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❝We should all start to live before we get too old.❞ ~ Marilyn Monroe
It was the last time. At least, that's what they'd agreed the morning of their flight to Italy. They both seemed to have a habit of say that though, both knowing the other's weaknesses made it hard to stop. Feeling wanted was sweeter than the taste of each other's lips. It seemed to always hurt more than it helped, if it helped anything at all. It's often just enough to be with someone. Not even needing to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between both. They're not alone. And that was very powerful for the two who'd yet to feel a love that lasted. The morning was how it'd always been, Christy made breakfast and Mike watched her move back and forth around her apartment's kitchen. He relaxed at the table, and stayed quiet. There was always a beauty or elegance in the way the blonde moved, her subtle shifts and tilts of her long legs or curving her body into a new position. The usually talkative boy often found himself in awe of the beautiful creature he called one of his best friends. Though he cared for her deeply, their relationship consisted of lust and close friendship. Romance wasn't in the mix, and they both knew this.
Christy slid a plate across the table filled with pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, and potatoes. Mike's eyes lit up, and her looked up at her with his classically charming smile.
"You know a way to a mans heart," he commented, and began to eat. She sat across from him, doing the same.
Both had already packed everything the night before, and Mike had spent the night after bringing his things over. They had a little less than an hour to get to the airport, giving them both time to get ready. After eating Mike took a shower, and Christy blow dried and styled her hair after taking her shower before he had. She'd picked out one of her favorite outfits to wear, on top of that it was one of Mike's favorite colors. It was a cute dress, with a matching Kate Spade purse, and brown gucci pumps to match her belt. The outfit came together nicely, and she began doing her make up as Mike returned from the bathroom. He was wearing an outfit that seemed to correspond with Christy's, and she sent him an intrigued look of amusement that he'd picked something so similar. He simply smiled slyly with a shrug, and they both laughed.
~
At the airport there was a bit of a quick reunion, the two met up with their friends. Some they'd seen a week before, others years. There were hugs and kisses distributed, and many stories mentioned. The plane ride held most of the catching up, and many hours gave the friends time to talk. Mike spent most of his time talking to Marcus, who he'd seen somewhat recently, but he and his best friend could talk for awhile without getting bored. Christy the same, with her friend Maggie. The two gossiped and chatted about normal girl things, boys, clothes, and whatnot. It was sometime on the plane when Mike had gotten up that Christy confessed her hooking up with him. Mags laughed it off of course, but Christy could tell there was a hint of something else. Jealousy? She couldn't figure it out exactly, but she knew the fling bothered Maggie slightly. Christy had remembered that Maggie and Mike had a summer romance once in highschool, but it'd never occur to her Mags wouldn't be over it by now.
When the flight landed Christy still couldn't believe she'd been waiting tables a week ago. It was a sudden change, even when she knew she didn't need to work a minimum wage job ever again, the last few days of her job were normal. Mike bartending, her taking orders. As she stretched out her muscles, she couldn't help but let it sink in that she was done with all of it. Her legs still felt a bit numb from sitting in the same position, but she let the voice of her still excited best friend distract her attention.
Mike and Marcus continued to joke together, though from just a glance it'd seem as if Mike was trying to get a giggle out of an unhappy child. Marcus always seemed to look serious, but every now and then a small smile would slide by. The boys talked with a few of the other girls, Mike casually trying to talk to Danielle. She always seemed so perfect to him. She attracted his attention and pulled others around her closer, and left everyone hanging on her every word. At least in his mind. They were good friends of course, but in his eyes she'd always be his "what if" girl.
~
Mike, Christy, Marc, and Mags all squished into the back of a cab, and began to drive what seemed like for hours. The sites were beautiful to look at, but after awhile the group grew restless. Maggie glued her eyes to the window, Mike doing the same, but occasionally talking with Marcus. After a while his mind took him to daydreaming about the adventures he'd have in this new country. Christy giggled along with Maggie's dreams about living in Italy, knowing she'd change her mind with every new place they traveled to. She hadn't really been paying attention to the cab driver at all until Marcus and Maggie began talking to the driver. She wasn't listening close enough to him speak to tell what'd he'd said in Italian, until Maggie started threatening to get out of the cab.
He was mumbling something about crazy american tourists, which made Christy frown. Asshole. She thought. She gesticulated for the words in Italian to stop the car, "A-...Accosta!" she exclaimed, forcing the cab driver to slam on the breaks. Maggie jumped out of the car in a spontaneous leap. Christy watched the driver began to rant, only picking up half the words he was saying because of his speed. Crazy... you... american... blonde... car... hotel... bitch... traffic... She gave up, considering he was ranting to himself from the sound of it.
"C'mon, guys. Let's just fucking walk to the hotel. It's a beautiful day; we can't be that far we've been in that cab for God-knows-how-long! Please? Christy?" the blonde girl pleaded, her face pouting a bit trying to will the three in the cab to get out.
Mike leaned over Marcus and Christy to speak more out of the door, "I say we go for it..." he suggested, "your Italian is good enough, Christy," he mentioned. She was still hesitant, and looked to Marcus for some kind of help. But from the situation, if the two crazies of the four wanted to do something they'd probably end up having to do it.
"Adventure is out there!" Mags exclaimed, trying to convince her to go for it. Christy sighed, but resentfully agreed. She slunk out of the cab, the boys following behind her. The cab driver seemed incredibly confused, and cursed a few more times in Italian before asking them what they were doing.
She thought of what to say to him, "Grazie..." she began, "ma non ci serve il vostro servizio." she tried to explain. He wasn't to happy, considering none of them made any effort to pay him.
Mike lifted up his phone, seeing that he had a text from Emily. "Hmm.. Looks like they've been at the hotel for awhile."
With that Christy realized the driver had tried to con them into giving him more money. So when they took their bags and the man held out his hand and expected one of them to pay, she stepped forward and spoke. "Tu ci truffati. Non stiamo pagando te, stronzo." she stated, acusing him and telling him they weren't going to pay him. At this he became angry, but the blonde girl shrugged and began to walk off. Laughing a bit, knowing whatever Christy said was probably rude and well deserved, Mike followed with her.