Foreign Love

XVI - An Official Date

Chapter 16: An Official Date

We talked the whole way to the restaurant. I told him a few things about me and he did the same about him. I don't usually like to open up about my life and things from the past with anyone, but I felt very comfortable in doing that with him.

"So you don't talk to your parents?" I asked when he told me how they rejected his sexuality.

He shook his head. "Not since I was 16 and they caught me making out with my boyfriend in my bedroom." He chuckled. "I thought I had locked the door," he added, as though trying to make an excuse for their lack of caution. "I've been living with my sister ever since. She's the only one who's accepted me for what I am. The only family I have left."

"Don't you have anyone else?"

"Well..." He narrowed his eyes and looked up, trying to think of something, or someone. "I do have a cousin that lives in Vancouver and an aunt in Boston, but the rest of the family is in Russia. I'd like to go there one day and meet my grandparents, but I really don't know how they'll feel about it once they really know me."

"If they love you, they'll understand."

He nodded in the saddest way I could imagine, "I wish my parents could hear you saying that."

It's quite difficult for me to imagine someone not having the support of their parents. I don't have any siblings, but even if I did, I don't think I'd be able to love them as much as I love my parents.

I grabbed his hand, the first time I did something like that in public, "I am sorry. I wish things could be different."

He glanced at our hands, with a grin on his face, and squeezed it. "Thank you. No one other than my sister has ever cared before so I really appreciate it."

After that, I tried to let go of his hand, but it was so warm and it felt so good walking like that with someone, that we simply walked to the restaurant with our hands intertwined. We talked some more and reached the place.

"It's here," he said, opening the door, which brought the delicious smell of pizza to my nostrils, making my stomach rumble.

A burly, bearded, brown-haired man walked to us, with a huge smile on his face and his arms wide open. "Niko!" He called in a very Italian accent.

"Antonio!" Niko exclaimed as well, hugging the Italian guy. I would usually feel very bothered by this loudness, but it oddly sounded great to me.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, bambino! How are you and yo... Madonna mia! Is that your new boyfriend?" He asked, pointing at me.

"Well..." Nikolai looked at me and smiled. "Not yet."

"Sono Thomas. Piacere," I said, stretching my hand to him, who looked at me surprised. He grabbed it and shook it vigorously. Too vigorously, if you ask me, but it was fine.

"Antonio, piacere. Do you speak Italiano?"

"Better than Russian, that's for sure." He laughed.

"He's a good one, Niko. You chose well."

"Actually." He grabbed my hand again. "I think he chose me."

Antonio smiled. "Come you two love birds, I have a special table for you." He gestured for us to follow him. He indicated to us a beautiful table on the corner of the restaurant, more reserved than the rest of the place. "And don't worry about paying, it's on me tonight."

"There's no need for that, Antonio, I..." Antonio shook both hands, dismissing whatever Nikolai was about to say.

"Per favore, Niko!" He exclaimed, with a tone that didn't make quite clear if he was angry or begging Nikolai to do something. "It's been so long since you last brought a date. Three years?"