Phone? Check. Show agenda? Check. Minna'd downloaded it from the second email Devyn had sent her because she'd lost the first one in
a rolling sea of emails. Did she have her room keys? Yes, she'd thrown those into the Fendi bag that she was borrowing from Dev. And she'd propped
that next to her makeup case. First fashion show where she'd be on the catwalk and she was losing her shit. Yes. Almost her literal shit.
But, she was ready. She was ready for this! And she could totally do this. Even though it'd taken Devyn a full hour to talk "her Muse" into
participating in the Freshman Showcase. The Freshman Showcase that only chose the work of THREE first year fashion majors to feature. And Minna was
modeling Devyn's. Holy ovaries, she was freaking out.
Shows had never been Minna's "thing". Social media was for Minna. Impromptu photo shoots? Those, she could do. This was out of her comfort zone in the
best way, but Devyn believed in her. She'd believed in her so much she even made Minna the closer of the show. And for the first time, Minna would be
on a runway.
"Phone, phone, phone..." Minna hissed as she tossed her sheets to the side, uncovering her missing phone. And if she didn't get her shit together, she
was going to be late. Not that the rehearsal was a HUGE deal. It was more of a "first fitting", but she wanted to look professional. High class.
Fancy, even. Because there was nothing else in the world that she'd rather be doing besides supporting Devyn and getting the fuck out the door.
Stepping into her heels, she straightened the skirt of one of Devyn's amazing creations she was wearing, grabbed her bags and made her way to the door and...
"Fucking...balls!" She shouted as she'd opened the door on a hulking ass mass just...standing there! And that hulking ass mass just happened to go by
the name of Enzo. Holding her chest, she took a second to close her eyes and catch her breath.
He had been back on the island for two weeks and back on campus and in classes for almost a full week and he hadn't caught up with Minna. Yes, he had
been mad the night of Koi's party and yes, he was sure Minna had let this Dhonny dude hit, but Enzo had come to a point where he could admit to
himself that he had overreacted a just a little the last time they talked. It was easier to see fault these days because he had time to
think...seeing as Minna was leaving him on read for every text and sending him to voicemail whenever he tried to call.
She was dead ass about not seeing him when he got back and he got it...he guessed. Even though they were fucking with each other real heavy before
break, they weren't together and who she spent time with was technically her business and none of his. Didn't change the fact that he felt some type
of way. Then and now. Only difference now though was that he missed her more than he was mad at her. Enzo wasn't even sure it was her he was mad at,
just...the situation he guessed? He didn't fucking know. All he knew was he had been blowing her up trying to get back in and she was not having it.
He wasn't letting it go that easy though, so here he was standing in front of her door at Frear hoping she was in her room so they could talk for a
minute. He was going to apologize. He, of course, hadn't come to that revelation on his own. Enzo didn't apologize. It just never sat right with him
because rarely was he wrong and he didn't like pretending. But, he had talked it over with his dad and he was the one who told Enzo to humble himself.
And he was right.
Enzo raised a fist prepared to give a light knock on the door, but it opened before he could and Minna...wow. He'd scared her and he
registered that, but he couldn't respond to apologize. Why the fuck did she always look so good and where the hell was she going? Enzo cleared his
throat, lowering his arm after realizing it'd frozen in mid air when he did.
"Hey. You look amazing-," and DID. Her skirt was hugging every curve he'd wanted to put his hands on since he touched down and the top was doing this
casual off the shoulder thing that made him want to lick - fuck. That was not why he was here!
"Um. I just wanted...Do you...Can we talk for a second?"
Positive? Minna wasn't nervous anymore...mostly because all of the nervousness had been replaced with sheer annoyance. Why the fuck was Enzo
here? Minna was sure that she'd made it pretty plain and PRETTY obvious that she didn't want to talk to him. She'd said it the last time that
they'd spoken. Her, just trying to have a good time at Koi's birthday and Enzo, being a complete fun-suck when he decided to roleplay as Christopher
Columbus. Meaning he mined shit that wasn't necessarily his. And Minna wasn't here for that. Because contrary to popular belief, she wasn't a
possession. And just because Enzo got his jockstrap in a fucking bunch because he saw a man in her presence during a FaceTime call, that didn't give
him the right to be a complete asshole about it. And because of his decision to be a completely possessive misogynist, she wasn't talking to him.
Period.
And yet. She hadn't closed the door in his face the second she saw him...and she couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was because he was...slightly
adorable with his hand frozen in the air like he'd forgotten what it took to successfully knock on a door. But would he know that? Absolutely not.
Because after she'd collected herself, Minna's eyes opened into the narrowed, no bullshit, slits that they usually settled into when she wasn't CLOSE
to being amused. And she wasn't. Amused. At all! Because she didn't have time for this! There was a showcase rehearsal that she had to attend
in thirty minutes and that rehearsal would always be more important than anything Enzo had to say.
Hey. You looking amazing- Did she? Right...
"What do you want, Enzo?" Minna asked dryly, the hand that wasn't loaded with all of her bags went to her hip. Whatever "this" was, she wasn't
interested. Even if he looked like a whole god. A sad god, but a god. Did he grow more muscles over the break?
"Because I've got to get to Dev's showcase rehearsal and..." Her eyes started at his feet, moving up to his face.
She hadn't closed the door on him yet so that was a good sign. If looks could kill though, he'd be dead already. She was mad. He probably should've
started with how sorry he was and how he'd (mostly) seen the error of his ways, but all he had for her, looking like she was looking, was a
compliment. She looked fucking amazing and that was all his brain could process at that moment. Her words snapped him out of that shit tho. What
do you want, Enzo? Fuck. Like that? Okay.
She had to get to showcase rehearsal for Devyn. He'd heard through the Instagram grapevine that Devyn had been selected for Freshman Showcase in her
program (and by "heard" he meant he'd watched the 3 minute announcement video she'd posted that was low key a commercial). Good for her. He and Devyn
had gotten a little closer after Friendsgiving. He had learned that she was a little more complicated than the act of leaving her friend at a frat
party let on. She was still a little bit of a mess in his opinion, but he could celebrate her successes. Minna's too apparently. He hadn't known Minna
was in the show, but that was dope.
"Booked and busy, I see-..." he smiled, trying to break the tension...Unbreakable. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Listen, I just wanted
to...apologize." The word sounded foreign leaving his mouth. He didn't like it, but he could hear his dad in his head. If you want her back you've
got to tell her. Then show her.
"I overreacted last time we talked and it shouldn't have gone down like that."
Booked and busy, I see- Minna was obviously divided into two bitches right now. Bitch Side One wanted to mock Enzo's obviously trying to
hard, unfunny ass joke and slam the door in his face. Bitch Side One? Oh, she was feeling herself. And herself felt pissed. And a little
hurt. And a little scared. Scared because she and Enzo had been having fun, hadn't they? It was fun and it was light and then...he got angry over the
stupidest shit! And now, here she was. Pissed and hurt. Two things that she didn't need to be over a man that was NOT her man. And the way he played
his cards, maybe he never needed to be! Because Minna did not DO dramatics. As it stood, she was the ONLY one allowed dramatics in her relationships
and when it got two heavy, well...she bailed. But she wasn't bailing. Because of stupid ass Bitch Side Two.
See, Bitch Side Two? She melted the second he smiled to break the tension that had obviously built between them the second she'd opened the door.
Hell...the second his eyes wouldn't meet hers and he fucking shapeshifted, changing from the Enzo she knew and...whatever, to the very jealous, very
ASSY "He-Shit". And YES, she might have made up a name for his shitty alter ego and yes, she definitely called him that whenever Devyn attempted to
bring him up in conversation. But that made it easy...to separate THAT Enzo from the one standing in front of her right now. Sweet.
Awkward...apologetic.
But good ole "Bitch Side One" was completely in charge, her arms crossing over her chest as she listened to him clear his throat. She leaned against
the door frame, eyebrows raised at the mention of an "apology".
"Go on..." She muttered, that sneaky "Bitch Side Two"s ears perking up as she waited for his explanation. Because she needed to know why. Why had he
gotten so...jealous? Okay, so Dhonny showed up in the camera behind her! So what! He kissed her on her cheek in the most platonic way possible. They
were joking around! Not flirting. Like at all...like, not in the least bit. Dhonny hadn't done anything that said their interactions and lack of
relationship with each other was anything BUT platonic! So...what the hell happened?
He overreacted... Oh wow. Really? Minna interrupted him.
"Okay, so why did it? Hm?" She cocked her head to the side, genuinely waiting for an answer.
Okay, so why did it? Hm? That question had an easy answer. He liked her. He had dropped every girl he'd been talking to since coming to KRU
for the most part. He'd made them exclusive in his mind. All a fucking mistake. Not because he didn't want that or Minna wasn't worth it, but because
he hadn't talked to Minna about any of that. And...he kind of felt like he couldn't. Even now as she waited for his answer, Enzo knew telling her he
was trying to make them exclusive would not go over well. She would pull that curl and she would run.
Enzo sighed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck to keep himself from reaching for her. He wanted to connect, but he also knew touching her right
now was a no-go. "Minna...-" he sighed again. He didn't have any lies when it came to her, so he did the next best thing. "Look, I...I like you.
You're smart, you funny, you look -" he paused, giving her a less than appropriate once over that ended in him licking his lips to make a point,
"Fucking gorgeous. Always. You could have your pick and...I didn't want you choosing different."
There. That was...nothing about them getting serious. It was mostly about him being a jealous dick. Was it working? He reached for her hand then,
careful. It took everything in him to keep cool as she let him hold it. "I had been away for a minute. I was missing you...I got a little stupid." His
eyes found hers then. Enzo wanted her to know this shit wasn't game and he wasn't just trying to smooth shit over. Initially that was the point,
but...this was more honest than he'd even been with himself.
Minna's brow furrowed as her eyes stayed on him, a short silence falling between them. And she could safely say it...she didn't like that "sigh". Nor
the way he rubbed the back of his neck. Because all of those signals sent Minna a message she didn't want, no matter how hard she was trying to play
like she didn't care about the situation. He meant everything he said and if he could, he'd do it again. That look of jealousy she'd seen in
him? It wasn't new. She'd seen it a thousand...okay, maybe three times before. All from guys who were equally as convincing (not as cute though) as
Enzo. Guys who were liars. Guys who weren't ONLY liars...and she still had scars to prove that shit. She wasn't falling for it again. Not with Enzo.
Not when she kind of wanted to believe him. She was cutting that shit off before she even let him start...
She almost sucked her teeth...but Enzo started talking again. About how smart she was (mhmm) and how funny she was (yeah...right) and how... Her
thoughts stopped as she heard the pause in his words, her eyes meeting his...and she immediately regretted it. Because they way his eyes scoured her,
his survey of her body ending in a look that wasn't innocent or friendly. She felt herself warm. Not just her face, but her skin. The warmth rippled
from her neck to her shoulders to...somewhere more unmentionable. She shifted, breaking their eye contact, her hand trying to fan at her flustered ass
expression. Whatever, fuck his words. She wasn't giving him the pleasure.
Or...was she?
...I didn't want you choosing different. Fuck him. No, really. Minna's eyes rolled in frustration. Because WHY did he have to say that? Why
did he have to acknowledge her worth and understand that she could've made any other choice that wasn't him at the same time? Because he's not
like the others, bitch. "Bitch Side Two" was on her damn nerves. He said something sweet and now he wasn't a jerk? Well...?
Great, he was still talking...and admitting his fault. He'd been away from her too long. Okay. He got a little stupid. Obviously. He
missed her. Shit...
"I-..." Minna sighed heavily, realizing too late that he'd pulled her hand into his, their fingers intertwined. She looked at their joined hands,
sucking her teeth.
"...you were a complete ass, Enzo." She admitted, jerking her arm and pulling him closer to her. That was certainly true. He had been! But only
because he kind of...saw her. Realized how valuable she was. Realized that any time that she'd been giving him was honestly not owed to him. It was
earned.
"But, I hear you." A smile broke through without her approving its appearance. I'm sorry. She knew that. She nodded at his words.
Her hand was in his and she was looking at their joined hands seemingly thinking about whether or not she was going to snatch hers away and slap him
with it. He didn't want that, but he would take it if it meant she forgave him and they could stop...not talking. Because he missed talking to her.
Laughing with her. Being with her. Like they were now...without all this tension, of course. Minna had sighed, but Enzo was holding his
breath. Waiting...for...
...you were a complete ass, Enzo. That might have dampened his mood by itself, but she pulled him into her, the hand not already in hers
snaking around her waist and holding her to him. But I hear you. Enzo couldn't hear shit with all the blood in his body rushing in his ears.
Especially as she smiled. She was smiling at him again. Fight over. Great.
"Thank you-," he smiled back at her, Enzo's eyes searching hers as he guided the hand he held over his shoulder. "Can we kiss and make up? I don't
remember if I said this, but I've been missing you..."
With his hand around her waist, Minna felt ten times better about forgiving him than she did before. What a difference the feeling of his hands on her
made, his eyes connecting with hers...his voice so close. It had been so much easier to be mad at him when she wasn't trapped in those intense eyes of
his, them pulling her into him stronger than his hands were. She knew she wouldn't be mad at him for long...and she wasn't too mad about it. She liked
him. She really did! More than she thought she would when she met him at Pretty Nasty and he'd offered her a ride home. But here they were, his arm
wrapped around her...her body pressing closer to him as he smiled at her, guiding her arm around his shoulder. Her other followed suit.
Can we kiss and makeup? She smiled again, her hands going to the back of his neck, pulling him into a soft kiss.
"Mhmmm..." She muttered, kissing him again, his words muddling as their lips twisted together...their bodies hovering at the threshold of she and
Devyn's room. He held her tightly, his hands gripping her up, lifting her from her feet. She squealed in amusement, the was she always did when Enzo
showed her he wasn't the LEAST bit intimidated by her size, her curves. Her body...
"You going to keep telling me that you missed me?" She whispered as their kiss broke, Enzo putting her back down, his eyes telling her that he wanted
to do WAY more than just talk. Her hands moved from his neck, down to the front of his shirt...pulling him forward as she walked backwards.
"Because you've got...twenty minutes to show me..." Laughing again, she pulled him into the room.
Enzo gave a low moan as Minna's fingers raked through his hair. She was oiling his scalp. It was 3am and she was up with him shooting the shit and
oiling his scalp. If he wasn't sure about her before, he definitely knew he needed Minna on his team now. She had actually been holding him
down consistent since this Kappa shit started. He's told her about it to stay consistent because he knew his communication was about to get spotty,
but he did what he could to find time to spend with her. Between classes, weekend days, and nights (or mornings) like tonight, after set. He was often
fucking exhausted when he finished set, but Minna was still down to make plans pop over to his place before he got home or let him send her a
late night asking if she was up...
She was solid. Most girls wouldn't have this shit. He mostly texted her after hours and yes, a few of those times were because he was trying to slide,
but she was always down. Minna rarely told him no and she was always super supportive of his tired ass when they linked. She knew not to ask a lot of
questions because there wasn't much he could share, but...Minna made shit feel normal. They talked about literally anything else and it was always
great conversation. Tonight, they'd been on their Netflix and chill as she did what she could to keep him from looking like a complete bum in this
process.
"I'm not sure I've told you enough how much I appreciate you, but now seems like another obvious reason for me to not fuck this up-," Enzo smiled at
the sound of her laugh. His eyes had lulled closed, partially from needing to sleep off this night, but mostly from the feeling she was making on his
damn scalp. Damn...
"Really, Minna. Thanks for riding with me on this one. I know I be hitting your phone late as hell mostly on some bullshit, but you're here..."
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