"And, uh...this is Daya."

We were sat in Daya's living room, lounging around on her ring of sofas, Phoenix choosing to sit cross legged on the carpeted floor instead. "Hello." Rosa smiled at her, like she'd done to each person I'd introduced her to.

"So, what was Luca like when he was younger?" Tommy questioned curiously, fiddling absentmindedly with his girlfriend's frizzy ginger hair.

"He was very...what is the word...annoying?"

"She means funny." I interjected as the others started laughing.

"He used to steal my Mother's high heels." She continued, making Phoenix cackle even more. "He made us call him Lucy when he was four."

Their laughter didn't subside as I shot Rosa a playful glare, "Yeah, yeah, key words; when he was four. That was like thirteen years ago!"

"Still pretty hilarious." Daya giggled. "Lucy."

"Does anyone have a cigarette?" Sam queried once the conversation had finally shifted away from my awkward childhood.

"Yeah, here." Phoenix fished through his pockets, plucking out a small packet of cigarettes and handing her one. Tommy shared one with Daya and I took one for myself, offering it to Rosa before she politely declined. "So...Luca..." Phoenix continued, blowing out a puff of smoke as he slouched against the sofa, "My friend works at the bowling alley." He started casually.

Sam scoffed, "Great conversation starter, Phoenix."

He just rolled his eyes, focussing his attention back on me, "Care to explain?"

I shrugged, trying to push down the anxiety bubbling up my chest, "Bugsy broke his leg, I was killing time while he was with the vets." I answered as plainly as possible.

"With Hart?" He rose his brows.

I slipped the cigarette between my lips, trying to kill time as I desperately thought of an answer. After inhaling a lungful of smoke and holding it in my chest for a few seconds, I slowly released it. "Yeah." Was all I could come up with.

Phoenix scoffed, "Well, I hear the pair of you were quite cozy-"

"Hey, Phoenix, remember that time you threw up in your backpack and were too shy to tell anyone, so carried it round all day?" I interrupted sharply, causing another round of laughs to ripple through the room.

Luckily, Phoenix wasn't an idiot. He caught onto my warning and quickly shut up, turning to concentrate on shamelessly flirting with Sam. "Hey, Rosa." I nudged the blonde beside me, "Don't tell my parents about this, yeah?" I instructed, gesturing to the cigarette resting between my fingers.

She smiled reassuringly. "Ik zal niks zeggen." She whispered, offering me a little wink.

"Bedankt." I ruffled her hair.

"Aw, look at their secret code." Daya mocked. "Luca, I haven't heard you speak Dutch in years."

"Weet ik." I shrugged. Rosa being here prodded the part of brain that had concealed the language over the years. When I first arrived in England, I tried my hardest, but couldn't help the occasional Dutch word falling through my lips. But I'd learn to suppress it over the years and now, the cage had split open again.

"It's kinda hot, don't you think?" Sam purred jokingly.

Phoenix snorted, "Yeah, you know what else's hot? English." He rose his brows suggestively.

I tuned out of the conversation as soon as the bickering started, and crept my hand into my pocket, plucking my phone out and scrolling through my contacts. I'd been texting Theodore on and off since our trip to the bowling alley. I was always the one to initiate the conversation, but I didn't mind. He was shy, he had an excuse. Plus, the second he got past the awkward phase, he grew just as invested as I did.

L: Hey.

I started. Simple and easy. I checked my watch, knowing he would have finished his shift a couple of hours ago. My cheeks heated at the mere thought that I knew exactly when Theodore's shifts were and which days he worked.

T: Hi Luca :)

He replied after a couple of minutes, and a smile tugged its way onto my lips.

L: What are you up to?

T: Homework, you?

L: Hanging out with my dickhead friends.

"What're you doing, Lucy?" Tommy's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I just ignored him, turning back to my phone screen.

"Hanging out with my dickhead friends." Rosa read aloud over my shoulder, her accent butchered and rough.

I immediately shuffled away, turning my phone off before she could read anymore, "Hey!"

"Why are you here if we're such dickheads?" Daya teased.

"Because my Mum made me." I scoffed.

"That is very true." Sam mused. "Who were you texting anyway?"

"Just some girl." I shrugged.

"Someone named Theodore." Rosa interjected, earning another glare.

"Rosa!" I scolded, "You don't have to answer every fucking question, you know?"

Rosa brows rose in shock, "Oh, I am sorry, Luca. I did not realise this was a secret."

"Who's Theodore?" Tommy frowned.

I sighed in relief. The rest of the world knew him as Teddy. Only I called him Theodore. I was safe. "Just some kid my Mum hired to tutor me." I made up. "You know, since I'm failing some of my classes."

My reply was apparently satisfactory as they all nodded, growing disinterested in the subject quickly and starting to talk about something else. Once I was sure everyone's focus was off of me, I pulled my phone back out.

L: What subject r u working on?

He was a year younger than me and judging my our previous text conversations, a lot of his homework was stuff I'd done last year.

T: German.

I cursed under my breath when I realised I couldn't help him since I never took German. Why was I so desperate to help him?

L: My cousin's visiting from Holland.

I wasn't sure why I told him, it just felt necessary. I found it weird texting Theodore. There was no stutter. It almost didn't feel like him.

T: Does it make you miss home?

I wasn't expecting his question. It was so deep and personal, he'd jumped straight to the point. I kind of liked it.

L: Yeah, a little. But this is my real home.

I didn't use to see it that way. I used to hate it here. I used to miss Holland and curse my own existence for being so stupid and forcing us to move due to my own idiotic actions. But once I'd acclimatised to the new environment, things got better. And now I had popularity, friends, football. Everything was alright.

L: How was work?

I liked hearing about his day, it was always so interesting. The stories about stray animals and intriguing customers. The way he rambled on about how adorable a random cat or rabbit was. He was a different person when he talked about his job. He wasn't shy, he wasn't reserved, he just seemed so happy at the thought of helping animals.

T: Someone bought in a litter of kittens they found on the side of the road. It was pretty sad to see them in such a state.

L: Shit what you gonna do with them?

T: Once they're healthy & had the right shots we'll have to find people to take them. Do u know anyone who wants a cat?

I chuckled to myself before quickly stifling it and twisting it into an unconvincing cough.

L: No sorry. How many have u got?

T: Six

L: U want me to come over and help you get rid of them?

It was a weird thing to offer, I didn't even realise why I was asking such a random thing of him. But I knew deep down I was hunting for any excuse to spend time with him. He wasn't like my other friends. I could have a conversation with him, without it being about parties or which girls would be up for supplying blowjobs. I could talk to him about real stuff, meaningful stuff.

T: You don't have to do that.

I knew he'd decline at first, but I wasn't letting it go that easily.

L: I want to. I like cats. Please?

I could imagine his hesitation, his fingers hovering over the screen, his eyes rereading my message over and over again.

T: Ok. Thanks, Luca.

I smiled to myself as he finally agreed.

T: Come over tomorrow after school.

L: K meet me in the car park after fifth period & I can give you a lift.

Now all I needed to do was get rid of Rosa for the afternoon.