Tre Ragazzi e Una Ragazza

16 ~ The Dance

"Alright, come down so I can see how pretty you look!" My mom yelled upstairs to me, as she was waiting for my grand entrance at the bottom of the stairs. I made my way down, pausing at the last step for dramatic effect and smiling at my mom. I had really dressed up for the dance tonight. I was wearing a black as night wrap dress with a cinched-waist belt, black flowery tights, and black high heels decorated with a pearl at the clasps. My normally long, straight hair was now curled and crimped, making it appear fuller and more voluminous. I stood in front of my mom, clasping my hands together. "What do you think?" I asked. When she saw me, her eyes lit up and she covered her mouth. "Che bella! Mia figlia è molto bella." I laughed, blushing from the compliment. "Grazie tanto, mamma." 

Before I could speak again, she held up a finger to me, rushing into the back room. She came back out after a second, holding something closed in her right hand. "I want to give you these to wear tonight. They will go perfectly with the outfit." She opened her hand and held it out to me, revealing two sparkly, white dangling earrings. I gasped, marveling at how beautiful they were. I delicately reached out to take them, stopping short before I did. "Are you sure?" I asked before I touched them. She gave me a look. "Why else would I give them to you?" I laughed, appreciating the honesty my mom always gave me. I took the earrings and walked into the kitchen, looking at myself in the chrome reflection of the fridge so I could put on the earrings. Once I had them on, I smiled. My mom was right, they did go perfectly with the outfit. 

I exited the kitchen and faced my mom, showing her the finished look. She nodded, standing tall like a proud peacock. "You look so beautiful, mia figlia. Lucio is one lucky ragazzo." I blushed at the mention of Lucio. After our wonderful night yesterday, he told me he would pick me up at the restaurant early and we would do something special before going to the dance. He said he wanted our first date to be unforgettable and filled with surprises. I couldn't contain my excitement. I kept glancing at the door, waiting for him to show up and whisk me away on a night of wonder. 

My mom could tell how excited I was. She came up to me, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face. "I know how excited you are to go on your date with Lucio." She smiled. "I'm still number one for you though, right?" She half-joked. I just laughed. "Of course you are, and you always will be, mamma." We both hugged each other, sitting down to have a cup of coffee while we waited for Lucio to arrive. She took the opportunity to also quiz me on what we would do tonight, asking questions on everything from how long we would be out to the name of the person who would take our coats at the door. I didn't mind all the questions, though. My mind was just filled with excitement at the prospect of going on my first date with Lucio. 

Right on cue, there was a knock on the door. I bolted up from my chair to go and answer the door. I paused right in front of it, suddenly feeling a pang of nervousness. I looked to my mom, worriedly. "I'm a bit nervous." I let my feelings slip out, biting my lip in worry. She came around from the counter, coming to stand in front of me. "Then imagine how nervous Lucio must be." I looked towards the door, thinking of what it was Lucio felt on the other side. Was he just as nervous as I was? Was he as excited as I was? Were we going to have the best time of our lives tonight? I hoped the answer to all these questions was yes. I smiled, giving my mom another hug before I went to answer the door. I took a deep breath, trying to relax, before I turned the knob and opened the door. 

Lucio stood before me, looking more handsome than I had ever seen him look. He was wearing a tuxedo complete with bowtie, a dark black coat with his gray scarf, expensive-looking Italian black dress shoes, and black slacks. His hair was slicked back and looking very stylish. He decided to forgo wearing his glasses this evening in favor of contacts. His eyes were just as beautiful as they always were, sparkling at me. When he first saw me, his jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. "Che bella! Daniela, you look stunning." I smiled like the fool in love that I was. "Grazie, Lucio. You look amazing too!" He laughed, looking down at the ground. I saw a blush creep across his face. "I'm glad I can look good for you." This was when I noticed he had both of his hands strategically placed behind his back, and I could see something sticking out behind him. I angled my body and tilted my head, trying to get a better look at what it was he was hiding. He noticed me staring and smiled. He proceeded to pull out a big, gorgeous bouquet of red and white roses. I gasped in awe. I had never seen flowers so beautiful. He held them out to me. "These are for you. If I could've bought the store out, I would've." I laughed, cradling the flowers in my arms. "Lucio, they're so beautiful. Thank you."