wander

15|lunch date

As I pulled up to the small cafè, I had already found Romeo sat at a cute table flicking through the menu. He was wearing an airy shirt and shorts that hung loosely from his hips. He did look really cute sat there at the table but he looked sad being alone.

I wanted to surprise him so I walked up behind him, stealthily and covered his eyes with my hands. "Guess who" i chirped in his ear.
"Hm is it Georgia?"
"Very funny."

He let out a little laugh and pulled my seat out for me and I'm pretty sure I let out a small giggle as no one has ever done that for me. He complimented my very lunch date-esque dress and he tugged on the hem a little. I shooed his hands away because I didn't want others around us to see that he was playing with my dress. Of course, it was only friendly... I think?

As I sat down he did a little twirl to get around to his side where he was sitting. I shook my head and laughed at him. He's so unpredictable but so cute at the same time. When he sat down finally he passed me a menu and I didn't understand a word of it. I pulled a perplexed face and he quickly took a picture of it without me knowing.

"Oh my god. Romeo! You did not!"
"I did. Wanna see?"
Without answering he had already shoved his phone into my face and I can admit, I was quite funny to look out. Whining, I told him that I didn't understand a word and he came over to my side and used my finger to point down the foods. He told me what each of them were and my mouth began to water.
Forgetting that his hand was on mine, I brought my hand to wipe my mouth and stopped at my mouth when I realised, it was his hand wiping my mouth.

I turned tomato red with embarrassment and tried to brush it off with a laugh but I must've slumped in my seat since he put a hand on my back, strengthening my posture. I started to get trapped in my own head with my embarrassment and I couldn't get the awkwardness out of my head.

"Earth to Chiara. Can you hear me?"
"What sorry? Yeah. I heard you" I didn't hear him at all.
"So you agree that a strawberry milkshake would look great when tipped over your head?"
"What! You didn't say that!"
"I did."

I raised an eyebrow at him, maybe he had said that.
"So what do you want, Chi?"
"Uh I don't know. I wasn't listening, remember?"
He began to repeat all the dishes and I couldn't choose between a pizza, spaghetti or another pasta dish. I pointed at all three and he just nodded.

"Wait. You're really going to let me eat all that food?"
"If you want, but only if we're sharing. I love those dishes you picked. They're my favourite."
I smiled at him and leant into him and laughed to myself. My laughs became louder and he pulled away staring at me like I had just said something out of the blue. I didn't even know what I was laughing at but it seemed to please him and heard the camera snapshot again. I looked up at him, still laughing, and he shrugged his shoulders.

My laughs began to die down and I shook my head at myself. I was making a fool of myself and I think he enjoyed it. He didn't seem to care, he just laughed with me and smiled softly.

The waiter came and asked us out orders. Romeo began to speak in his language to the waiter, when I stopped him.
"I want to speak. Tell me what to say."
"Ok say, Voglio una pizza congelata, pasta non cotta e quel piatto che nessuno può dire"
The waiter had started laughing when I repeated what he had said to the waiter and she looked at him with a grin.
"Mi sa che vuoi dire pizza da margarita, spaghetti e Cacio e Pepe Potato Gnocchi"
"Sì." He said with a smile.

"Romeo... what did you make me say?"
"Good question."
"Romeo I swear-"
"I want a frozen pizza, uncooked pasta and that dish nobody can say"

He cut me off before I could tell him that I'd torture him but after he said that I looked at him, wide eyes, mouth agape.
"Don't worry mi amore! She knew I was joking."

I rolled my eyes at him, a bit mad if I'm going to be honest. To calm myself down, I told myself that I was going to take a bathroom break. He nodded and then looked down towards his phone and smiled at it. What was he doing? I swear he's always up to something.

I didn't actually go to the toilet, I just reapplied my mascara and some lip balm. I kind of just stood around in there until the door opened and I decided to slide out as if I hadn't just been stood there like a weirdo for a good 3 minutes.

As I came back, Romeo put his phone away and followed my eyes as I sat back down in my little chair. Drinks had arrived and I don't even remember ordering them. He probably ordered them or something. He handed me an orange juice, and also said "I don't know what you like to drink other than orange juice," and let out a small chuckle after.

"No don't worry orange juice is fine. It's my favourite!" I sipped at my drink and saw his watching me as I placed the glass back down. I glared back at him, begging for conversation and he finally got my message.

"So... about graduation. You were saying you'd like it if we went and spoke to your teachers and all, right?"
I looked away signalling that I didn't want to talk about that subject. I was just... homesick? Maybe. It was a long day.

He saw that I reverted my eyes and cupped my chin and turned my face towards him.
"You might want to see this. It might help with the little travel issue that we're facing."
He stood up and reached for his pocket. What did he have hidden in his pocket? I furrowed my brows at him and placed my hands flat on the table.

"Cover your eyes. I can't reach them. I want it to be a surprise."
I didn't close my eyes but i just giggled at him. He walked around the table and covered my eyes with his hands. I tried to peek through the gaps in his hand but it was no use. Still nothing to see.

"Hands." He chirped in a happy tune. I held out my hands and he brought them closer towards him. I felt something lightly in the palm of my hands. Very light. What was it.?

"Open!" He lifted his hands from my eyes and slowly opened my eyes from the harsh light. I didn't look at my hands but at Romeo first.

"Oh my god! Chiara just look! I can't wait any longer." He tucked my head down to look at the two sheets in my hand.

Italy to Louisiana.

Here we go.

"Romeo! You did not! Planes are so expensive. I would have gone on my own!" I stood from my seat to hug him but before I could he held me back.
"Look again," he pointed to the ticket, "you missed one minor detail. Private plane. You see? Right there!"

What the fuck! Where was he getting this from?

I was speechless. All I could do was pull him in for a tight hug. Suddenly, I felt my cheeks become wet and my eyes puffy. I was crying. Happy tears. I didn't pull away. Not any time soon.

"Romeo,"
"Yes?"
"You're amazing."

He didn't reply to me after that and just kept me close in our hug. I couldn't believe how my life had changed so suddenly since I got here. Romeo. Rose. Dad. Everything.

A throat clearing pulled us apart. Food was here. Romeo pulled my chair out for me again and I thanked him. I looked to the waiter and thanked her too. She smiled back, I could tell she was sorry for running our moment.

She scrambled to another table and I glared at the array of colourful foods ahead of me.

"This looks amazing!"

"It tastes amazing too!" Romeo muffled with a mouth full of pizza.