The Fire Unleashed ✔

23. Luca's Histrionics

I winced listening to his abnormally loud voice, getting almost shrilly and squeaky, while the whole restaurant momentarily stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at us - shamelessly.

I pursed my lips in aversion, not liking this attention one bit. He was really taking this too far, and his histrionics that had now surfaced, would take some time to disappear. Such overdramatic friends I have.

"Bria, I think you have something on your head dear. Now, end the stupid fun and take that shitty thing off."

Luca gritted out in a low voice, the tone a result of his ever-increasing anger, and not the embarrassing realization that he had spoken for the whole world to hear, and burst my eardrums in the process.

But, his voice had the desired effect on his sister. She was now actually quaking in her boots as she finally mustered up the courage and stammered out an incoherent sentence, her big doe eyes begging and pleading for mercy.

"Umm... Haha... You see, this thing isn't- this isn't exactly fake. It's- it's pretty... r-real."

His eyes widened after listening to her, and then darkened to the point where they went so black even I couldn't see them. He was really taking this seriously, I suppose.

"You mean... you mean... you dyed your hair blonde? Voluntarily? It isn't because maybe your hair fell into the blonde hair dye by mistake?"

He emphasized every word, still creating quite a show around our table. Poor Sofia was as embarrassed as Bria, and kept darting her eyes back and forth between the siblings, probably not wanting to be named as the friend who gave the idea to dye her hair. I had had enough of it by then. Everyone still occasionally glanced our way as Luca was still standing, no- towering over Bria and trying to intimidate her into changing her color back to brown.

"Didn't you hear what I said? You will go tomorrow to the nearest salon and fucking change this shitty looking color."

"What? No! I didn't go through so much just so I could change it back to my boring dull brown color. I'm going to keep it, whether you like it or not."

"You- how dare you disobey me? You knew how much I despise that color, and you still had to become a blonde, out of all the colors in the fucking world? I'm telling you, just fucking-"

I interrupted him before he could make a fool out of himself and his sister even more,

"Sit down Luca. And don't create a scene now. Bria is a big girl, and what's done is done. Let her live with it."

I said simply, rolling my eyes out of annoyance. These siblings were going to be the end of me.

"But- but you know that-"

He started to protest when I held a finger up to shut him up.

"Yes, I know. But she's your sister, and I think you will be able to recognize her even if you're completely inebriated."

That shut him up for some time. He sat down, still grumbling and muttering some curses as he threw daggers at Bria with his eyes. She retaliated by giving him a glare of her own and then returned to her food.

Just then, Sofia broke the ice first by proposing we should order the main course, when Luca whipped his head towards the sound. It seemed as if he had completely forgotten that we had company tonight, and was only remembering it now. His eyes widened comically, before he turned to look at me expectantly, as if she was my friend. I gestured towards Bria and said,

"This is Bria's friend, Sofia Gold. I couldn't introduce her because you were extremely busy throwing tantrums about a grown girl's hair color."

I said sarcastically, causing him to physically wince and move back from pain. He scratched the back of his head, and then held out his hand for her,

"Hi, I'm Luca Marino, Bria's older brother, as you might have known. I'm sorry for causing such a ruckus and ignoring you, but its nice to meet you!"

And the charming, flirty Luca was back.

Sofia smiled at him, momentarily dazzling him with her so-called beauty and gorgeous looks, and proceeded to shake his hand in the same dainty manner.

"Its a pleasure to meet you too, and please don't feel sorry. I get that you want to protect her, and that shouldn't be a problem."

"See? Bria's friend has more intelligence than Bria. Learn from her."

He directed it at his sister again, who just gave him the finger and proceeded to call the waiter for her next order. Unfazed by her reaction, Luca turned to Sofia again and continued with his stupid pickup lines. But, I wasn't complaining. It gave me enough time to stay away from her, and spare me the effort to make conversation which I had been desperately failing at, since the time Sofia came in.

I could never comprehend this small little thing - as to why was I such an uninterested person when it came to talking to beautiful women who could potentially become my girlfriends? It wasn't that I was nervous, no, it was actually the opposite. I was too rude for them, too detached, too haughty and independent, and too perfect for them. There was always some link missing which made me feel like this girl doesn't deserve me. And I still couldn't shake this feeling off with Sofia too. But, I didn't exactly have a choice but to try and make it work since Bria always had the upper hand and would whoop my ass if I so much as even thought of disobeying her.

'Here goes my desire to be alone and detached for some more time.'

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