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“Wow. You tell jokes now, do you, Antonio Ursini? Who would have thought? But hey, I’m glad.” She touches my arm. “And I’m really glad I got to see you again.”
I would have been glad, too, if I hadn’t just been reminded of the fact that I’m pretending to be Antonio, the guy Jodie wanted to see. I should feel proud that my act is convincing enough for her, but I don’t. I’m disappointed, confused. Why did Jodie want to see Antonio? I know she always preferred him over me – like everyone else – but does she actually like him? Does she want to be with him?
I suddenly feel like going home.
“You said you need a ride out of here?” I ask Jodie.
“Yeah.” She tucks her hair behind her ear once more as she nods. “But I wanted to show you something first. Is that okay?”
I want to say no – I know I should – but I can’t, not when she’s looking at me so expectantly. Shit. It’s pathetic, but even though I’m annoyed with her, I still can’t refuse her. Even though she wants me to be someone else, I still want to be with her.
“Fine.”
~
I was hoping it would be something cool, something that would make coming here more worth my while and less of a bad decision. As soon as we step into the library, my heart sinks down to my stomach. Of course Jodie would bring Antonio to a place like this.
“What do you think?” Jodie asks as she gives a whirl.
“Hmm…” I scratch my chin as I try to come up with something nice to say.
What would Antonio say?
“I know it’s nowhere near as big as the library in your house,” Jodie says. “But this one’s… cozy, like the books feel more at home. I thought you’d like it.”
I look around at the books crammed into the wooden shelves, which are arranged like steps on a carpeted staircase. Apart from the armchairs in the middle of the room, there are bean bags, pillows and knitted blankets on every level. There are lamps in between some of the books, too.
I guess it is cozy. I, for one, would prefer to read in a room like this than at the spacious library at home where the chairs aren’t comfortable enough and many of the books are out of reach. I’m not sure about Antonio, though.
“It even has your favorite book.”
Jodie pulls out a book from one of the shelves and hands it to me. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.
Yes, Antonio did like this book. I think it’s still on his nightstand.
“You were the one who told me that Antoine was Anthony in French,” Jodie tells me. “Just like it was Antonio in Italian. And so I said the book suits you. Do you remember?”
I don’t answer.
“You also told me your favorite quote. I believe it was, ‘It is only with the heart…'”
“‘…that one can see rightly,'” I continue the quote as I lower the book in my hands. “‘What is essential is invisible to the eye.'”
Jodie smiles. “So you do remember?”
I put the book back on the shelf. “But that’s not my favorite quote.”
Jodie’s eyebrows crease. “No?”
“My favorite quote is ‘You become responsible forever for what you have tamed,'” I tell her.
She nods. “I remember you had a dog that was so fierce but you were able to get it eating out of your hand and even sleeping with you.”
I remember that, too. Actually, it was Antonio and I who both tamed that dog, but that’s not what I was thinking about.
“That’s one meaning, I guess.” I turn my head and look into her eyes. “But for me, it also means that if you make someone fall in love with you, you have to take responsibility.”
Jodie falls silent. Her eyes grow wide atop burning cheeks, surprise and awe glistening in them. Her lower lip drops.
Now, I really want to kiss her.
She turns away. “Wow. I never knew you were such a romantic. You used to make fun of me because I liked fairy tales.”
I give her a puzzled look. Antonio did?
I shrug. “I probably only did that because I thought you deserve a good, strong man who can really sweep you off your feet, not a prissy prince.”
Jodie glances at me and chuckles.
“You mean like a good, strong man who can beat me at table tennis? Because I do remember challenging you to a game.”
“Sure,” I say. “But if I win, you’ll have to do something for me.”
“Oh, really?” She crosses her arms over her chest. “And what’s that?”
Kiss me.
“Answer ten questions truthfully,” I tell her.
“Five,” she argues. “Not that I’ll have to answer any of them. You will if I win.”
I grin. “Deal.”
~
“I can’t believe you won,” Jodie tells me in dismay as we walk away from the tennis table. “You’ve never been able to beat me before.”
