L'Arte dell'Amore (Not Edited)

XXXII

Lavender woke up and felt better than before. Better than ever before because she had taken the best nap of her life. Her bones not aching one bit, Lavender wanted to sink into the soft mattress forever.

"Did you sleep well?" Vincent smiled as he walked towards the bed. Lavender let out a content sigh and looked up at the ceiling. She nodded silently. How did she ever get so incredibly lucky to find someone like him. 

"It's time to go soon, my beautiful girl." Vincent said as Lavender sat up in the bed. Nodding she made her way to the bathroom. Before she could make it, Vincent grabbed her delicate hand.

"You're so effortlessly perfect." Vincent had no other choice for speaking, it was only truth. He could no sooner understand the elements of the universe as to the beauty that Lavender radiated.

Lavender's cheeks felt hotter at her professor's remark. How was he so kind to her? Lavender didn't understand it.

"Thank you, Vinnie." Lavender's voice was meek and so, so soft. Vincent loved her voice more than life itself. He could listen to it for a lifetime and never be bored for a second.

"You're welcome, baby. I'll let you go use the bathroom." Vincent said as he let go of her small hand with a squeeze that sent butterflies erupting in flight around her tummy.

Lavender followed behind Vincent the entire way to the car. Once they arrived she was bouncing excitedly on her feet, she watched as Vincent ordered something for them. In Italian.

"You sounded  v-very pretty!" Lavender said shyly as they sat in one of the booths. Lavender was amazed at how beautiful the language was. It was early morning, and barely anyone was out. Even though when people surrounded them, Lavender could only focus on Vincent anyway.

"Grazie, tesoro mio." Vincent laughed at the way her eyebrows came together.

"You're w-welcome?" She said in question.

He wanted alone time with Lavender, and that was perhaps the reason they were sitting in Caffeè Gilli at seven in the morning. The smell of fresh coffee lingering in the air around them, while Lavender fiddled with her dress.

"You're anxious? You should have brought your book, baby." Vincent asked and suggested in the same sentence. He knew how much Lavender loved reading.

Lavender gave Vincent a look that said stop.

She thought he was making fun of her nerdy hobby.

"What?" Vincent laughed at the face she had made at him.

"I love reading.. it's just I feel out of place in public. S-Sometimes it's nerve wracking when I'm not focused on my surroundings." Lavender mumbled as she looked away embarrassed. She could already tell her anxiety would be bad today. Probably the sole reason she wanted to stay in bed.

"I get that, sweetheart. Though when you're with me, there's nothing you need to stress about. I'm not letting anything get close to harming you." Vincent quickly reminded.

"It's not that though, I d-don't know..." Lavender quickly rushed out with a breath of frustration. Her cheeks were painted a dusting of spring flowers, and a tinge of ripe strawberries.

Speaking of strawberries, Lavender watched as a plate of pancakes with slices of strawberries was sat down in front of her.

"Thank you so much." Lavender told the older waitress, who smiled at her and handed Vincent his plate. Vincent was watching Lavender, but he was only thinking about if she was okay.

"Look at these pancakes. Vincent they are so pretty, I've never had pretty pancakes. Usually I just turn them black, that happened last time and they got smoky." Lavender exclaimed as she grinned at her favorite person. A small laugh bubbling out of her chest remembering the way she could cook like three things.