04

Me- Hey guys. I’m not going to need a ride home today. I’m going to a café with mark.

Ela/Mom 2- When did that happen ?

Gab- Are you at least wearing anything cute ?

Eliza- WHAT IF HE KIDNAPPS YOU ?

Me- 1)I’ll explain at home. 2) not really, no. 3) he’s not going to kidnap me, tf ?

Gab- Come to me before you leave and ill give you smth.

Me- ok, i’m coming my class just ended.

I step out of the building and into the parking lot. I located gabby next to the car holding a draw-string bag. I walk to her, set my bag in her car, grab the one in her hand and head back into the building. I step into the bathroom stall and change into the black dress that gabby gave me. I look at myself in the mirror, put on some mascara and head back.

Mark and Gabby where speaking with each other and Mark looks intimidated. Gabby’s eyes move to mine and she winks at me. Mark turns around and looks me up and down.

« Let’s go, Tesoro, » he says his hand on my back as we walk away.

« Alright, bye guys. See you at home, » I say walking to his car.

We walk up to a Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Mark opens the car door for me to get in. I jump in and take a good sniff of the car. He hops in and notices me looking around on his car.

« You like my car ? » he asks while revving the engine of the car and speeding away from the car.

«  Yea, its really nice. Me and Gabby love cars. »

He chuckles and turns on the radio. We both start singing along with the music.

Mark’s singing is -is um- something else.

A few moments later, Mark sets his hand on my knee. I look out the window and notice a light layer of pink over my cheeks.

« Tesoro, we’re here, » he says moving his thumb back and forth. He gets out of the car and opens the door for me. He pays for the valet and we head into the café.

« Mark, Come va ? Chi e questa adorabile ragazza ? » says the waiter in Italian. (how are you doing ? who this lovely girl ?)

« Sto bene. Ed e mia amica, » replies Mark. (I am well. She is my friend)

« Ok, Mark. Comunque il tuo tavolo e pronto. » (Anyway, your table is ready.)

« Come Tesoro, our table is ready. »

The waiter leads us through the gorgeous café and seats us in a booth by a window that faces the road.

« Benvenuto, sono Francesko. What would you like to order ? » asks another waiter. (Good afternoon, my name is Francesko)

« Do you have frappes ? » I ask

«  Si, and Mark what would you like ? « 

«  My usual. »

« Would you like an food with that, as well ? » the waiter questions.

« I would like the chicken cherry salad, » I say looking down at the menu then handing it to the waiter. »That’s it for me »

The waiter walks away with our menus and into the back. We start talking for a bit. Turns out that he only has one sibling ; Mateo. He didn’t really talk much about his parents. I told him about how me and my bestfriends moved from Albania to Italy for a better education.

« Miss, your coffee and salad. Mark here’s your black coffee, » the waiter says giving us the coffees and my salad. I take a sip of my coffee and let out a sigh of pleasure.

« Oh my gosh. This frappe is so fucking good, » I say taking another sip.

« I can tell, » laughs Mark.

« Grazie. » I say to the waiter before he walks away.

« Nessun problema, miss, » he says before walking away.

« You know Italian ? » asks Mark.

« Well, I only know bits and pieces. I only transferred here a year ago. »

« That’s why I didn’t recognize you. I would have remembered a face like that. »

« Hey, listen i’m sorry about the other night. When I drink I don’t really act right. I don’t think before I speak, but i’m still going to call you cupcake. » I say chuckling and he starts laughing too.

As he’s about to say something he gets cut off by the one and only, Mateo.

« So what’s so funny, » he asks walking towards us.

« Oh nothing, » Mark says before I even have the chance to open my mouth.

« What are you doing here, Mateo ? » I ask.

« Yea Mateo. What are you doing here ? » Mark asks stretching his voice.

« I’m here to see my favorite brother, » Mateo says messing up Marks swoopy hair.

« I’m your only brother, dumbass. »

« Really ? No fucking way ! » Mateo says clearly sarcastic.

Mark slaps his for forehead and his phone starts to ring. He looks at the contact and starts to get up. He excuses himself and walks outside onto the sidewalk near the window.

Mateo calls over the waiter and and orders himself a glass of rum.

« Isn’t a bit early to drink ? » I ask.

« Do you have a problem,sweetheart ? » he replies piercing me with his gorgeous green eyes.

I don’t reply but instead I look out the window and notice Mark is furiously yelling to the person he’s on the phone with.

« Don’t worry. Everything is alright, babe. » Mateo whispers in my ear. When did he move next to me ? I turn to face him and our faces are only a few inches apart. He rolls his eyes and looks away. I start eating my salad and I can feel a pair of eyes digging into my skin.

« You have a staring problem, «  I groan.

« That food looks good. »He grabs his fork for the other side of the table and goes to stab it into my salad.

« Hell no. Order your own. This is mine. » I say pulling the salad closer to me.

« If I really wanted to I could buy this restaurant. Destroy it and build another one without placing a dent into my bank account. I just wanted one bite, goddamit woman. »

« Order your own then. »

He sets his hand on my thigh and his lips on my ear. « Sharing is caring zemer. »

I legit got goosebumps from the tip of my toes to the top of my head. I finally give up and push it towards him. He removes his lips and starts eating the salad but doesn’t remove his hand from my thigh. He takes another bite and winks at me.

« How do you know what zemer is ? » I ask confidently.

« I know people. » He takes yet another bite of MY salad.

« There’s a problem at -um- home, Mateo. I have to go. Can you drive Angela home ? » asks Mark as he pulls out his wallet to pay for our mini lunch.

« Sure, whatever. »

I get up and we start walking to the parking lot. Mateo leads me to a 2019 cheverlot corvette. He gets in and starts the engine. I reach for the handle but it doesn’t budge. I knock on the window and point to the handle, motioning for him to unlock it. He rolls down the window and says « nah jump in. »

Andso I jump in and he widens his eyes. » What you told me to jump in ? »

«  I did not think you would actually jump in, » he says before spreading away from the restaurant.

«  Do you know where to go ? What am I saying ? Of course you don’t know where to go. »

«  Oh but I do, zemer, » he says turning into my street.

« You really should stop calling me zemer. You probably don’t even know what that means. »

« It means heart, like I said I know people. »

« That’s kinda creepy. »

« What is, » he asks.

« Know where I live, » I reply. « I barely know you, Mateo. »

« Well I know a lot about everyone so don’t feel too special, » he says parking in my driveway. « Listen I didn’t drive you home Mark did. »

« Alright ? » I say getting out of the car. I turn around and Mateo is driving away quickly. Wow, I liked that douchebag. He doesn’t give a shit about me.I walk up to the front door and unlock it. I push open the door and my 3 bestfriends are on the kitchen table with popcorn and tea in their hands.

« You better tell us EVERYTHING, » says Eliza

Andso I tell them almost everything but I leave out the part that Mateo drove me home. A while later we watch a movie and then we all head to bed. I couldn’t stop thinking. Why didn’t Mateo want people to know he drove me home ? What did Mark have to do ? And why was Mark yelling like that ?

After a while in my thoughts, sleep consumed me.