*Caterina*

I heard Elio before I watched him ascend the staircase. The sound of his heavy footsteps hitting the floor caused my nerves to coil. With each step he took, my stomach clenched and my heart slammed in my ribcage.

His hair was still slightly slicked back from before. Now it was just a tad more relaxed, and his clothes were a bit rumpled.

He looked relatively relaxed and perhaps a little amused....

The corner of his mouth was curved upward. No ...