Small Girl, Big World

5 Field trip

We have a field trip today.  Which I'll admit, for college that seems weird, which it is. But it's not an ordinary field trip to the Zoo or something. No it's to a museum... which sounds like a completely normal field trip. But it's in Italy so I say it's a little different.

All the mentors are coming along to assist the students in recognizing works of art along with finding inspiration for their showcase pieces, one of which is due this week. 

We all are gathered on a bus together, which for a bunch of College students, seemed demeaning. Lucky for us all it was a short 25 minute drive to the other side of Florence to Galleria dell'Accademia, a famous museum which has Michelangelo's sculpture David in it. Still being on a bus with a bunch of over stimulated adults was more or less awful. 

Mentors sat up front so I didn't even have the pleasure of sitting next to Fen. Instead, I'm sitting next to a friend, or rather just classmate, Marissa. 

"Your mentor is Mr. Agnellini, right?" She says as she turns from the window to face me.

"Yeah, he's great!" My excitement was not reciprocated with her. 

"Be careful with you guy's relationship, I've heard some things about you guys that I totally don't believe but others might, for instance, Dr. Rossi." 

I felt sick at the thought of others knowing, I tried my best to be as emotionless about it, "What kind of things have you heard? And who would say things like that?"

"Well I heard, that you both have been spending a bunch of time together, and someone says that they say you have gone into his apartment and not come out until the day after, which in itself is suspicious. Although I don't know a direct source, I can probably guess who would love to smear others names," She nods over to the notorious Bella and crew, who are laughing at something on their phones. 

Oh God of fucking course. 

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We arrive at the museum and begin to pair off with our mentors. Fen comes bouncing over to me, excited and being very giddy as always. I look over and see Bella and her crew of deliquents staring at us and snickering. I continue walking, not talking or even acknowledging his presence walking besides me, oblivious to the world around him. Once we get into the museum and around a corner where there is no students or mentors to be seen, I turn to him. 

"Fen, we have a problem," I say rushed, looking around to see if there is anyone around to damn us. 

"And what could that be my beautiful," He brushes a piece of hair out of my eyes and I swat his hand away. 

"They are catching on to us." 

"What do you mean?" He demeanor changing, getting back into that 'mentor' role he once had. 

"I mean, someone has been talking about how much we are around each other and they even know about me staying in your apartment." I say in a low voice, still worried about those around us. 

"I feel as though we hang out an appropriate amount of time," He rubs his hands in hair, "Besides, no one would believe that a mentor and student were more than just that." 

"Yeah? And what if they do? What if they pay more attention and find that our 'appropriate time' together is spent making out and taking about everything but what paintbrushes I should use for my pieces? What then?" My voice is raising but still in a hushed tone, as I desperately try to make him see the issue with this as well. 

"Bellissimo, stop worrying, it will be okay. Let rumors be rumors, I will handle it." He sighs as he continues to brush away a piece of hair in my face. "Besides, they are just jealous that you get to hang out with all this sexy." 

"You're annoying, goodbye." I scoff and leave from the corner, impressed that he can be so calm in this situation, while my head is spinning. 

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We spend the time in museum looking at each piece of art, doing for once what we are suppose to be doing and learning. 

Fen is actually really good at what he does when he actually tries. He taught me more in this one museum than I have learned all semester thus far, although I'd never admit that to him. I think I finally have an idea for my next piece for the showcase. 

We finally finish up at the museum and head to the from to meet the rest of the group. Fen is respecting the distance that a proper mentor would, and I'm thankful for that. I look over and see Bella hating her life with her mentor and how he goes on about the elegance of painting breasts. Honestly, he's the one who be talked about, not Fen and I. 

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"I'd like to take you on a date." Fen says across the table at C&C. 

"What do you qualify this as?" I sip my iced mocha and lean back in my chair. 

"A work outing. I want to take you on a real date, like one you get dressed up for and I shake your fathers hand and I nervously sweat so much that I have to wipe my hands before I hold yours." He smiles eagerly back at me waiting on my response.

"Well I don't have my father here," Not that he would approve but thats a different story, "And we can't go anywhere around here, someone will see us."

"I don't have to shake his hand then and We can go to the Provence of Prato thats outside Florence, no one will know us there."  He won't stop until I say yes, an admiring character trait of Fen. 

"Okay fine I guess." I try to hide my excitement but I let a smile crack.

"It's a date! I will pick you up at 6pm, Bellissimo"

∫

"Your mentor dude is here and he's dressed nice, What are you doing? Where are you going?" Dylan coming in to ruin the mood as always. 

"We have an art gallery preview night in Prato, we got to dress nice for it." I say as I put in earrings in. 

"Be back at 8pm." 

"That is early, and I will not,"  I pass him in the doorway and go straight to the handsome man at my front door. "Goodbye Dylan, have a good night!"

Before he can say anything else, I was already in the car where he can't get me. 

"You are gorgeous." Fen smiles at me from the drivers seat.

"You're not so bad yourself."

Fen waits until we are down the driveways and then stops and pulls me into him, kissing him for what seems like forever. This nights going to be fun.

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