Reese or Reece [turtle slow updates]

vii. dinner details

vii/

"You own this place?" I stared at Roman in awe as I surveyed the room that I was currently standing in. The atmosphere was the opposite of tense and it was warm and very much like a home. We were now at the restaurant Roman had recommended and I already loved it.

"Technically, it's not mine. It's actually my other aunt's but since we're super cl-" Roman tried to explain, when a random boy interrupted him, walking up behind Roman.

"Ooh la la, who is this hot chick?" He said with the same accent as Roman. Roman didn't seem to be offended at all by this person's reaction because he just rolled his eyes, smacking him on the head playfully. I took a note of that as I need to start doing that more often, while I was playing the character of Reece.

Acting as a guy really helped me with not getting embarrassed so often. I didn't even turn red, just a little pink, that's all.

"This 'hot chick' has a name," Roman gritted his teeth. "It's Reese Anne Waters, but she prefers to be called Anne so stick with that," Roman told the shorter guy beside him. I was still mystified by who he was. Thankfully, Roman could read minds.

"This is Benjamin, my twenty-three year old cousin-"

"It's Ben, not Benjamin," Roman's cousin winced at the sound of his formal full-length name. I laughed slightly at his expression.

"Does it matter?" Roman seemed to be bored.

"Actually, yes! Yes it does matter! You know I hate being called Benjamin, it's so immature sounding," he grumbled.

"Exactly why it suits you perfectly..." Roman mumbled under his breath but gave me a wink. I smiled back, but what I really wanted to do was to laugh.

"Excuse me what did you say?" Benjamin gasped. By that point, my laughter was just too much to hold in. So I just doubled over and started to wheeze and clap my hands. Obviously, I attracted lots of attention but I didn't care at all. I needed to release my nervous energy somewhere! These past few weeks have just been crazy. I still couldn't believe that this was happening to me, it was all so surreal.

"Who is this crazy girl?" A very friendly woman with a huge smile came up behind Ben and Roman, amused with my laughing fit. I immediately stopped laughing and straightened up.

"Hi, I'm Reese!" I waved at her. Roman just stared at me. Probably still mesmerized by the fact that I just laughed like that in front of everyone. I was surprised at myself also to be honest. I was more of an introvert than an extrovert so naturally, bold moves weren’t my thing.

"So you're Reese..." She looked away sheepishly for a split second before turning back to me cheerfully, as if someone gave her a weird look. "Anyway, my name is Rosa. I'm Ben's mum and Roman's aunt. They're both very good boys." She smiled at both of them and rubbed their heads. Roman was at least a head taller than her though. "Are you here to eat?"

I was going to say yes but Roman cut in before I could open my mouth.

"zia rosa devi fare una buona impressione su di me. Reese è la ragazza che ho parlato con te circa due giorni fa. ricordate?" he spoke rapidly in some language I did not know. Although I could kind of tell it was Italian. But what really bugged me was the fact that my name was present in his conversation. That could never mean anything good.

"Ah. I see, I see," she thought for a second before waving us over to a table for two, tucked away from all the commotion. "Here is your table. Your menus are on the table, just call me over when you're ready to order."

"No Aunt Rosa, it's okay, I can go to Chef Amico myself to order, you don't have to come over here and serve us," Roman told Rosa. I was very impressed by his actions. "It'll make me feel incredibly uncomfortable."