The next day was rough for Luca and Aidan. Videos of the two football players coming to rescue their "friend" on the rival cheerleading team went viral on the internet, but reviews were mixed to say the least. Most found it heartwarming, while others found it be a staged ploy to seek attention. The good thing that gave Luca a slight sense of relief was that nobody thought it was anything romantic or deep in the slightest.

    That is, except for Gio. Gio seemed distant from Luca when he drove Luca and Gianna home after the game. He stayed silent most of the night until they got back to their houses, and he finally plucked up the courage to look Luca in the eyes and say, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

    For the first time Luca felt the weight behind that one phrase that he had heard Gio say at least twelve times in the past week. For the first time he considered that perhaps Gio knew more than he let on. Perhaps Luca wasn't as good at reading his cousin as he had assumed. Naturally Luca denied there being anything he was keeping from him, but he couldn't help but notice a look of deep disappointment in the taller boys eyes.

    Luca got at least five missed calls from Aidan after the game, but he didn't know what to say to him. He ignored them and figured he'd just deal with it in the morning. Things have a way of fixing themselves after a good night's sleep, or at least that's what his Nonna always told him. Though he highly doubted that would apply in this case. He felt guilty. If it wasn't for him, Aidan would have won.

"Ela re, Markaki mou! Ante pame!" (Come on, my little Marco! Let's go!) Luca screamed from the bottom of the stairs as he heard his little six year old brother bounding around upstairs, gathering his things, and stomping down the stairs. He has a disgruntled, tired look on his face as he lugged his red and blue school backpack.

"Why do we have to go?" Marco said with a huff, crossing his arms over his chest adorably.

"You're going to play with Emma." Luca said sweetly, ruffling his little brother's shiny black hair. He really did look a lot like Luca, and much to everyones dismay, was borderline psycho just like him too.

"I don't like Emma." Marco groaned, making Luca smack him upside the head.

"Play nice with Emma, piccolino, she's a nice girl." Luca said, teasingly scolding his little brother.

"Girls are gross." Marco said making an adorable little grimacing face.

"Sure buddy. Now go on, get in the car, we'll be late." Luca chuckled, ruffling the boy's soft straight hair as Marco dragged his feet out the door and towards the driveway.

    Luca drove across town and across the bridge towards Aidan's house. It wasn't long before they found themselves outside his door, ringing the doorbell and waiting for the door to open. Luca and Aidan had planned this little play date to make Emma and Marco better friends.

At gymnastics, Marco would always mess with Emma, shoving her, pulling on her ponytail and just overall being mean to her. Luca had already chewed him out multiple times for it, but they figured it was time to force them into friendship. Well Luca did, Aidan thought it was a terrible idea.

"Hey." Luca said sheepishly as he saw the wooden door creak open to reveal Aidan wearing grey joggers and a Hilldale Football t-shirt. His hair looked messy but damp, as if he had just gotten out of the shower, but his face seemed less than pleased to see Luca.

"Oh hello." Aidan said with a tightlipped smile. "I didn't think you were coming. Maybe if you answered the phone, I'd have known." He said with snark, before crouching down to little Marco's eye-level. "Hi buddy, you must be Marco. I'm Aidan." He smiled warmly, extending a hand to the little boy.

"Careful he bites." Luca said teasingly, as Aidan looked up at him coldly.

"SHIT!" Aidan screamed as he felt a sharp pain on his fingers. "WHAT THE.." he screamed, quickly catching himself and retracting his hand away from the little boy.

"We're working on weening him off that habit." Luca chuckled awkwardly as Aidan stood up to look him in the eyes, jumping slightly when he the little boy randomly hugged his legs. "Aww I think he likes you." Luca said lovingly, but Aidan only glared at him.

"Hey buddy, do you wanna go play with Emma in the living room, Luca and I need to talk for a little bit." Aidan said, watching the little boy nod with a blank expression. He looked almost eerily like Luca, in a way Aidan felt he was looking at Luca from the past. "Great, just in there, bud. We'll be back in a minute."

    Aidan shifted his gaze to Luca, taking him gently by the wrist and leading him upstairs to his room. He closed and locked the door behind him before standing menacingly before Luca with his arms crossed over his chest; sighing disappointedly to himself as he prepared for yet another confrontation with Luca. He hated nothing more than arguing with Luca.

"Do you want to explain why the hell you've been ignoring me?" Aidan said coldly,

"I'm sorry..." Luca said sortly, trying to avert his eyes away form Aidan's fiery blues.

"Do you know how fucking selfish that was, Luca. I was worried sick about you. You fucking fell and I wanted to make sure you were okay." Aidan seethed, Luca could tell he was both hurt and angry at the same time.

"I'm fine, it was just a sprain. It was fine by morning." Luca brushed it off.

"How the FUCK was I meant to know that if you REFUSED to talk to me!" Aidan said angrily, throwing his arms up in disbelief.

"I'm sorry..." Luca said as a tear escaped down his cheek. "I... I'm sorry."

"What the fuck are you sorry for Luca? Because I don't think you even know what you're doing hurts people." Aidan said with a disappointed sigh, his glare visibly softened by Luca's tears.

"God! Aidan! What's your issue! I just needed time for myself, okay! Just leave me alone!" Luca snapped at him.

"Then why the hell are you even here, Luca?!" Aidan roared at him. "Why did you bother coming if you wanted to be alone!?"

"Because I love you..." Luca said softly, gazing up at him with his doe-like brown eyes.

"You think I don't fucking love you?!" Aidan's voice cracked out of pure frustration . "You think I don't?! I love you so much it drives me insane!"

"You lost your game because of me..." Luca said softly, making Aidan narrow his gaze at him.

"Luca, what the hell are you talking about?" Aidan shot him a confused glare.

"I never fall! And I fell! And then you lost your game." Luca started hysterically. "What if it's a sign..."

"Oh my GOD! That's what this is all about?!" Aidan chuckled humorlessly at the notion. "Seriously, Luca. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I'd rather lose every game I play from now on than see you hurt." He yelled

"Aidan, you're yelling at me." Luca flinched, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Because I'm tired Luca! I'm sick and fucking tired of this! I'm tired of having to hide everything because you refuse to fight for us! I'm tired of being the only one who follows their heart in this damn relationship." Aidan snapped at Luca.

"Is... Is that how you feel..." Luca said softly. "You're tired of me?"

"See there you go again! Making things about you! Everything is always about you! You don't want to tell Gio about us. You think this. You want that. YOU YOU YOU. Why are you being so damn selfish!"

"What do you want, Aidan?! Do you want to us to break up?! Is that what you fucking want?!" Luca screamed at him, as he watched Aidan's expression harden.

"Maybe! If you're going to keep acting like this!" Aidan roared at him, though he instantly regretted it.

    Luca wiped the tears off of his cheeks, and shoved Aidan away from him, making his way out the door and bolting down the stairs.

"Marco! Ela edw! pigainoume spiti!" (Marco Come here! We're going home.) Luca called out, before Aidan held him by the arm.

"Where do you think you're  going." Aidan whisper yelled at him. "You can't just run away and avoid your problems Luca. Talk to me. We can get through this, but we need to communicate."

"Just... I don't want to be here right now." Luca said, trying hard to hold back his sobs.

"You're not going anywhere like this." Aidan said with a disappointed sigh. "Calm down and stop crying, I won't let you drive like this. Then, you can go if you want." Aidan said gently wiping the tears off of Luca's face.

"Fygoume?" (Are we leaving?) Marco asked as he walked up to his big brother with Emma in tow. "Do we have to?" The little dark haired boy asked sweetly as he flashes little Emma a toothy grin.

"Yes." Luca said with a forced smile. "Go get your stuff, buddy." He said as he watched both Emma and Marco run back into the the living room. Aidan pulled Luca by he arms, forcing him into a tight embrace before he gently placed his lips on Luca's.

"We'll talk when you're ready. But just know that I love you and even if you won't fight for me, I'll never stop fighting for you." Aidan said firmly as he gazed into Luca's teary brown eyes.

"I love you too..." Luca's voice cracked, just as Marco ran back into the foyer and Aidan released his grip on Luca's arm. "You going to the party tonight?"

"Yeah." Aidan said with a slight smile, though Luca could see the hurt in his eyes. "I'll see you there?" Luca gave Emma a hug before flashing Aidan another tight-lipped smile paired with a nod. This was their first real fight and Luca didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream and cry but for now he had to be strong and brave.

"To agapas?" (You love him?) Marco asked as Luca belted him into the passenger seat, a glint of curiosity in his big brown eyes. Luca flashed him a glare, he didn't tell him anything about Aidan and him, so how did he know?

"Nai.." (Yes.) Luca said softly as a single tear fell down his cheek. "To agapo poli" (I love him a lot.)