Beauty and the kid with the Beats

CHAPTER 21 TIFFANY 7pm

I get butterflies in my stomach once I see Antonio. He's sitting on a bench near where we agreed to meet waiting for me.

I wore his hoodie again. Its really warm- and not to mention, its his.

He notices me coming and stands up. I don't have to even ask, we just automatically hug.

"Nice hoodie." He says.

I laugh. "This really cute guy I met let me borrow it."

He blushes and looks away. "Really cute?" He says shyly.

I feel embarrassed, maybe I shouldn't have said that. "Sorry," I say, rubbing my arm, "I didn't mean to-"

"No." He interupts me. "It's just not a lot of people tell me that...ever."

"Well, they should." I say.

He blushes. "...your cute too."

My heart is probably numb from beating so fast.

We walk to the park and sit in front of the pond.

"Shoulda brought some blankets."

I say quietly.

"Why are you cold?"

Antonio asks concerned and puts his arm around me.

--

We sit in silence for a little while and then I ask, "Why do you act so nice to me now?"

He pauses. "I don't know... Your nice to me and... I-i care about you I guess."

"But we just met."

"So?" He says. "You can care about someone you just met."

I put my head on his shoulder. "True."

--

We sit in more silence.

"Will you sing for me?"

I ask randomly.

He looks at me surprised.

"You want me to sing?"

I nod. "Yea."

He shrugs. "I mean sure.."

--

I listen closely as he sings. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes, trying to take in everything.

He's singing in a different language. Italian I'm guessing.

--

"My mother used to sing that song from Italy, Its nice right?" He asks me once he's done.

"Its amazing." I say while playing with his fingers, " And your voice is amazing too. I wish I had a talent like that."

He frowns. "Im sure you have a talent."

I shake my head. "If getting bullied is a talent, I'd get gold medals."

"Bullied?" He sounds upset. "Why would you get bullied?"

"I..I don't know. People make fun of my looks.. They say..I..I'm ugly."

I can't help it when I start to cry. "They say I'm worthless and I don't have any values."

Antonio cups his hand around my face. "You have beauty within like no one else I've ever met. That's what makes you worth gold to me."

He presses his nose against mine and wipes my tears with his thumbs.

Suddenly, he touches his lips on mine and kisses me. He gestures for me to sit on his lap, and I can't bring myself to say 'no'. Before long, we where lying on the grass with our clothes scattered around us, having sex while no one was there to watch.

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