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The smell of fresh bread, homemade marinara, and warm pasta. It felt like home, truly. Even if your family wasn’t Italian in the slightest, and this place was 20 blocks from your own small apartment. It was worth the walk, correction, he was worth the walk.
Anthony “Racetrack” Higgins, a boy so perfect it was wrong. It was wrong how you walked 20 blocks through blizzards, pouring rain, and sweltering heat. It was wrong how you always ended up spending an insane amount of money because he wouldn’t stop recommending shit. And it was wrong how much you obsessed over him. How his blonde curls shined in the early mornings and golden afternoons, and how his light blue eyes went stormy when he was mad. The way his cigar sat perfectly in between his lips. You obsessed, no, you loved every aspect of him.
“What do you got for me this time, Higgins?” I walk into Fumagalli’s Deli, the chime of bells following. He’s wiping the counter, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, just enough to show the bit of muscle he has. I could’ve fainted right then, but I continued making my way to the counter, my heels clacking behind me.
“Dollface!” He seems excited, then clears his throat. “I mean, good to see ya.” He smiles, I smile back.
This is good, right?
“We just got some Milano salami in. Now I know what you’re thinking, but this salami’s a bit different. It’s got white wine in it. Makes it just a bit tangy, moves it across your palate.” He’s a great salesman, but honestly I would buy anything he recommends. That’s why I also pick up some giardiniere for my sandwiches.
“Open up, doll. You gotta try some of this.” He’s putting food in my mouth. He’s putting food in my mouth . I opened my mouth for him. All the alarms in my brain are going off, I hope the blood is rushing to my feet and not my cheeks. I’m going to faint, no, I’m going to die. I can barely focus on the meat he’s putting in my mouth, as I see him staring at my lips.
“That’s..really good.” I say, almost breathless. “You know your meats, Higgins.”
“Ya think so?” He looks breathless too, like he just jumped out of a plane.
It feels like something is about to happen. It feels like I’m leaning in, like he has his own magnetic field. Until I hear those dam bells.
“Racer!” Albert’s voice booms into the near-empty deli.
His eyes look like a storm’s brewing. The way you start to feel drops on your head, and think it’s time to go inside.
He was mad about being interrupted , especially because Albert was the one who dared him to hand feed you in the first place.
“Whaddya want, Al?” His eyes look away from my own, a slight scowl forming on his face.
“Woah, woah, woah. Is that really how you greet a customer, Race?” Albert throws his hands up, making me give a slight smile. “Us guys are goin’ to Medda’s tonight. Jack got us some tickets from paintin’ a new backdrop. I know you ain’t workin’..” Albert waves the tickets in front of Race’s face.
“Fine. I’ll be there.” Race’s scowl lifts slightly.
Albert places two tickets on the counter, winks at Race, and leaves.
“Two tickets? You got a girl or somethin’?” I ask, grinning. Race’s face goes hot, his cheeks turning a dark shade of pink.
“No! I mean.. I don’t ‘have a girl’. I was wonderin’ if you wanted to come with me? You don’t have to, I understand if your busy or somethin’..” He’s talking fast . Like I can barely keep up. Like any faster and he’ll start spewing Italian. I’ve never seen Race this nervous. He flirts with girls that come in the deli all the time, always confident. Race never fails to make a lady blush, case and point being me.
“I’d love to go with you, Anthony.”
Woah , let’s take a pause.
- How was I that smooth?
- I called him Anthony?
- I’m going on a date with Race?
“Great. I’ll pick ya up at 7, if that’s alright with you.” His blush has lightened, his blue eyes a color of a summer’s day. I scribble down my address on a piece of deli paper, drawing a small heart next to it.
“I know it’s a bit far..”
“You’re fine. I’m willing to walk miles and miles for you.” He smiles. That was so cheesy, how does this girl make me lose all my charm? He thinks.
He’s so cheesy, but it’s cute coming from him , I think.
“Cool. I’ll uh..I’ll see ya then.” I smile, and pull out my wallet to pay. He pushes my wallet back into my chest.
“No girl of mine is going to pay for her own cold cuts and giardinierie.”
“No girl of yours, huh? Never expected such chivalry from you, Anthony.” I cock my head to the side, my words making him blush. Never have I seen him so.. nervous . I turn to leave, my heels clacking on the tile, and the bells starts to chime once more.
“Goodbye, amorina. ”
“Goodbye, Anthony!” I don’t turn back, as I’m too afraid to say something wrong. To do something wrong. To fall so madly in love I can never leave his side.
don’t wait for someday, She’s thinking the same thing as you