Summer With Enzo

different

Lorenzo Berkshire

"So, where do you go to school?" Valentina asks me, taking another scoop of her passion fruit gelato and putting it into her mouth. My eyes are so focused on her lips that I almost don't hear the question she asked me.

"I," I clear my throat, "I go to this private school in Scotland. We dorm there for the year and then get to go back home during the breaks" I answer as vaguely as possible.

"I'll take that anyday over my school," she says with an annoyed expression, "I go to this boarding school in New Hampshire. It's boring and there's never anything to do."

"Do you have any friends?" I ask her.

"Everyone at my school is a snobby rich kid, and I'd rather not spend my time with people like that. Other than Apollo, Colette is my one true best friend. Which sucks because I only ever see her during the summer. She goes to school in Paris, where she lives...but enough of me rambling. You got any friends?" her cheeks redden and she lets out an awkward laugh that I find adorable.

"I do actually, yes. They're more like my family really... I've got a group of four friends, five including me. We're a rowdy lot, but that's one of the many reasons we all get along" I laugh thinking of my friends back home. I wonder what they're doing.

"Have you got any pictures of them?" Valentina asks me with a smile. I nod my head and take out my wallet, only to quickly panic as I look for a picture that isn't moving. Thankfully, I found one that Lucille took on her muggle camera. Taking it out, I hand it to Valentina and she inspects the picture.

"Holy shit, what are they feeding you all in England?!" she jokes as she looks at the picture.

"It's the tea, you should try it sometime" I joke, bringing up her distaste for tea. She brings her head back in laughter and I admire how when she laughs, her eyes crinkle and her nose scrunches up.

"She's gorgeous," she points at Lucille's small smiling figure that is being hugged by Onyx, "I mean they both are, don't get me wrong" she clears her throat. I lean closer so that we're looking at the picture together and I run my finger over Lucille's face.

"Yeah, she is" I sadly smile as I think of Lucille. Valentina looks at me with furrowed brows.

"Is everything okay?" she asks me in a worried tone, "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, you didn't. It's just... you know when you grow up with someone and you think that they're gonna be the person for you, but as you get older, you realize that it would never work so you let them go? It still doesn't hurt any less, but me and Lucille wouldn't work..." I sigh and take the picture, shoving it in my pocket.

The next thing I know, I feel Valentina's arms wrap around me. I sat in shock for a second, but then I turned and accepted her hug, bringing her in close enough so that her hair was in my face. Mmm, peaches.

"I may not know exactly what that feels like, but I know that the best thing in any situation is to have someone to lean on. So," she clears her throat and sends me a cheeky grin, "Lean on me, when you're not strong and I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on..." she begins to sing quietly while putting her arm around me and swinging us slightly. I laugh and sway with her.

"You're different, you know that?" I look into her brown eyes and she winks at me.

"I would hope so! I can't have people thinking I'm like the other girls" she playfully scoffs and flips her hair.

"I can't believe I agreed to go out on a second date with you" I joke and she gives me an "Excuse me?!" look. "What?" I laugh at her reaction.