𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍¹ ✔

11

The next morning, I found myself waking up next to my beautiful Veronica. I couldn't resist the urge to plant a soft kiss on her lips, and she groaned in response. I couldn't help but chuckle at her morning grumpiness.

Veronica looked up at me, her eyes filled with sleepiness and adorableness. I couldn't resist the temptation, so I kissed her again, prompting her to giggle.

She mumbled, "I need to go check on Adriana. Make sure she's eating and getting enough sugar."

I nodded, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. "And I need to check on the big Luca bear. You know, make sure he's not roaring too loudly."

Veronica laughed and gave me one more kiss before she got up to attend to her bestie. I knew that I was in for some entertaining conversations with both Luca and Adriana. After all, they were quite the pair, even if they didn't always see eye to eye.

As Veronica departed with one last smooch, Luca's tired eyes followed her out. He looked like he'd been through a whirlwind, and I couldn't help but notice how his impeccable hair had turned into a bit of a mess.

"Where's Veronica off to?" Luca inquired, his voice a mix of curiosity and exhaustion. I swear, he looked like he had just wrestled a grizzly bear.

I leaned against the doorframe and replied with a grin, "She's on a mission, Luca. Checking in on Adriana, our resident sugar connoisseur."

Luca nodded slowly, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head. The Adriana situation had left him slightly disheveled, to say the least.

"Luca, buddy, are you okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

With a nonchalant shrug, Luca answered, "I'm just peachy, Mateo. Just enjoying my existential crisis."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, guess what, my friend? Tomorrow is your birthday."

Luca's face immediately contorted into an exaggerated groan, accompanied by a theatrical eye roll. "Please, Mateo, don't remind me. Birthdays and I have a complicated relationship."

I couldn't resist the opportunity for some light teasing. "Ah, Luca, the man who has it all but can't stand a birthday celebration. You're a real party animal."

Luca flashed a tired but amused smile, his dimples making a rare appearance. "I know, I'm a blast at parties, right?"

I clapped him on the shoulder and assured him, "Don't worry, Luca. We'll make sure your birthday is unforgettable, whether you like it or not."

With that, we both shared a chuckle, hoping that tomorrow's festivities would be a source of laughter and joy, despite the chaos that often surrounded our lives.

Veronica's return brought news about Adriana's condition, which was far from ideal. It seemed Adriana had forgotten to take her required sugars and nearly had a medical episode. Luca's concern was evident, but we quickly shifted our focus to his upcoming birthday. The brainstorming session for his celebration began.

"Luca," Ricardo suggested with a sly grin, "how about hitting the club for your birthday? You know you secretly love it."

Luca groaned theatrically, clearly not thrilled with the idea, but he eventually relented, saying, "Fine, let's do it. But I swear, if I end up with a sparkly birthday hat on my head, I'm leaving."

With the club plan in place, our spirits lifted, but a sudden phone call to Veronica interrupted the cheerful atmosphere. Her face quickly shifted to concern as she listened to the caller on the other end.

Her words were laden with worry as she spoke into the phone, "What do you mean you can't find your medicines?"

A sense of urgency filled the room as the conversation unfolded, and Veronica's voice grew even more troubled, saying, "Adriana, I'm on my way. Don't tire yourself out."

The concern in the room was palpable, and we all realized that the celebration planning would have to be momentarily set aside as we turned our attention to Adriana's well-being.

Later that day, after the concern over Adriana's health had been somewhat resolved, Ricardo and I decided that it was time to get Luca out for some fresh air. He had been cooped up in his thoughts for too long, and it was clear he needed a change of scenery.

Luca, stubborn as an Italian mule, resisted the idea. He grumbled and complained, insisting that he was perfectly fine. I couldn't help but quip, "Luca, I've seen happier faces on Mondays."

Ricardo, always the peacemaker, tried to reason with Luca, "Come on, Luca, it's not healthy to brood indoors. Besides, you might run into a hot woman on the street. You know how much you love your Italian charm."

Luca rolled his eyes but didn't argue any further. It took some convincing, but eventually, we had to resort to dragging him outside. Luca may be built like a tank, but we were determined to get him out of the house.

Once we got him into the open air, Luca finally started to vent about his feelings. He unleashed his frustrations and worries, and it was clear that he was wrestling with a lot of emotions. Ricardo and I listened, offering support and the occasional lighthearted comment to ease the tension.

As we walked through the city streets, Luca shared his thoughts on Adriana, his confusion about her mixed signals, and his own fears and insecurities. I couldn't resist cracking a joke, "Luca, if you were any more confused, you'd need a GPS for your heart."

Ricardo, ever the voice of reason, provided some comforting words, "Luca, we all go through rough patches. It's just part of life."

The conversation continued as we strolled through the city, with Luca gradually opening up about his deeper feelings and concerns. I decided to play the role of the therapist, asking, "Luca, how does that make you feel?"

Luca smirked, "Like I'm in the middle of an Italian soap opera."

By the time we returned home, Luca seemed to be in slightly better spirits. We had shared some laughs and lightened the mood, and we hoped that our little excursion had helped him process some of the overwhelming emotions he'd been experiencing. As his friends, we were determined to support Luca and make sure he didn't face his challenges alone, even if it meant providing some comic relief along the way.