The next day, things were different in his eyes.
It was strange. The sky, the trees, the grass were all the exact same thing they were yesterday. But she...
She was not.
As soon as he saw her, even just a strand of her hair, it was like the whole planet brightened. He didn't understand it.
Her skin was lighter and it looked softer. Her hair was shiny, as if she was in a shampoo commercial. Her brown eyes reminded him of pure gold.
But most of all: her smile.
He fell deeper and deeper each time she smiled.
He loved everything about her smile. The little dimple below her lips, her perfect teeth, the way her eyes crinkled, the way her cheeks became pink, how she closed her eyes whenever she laughed, how she tilted her head back in joy.
Absolutely everything.
There were no flaws in her smile. And even if there were, it wouldn't make her smile any less dazzling.
So much beauty she had, yet it was only taken for granted.
But he wouldn't. Not now, not ever.
"Hi, Rainy, " he grinned shyly at her. "You look beautiful."
He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was yesterday and all the days before that. How her beauty only seemed to increase each day.
An angel, he thought.
But he would save those words for another day. When he had enough courage.
She blushed, his sudden compliment surprising her. "Um, tâthank you."
A smile spread across his face and she smiled back.
And deeper in love he went.
"How was your day?" he asked her as they sat across from each other.
"So far, so good, " she nodded. "How about you?"
"Better now."
Her heart began to beat a little faster.
A small, nervous chuckle escaped from her lips. He couldn't help follow the movements and replay the moment in his mind.
She wondered why he kept staring at her that way. It was like he was dreaming, his eyes dilated and his mouth slightly open.
"Cig?" she called.
Distracted, he didn't respond.
Frowning, she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Cig!"
"What?" he shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's wrong?"
"Were you daydreaming?"
"No." His face flushed as she regarded him skeptically.
"Then, what were you doing?" she questioned and he averted his eyes from her.
He cleared his throat. "I, um, was thinking."
"Oh. Anything specific?" She leaned back against the tree.
"Just thinking."
She nodded, smirking. "Sure, Cig, sure."
As he spent more time savoring her beauty, questions began to bloom in his mind. Questions about her. He wanted, he needed to know more about her.
"Rainy, " he started. "Do you want to play 21 questions? I want to get to know you better, if you let me."
"Oh, um..." she hesitated.
"It'll just be general questions. I promise, " he added and she gave him a small smile.
"Alright, why not? You start."
"Uh, what's your favorite food?" he asked, which made her perk up almost instantly.
"Oh, that's a hard question. I'd say...pasta, " she nodded. "You couldn't go wrong with pasta."
He chuckled. "Agreed."
"What's your strongest dislike?"
"Anything that hurts people or makes them feel bad, physically or mentally. Especially the everlasting things, " he answered.
She looked impressed. "Wow. That's really deep, Cig. I would've said something like low battery."
"I think that'd be in the worst fears category instead of the dislikes category, " he joked and she laughed.
"True. Your turn, " she grinned, sitting up.
"What do you want to be in a couple of years? Your career, I mean."
She froze.
The question caught her off guard. She used to think about the future as a child, wondering what hers would be.
Now, the future seemed to be such a scary concept for her. A concept she grew to ignore and avoid.
Until now.
"Um..." she murmured as she gazed at him. "I think I'dâno. IâI'm not sure. Maybe finish college and find a career there."
His eyebrows rose. "You're in college?"
"Oh, no. I dropped out in my second year, " she informed him and he nodded understandingly.
"That's a good plan."
"Yeah, um, what about you? Are you in college?" she inquired.
"No, I only graduated high school and that's it." He quickly added: "But I hope someday I'll go, you know. When I have the, uh, time."
She smiled. "College was nice. I think it was better than high school, at least for me."
"Looks like I have something to look forward to, then. So, what's one place you'd love to travel to?"
"Italy. Specifically Rome, " she said and he whistled.
"Italy is a beautiful place, " he sighed. "If I could, I would live there forever."
"Well, you have to learn to speak Italian first."
Suddenly, he turned to face her, grinning. "How about we learn to speak Italian? Together?"
She opened and closed her mouth, speechless.
"But...how?" she questioned. "How are we going to learn an entirely new language together?"
"I don't know. You love reading, don't you? We can read books on Italian everyday. I can even go to the library with you, if you want, " he suggested.
She couldn't help smiling. "Really? You actually want to do this?"
He nodded vigorously.
"Well... Okay, then."
"Yeah?" he leaned closer to her, a beaming smile spread across his face.
"Yeah. Let's do it, " she smiled back.
He cheered and pulled her in for a hug. She laughed, holding onto him.
"Grazie, Rainy, grazie."
She chuckled. "I don't even know how to say you're welcome in Italian."
"We'll learn, " he whispered in her ear.
Her entire body was comforted by his warmth and she closed her eyes, holding him as close as possible.
She hoped she would learn to love too.