𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐒

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓

As we stepped into the restaurant, a warm air surrounded me and the amazing smell of Italian food overwhelmed me. Caleb had taken me to a fancy Italian restaurant that I had only dreamed of dining in, and I felt like the luckiest girl on the planet.

As we stood waiting for the hostess to lead us to our table, Caleb looked over at me, smiling. He grabbed my hand, holding it tightly. He squeezed my hand, and I squeezed back.

"Are you excited? I remember you talking about this restaurant to Lila a few weeks ago, so I knew I had to take you here." Caleb said, grinning at me. My heart surged when I heard this.

"No way, you remembered that? You're so sweet," I gushed, smiling back at him. "And yes, I'm excited." I added. He nodded approvingly.

"Great, I think the hostess is coming now," Caleb said, as a woman wearing the work uniform approached us.

"Hey guys! Welcome in, please follow me to your table," The woman said, smiling brightly at us. We promptly followed her to our table, a small booth that would fit two. She set down two menus on our table, then clasped her hands behind her back. "Your server will be here shortly!" She said, before walking away.

"So, what do you think you're going to get?" Caleb asked me, as I opened up my menu.

"I don't know, I've always heard their pizza is good." I said, scanning over the menu.

"Yeah, me too, but I'm not sure yet." Caleb said as he opened up his menu too. Then, a man came up to our table, holding a notepad and a bright smile on his face, similar to the smile the hostess had.

"Hey guys! Welcome, my name is Emilio and I'll be your server today. Can I start you guys off with any drinks?" He asked warmly, looking at both of us.

"Yes, I'll have a water," I said, looking over at Caleb waiting for his order. Caleb nodded, agreeing with me.

"A water is fine for me too, thank you." Caleb politely said, and the man nodded.

"Great! I'll be right out with those shortly." The man said, placing his notepad in his apron before walking away to the kitchen. Caleb looked back at me.

"So, have you decided yet?" He asked. "I have, I'm going to get the penne alle vodka." He added.

"Yeah, I think I'm just going to get a personal pizza." I said. Caleb nodded.

"Good choice. Were you going to get any toppings on it?" He asked, and I nodded.

"I think just pepperoni, I don't really like anything other than that." I said, and Caleb looked shocked.

"Wow, really? I love all toppings, I don't know how you couldn't!" He laughed, and I smiled.

"I know, I'm kind of picky." I sighed.

"It's alright, I used to be that way until Mateo forced me to expand." He said.

"Really?" I said, tilting my head to the side.

"Yeah. He's really into trying new things, not even just trying new foods but anything." Caleb added.

"That's really cool. I wish I were like that," Caleb nodded, and then the waiter appeared holding 2 glasses of water, setting them down next to us.

"So! Any appetizers today, or are we ready to order?" The waiter asked, pulling out a pen and his notepad.

"No thanks, sir. Just the food. And yes, we are ready." Caleb said, shutting his menu. "I will have the penne alle vodka, please." He said, and the man quickly wrote down his order on his notepad.

"And for you?" The waiter said, looking over at me.

"I'll have a personal pepperoni pizza, please." I said, placing my menu on top of Caleb's. Caleb passed the two menus to the waiter, who tucked them under his arm and smiled at us.

"I'll go put those in, and it'll be out shortly." The waiter nodded, then walked away. I looked back at Caleb. Our eyes locked, and I saw a smile grow on his face.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Sophia?" He said, placing his hand on top of mine, which was resting on the table. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I looked down, a big smile on my face.

"Mhm, you have," I responded, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. He always knew exactly how to get to me.

"Well, I think it deserves repeating." His thumb gently brushed against my skin, sending a pleasant shiver up my spine. "I can't keep my eyes off of you." His constant compliments towards me made my heart race with certainty.

I took a quick sip from my water glass. I swallowed, placing the glass down. My heart pounded with a mix of excitement and something deeper, something almost like fear.

"It's strange," I said, my fingers tracing the edge of my glass. "No one's ever made me feel this way before. It's... overwhelming, in the best way." His eyes met mine, searching and sincere.

"That's because I mean it, Sophia. And I'm not going anywhere." Our eyes locked, his filled with desire. Suddenly, a pizza with golden brown melty cheese and shining pepperonis appeared in front of me, steam rising into my face. Caleb's plate filled with the orangeish pasta looked divine.

"Enjoy, guys. Please let me know if you need anything at all." The server smiled at us, and we nodded. He turned, walking away and I looked back at Caleb.

"Wow, that looks so good!" I cheerfully exclaimed, looking at Caleb's plate. He picked up a fork, stabbing at the pasta.

"I know, right? This is one of my favorite dishes. Yours also looks so good." He said, as he raised the fork to his mouth, taking a bite. He nodded as he chewed, and smiled at me.

"I'd better try it," I said, picking up a knife as I cut a slice from the pizza. I raised the slice up to my face, a cupped hand underneath the slice in case any crumbs dropped. I took a bite, my face lighting up as the different flavors from the pizza mixed together. It was the best pizza I'd ever had.

"Good?" Caleb asked, and I nodded quickly.

"Wow, this is amazing. It's like, one of the best pizzas I've ever had!" I said, going back for a second bite. Caleb leaned back slightly, eyes bright as he watched me take another bite.

"You really like it, huh?" He asked, and I nodded, unable to hide my smile.

"It's perfect, Caleb. The cheese, the sauce—everything." I gushed.

"Good," he said, eyes softening. "Because I have a feeling we're going to be coming back here a lot." My heart warmed at the thought, and I took a sip of my water, the taste of the pizza still lingering on my tongue.

I set down the glass, and we both ate in silence for a few minutes, really enjoying our meals. As I finished my food, I wiped my mouth and hands off on the napkin placed in my lap.

I picked at the edge of my napkin, my fingers fidgeting. The way Caleb looked at me made it hard to remember the last time I'd felt this vulnerable but safe all at once.

"I don't know why I'm so scared," I admitted quietly, glancing up at him. "It's just... I've never had anyone make me feel this way." His expression softened, and he reached across the table, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"That's because no one else would." He said, his words hanging in the air. The room seemed to fade as I stared at him, his words ringing louder than the restaurant's noise. For the first time in a long time, I let myself believe him.