ELEVEN

                                    

                                          
Sofia was already waiting at the restaurant by the time I arrived, even though I was early. I could see her through the front window of the store, her face half obscured by the freshly painted sign across the glass. 'Nicoletta's' was emblazoned across the glass in bright red font rimmed with white, the cursive bold and crisp. I grimaced a little at the name that bore a strong resemblance to someone else's, my lips immediately feeling chapped. I pushed the unsettled feeling aside as I stepped in, a small bell above the door dinging, making a few patrons glance over at me, including Sofia. I found myself relaxing as she waved me over, a soft smile on her face. 
                          
Out of her school uniform, Sofia looked a little different than how I was used to seeing her; a loose dress hung over her petite body in flowing layers, the black fabric speckled with small red flowers and modestly hiding her well-developed curves. Her thick brown hair was pulled up high onto her head, secured with a red clip. A few stray wisps spilled from their confines and fluttered against her rosy cheeks, which pulled upwards as she smiled at me. Her brown eyes were rimmed with a little liner, making them seem even larger and more doe-eyed, and she had a little pink dabbed onto her lips, which glistened slightly under the low lighting. While she wore no makeup at school, she had popped a little on, highlighting her already pretty features with muted expression.
                          
"Sorry I'm late," I said, Sofia just laughing, waving her hand.
                          
"You're still early," Sofia said, a small smile on her plush lips. "It's nice to know that you're punctual. God knows Leo and Parker aren't." I laughed at that, sitting down across from Sofia. A candle flickered on the table between us, the freshly laid white table cloth scraping the tops of my thighs. My leg bumped Sofia's beneath the table, the girl's face only changing for a fleeting moment before returning to its gentle smile, her cheeks only a little pinker. I ignored the slight change in her complexion as I plucked up one of the menus from the table, eyes scanning the contents quickly, my mouth salivating. The taste of Nico's pasta was long gone from my tongue, but I could remember its flavour so vividly.

                          
I suddenly got a strong whiff of Sofia's perfume, a sweet fruity scent that clung to her neck. I coughed nervously as Sofia's eyes dropped down to look at the menu, her glossy lips pursed as she pondered over the small print.  
                          
"I think I'm gonna get the risotto," Sofia said, brow creased before she sighed. "Or the prawn linguine. Or the carbonara."
                          
"Anything you don't want?" I laughed, Sofia kicking my shin under the table. 
                          
"Shut up," Sofia laughed, twirling a stray lock of hair around her finger. 
                          
"If you want I could get the carbonara and you get the risotto? I'll let you have some of mine," I said, and Sofia's eyes lit up, her cheeks warming. 
                          
"Really?" Sofia leaned over the table, her hand resting over mine. I gulped as her thumb ran over my skin in a slow, smooth circle. Her hands were soft, the pad of her finger fleshy and hot.
                          
"Y-Yeah, they both sound good so..." I started, cursing myself as I felt myself blushing. Sofia's eyes trailed over my face, the smile on her own deepening as she looked down at our hands.
                          
"Thanks, Wes..." Sofia said, her eyes returning to mine. Lashes blinked as her thumb stilled, her fingers instead squeezing my hand tight. "Um... you probably know but I kind of-"
                          
A brusque cough from beside our table made us both jump, Sofia's hand retracting in a flash as my own darted to my lap. My elbow hit the back of my chair and the jolt sent tingles up my arm, my eyes wincing a little. A waiter tapped on his notepad impatiently, Sofia turning crimson as I looked down at the menu as if it were a priceless work of art.
                          
"Ready to order?" the waiter sighed, his flat words sounding more like an order than a question. Sofia nodded as I quickly pointed to the two menu items with my index finger, the waiter ripping the paper out of my hands as soon as he was done jotting down our order. Sofia and I were silent as the waiter walked away quickly, the tail of his waist apron flickering across his hip.