LONELY HEARTS (COMPLETE)

Chapter 7: The After-Date Date

MATTEO

They were immediately greeted by the maître d' who honestly looked quite nervous. He showed them to their and fumbled while handing out the menus. While Gemma scanned the menu, Matteo tried to steal glances as he looked up from his. This girl was impossible, stubborn, and crass. Matteo was annoyed and attracted to it at the same time which confused him. All the women he's encountered were all the same to him: self absorbed, high maintenance, and only wanted to be with him for his status and money. He's been used so many times, which is why he never got close to any woman and he wasn't about to tonight. At least, that's what he was trying to prove to himself.

Matteo was getting angry at himself for even thinking anything more of this girl in front of him. He tried to force himself to believe that her brash nature was annoying, but it was actually refreshing. People are so afraid of Matteo, afraid to say how they really feel for fear of making him angry. But not Gemma, she didn't care about his status, she said whatever she damn well felt like.

"Have you decided on what you want"?, Matteo asks.

"Oh, so I actually have a choice?", she quips.

Matteo rolls his eyes, this is not going well. Why is he here again?

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GEMMA

Gemma wasn't used to all this. The fancy restaurant, the fancy food, the fancy people, and the fancy clothes. Sure, her job paid her well, but she was never one to spend money on designer goods nevertheless receive them from someone. She looked at Matteo who seemed studying his menu intently, she decided to be honest with him.

"Matteo, I'm sorry, but all this just isn't me", she admitted.

"What do you mean?", he asked.

"Just, all this, everything. I'm not a big fancy restaurant person and this place is too crowded".

"Do you want to leave"? Matteo asked.

Gemma thought about what she wanted to do. She felt anxious here and she admitted to herself she partly came here to bother Matteo. She had an idea, what better way to get annoy him than by doing all the things she wanted to do.

"C'mon, let's go", she demanded.

"You're gonna just leave? Where are we going?"

"We're gonna do what I want to do tonight", she smiled. She got up and started heading for the door with Matteo trying to catch up behind her. Gemma runs out the entrance, turns right and keeps walking.

"Don't you want to drive there?," Matteo asks, pointing to the valet.

"No, were walking", she beams.

Gemma's at a quick pace at this point, Matteo is doing his best to catch up to her. He clearly looks confused. She abruptly stops.

"We're here", she announces.

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MATEO

Mateo looks up and realizes he's in front of none other than, a taco truck.

"This, this is where you want to eat?"

"They have the best tacos in the city, scout's honor", Gemma chuckles. "Here, I'll order".

"Two #4 Specials!", she shouts.

"Oh my God, I'm street meat with this annoying woman", Matteo thought.

Gemma grabs their order and plops down on the sidewalk. She puts down Matteo's plate and pats the ground next to her.

"You want me to eat tacos. On the ground. In a $2,000 suit?", Matteo inquires. And the way Gemma answered him made Matteo realize a lot of things about her.