ramble mouths :: sofia/enzo

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I gave her my lucky jacket to wear, that's some advice I got from Kieran. I never know when to bring it - I ain't get nervous often but hell if I'm sweating on a date. She wore it on her shoulders until the trolley came, and I can't stop looking at her hair. Spring in Ten smells better mixed with her perfume, the trolley ride smells like roses and honey-grass. 

We rode from town to come out to my picnic spot -- it's past the Winchester farm and Marlboro's ranch. I was telling Sofia that on the ride, with my jacket keeping our laps warm, "oh, I used to hide out in the fields all the time as a kid." Everyone needs a gentle place, I don't care how manly they think they are. 

I carry both baskets as we walk down the strip lane between pastures, chatting away about the County Fair. 

She slaps my shoulder when I joke about her bull-riding - Sofia gave a good effort! I'll give her that, I'm just glad no one got hurt. It's alright, girl just needs more experience, I can't imagine 11's got bulls like that. The more time I spend with Sofia, the more I wonder what her home's like. I've never been that way of Panem; don't think I've had a reason too before. 

"Oh, look here," I look into her eyes as I say it. The setting sun's flame reflected amber in her brown eyes, man I can't stop looking at her. I just know when I get home Rogue's not gonna let me live with being this corny. My spot's coming up to the right in the pasture, one great oak tree sprawled over feet over browning grass. 

It's just me, her and my impossible view. 

"See the walk wasn't that bad! Just in time for the sun set and everything," I'm not being too eager, right? I set her basket by the tree before taking my backpack off. Saff helped me get a blanket folded tight enough to fit, but now I'm kinda worried I won't get it back in right. 

Hope that's not embarrassing. 

"What do you think, Sof? Is it a good view or what," and man, I haven't tried to impress a girl like this in a while. Enzo-charm don't fail me now- I still have to meet Mr. Vasco!

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[ @icyhot ]

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Lorenzo cleans up surprisingly well, I kind of liked it. He impressed me, I have to admit it. I don't know if someone had given him tips before this, but they were doing a damn good job. The jacket he gave me smelled like him in a good way. It was warm and I couldn't help but think of him. It was a sweet gesture to say the least. And it almost made me wonder if I had done enough.

I had spent a decent amount of time getting ready for today myself. I wish I had brought more clothes options, but I settled for a long white dress with poofy sleeves. I'm not positive why I decided to bring it, but I'm glad I did. Maybe it was fate that made me put that dress in my suitcase - just in case. Or maybe it's just because I'm an Izar and we overpack. Probably the second option.

Lorenzo didn't know I was going to bring food by his reaction to me carrying my picnic basket. He was going to be in for a surprise when he took a bite of what I brought, all of it spicy of course. Papa recommended against spicy food, but that was the point. If I was ever going to take Lorenzo seriously, he was going to have to be able to at least tolerate some spice. Otherwise he'd be in for a rude awakening the first time he went to an Izar family dinner.

Lorenzo handled the surprised basket good too, taking it for me. He was being a surprising gentleman, Mace and Saffron raised him well. The trolley ride was enjoyable as well. I sat next to him and gently rested my head on his shoulder as he spoke. He was saying that when he was younger he used to go out to the fields all of the time. It's hard not to forget that he wasn't always a socialite like he was now. Then again, not everyone thought I should be from Eleven with how I did my hair and makeup sometimes.

"That sounds nice, Lorenzo. Everyone needs to get away from life somtimes."

He continued doing a good job up until he brought up the bull-riding. I had almost forgotten he was one of the hosts for that event. I gave him a playful slap, but I was worried for a moment he'd take it personally. Sometimes I took things a little too far and I was worried I ruined my chances. But, he seemed like he was still having fun and laughing. A weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I didn't ruin our date.

The way his hair glistened in the setting sunlight was beautiful. His skin seemed to glow under the evening sun. I felt so cheesy thinking about that, but it was true. Part of me hoped he wouldn't mind a little cheesiness. Then again, this whole date was straight out of some shitty romcom. Except it was better, because it was real. Damn now that was cheesy.

"The view's amazing, Lorenzo. I almost said no to a date, I'm happy I didn't. You've been so sweet. Let me help get everything set up."

Without waiting for permission, I helped get the blanket out of his bag and get it on the ground under the tree. I opened up my basket and put my plates of food on the blanket, letting him do the same as I gazed out at the sunset. I could sit here with Lorenzo watching the sunset forever. It honestly felt too perfect. I started to wonder when I got so sappy, but then again, Vasco Izar was my father.

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"The view's amazing, Lorenzo. I almost said no to a date," almost? Can you believe that! I'm setting the blanket down as she's talking to me, puffing the sheet up and out and straightening up after it falls. "I'm happy I didn't," she says, and it gives me a bit more confidence in myself - like alright, I thought I was doing alright!

"You've been so sweet," and I smile something goofy as I'm fixing the corners.

Something about this girl just makes me melt into my shoes, she just does something to my head! Maybe it's the blood rush or trying too hard to be attractive, but every time Sofia compliments me I just get a little stupider. I'll stutter for a second or forget what to say, all the words I'm thinking get stuck being a wall of she thinks I'm sweet! She offers to help and fixes her side of the blanket before I even respond, and I think I like that about her.

"Let me help-"

"Oh, I've got it!"

Batting my eyelashes as I say it, and I knew she was still going to. I'm going back over my side when she starts messing with the basket, and I got to say this month is going better than I ever expected it to go. There's something a bit bitter in the moment because I know it ends eventually, right? That's how dating in Panem goes - it makes me wonder when I'll see her again. Well, if, but I like to think things are going alright!

Because I sit next to her, pouring sweet tea for two and it just kind of feels right. People say we're dumb in District 10 because we listen to our gut, but I can't help but feel a click that makes me think this is going to hurt when she leaves. I'm starting to think that's a pattern in my dating life, I have no idea why. For a second it's just Sofia and I, sipping homemade tea and looking at the bronze sunset - even the grass looks golden as the sky burns. I'm happy I could share this with her, that this is a moment she takes home with her.

A little piece of me, in a way.

"So," I break the sweet silence of the minute, "when can I come to 11? A promise is a promise," I laugh about it, but I can't even imagine what the district looks like. They don't teach us about the other districts in school, the most I know about 11 is what Sofia and Saffron have told me about it. The way I see it, I'd learn a lot by paying them a visit.

And I look at Sofia, and I don't know if I could focus on anything else! "Do y'all have pastures like this?" Tipping my tea at the burning horizon, maybe we could sit and pretend it's all one sunset.

As long as I'm with her, I really don't mind.

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[ @icyhot ]

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As Lorenzo pours the tea, I try not to think of the future. The future always spoils everything, after all. If you spend your whole life in fear of what the future might bring, are you even living? I feel like many Izars are scared of our futures because we're so stuck in the past. We see death after death after death, Izars falling one after the other. We almost start to think it's our destiny to die, so much so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Why can't we not look towards the future or the past and instead see the beautiful present right in front of us?

He asked about coming to Eleven, he seemed eager. That honestly excited me. He seemed like he wanted to follow through, like he wanted to put time in. The thought of him possibly wanting a commitment both terrified me and made me happy beyond belief. A cocktail of emotions. I did want him to visit, but I didn't want to be too pushy - especially if he changed his mind after the date. What if I messed up?

"Come to Eleven whenever you want, just give me a little bit of a warning so I can make sure you have somewhere to stay. And I can take some time off of the salon to see you."

I wanted to make sure his anticipation for seeing my home wasn't turning into anxiety. I gave him a little bit of a reassuring smile then softly put my hand on his free one.

"Lorenzo, I know you're probably worried about what the future might bring, so let's make a deal. Don't think about the future right now, just enjoy the present. Future Sofia and Future Lorenzo can worry about what might happen. Agreed?"

I know he's had issues with long distance relationships before, one of my magazines back in the shop, some tabloid, liked to bully him. Honestly, it was kind of funny. I wondered if they had anything to say about him from the fair, I did see a few reporters after all. I took a sip of my tea, giving him some time to process everything I had said, though I never took my other hand off of his.

I gazed back at the sunset, and was mesmerised by it. It wasn't too different from the ones in Eleven, but it was definitely the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen. Maybe it was because of who I was sharing it with. He asked if we had pastures like this in Eleven, but honestly I couldn't focus on the words coming out of his mouth. I was always impulsive, and I think I was about to do something on an impulse. Something that could potentially ruin the date. But I had to take a chance.

"Lorenzo, I-"

But I never finished that sentence, instead I leaned in and kissed him.

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[ 479 words ]
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Man, something about Sofia...

Just stop me there, I might just ramble too much about her. I always thought she was pretty, a mayor's daughter back when I was hardly a victor's son and it's surreal in the way I can hardly hide my blush. All I do is smile when she talks, even when she's diggin' into me - all I hear is she's digging me! She invites me to her home, so I pause for a second to think about what eleven's like. What we'll do; how long it'll last. 

Meeting Mr. Izar with my hand in Sofia's. I scratch my neck behind the collar with a nervous laugh, just a nodding along as she talks. 

"Lorenzo, I know you're probably worried about what the future might bring, so let's make a deal."

"Oh?"

"Don't think about the future right now," she says to me, "just enjoy the present. Future Sofia and Future Lorenzo can worry about what might happen. Agreed?"

"Agreed," I say, pinkie promise. I think I agree so quick because it sounds like it won't hurt me, I can't help but think I'll hurt Sofia like I did's Beck. Maybe Sofia's learned just like me that long distance in Panem just ain't it, just ain't possible. But still, I watch her sip her drink as I process what I'm dealing. 

I look at the sunset, a gorgeous burning orange, as I take a sip of mine. Tastes just like what we have in 10, it ain't ever sweet enough anywhere else. There's a second where we just sit together, think about everything a bit. What we want I guess, what I want? I wonder what's going through her mind when she's all that's on mine this month. It's happened so quick, but I've known her for so long. 

I wonder what fifteen year old me would think when she calls my name, "Lorenzo, I-"

"Huh? ..." and my heart's racing like it's my first time when she leans in to me, my eyes on her lips before they're closed. I know what I would've done years ago when I put my hand in her soft hair. 

Kiss her back.

And I do, she kisses softly and I try not to be awkward with it, I can't help but put my hand on her back and pull her closer, and when it's done I'm sure the shock shows on my face. I don't know why, I wasn't ready for it but boy was I. "Sorry! Sorry," for grabbing her I think, somehow someway I feel like her father's waiting with a shotgun and I feel like Saff'll say I'm moving on too quick. 

Something about Sofia feels a little too right, a little too good for a boy like me. I just try to play it cool when I pull away and lean on the tree again. Her lips tasted like cherry, it laces over my sweet tea as I look back from the sun to Sofia. 

Still, I can't help but think about 11 with her. 

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[ @icyhot ]