was feeling this way because of Hector? She wasn't ready to share that just yet. "What do you mean?" she deflected, her voice slightly too casual.

Marc's grin widened, clearly enjoying her attempt to act nonchalant. "Come on, don't try to hide it. You've been smiling like you're in a rom-com all morning. What's going on? You on the phone with Cienna or something?"

Gianna's face flushed slightly, and she forced herself to look out the window, trying to hide the sudden heat creeping up her neck. Damn it, Marc.

"Just in a good mood," she replied quickly, trying to sound as casual as possible. "Maybe because I'm seeing Mom and Dad today. You know, it's always good to catch up with the family."

Marc, clearly unconvinced, stared at her for a long moment. "Uh-huh. Yeah, I'm sure that's it," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Because you're always this smiley when you're seeing them."

Gianna rolled her eyes, wishing she could crawl under the seat and hide. She knew Marc was not going to let this go. But she was still not ready to spill everything, so she kept up the act, her smile widening ever so slightly. "I just woke up on the right side of the bed today, okay? Nothing to see here."

Marc laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I get it, you've got a secret, and you're not telling me. But just know, I'm watching you. You've been acting all extra smiley and giddy, and I know when something's up. Just don't forget that I'm your big brother, and I can always figure you out."

Gianna let out a long sigh and leaned back in her seat, still trying to act like everything was normal, but the thoughts of Hector-of the kiss, of the way things had shifted-kept coming back to her. She could feel the giddiness bubbling inside her, and it was impossible to contain.

Marc's teasing continued, but she was starting to zone him out, a smile tugging at her lips once again. It wasn't just the dinner, or the kiss, or the night out. It was the way Hector had looked at her, the way his touch had lingered on her skin. Everything felt... different, in the best possible way.

"Okay, Giu," Marc said, breaking into her thoughts, "you're really not fooling me. I think it's time I start my investigation. Don't think you can keep your secrets from me for long."

Gianna glanced over at him, her smile finally softening as she let out a small, genuine laugh. "You're insane, you know that?"

Marc chuckled and started the car, pulling out of the driveway. "I'm just your big brother. I'm supposed to be the insane one. You're the one who's acting like you're hiding a secret... so tell me, who is he?"

Gianna felt the heat rise in her cheeks again, but this time, she didn't try to hide it. Instead, she leaned back in her seat, staring out the window and letting out a deep breath. "I'm not telling you, Marc. Not yet."

Marc just shook his head, laughing to himself as he drove off toward their parents' house. He didn't need to know yet. But as he glanced at his sister's smile one more time, he couldn't help but wonder if he already knew exactly who the he was.