Under My Skin

Chapter 4

Good morning, Enzo. Thank you for helping me last night. I'm sorry I wasn't appreciative at the moment. I'd like to make it up to you. Please let me buy you a meal.

While leaning on the glass display case, I stared at the message on my phone, which Enzo read hours ago. A piece of me wanted to message him again to explain my behavior, but I feared annoying him. Something about him both frightened and excited me.

When I entered the store for my shift this morning, it dawned on me that Enzo knocked a man unconscious to help me. In other words, Enzo knew how to knock someone unconscious. However, there were no signs of the man ever entering the store. Everything was spotless, even the bloody spot on the floor where my glasses cut the bridge of my nose.

Everything about that terrified me.

My phone vibrated in my hand. It was Enzo. He called me.

"Hello?"

"Miss Lucia. I called to inform you that there is no need to make anything up to me."

"Okay? But, I insist. You saved my life after all."

The door to the store opened and the bell chimed. My brother walked in to start his shift.

"Are you back at your father's store?"

"Yea. My father put me on all the morning shifts, and I'm not allowed to work nights anymore. I'll be out of here within the hour." I said as my brother scowled at me for talking on the phone.

There was a noticeable pause before Enzo spoke. "So you are free tonight then?"

"Looks like it. Will you allow me to buy you dinner?"

"No. However, I'd still like to see you tonight. Dress nicely, and I'll pick you up at seven."

"Wait, what?"

"Ciao, Miss Lucia."

He hung up on me. Did he just flip this into a date? Did he ignore me all morning to say that? I didn't understand him.

Nonetheless, it was another date. I didn't understand how that unfolded. Yet, a smile pulled at my lips. I bit my bottom lip to try to hide it. Perhaps Jade was right. I didn't care for Jeremy as much as I thought. It's been two weeks and I'm already going on multiple dates with the same guy.

My phone clinked against the glass of the display counter as I continued to smile to myself. My being brimmed with a confident glow I never felt with Jeremy. However, Jeremy couldn't get into Enzo's playing field if he tried. 

"You look dumb," my brother remarked as he walked past me. My glow died as I rolled my eyes at him. 

"Mom wants you in the back today," my brother muttered as he sat hunched over the counter with his phone out. Although I knew it was a lie, I'd rather work the bench. Repairs always made the day go by faster.

At home, I texted Jade three different outfit ideas. In all honesty, I never put in this much effort before. There was something about Enzo that encouraged me to try harder. I wanted to impress him.

Jade and I decided that the black cocktail dress was the safe, yet sexy, choice. Thus, it was the perfect compromise between us. As I put on my matching heels while seated on the stairs, and my father demanded that I change, the doorbell rang.

Giddiness exploded in my heart. It felt like I was in middle school again with a crush on the popular guy. Except, the popular guy knew I existed and asked me out. When I opened the door, the giddiness died, and my heart sank. It was Jeremy.

"You forgot this," Jeremy's voice trailed off. He swallowed hard as his eyes leered down my body.

"Oh, thanks."