Adone quietly laughed to himself. He looked over his shoulder at her then went back to focusing on the plants. Like a computer, it took a while for him to realize what she was saying. In his defense, he is translating two languages back to back. The curse of being multilingual, not him actually have a slow brain here. He sat the watering can down then walked over, hiding behind one of the support columns.
Him and his stupid, cute face? Perché deve essere lui di tutte le persone? His heart stopped for a moment. Wait, did it really? Slamming his right hand above it, he felt it still going. He leaned over, looking at her. Shaking his head, he took the watering can then walked over to another plant. He turned with his chin gazing over his shoulder. Adone called out, "And what do mean by stupid and cute, Farfallina?"
Frenchie stiffened and let out a short scream, her leg jerking up and causing her ball to come down directly on her head. She clapped her hands over her head with a curse, lightly kicking the ball away and turning to look at Adone.
Her face was bright red from embarrassment, caught in the act and not happy about it. "Mi hai spaventato a morte! Da quanto tempo sei lì in piedi?" She huffed, bringing her hands down to cross them over her chest.
Adone kept on working through, and yet, he was grinning at himself. He had to used everything in his capability to not laugh. Strolling around the corner, he saw her face covered in red. It is quite adorable if you ask him. On the other hand, he does feel bad for startling her.
"Ah, mi dispiace," He said. Looking at one of the plants, he titled his head then went on to another. "I was here for five minutes already. Long enough to hear you talking about a certain someone. Even calling them cute too. Ooh Frenchie, do you have a crush on someone already?"
She sputtered for a minute, trying to find her words and unable to make eye contact. She usually never got this tongue-tied, what was up with her? Sheesh, this guy was going to put her in an early grave if she kept tripping up every time he surprised her.
"I…don't know what you're talking about." She managed to huff out, stubborn in her resolve. "It's only my third day here, I couldn't possibly have a crush. I'm not some ditzy airhead that you see in romance movies, I don't believe in love at first sight."
"Ah, of course, Farfallina." He nodded. Ditzy….He isn't sure what that means. But airhead, that's just another word for stupid, right? Adone stopped, resting his index finger on his bottom lip. "If I what I said makes you think that I think your ditzy, I am sorry. Clearly you aren't one. You know that, I know that."
Adone walked over to her with the watering can. He stood across from her, pointing to his cheek. "Then again, a short American girl kissed my cheek last night before running off. I know that this real life, but that was definitely a romance movie move."
Frenchie raised an eyebrow with a playful smile, resting her hands on her hips. "Is that so? Ah well, such a shame it was so quick. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll meet her again in Act 2. Then you'll grow close and have some big falling out right before the climax then get back together right before she gets on the plane to go home and it'll be happily ever after."
She laughed at the idea of it. It sounded so silly to her. Fall in love in a single summer? Impossible. "What are you doing here anyway? And whatever it is, can it be delayed long enough to kick around a ball with me for a while? I'm so bored it's painful and I could really use the company."
Adone snapped his fingers, shaking his head as if he were disappointed. "Must she go back on the plane? But I thought you said it will be a happy ending." He laughed. But to fall in love with someone, someone who is only here for the summer, is it possible? He hasn't even been in love with a girl before; that fact is something he is a bit shy about.
"I work here. You know I do gardening and such for aunt and uncle, right? That's why I was invited to the party last night." Adone paused for a moment. Supposed he could stop for a moment or two to kick around a ball with her. He's not running off or anything. "Sure. Give me a second."
He walked over to put the watering can out of harm's way, or that is what he believes. "So you're bored? At this time of day?"
"Yes sir I am. Call it a short attention span, my summers are usually full of neighborhood kids, water fights, and general disturbance of the peace. I cannot tell you how many times I would come home soaking wet from an afternoon out somewhere. Then Mom would yell at me for coming home barefoot but I hate wet socks more than I hate shoes so that definitely wasn't happening." She laughed.
"But out here? It's so peaceful and quiet. Plus, I don't know anyone. And…I'm not exactly known for making a good first impression." She looked down at her feet, her tone going quiet and a little shy. "People are kinda scared of me. Which is fine when I'm back home with other people that like me and hang around me but here? Here I'm just weird, strange, crazy."
Her summers sound like fun. They're kind of like the ones he expects an American to have; maybe it's all because of the movies he's seen but oh well. Hates wet socks more than shoes, he might have to remember that for later. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he stood there. His weight shifted between his feet.
"Maybe not the best at first impressions, but definitely the memorable ones," He chuckled. Adone took his hands out of his pockets. His head tilted as he kept his eyes on Frenchie. When her voice became softer, he took a step forward. "Weird, strange, crazy…looks like you are perfect for Italy, perfect for Sicily, believe me. We may not seem like it, but we like those kind of things within reason."
She scoffed, her head lifting a little to look up at him. "You're just saying that to make me feel better. I appreciate the sentiment but after all the weird looks and whispers last night, I don't think Sicily likes me very much."
She sighed softly turning on her heels to go find where she'd kicked her ball to. "But it's fine. It doesn't need to like me. By the end of the summer, it won't have to deal with me anymore. Then I can be forgotten and life can go back to normal, right?"
"So what if Sicily doesn't like you very much? I do….Your aunt and uncle do. That's three people in Sicily right now! And as they say in America, three is a crowd." Okay, he is trying to make her feel better. But he isn't lying. He means every single word! Wait….he just said that he likes her, didn't he? "What I mean is….you're not bad. Don't worry about those people last night. My mom was just curious as to who I was with and why I was there. That's all. It's okay."
Adone rubbed the back of his neck. Lowering his gaze to the ground, he started to amble around, looking for the football. He shook his head. "No, you won't be forgotten. What even is normal in Sicily anyways? These lands have been visited by many groups from Arabs to Normans to Greeks to Americans, and us Sicilians haven't forgotten them." He yawned while looking under a chair. A small smile formed as he picked up the ball. Standing up, he kicked it over to Frenchie. "Plus, even one person will leave something behind, even if it's small like a word or two."
She caught the ball easily, smiling a little. "Say what you want, you're the one who called me both strange and crazy within about ten minutes." She laughed, bouncing her ball on her thigh a couple of times before letting it drop to the ground and trapping it under her foot. "Now come on, boredom and sadness are a terrible combination."
Her gaze turned prideful and confident, her smile competitive. "What do you say? Think you can handle me in my element?"
"Right…I did," He sighed. "But in my defense, you are in a way, and so am I." His eyes were on the ball. His chin lightly bounced along until he watched the football fall onto the ground. Adone strolled over to a spot where he was diagonally across from Frenchie.
He was not sure what to make from the smile on her face. Part of him was distracted for a few seconds. The question flew over his head. He may be a football fan, but he surely isn't like the professionals or even a girl who plays it as a school actvitiy. He shrugged, "Only one way to find out, Farfallina."
Her smile grew wider and she straightened up. "Guess so." And with that she kicked the ball to him, deciding to take it easy at first so she didn't immediately crush him.
Her heart leapt in excitement. Finally! Something familiar! She could play soccer, she could do this. It wasn't a brand new situation or a test with no prep time. This was her game. And she was going to prove it.
Almost missing the ball being passed to him, he tilted his foot to catch it. Adone ruffled his hair in hopes it will stay out of his way, but it stayed in its natural messy place. Letting his hand drop to his side, he sighed, "Grazie."
He glanced over at the makeshift goal behind Frenchie then turned to look back at the other. Biting the inside of his cheek, he nodded to himself then gently kicked the ball. He went to Frenchie's right in hopes of getting a good angle to try to score a goal.
Frenchie easily followed him, giggling softly at his almost amateur movements. "Come on, you really can't think it'll be that simple, can you? Little bit out of your league here?" She teased.
She knew she shouldn't be speaking, that it would only jinx her, but teasing him was too much fun. Besides, there wasn't much she could lord over him, she was going to take advantage of this.
Adone stopped in his tracks. Setting his hands on his hips, he scoffed, "Being Italian doesn't instantly make me a great football player. I am doing my best." Whatever his best is, it's definitely not at what Frenchie's. It's clearly obvious.
Curling his bottom lip, he kept kicking the ball to the side. He tried to kick the ball. His foot missed. With furrowed brows, he gazed down at the ball then tried it again. This time he managed to kick it decently in his case.
Frenchie trapped it through laughter, trying not to fall to the ground. "I never assumed that you weirdo! But thanks for the confidence boost I guess." She wiped tears of laughter from her eyes and straightened up.
"Okay, idea. Whoever can get three goals on the other person first wins. If I win, you take me to get gelato. You can decide your own term for winning."
"You're welcome." Adone laughed a little himself. Really he only did so because there is just something about Frenchie's laugh making him do so; perhaps it is contagious. If it is, well he is also in trouble for that now too. Not so good at football and might always laugh whenever she does. Perfect.
"Gelato?" Since when were they playing for prizes? He stood there, with his hands on his hips, trying to come up with his own term. "Fine. If I win, then we make zeppole. Okay, Farfallina?" Three goals, that sounds easy, right? It sounds easy to him.
"Fine then. That's our terms." She stepped forward and stuck out her hand. "No deal is complete without a handshake." She giggled.
This felt so dumb but it was also kinda cute. She felt like the main character of a really cheesy romcom. Like so sickeningly sweet it was gag enducing. But with the way things were going now, she wasn't really going to complain.
"Good. Very well then." Glimpsing at her hand, he removed his right and firmly shook hers. What is he getting himself into? Her giggles echoed in his ears, sending shivers down his spine. Right, he knows exactly what he's getting himself into.
Adone backed away from her. He knelt down to make sure that his sandals would not fly off his feet if he were to kick the ball. Personally, his expectations are not high, but you never know. His knees cracked as he stood back up. "Okay. I am ready."
She snorted at the cracks. "You sound like an old man. You sure those old bones of yours can handle a girl like me?" She teased, raising an eyebrow at him. Was she taunting him? Yes. Was it out of spite? Maybe a little. Would she regret it? Considering earlier, probably not.
For now, she returned to her ball and scooped it up to balance it on the top of her foot for a couple seconds. "And I'd lose the sandals. They'll fly off and take someone's eye out. Trust me, I've learned from experience."
An old man? Adone may be a bit of an old soul, but that's cause he hangs with Nonno a lot; he is far from being old. In an attempt to mirror her, his left eyebrow quirked up. "They sure did last night," He pointed out. "Plus, I have a long one that's sturdy, never cracks." He winked before throwing his head back with laughter immediately after.
Eventually he stopped laughing at his own joke. Taking a few deep breaths, he nodded then proceeded to take his sandals off. "So you took someone eye out with a sandal?" He asked, shaking his head. He quickly sat them down on the side then returned to his previous spot. "Better?"
Frenchie rolled her eyes at his joke, though her cheeks did stain a light pink. "Boys…" She mumbled under her breath before looking back up at him. "And no, I've never hit someone with a sandal. Someone once hit me. And it hurt. A lot."
She stretched her arms above her head bending backwards until she had just about folded herself in half before standing up straight again. "Alright, let's get this over with, I want my prize." Sue chuckled.
Taking a deep breath, he looked over at her. His eyes scanned for face, as if to see where she would have been hit by a sandal. "Oh….Are you okay?" He asked. A habit of his. Even if someone talks to him of an injury from decades ago, he will always ask that question. Then he'd add on, "I'm sorry."
Watching Frenchie stretch, Adone decides to follow in suit. Like the professionals, he did one arm crossed over the other as well as a few leg stretches. He shook his head, "Hey, we have not even started yet. Do not give yourself sfortuna, okay?"
