RANDOM POV
"Farrah...what can I do for you?" Ryder answers
"Hey Ryder, ummm...I need a little, tiny, microscopic, atom sized favor. You don't have to agree if you don't want to. Just know I chose you because you're the most trustworthy man I know." Farrah says drenching every word in sincerity. And the most predictable.
Ryder takes a deep breath. "Okay, what's up?" He says falling into her trap.
"Well, Gee Gee and I are making over our best friend and we need a guy's perspective. Ryder, we desperately need your help." Farrah says pouting into the phone speaker.
Ryder chuckles. "Okay, when do you need me?" He asks smiling.
"This weekend, if that's okay. We want her look to at least be different by Monday. All the other stuff, we will have to work on." Farrah says biting her lip.
"What other stuff?" He asks frowning.
"Just little things, like kissing techniques, flirting, and conversation with the opposite sex, kind of stuff." Farrah adds with a shrug.
"Wow...did she grow up in a nunnery?" He asks in disbelief.
"You could say that. Her parents are pastors." Farrah says shaking her head.
Ryder laughs. "Good girl is going bad, huh?"
"Not bad, we love her innocence. We just need her to liven up a little. Be a little more spontaneous and daring. Open up a little more. Have some fun." Farrah says bouncing in her seat.
"Okay, I'm in!" All the way in. "Who is this friend?" He asks curiously.
"Reyna." She says
"The hot nerd you're always with?"
"That's the one?" she says unsure.
Nice. "So, you need guinea pigs for all of your lessons right?" He asks with an arched brow.
"...yea." She says frowning.
"I'll be one and I'm pretty sure my friends would be more than happy to help. Especially since quite a few of them have a thing for Michele, or Reyna as you call her." Myself included. He says smirking.
"She prefers Reyna, and what thing?"
"We kind of, sort of, maybe, might have named her the hottest nerd on campus." ...and several others. "And we might have her on our campus 'hit or ditch' site, and she might have the most hits in the nerd, and...other categories, category." He says rubbing the back of his neck. Why did you just tell her that?
Now I have got to see this. "Hit or ditch site? Why is this the first time I am hearing about this?" Farrah says cocking her neck.
"Guys only." He says pacing slowly. I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid.
"Ah, can I see it?" She asks excitedly.
"Yea, but you need a password, and you need to be a guy. And since neither apply in your case, I'll have to show you personally. You can't tell anyone though, alright?" He says stopping in the middle of his room. I hope she doesn't get mad. Or worse, the guys find out that I showed a girl the site. I am violating like seven different guy codes right now.
"Yes, I promise." She says raising her and in oath.
"Okay, so what time and where?" he asks finally sitting down.
"Saturday, at the mall around...11am. I think the earlier the better; she might need more work than I'm thinking she does."
I wonder if said shopping includes lace undergarments? "Alright...see you then." He says smiling to himself.
"Night Ryder. Thank you." She says smiling.
"Night." He says before hanging up.
"See? It's as easy as falling asleep in class." Farrah says with a triumphant smile.
"Really, 'she might need more work than I'm thinking she does?' That's messed up." Reyna says pouting and throwing the sleeping bag blanket over her head.
He is probably only coming to see her model underwear. "Aww, pumpkin. I didn't mean it like that. He just needed a little motivation to be on time." Farrah says rubbing her shoulder.
Like you two every morning? "Okay..." Reyna says still pouting from her cocoon.
"Anyways, we have exams and need to rest. Goodnight ladies." Farrah says snuggling into her sleeping bag on the floor.
"Night" Glenys and Reyna say in unison.
Glenys cuts off the light and they all fall asleep.
SATURDAY
"Please, no more. My feet hurt, and my cheeks are chaffing. And I'm not talking about the ones on my face." Reyna whines as Glenys and Farrah try to shove her into another dress.
"Beauty takes pain, suck it up!" Farrah yells
"No, really Reyna suck it up. We can't get this dress over your behind!" Glenys adds
"Not that I'm not enjoying every second of this, but clearly her ass is way too big for that dress." Ryder says
"Did you just call me (her) fat?!" They all say in unison.
"NO!!" Ryder say putting his hands up. "I said her ass is too big. Totally different! Plus, we like her ass. It makes her pants fit nice." Ryder says shrugging.
"Umm...thanks? I think?" Reyna says unsure.
"That was definitely a compliment and you're welcome. Honestly, I don't know why we walked into this store. This store is for anorexic girls, and Rey's body is clearly curvy. Any man with eyes can see that, with or without a dress. She's hottest nerd for a reason." Ryder says before walking to the entrance of the store.
"I'm hottest nerd?" Reyna asks
"Apparently." Glenys says with a nod.
HOURS LATER
"Ryder, would you do me a favor and take my feet off and throw them in that bin over there? I don't think these work anymore, I can't feel them." Reyna says to Ryder.
He laughs. "Come on." He bends down in front of her. "Get on."
She timidly climbs onto his back and holds on for dear life. "You won't drop me right?"
"Never, you're like what...125, 126? I bench that in my sleep." He says standing.
"Oh, okay...thanks. You didn't have to. You could have just called an EMT or something." Reyna says
He chuckles at her. "And Farrah said you needed help talking to opposite sex. You sound like you're doing just fine." Ryder says.
"It's not like I have a choice. You did help them choose my unmentionables. I have no dignity left after that." She says laying her head on his shoulder.
He smirks. "Your dignity is just fine. I won't tell I promise."
"Thanks Ryder. You're a good guy." She says smiling.
Farrah and Glenys emerge from the bathroom. "What is this?" Glenys says smirking at them.
"You two drill sergeants were too busy running her in circles to notice Rey's poor feet are suffering in these 4 inch bumble bee stilettos." He says frowning and shaking his head at them.
"Oh, pumpkin...why didn't you say anything? We would have switched to the 3 inch zebra prints." Glenys says
"Unbelievable..." Ryder says walking away from them.
"Tell me about it." Reyna agrees.
"What? She needs to learn to walk in heels!" Farrah says walking after them.
"The heels will be useless if they have to amputate her feet!" Ryder says. "What's the point? She looks just as hot in sneakers as she does in heels, I mean granted they make her legs sexily longer, but she's still hot either way." Ryder adds before walking out of the mall with Reyna on his back.
"Thanks Ryder, but its okay. They get a little excited sometimes." Reyna says with a smile defending her best friends.
"I get that, but you shouldn't just let them walk all over you. You're more than just brains Rey. I've only spent a few hours with you and I already know that." He says opening the car door and putting her in the passenger seat. He closes her door and walks to the other side. "You hungry?" He asks starting the car.
Right on cue her stomach growls. "That's embarrassing." He says covering her blushing face.
Ryder chuckles at her cuteness factor. "Food it is." He says pulling out of the parking spot.
AT THE RESTAURANT
"Ryder, we aren't dressed for this place. Don't we need a reservation?" Reyna asks panicked.
"Nope. My folks own this place, among others." He adds waiting for her to get on his back.
"Really? That's...kind of cool. So, you can just walk in at anytime?" She says as they start to walk toward the entrance.
"Just about." He says turning his head. "I've worked here since I turned 10."
"I wish my parents owned a restaurant." He mumbles. "So, does that mean you can cook?" She asks poking his cheek.
He smirks. "Maybe." He says opening the kitchen door and walking in. "Hey Tony, dov'e la mamma?" (Hey Tony, where's Ma?)
"Ryder, piccolo puttana!! Chi e la nuova vittima?" (Ryder, you little whore!! Who's the new victim?") Tony says with a laugh.
"Questo e Reyna, e non e cosi. Lei e un amico, idiota!!" (This is Reyna, and it isn't like that. She's a friend, you jerk!!" Ryder says.
"Bene mi scusi vostra altezza." (Well excuse me your highness) He says with a mock bow. "Lei e al tavolo dello chef divertente. (She's at the chef's table entertaining.) Tony says smirking.
"This is my idiot of a cousin Antonio DeMarco. Tony Reyna, Reyna Tony." Ryder says introducing them.
"Un piacere incontrare voi cara Reyna." (A pleasure to meet you darling Reyna.) Tony says taking her hand and kissing the back of it.
"Umm...Thank you? What did he say?" She asks taking her hand back and blushing.
"He said that it was nice to meet you. Do not fall for his charms. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing." Ryder says. "Mi permetta di ottenere un pesce Alfredo fettucine con due coca cola. E Ravioli e bistecca con grissini." (Let me get seafood alfredo with a coke. And ravioli and steak with breadsticks.) He says walking toward his parent's office where their private terrace is overlooking their herb and vegetable garden is.
"Come si desidera la vostra altezza." (As you wish your highness.) Tony says bowing.
Reyna looks down at the garden with the firefly lights hanging around it. "Wow, this is beautiful." She says eyeing the fountain in the center. "Do they allow anyone in the garden to eat?"
"Not a chance. Gardening only." He says watching her. "Question, what made you want a makeover, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Farrah and Gee thought I should start dating...before I get married. Not that I am getting married, but apparently marriage doesn't just happen. You have to date first. And, my according to them, my wardrobe wasn't dating material. That and...I have quite a few things to learn." She says nodding.
"Hmm...okay." He says nodding.
"So, does Tony only speak Italian? Or does he just not want to speak English? Wait, don't answer that. That was rude." She says putting her hand over her face.
Ryder pulls her hand down and smiles at her. "He doesn't care to learn English...entirely. He speaks some English, just not very much. He knows basic things like hello, and goodbye, and thank you. Other than that his English is pretty bad." Ryder says laughing at a memory of his cousin trying to speak English.
"You two close?" She says trying to make conversation.
"Yea, he's like my brother. When I was little I'd spend every summer in Italy with my aunt and uncle, his parents. We were causing havoc everywhere we went. The markets, the bakeries, the gardens, vineyards, you name it they all knew us. Then my aunt made us help her cook one night. Ever since then, that is the only thing that kept us tamed...momentarily at least. So when I turned 10, I started here and every summer, Tony would come here and work here." He says with a fond smile. "You'd think after all these years his English would be better, but he says American girls are suckers for an Italian accent. He figures, why break their hearts." He adds with a laugh.
Reyna looks away blushing. This boy's laugh is doing something to my insides. Thank you Lord, for dark skin.
"Rey...why do you always do that?"
"Do what?" she says looking innocently at him.
"Look away." He says
She blushes even more and looks away.
He laughs at her. "I think your blush is cute. Do me a huge favor..." he says taking her hand.
"Yea." She says still blushing.
"When this makeover thing is done, don't change." He says with a smile.
She nods. "I promise."
Yes, I know this chapter was slow, but it is setting things up for the future. Don't forget about Cameron now.
This story was originally supposed to start when they were working adults already, but something told me to put a smidge of college in there just to clarify things.
Now that the background-ing is taken care of, see you next chapter Loveez!!