So they were finally together again. Granted, he'd technically seen her Saturday morning when he was dropping her off at Frear, but Enzo had been
thinking about this date with Minna since...well, really since he met her. Specifically, since she agreed to hang out with him. And sure, so far it
had just been a car ride, but that had gone well. The conversation was flowing just the way it had on the way back from Se7en that night and Enzo was
praying the vibe stayed strong through the date.
They had a table outside and he let Minna order for both of them since she seemed to know the place. To be honest, Enzo wasn't super interested in the
food, although it looked bomb at the tables around them. He wanted to get to know Minna.
"So-," he smiled, his eyes connecting with hers as he leaned in to their conversation. "How's the weekend been so far?" His was half and half. They'd
lost the game yesterday because fucking Reese had been too busy running his mouth and not busy enough running his routes lately, but he was trying to
ignore his annoyance with that now. Enzo wanted to focus on someone he knew was going to become very important to him. Minna - 3-12-2019 at 06:16 PM
Minna sipped her hipster ass "ice water in a Mason jar" through a straw that was giving her total IG vibes and she couldn't help wondering if it was
too early for her to ask Enzo to take a couple of pictures of...it was definitely too early. Too early for her to make him the Instagram boyfriend he
wasn't. And she'd just thought the word "boyfriend". Toooo soon, bitch. The conversation they'd been having while they waited on their order
was good, but it wasn't THAT good. She smirked at herself, fanning herself a bit as they'd thought it was a brilliant idea to sit outside in the
Hawaiian sun. How was it NEARLY November and the island's temperature was still set on "hell"? Only KR could make her second guess her outfit
choice...although the way Enzo had looked at her, from "pumps" to "lips" (she peeped that), she knew she hadn't made a mistake.
"My weekend has been..." Hell, how had her weekend been? Pretty uneventful, if she had to rate it. She'd had a study group and then she'd binged
YouTube MUA videos whilst (yes, whilst) eating white fudge covered Oreos. She was NOT admitting that to Enzo, who looked like his body was comprised
of one massive muscle.
"...uneventful?" She chuckled...and then she realized what she'd said.
"I mean...of course excluding present company." She smiled, finally breaking his usual "he's looking into my soul" eye contact. She warmed under his
gaze, her finger reaching up to nervously play with one of her golden-brown curls.
"Um...so how was your game?" She knew how his game was as Devyn mentioned it while giving her the recap of her conversation with Koi. The Warriors
unfortunately lost, but apparently Enzo played well. And yet, she asked the unnecessary question. Maybe it was because she felt like he'd been asking
her questions for the past fifteen minutes and she hadn't asked him a thing. Or maybe it was because conversation was the only distraction from that
intense gaze he'd been giving her since the start of their date. It made her want to shrink away from it...and bask in it at the same time. Enzo - 4-12-2019 at 08:37 AM
Her weekend had been...uneventful. Enzo chuckled a bit as she did, but probably for a different reason. He was finding that Minna was an
interesting girl. This wasn't the first time she'd rethought her word choice out loud with him and he found it funny each time. The other night, in
the car on the way to Frear, she'd been telling him about a Que that'd gotten handsy with her earlier in the night. She said something about how "men
are", paused, and followed up with a "you know what I mean". The thing was. He did. He knew what she meant then and wasn't taking it any kind of way,
just like he knew what she meant now.
Enzo wanted her to relax. This wasn't a job interview and she didn't have to worry about hurting his feelings. He was being real when he'd asked her
out. He just wanted to spend time with her...being herself.
"Minna-," he said her name, chuckling again at the thought of him fucking up this date by being over-sensitive. "Please relax. I promise you
can’t hurt my feelings tonight." It was enough that she was here. Enzo chuckled again watching her fidget with her hair. Fuck, she was
cute...his smile slipped for the first time as she asked about the game. Enzo couldn't help but roll his eyes with a sigh as he leaned back in his
seat.
"I mean...my game was great-," Enzo hated losing games; especially the ones where he was FUCKING ON. And he had been yesterday. He wasn't
going to go into stats or no shit like that because he knew Minna didn't care that much, but Enzo, the individual player, had a stellar game.
"Thee game? It didn't happen for us yesterday." Sure, he'd done his part yesterday, but that wasn't how he'd been taught to talk about a
loss. You fail and you succeed as a team. His dad always told him that and if the team lost, so did Enzo.
"We just have to get our offensive line together so we can come harder next game." He took a sip of water then, nodding and finding her face again.
"We might do a little better with a good luck charm...What do I have to do to get you to one of my games?" He laughed then.
"Too corny?"Minna - 4-12-2019 at 03:35 PM
Relax? RELAX. How? How did he suggest Minna take on the task of "relaxing" around him when he made her so damn confused. And she wasn't exactly the
confused type when it came to down who she liked and what she liked. Whether wrong or right, her actions were always intentional. But, Enzo
complicated things. With his intense eye contact, and that directness? He made Minna nervous. More nervous than she'd ever felt around anyone that she
knew liked her. And Enzo definitely liked her. Maybe MORE than liked her, actually. Which made her nerves flare even more. Shit. Why
was she like this when it came to him?! Maybe it was the fact that she'd blushed more than a fucking anime character in the last 48 hours? Or maybe it
was because even though he was like...perfect...literally perfect...in almost every way, she couldn't help wondering if all of his muscles were as
impressive as the ones she could see with his clothes on. Yes, even THAT one.
And they were talking about his game, which meant that Minna needed to remove her thoughts from his lower body and maybe, right about now...it'd be a
good to focus on those "intense" eyes that she'd been avoiding. Just like Devyn had told her, the game was a bust. But Enzo went a little more in
depth, commenting on the team and their...offensive line? She was sure that meant something...but she had no clue what. The way she knew absolutely
nothing about football was incredible considering she should've picked SOMETHING up during the years she'd lived with her aunt. But nope! Her face
told on her, her confused look melting into laughter.
"I'm sure you're...um...offensive line will get it together by your next game." She giggled again at her horrible attempt to contribute to the
football discussion. Her laughter quieted as she heard Enzo's comment about coming to his games.
"Well...you could always invite me." She smiled at him, shaking her head a little.
"I don't know how much of a good luck charm I'd be though. But I don't mind supporting the team...and you."Enzo - 4-12-2019 at 05:18 PM
Damn, he'd tried to keep it simple. He smiled as her confusion became a laugh and she tried to add to his football analysis. They could get away from
this topic. He wasn't too keen on thinking about it anyway. Again, Enzo was far more interested in Minna and making more time with her. Maybe at his
next game? Enzo asked what it would take to get her there and immediately heard how corny he sounded. He called it so she wouldn't have to and smiled
harder as Minna gave him the pass...and an answer.
"Oh. That's too easy then. Please come to the next one. Only a few left in the season so I'd love to finish strong with you there..." He watched as
she played with that one curl again. She did that when he complimented her too. And sometimes when he looked at her too long. Enzo looked away from
her then to give her a little break. He didn't mean to make her uncomfortable. He just liked looking at her...
Minna told him she didn't know how much of a good luck charm she'd be but she didn't mind...oh. It was his turn to look away as his face
warmed with her last comment. She was down to support ya boy. Enzo nodded absentmindedly at her words, a simple "Bet-," being all he could get out at
first. Minna was going to be trouble he could tell. He hadn't fully figured it out yet because he couldn't really figure her out, but he was falling
hard and fast.
She was beautiful. Obviously. But there was something about her spirit that was drawing him in. That night at Se7en, he'd felt it when he saw her. He
knew she was independent when he found out she was on her own after her so called friend ditched her for Tre' "rob a nigga for his expensive ass
blazer" White. He knew she was humble when she didn't fight him on the ride home. She'd shown she was compassionate in trying to fix her word choice
here and there to spare his feelings. Minna was a lot of things, but he hadn't put his figure on exactly what it was he liked about her...yet. He
needed more time.
"So, um-," he cleared his throat trying to get back into conversation. "That's more than enough football talk. You going home for Thanksgiving?" Minna - 4-12-2019 at 06:02 PM
Just like that, he was inviting her to his next game...with a cheesy "finish strong" attached to him wanting her there. Such the athlete. It was cute
though, the cheesiness and his willingness to let her know just how much he'd appreciate her being there to support him. Which seemed a little...fast
for her? The fact that he valued her presence was...well, shit it was overwhelming, but nice. She hadn't had a guy tell her how good it was to have
her around since she'd dated her that tattoo artist (the one from Maryland, not the one from VA...and definitely not the one from Boston). And the
only reason why he didn't mind her hanging around was because she let him use her as a damn human sketchbook for his "work"! She was just glad she
figured that out after tattoo number five. But Enzo? There was something...different about the way he talked about her being at his games. Like her
presence could positively affect him. Like she...meant something special. How could that be and he didn't even really know her?
Well, he was trying to get to know her, wasn't he? This date...their conversation? That's what this was all about. And she didn't mind it...outside of
the moments where it felt like those eyes saw way more into the future than Minna was even trying to think about at the present moment. So, she
focused on something different. Like the way he finally looked away from him when she told him she didn't mind supporting him and the team...and was
that a blush? She bit her lip, smiling as she looked away too. He cleared his throat a bit before he continued...and asked her about...shit.
"Thanksgiving. Yeah, um..." And now it was her turn to look away again. But not because she was overwhelmed by his steady gaze or his words. This was
different. This was "holidays". And Minna did NOT do holidays. Mostly because they didn't exist on the commune. They had festivals, prayer circles,
and she even remembered hearing about "love circles" and she didn't even want to START thinking about what that might've been. But holidays? They
weren't a thing in her life. Not until she moved in with her aunt at twelve. And...they weren't a good thing. Take Thanksgiving for instance.
Thanksgiving involved some sort of "out of the can" pasta dish or a pizza if her aunt was feeling really celebratory. And then SHE watched the Macy's
Day Parade on their television while her aunt slept off three boxes of wine. Who the fuck wanted to remember that. And Minna meant both her aunt AND
the poor fucking excuse for a holiday. And what was more? Who wanted to ruin a perfectly good pizza date talking about her shitty childhood and family
that she didn't talk to anymore?
"Yeah, I'm staying on campus..." She admitted, playing with the the corner of the paper napkin next to her water glass.
"I'm not really a...'holiday' person anyway. What about you?"Enzo - 4-12-2019 at 06:57 PM
He was trying to get them back into their flow. They'd fallen out because Minna couldn't talk football. That wasn't super uncommon with the girls Enzo
messed with. Most could repeat his stats because they looked him up or something, but they didn't know what that shit meant. And honestly, Enzo didn't
need them to. Football was one of his loves, but he had people to talk football with. His girl didn't have to be one of them...not that Minna was his
girl or anything...
Subject change. Thanksgiving was coming up and he asked about her plans. He instantly regretted it as she looked away from him. This time was
different from the others though. She hadn't moved but she was pulling back. He could see it. He'd heard it in her tone as she repeated him.
Thanksgiving. Yeah, um...His brow furrowed, but she spoke before he could ask what was up. She was staying on campus.
"Okay. I feel that-," part of him wanted to offer her a seat at his table. That would be weird and TERRIBLE for two reasons. First, this was their
first date. He wasn't trying to invite her home to meet his family during their first date. Even Enzo knew that shit would be awkward. And two...his
whole family wouldn't be there.
It was his turn to have a mood shift. He was a fucking idiot twice for bringing this shit up. He'd obviously made Minna feel some type of way,
confirming that she didn't really do holidays. And...he was putting himself in a bad head space...This would be the first Thanksgiving without his
mom...Unlike Minna, he was a holiday person. Thanksgiving especially. It was the holiday that he and his mom spent two days cooking together every
year and the food was always BOMB. Oh God, the sweet potato pies alone!...Not this year. This year it was him and Dad and honestly, he didn't know if
he'd even be able to look at the kitchen in his house without her in it...What the fuck had he brought this shit up for...
"Yeah...no-," he paused, unsure of how to answer her and honestly off his game now that his mom was in his head. "I shouldn't have gone there...that's
my bad-," he ran a hand over his face, resting his chin in his hand as he took a second and tried getting it together.
"I want to change your mind about this holiday shit though-," he smiled then, leaning in again. "Lemme cook for you? Come to my place, we can do a
mini-Thanksgiving the day before-," he watched her hand go to that one curl again and he knew that was too much. "I mean one of my roommates will be
gone, but Koi will be there and is always down to eat...maybe bring Devyn if she's not home?" He didn't really want Devyn there, but he'd take her if
it meant Minna would agree.
Minna - 5-12-2019 at 04:03 PM
Well, his mouth said that he "felt" her disdain for all things "holiday", but deep down Minna knew the truth. Her fucked up wouldn't quite translate
well with his perfect. She wondered what he would've thought about the real reason why she was staying on campus for the holidays. Not just
Thanksgiving, but Christmas, too. Because until her scholarships and grant money ran out and her IG partnerships ran dry (goddess forbid that ever
fucking happen), this WAS home. She hadn't had a permanent home since she'd been legally declared her own guardian. There had been a lot of couch
surfing and shitty relationships, but she'd stayed off the streets and in the end, her grades and her IG brand made...and saved her life. They'd
brought her to Hawaii and they got her into KRU. And they...were the only things she really had.
"It's fine. Really Enzo..." She didn't want him to feel like their conversation about the holidays was misplaced. It should've been totally normal to
talk about Thanksgiving with someone. It should've been completely normal to talk to someone about what they were doing over the summer with their
loved ones. Loved ones that she didn't have. It wasn't his fault! And she would've told him that...until she looked at him across the table, his eyes
looking tired as his hand rubbed down his face, his chin resting on his palm. And maybe...his comment about staying away from the "holiday" topic
wasn't about her.
If she'd wanted to figure out what all of that had been about, she missed the opportunity as Enzo...excuse her?
"Cook for me?" She laughed, her surprise laced with a little discomfort as her fingers went to play at her curls again. He wanted to do what now?
She'd literally never had a man cook for her to change her mind about her outlook on holidays. She'd definitely never had a man cook anything for her
that didn't come in a can and involve some type of circular noodle and tomato sauce. And Enzo...wanted to invite her over to his dorm and cook for
Minna and her roommate?
"Enzo, you don't HAVE to do that. I've never celebrated holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving and I'm..." Was she going to say fine? Because the
flash forward of pizza boxes littering her empty dorm room over the week long break told her to shut her damn mouth and take the man's hospitality. No
matter HOW awkward she felt. She exhaled...
"Ugh...'home cooked' sounds amazing though, so...why the hell not." She smiled, shrugging, their eyes flitting up to the waitress bringing their pie
to the table. Enzo - 5-12-2019 at 05:04 PM
It's fine. Really Enzo...He heard her. He was still physically at the table, but he wasn't truly there enough to respond. He'd fucked up.
Since school started Enzo had done his best to keep thoughts about his mom at bay. Sure, his weekly session with his therapist was a designated point
to talk about her, but his dad had made him promise to try to enjoy college. How he was supposed to do that without her was beyond him so he tried not
to think about her...but she was everywhere. In a majority of the soul music on his phone, in the lessons she'd taught him that cropped up throughout
the day guiding him through...on the voicemails he had saved and would listen to when he needed to hear her voice.
And now she was here. On his first date with the perfect girl...and moms was BLOCKING. He used the humor in the thought of his mom hating
Minna (she always found a reason to hate the girls he was into) to get back to the topic at hand. He'd brought it up and now he had to see it through.
He was gonna invite her over for a spur of the moment Friendsgiving. He wouldn't dare call it that because he wasn't trying to set a "friend" vibe
with Minna.
He laughed as she repeated him. Yes, cook for her. Enzo could cook and he wanted to feed Minna. It was obviously too much as that hand shot up to her
curls again, tugging nervously. So he made it a group event. Koi had told him about his talk or whatever with Devyn at halftime and they were...cool?
Whatever that meant in their messy ass world. The point was, Enzo didn't hesitate to invite the only friend of Minna's he'd met despite his...distaste
for Devyn.
"Of course I don't HAVE to do it, Minna. I want to." He waited for a definitive answer, but he could tell from her face what it would be, his smile
growing wider even before she confirmed it. ...why the hell not. Enzo laughed as their pizza arrived. Yes. Exactly. Why the hell not.
