Ti Amo da Lontano // Johnnyboy

Chapter Sixteen // Rosso

I gave Johnny an uncertain smile. What did he mean?

"What do you mean by first date?" I asked, nervously. 

He had to be joking. There was no way that he actually liked me. 

"I mean that we are having a data, and it's going to be simpatico," he stated with a smile. I gasped a bit. 

"You mean that you actually want to be with me?" I asked, surprised. Johnny's  jaw dropped. 

"Of course I would want to be with you, bambino! You mean so tanto to me!" he exclaimed. I felt my cheeks turn red. 

"Do you really mean that?" I questioned. Johnny immediately nodded. 

"I mean it, I really do. I swear on my vita," he said. For some reason, he was grinning hard, and he was slipping into his Italian accent. 

For some reason, the phrase "I love you" was on the tip of my tongue. 

He wouldn't say it back, anyways.

I didn't tell him how I felt. 

-

Johnny grabbed my hand, and dragged me towards the body of water. He sat down at the edge, pulling me down with him. 

"Jeez, Johnnycakes! Calm down!" I said, joking. Johnny giggled.

My whole face flushed pink. That giggle was affecting me again!

"Oh, mi dispiace! I'm just so excited about the water!" he exclaimed. I gave him a questioning look. 

"Why are you so excited? It's just water," I asked. Johnny sighed, and shook his head. 

"It isn't just water, il mio amore. It reminds me of Venezia. I miss home, and I miss the canals. I just want to go back," he said softly. 

I felt my heart sink. 

I guess Tulsa wasn't good enough for him.

I guess I wasn't good enough for him. 

I got up and walked away from Johnny with some tears in my eyes. 

-

I was sitting on a patch of grass by a tree, quietly wiping my eyes. Every now and then I would sniffle. 

I just didn't understand why I wasn't good enough. 

Why wasn't I enough for him? 

Suddenly, I felt somebody sit down next to me. 

"What's wrong?" asked the voice. I looked up and saw Johnny. 

I couldn't look at him. 

For some reason, I began to sob. 

Almost instantly, I felt Johnny's arms wrap around me, holding me closer to him. He was holding onto me tightly. I could feel all the muscles in his arms. 

"Am I not enough for you?" I asked quietly. Johnny gasped.

"Oh, bambino! You're qualunque cosa," he stated. I looked at him.

"What's qualunque cosa?" I asked. I could feel Johnny's heart speed up through his chest.

"It means everything. You are my sun, my stars, and everything in between!" he exclaimed. 

He reached out to me, and wiped away my tears. 

"Then why do you always talk about leaving to go back to Italy?" I questioned. Johnny sighed. 

"I didn't say that I wanted to go da solo," he stated, holding my right hand. 

Suddenly, I began to blurt something out. 

"I- I- Lo-," I whispered. I immediately shut up. 

"What was that, miele?" he asked. 

I love you, I wanted to say.

I stopped myself just in time. 

 "It was nothing. Let's go do something," I said, getting up. 

He followed me. 

He followed me even though I knew that he would never love me back.

-

"What are you doing?" I asked, giggling. Johnny smiled down at me.

As of right now, he was swinging from a tree branch. He looked adorable, almost like a small child. His big, nerdy glasses were on the tip of his nose, and his black beanie was starting to slip off. 

"I'm climbing the albero! You should come and join me!" he shouted excitedly. 

"Oh, no! I'm scared of heights!" I stated. Johnny frowned, and then let go of the branch, landing on the ground. 

"Come on! I'll proteggere you!" he exclaimed. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and then kissed me gently.

I felt my knees go weak. Even though he was my first kiss, I could tell that he was good. I felt heat and fireworks. 

"A- Alright," I stuttered. Johnny led me to the tree. 

-

I was sitting in the tree next to Johnny. His arm was thrown around me as he held me tightly. I couldn't help but cuddle into him, trying to warm myself. 

"Are you cold?" he asked. I nodded, embarrassed. 

Johnny started to take off his hoodie. I could see his abs when his shirt rolled up.

"What are you doing?" I asked, a bit uncertain with his actions. He smiled back at me. 

"Here," he said, handing me the hoodie. 

"Oh, no, I couldn't! You need it!" I exclaimed, trying to give it back to him. He refused. 

"Take it, il mio amore. I want you to be warm," he stated. I felt my cheeks go hot. 

Johnny reached out to stroke my cheek. I turned even redder. 

"You're cheeks are warm and rosso," he stated with a giggle. I could tell that he was poking fun at me. 

"Yeah? Well, you made me blush," I whispered, smiling a bit.

"Yeah? Well, good. I should be the only one to have that affect on you," he said. I felt a shiver go through my body when he said that. 

Suddenly, Johnny pulled me onto his lap, and kissed me deeply. 

When we pulled away, he only said one thing...

"...Pony and Johnny, sitting in a tree..K - I - S - S - I - N - G."