Frenchie gasped at him, placing her hand over her chest in mock offense. "What on earth do you mean? I think it's perfect. How dare you insult the precious lemonade like that." Yes, she was really this defensive over lemonade. She really likes lemonade, it was instinctual at this point. Not that that made it any less ridiculous. Someone needed to stop her.
She turned her attention to the food in front of her. "Is this cool enough to eat yet or am I going to take one bite and suddenly not have a mouth to taste with for the next two days." She sighed dramatically, hungry and just wanting to eat already.
Adone happily went to pick up a piece of pizza for himself. His fingertips nearly touched a corner until they drew back. "What?" He whined as his eyes looked over at her. "I am sorry, I just remembered my sister at three in morning dumping a bag of sugar while making this." Holding the cup of lemonade, he took another sip then shook his head and sat it down. Too much sugar.
Going back to the piece of pizza, he gently removed it. Adone lightly blew his lips on it then took a bite. With his mouth full of food, he gave an enthusiastic nod then motioned towards the food.
Frenchie just rolled her eyes with a slight smile before shaking her head. "You're too cute for your own good. Too much more of this and I'm gonna start getting cavities." She gingerly took a slice of pizza and bit into it. Her eyes instantly widened and she hummed in excitement and approval. Seriously, why did all food taste better in Italy.
She swallowed her bite before smiling. "I don't get how you do it. Literally how. Teach me your ways. This is too good to leave here when I go back home."
Adone finished the piece of pizza. Covering his mouth, he laughed and shook his head. "You see," He said while removing his hand, "It is not that great. It is too sugary!"
He happily swallowed some spaghetti. Twirling the spaghetti with the fork, he brought it up to his mouth before deciding to set it down. While he isn't too fond of the sugary lemonade, he took a sip then said, "You see, my farfallina, an Adone never reveals his secrets." He sat the cup down and went back to his food.
"I meant of you, ya dork." She laughed, shaking her head. Adone could seriously be so ridiculous sometimes. He was lucky she loved it so much or she'd never put up with it. It was a miracle that she already put up with as much as he put her through.
Frenchie gasped, holding her hand over her chest in mock hurt when he refused to tell her how he did it. "How could you do such a thing to me? Leaving me to go home with nothing more than a memory of the deliciousness that brought us together? How am I ever supposed to remember you when I'm old and gray without at least a recipe to take me back to this glorious summer?"
Now here he is rolling his eyes. His shoulders lightly bounced as he tried to not laugh while eating. Setting the utensil down, he sat back in his chair. "Well…I should consider myself lucky that I am both a dork and cute, right?"
He tilted his head at the gasp. Memory of deliciousness? His brow shot up as he pointed at his lips then the food. Whether it's because his brain is still translating every word she said or the fact that he's an eighteen year old boy, he shrugged.
"I don't know," He responded. "I just do it the way my mom and sisters make it. And besides how would food remind you of me when your old and gray? What if you end up old and gray with a tall, funny, smart, tan, dark haired man who is a good cook anyways? Anything can happen if you let it, Farfallina."
Frenchie smiled a little, shrugging with a hum. "I don't know, I guess I never really considered it." She looked up at him, her face curious and a bit hesitant. "You would really be willing to stay with me? Even after the summer ends? We might never get the chance to see each other again."
It was a reality that she had been avoiding thinking about for the past day or so but she knew it was better to talk about it now rather than later where it could continue to gnaw at her. Would Adone really want to stay with a girl he'd supposedly fallen in love with in just a couple of days? Someone who would be nothing but a memory by the time school started up again? Would he want to love a girl who was an ocean away?
Adone gave a swift nod. A lot of people in school have told him that long distance isn't worth it, but if Frenchie is okay with it, then why not? He is on a few wait lists for universities that have programs in the states. If he gets into one, then maybe he could visit her a semester or two. Then he can always write to her. He really needs to practice writing in English more, especially since his hand tends to be shaky when he does.
Of course, if they are done when the summer is over, he will accept that too and cherish their memories. "If you want to, I would love to. Obviously it might be hard, but I will be willing to put in the extra work," He assured. "Besides, I might get into one of Italy's finest schools that can let me study in New York or New Jersey and I can visit you."
"And there's always the possibly I study abroad. It might be difficult but I think we could do it." Frenchie knew it was bad to let herself hope like this. It would only crush her in the end. But God if it wasn't fun to imagine.
Imagine waking up and checking the mailbox every day to see if she got a new letter. Imagine seeing him around campus. Imagine spending time with him in her own hometown with people she knew and loved. Imagine introducing her family to him and watching them gush over him. All of it was so soul warming.
God, he really should not let his hopes and imagination run freely. Adone was not able to ignore all the possibilities that could happen. It would be wonderful to be excited when going to the mail box or relaxing in a coffee shop with Frenchie as it snows. Not to mention running up and hugging her in an airport.
"Yes!" He stopped then covered his mouth. Somehow getting lost in thinking about staying with Frenchie after the summer made him forgot about the food he just put into his mouth a moment ago. Once he finished, he laughed a little to himself. "Ah sorry. What I meant to say was that I think so too, but only if you want to as well. I do not want to force you into anything. We both should enjoy this."
Frenchie just laughed at his ridiculousness. "I'd love nothing more than to figure out this life with you." It was a rather poetic thing to say considering it was her saying it. But regardless, she found it to be true. "I'll totally be your guide if you ever find yourself in America."
Maybe it was stupid of her to be thinking that far ahead when they were only so far into their relationship. But how was she supposed to be when the thoughts were so enticing? She just wanted to indulge her more feminine side for a bit. It was…refreshing, to do so.
(I keep having this like daydream where these two are in college and Adone is either a transfer student or just studying at the same college as Frenchie and the administration wants to set him up with someone who speaks Italian to make his life easier so they call in Frenchie (who to the admin assistants who are just other students is just "that loud girl on the soccer team") and she walks in and just tackles him and they're all so confused because they have no idea they know each other)
(Aww that is so cute, I love it! Adone would most likely pretend to not understand English to amuse himself and use it as an excuse to be with Frenchie.)
Completely forgetting the food, he rested his chin on the palm of his right hand. Matter of fact, Adone forgot about almost everything for a couple seconds. "Bella…Bella…Bella…Bella" is all that he could manage to say. He had to write what she said. Every single last word, and in English too.
America, it's still a funny word on his tongue. What would he even do if he was there? Study, probably try all the restaurants, libraries….Definitely the libraries and the bookstores and all the sights! If Frenchie is with him, he's just going to hold her hand and happily swing their hands the whole time. "Grazie, mia farfallina. Devo pagare? Essere la mia guida?"
Frenchie could only blush at his staring, looking away shyly. "Stop staring at me like that, it's embarrassing. I know I don't talk all that poetically often but that doesn't mean you have to stare." She mumbled indignantly. She would likely never admit how much pride went through her at the fact that she had managed to impress him but it definitely happened.
"And of course I would be your guide. Who else could I trust with such a task other than me? No one else deserves to be subjected to your company like I unfortunately am." She teased with a giggle. Was Frenchie deflecting her embarrassment? Maybe a little. But she couldn't help it.
"Oh I am sorry." He looked down at his plate, trying his utmost best to not look over at her. But of course, he kept glancing over at Frenchie almost every few seconds or so before looking away. "You don't have to be poetic to impress me. To be honest, you did when you jumped onto my back. That was impressive….and poetic I guess…"
No he can't really look away anymore, especially after her teasing. He knew it was teasing, yet he could help but have his hand over his heart and gasp. "Unfortunately? It didn't seem like that earlier today."
Frenchie waved him off with a smile. "Oh it is the most unfortunate. I have to deal with you and the only way to keep you quiet is to keep your lips busy. It's a heavy burden to bear but luckily for you, I'm willing to do it." Was this what a relationship was really like? Fun and teasing like friends but love like family? Because she could definitely get used to this.
She returned her attention to the food in front of her, taking a bite and near moaning. "I will never get used to how much better food tastes here. Never."
Light banter and teasing is something that he enjoys. As much as he enjoys those things, along with Frenchie and her smiles, he also loves pretending to be hurt by it. "How noble of you," He pouts. "Good luck because I am a very talkative person and it gets much worse from here…You have been warned."
Of course he could not pout forever. He sat up in his seat a shiver went down his spine. His arms flared with goosebumps. Adone ate more of his food, thinking about what she said. His brow arched. "What? Is it bad over there?" He asked. "But I thought the pizza is supposed to be good over there too…."
"Oh, it is. Believe me, America knows how to do pizza. But that's junk food pizza, it's basically grease in the shape of a circle with cheese. The best circle shaped grease with cheese you'll ever have but that's not my point. Pizza here is so much different. It's an actual food that's treated with respect and stuff. People make it with ingredients that aren't going to make you feel like you're swallowing lumps of liquid cement when you're eating it. It's an artform, really."
Frenchie explained with the kind of passion and insight that only someone who worked with food and was passionate about it could. She always insisted that she got that part from her mother, that she had learned to love and respect food from her. And while on a lot of fronts she was right, she had also developed her own kind of appreciation, one that couldn't be learned. And she didn''t even realize it.
Adone rested his chin on his palm. American pizza always looked good in the movies. He did not expect to get such insight on pizza from there, but he loves watching Frenchie as she speaks so passionately about it. For a second he thought he was watching a cooking show or attending some lecture with a chef. Adorable and impressive, he bit down on his bottom lip.
"You are very insightful. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me you want to open a high end restaurant," He nodded with a grin. Picking up another slice, he leaned over to set it down on her plate. "How you do cook pizza at home? Do you add crazy toppings like pineapple? Or does my Farfallina have a particular taste?" He laughed at the thought of pineapple on pizza. It is so unbelievable, but he really wants to know what she thinks.
Frenchie laughed at that, shaking her head. "No no no, I could never. I'm an athlete by nature, I don't know if I could ever abandon that. Although I do work at my mom's restaurant part time. Sure, being an errand girl doesn't pay great but I don't mind. I just like the work and watching people cook. I more enjoy watching the cooking than doing it. Or maybe it's just because I don't do it much. Who knows."
She shrugged, picking up the slice given to her and taking a bite out of it. She considered Adone's question while chewed before swallowing to answer. "I absolutely do not put pineapple on pizza. That is a disgrace and an insult to pizza." She defended with a chuckle. "I mostly like simpler pizzas. A plain margharita or maybe a meatball but that's it. I don't think you need a ton of toppings if the pizza is made well."
Is it weird to be relieved by her respond? All the things he can cook for her already and there is so many more recipes of food that he can learn too. He always had been told it's weird for a boy like him to know how to cook, but he sees it as a win, especially now. Adone kept on smiling, even though his mind had wandered off into his thoughts for a minute or two.
He could not go back to eating for his stomach has butterflies fluttering around. Butterflies…. Throwing his head slightly back, he laughed. "I just love how passionate you are about things like pizza. It's adorable," He breathed. "Mine is good, right? I hope it is. You can tell me if it isn't, I don't think I put too many toppings on it…"
Frenchie nodded enthusiastically. "Oh it's perfect. I'm not picky with my toppings but you know how some people just overload their pizza with like six different toppings? Like, at that point just buy the toppings, leave the poor pizza alone it doesn't deserve that."
"And of course I'm passionate, it's food. Food is great." She shrugged and took another bite of her slice, thinking while she chewed and swallowed. "What about you? Do you have any random topics you're weirdly passionate about?"
Adone smiled before suddenly shaking his head. No, he didn't really know that people put six different toppings on their pizza. It sounds goofy, although he figures it's true. He just laughed a little before drinking from his cup then making a sour face.
"What?" At first he didn't really hear the question. It sounded like a computer dialing until he gathered up his neurons to piece it together. And to be quite honest, Adone didn't know what to say. He was a bit shy to say anything actually, but he found himself saying, "Books…history….clothes…uhhh I don't know really. A few are because of my sisters and mom, but my uncle owns a tailor shop for dresses and suits so that's why I like clothes too. Plus I just happen to have good taste….I've been told that what I like is weird, but eh….you know I'm weird."
(OKAY I KNOW IT'S BEEN LIKE A WEEK I'M SORRY I'VE JUST BEEN HAVING IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF WRITER'S BLOCK)
"You seem like the kind of person to be really into fashion. I guess it's just your aura." Frenchie murmured into her cup before taking a sip. "I still don't know what's your problem with the lemonade, I think it's great. You just have low sour tolerance."
"But now I'm intrigued. What's your favorite book? I don't have many of my own that I even enjoy, let alone a favorite. So I wanna know what someone who actually likes reading thinks." She watched his face with a curious expression. People's faces revealed so much when they talked about things they loved, she wanted to see what his would tell her.
(Oh it's all good bro. Writer's block is a pain. I hope it goes away soon.)
Adone shrugged as he pushed the cup of lemonade away from himself. "I am not sure, my mom used to say that it's girly, but she hasn't said anything since I can sew and mend clothes now," He sighed. Shaking his head, he laughed a little. "Maybe, but I do believe that my sister and her kid got carried away with the sugar."
He slumped back into his chair. Favorite book? What is his favorite book? His eyes stared at the table as his brows scrunched together. One point he tilted his head to the left and then to the right. Walden, Crime and Punishment, Interview with the Vampire, The Divine Comedy, Pride and Prejudice, Salem's Lot, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Man Who Laughs, Anna Karenina…. So many book titles flung around his mind. He never really thought about having a favorite.
His lips thinned before turning into a frown. The state of his mind is like goo. Adone rested his chin on the palm of his right hand. "Dracula has to be my favorite. I read it to distract myself from life, but finished it within three days and I've read it four other times since. It taught me a lot, and was my comfort, so I suppose it's my favorite then."
