The Fate of Our Hearts

Chapter 27 - Sweet Sixteen

Ren

Hugging my dad goodbye, we leave to go back to the theater. We return just in time and pull into a parking spot right in front. A lanky boy with mousy brown hair and severe acne, who probably goes to our school, tears our tickets and directs us to Theater 4. We buy popcorn and a soda, then find a place to sit in the very back, sidestepping to the middle, our shoes making disgusting sounds on the sticky floor. 

The chair squeaks loudly as I sit down next to Gio, my body feeling a little ridged with bottled-up excitement. I rarely see horror films, and this movie is supposed to be good, but also, I have never been to a movie on my own with a guy before. This is practically our first real date, even though it's a little spur of the moment.

We hold hands as the lights dim and the previews come on, cheesing big smiles at each other.

I think it's the best date movie I could have dreamed up. It's funny, making fun of all the 70s and 80s horror movies that have come before, and truly scary. I enjoy immensely squeezing Gio's hand or grabbing his arm when a loud noise makes me jump, or something seems to leap out of the screen. He wraps his arm around me and holds me tighter each time.

I thought maybe we'd make out or touch during the movie, like when we watched Romeo and Juliet at his house, but the film is so engrossing and fun it doesn't lead to that.

We emerge from the theater just as the sun is setting, and the afternoon feels a little surreal, as it sometimes does after being in a dark theater, transported to somewhere else for the last two hours. As we walk back to my car, I'm hugging onto his chest, his arm wrapped protectively around me, and I feel something stirring in my heart—a pressure and a vibration I've never felt before. It feels like it's about to crack... but in a strangely... good way. 

He pulls me against the car for a kiss, his arms wrap around my chest, and he leans slowly in to cover my mouth with his, and I let his tongue dance seductively with mine. My eyes are closed, feeling present in this dreamlike moment, and for a second, I allow my head and heart to float away. Time suspends. When we break apart, our eyes meet and hold, and we cling to each other to stead ourselves—I think we both feel a little dizzy after that kiss.

"Thanks for taking me to the movies," I say sweetly, still in a daze.

"Thanks for lying to your dad, so we had to go," he smiles.

We get in the car and buckle up for the next part of his birthday—dinner with his family. Just after six o'clock, we pull up to his house in the dark. As we pass through the courtyard, I can see his mom in the kitchen window, bathed in warmth and yellow incandescent light, just getting things ready for us to sit down.

"Happy birthday, my little paperotto!" she cheers when we walk through the door. She floats over and pulls him into her, giving him the biggest hug and an even bigger kiss. He returns the hug just as generously but wipes her kiss off his cheek.

"Giovanni, sweetie, your brother said he can't make dinner tonight but will be at the family party tomorrow."

I see his face fall slightly. "Okay," he sighs.

The little house has been decorated with a few balloons taped to the walls here and there, and streamers have been strung across the opening to the living room. I can see a pile of presents stacked neatly on the dark oak coffee table, and on the counter, there is a white Safeway birthday cake still in the box. 

Ciara and I give Gio a break and set the table with napkins and silverware while his mom plates the pancetta carbonara. It smells so good and looks even better as she sets the first plate down. The pale yellow sauce is so smooth, coating the pasta tubes richly, and fresh green peas and red pancetta bacon pop brightly here and there. I giggle as Gio is practically drooling over his plate, and our eyes widen as his mom even pours Gio and me a little white wine for the occasion.