Chapter 7: The Rescue…Kind of
Suddenly, Vito skidded to a stop and brought his hand up to his ear. He could hear someone crying, they were close. He slowly followed the sound until he could pin-point where it was coming from. Vito squinted through the darkness and spotted a small deep hole dug in the ground a couple yards away from him. Balling into fists, his hands swung behind him as he charged at the pit. "That sounds like Rosie!" Stopping just before he tumbled into the sheer drop, Vito stared down into the darkness and screamed loudly. "Rosie? C'mon Baby talk to me!" Vito fell to his hands and knees and leaned over the side. He squinted into the pit.
"Vito? Is zhat really you?" A quite timid whisper floated up from the bottom of the cold pit. "Thank 'eavens you've found me!"
"Don't worry Rosie, I'll get'cha outa there." Vito looked around for some kind of stick or rope to pull Rosie out.
"I zhought you might 'ave been zhe 'elicopter again…"
"What helicopter?"
"Pierre saw zhat I was close to winning zhe prize money, so 'e sent 'is men in a 'elicopter to come and kidnap me so I couldn't finish zhe show." Rosie's words were interrupted by sniffling as she tried to stop crying. "Is 'elicopter chased me and I fell down into zhis 'ell 'ole."
"Why that little…when I get my hands on that pig face, he won't even know what hit 'em!" Vito crunched his fist into his palm and growled down at the ground.
"Please 'urry Monsieur Vito…" Rosie tried to hide it, but Vito could still faintly hear her soft sniffling as she cried.
"Ah man, Rosie please don't cry! I-I'll get-cha outta there don't worry! Just don't cry! You are too beautiful! I couldn't take it!" Vito suddenly grabbed a long stick and shoved it down the hole. "Ah jeez, it's too short! Hang on a second!"
"Ok…" Rosie peeped from inside the hole. "Oh and Vito…"
"Yeah?"
"When I come up from zhe 'ole, you 'ave to look away from me…ok?"
"What? Why?"
"Just promise me ok?"
"Ok fine…here try this stick!" Just as Vito bent down to shove an even longer stick into the pit, a cloud blew away from the moon lighting up the entire forest clearing. Vito's jaw dropped as he stared down into the hole. Rosie shimmied up against the corner and stared up at him in horror.
"I told you not to look! I am disgusting!" Rosie's eyes were wider than dinner plates and her makeup was running down in two little black rivers down her cheeks. Her bow was ripped and fraying, and her hair was frizzed up in every which way from tumbling down the hole. However, the thing that made Vito cringe, was her entire body. Her clothes were ripped to shreds and barely covered her chest and hips. From the top of her head to the bottom of her pinky toes, she was covered in huge, quarter-sized red blotches. She seemed to glow red like a tomato in the moonlight from all her raised spots. Her feet were cut and bruised and also covered in the puss spouting blotches. Rosie timidly grabbed the stick with shaking hands and squeezed her eyes shut. "Just pull me up!" As Vito pulled her up, he saw even more tears streaming from her face. When she stepped up onto solid ground, she was about to run away from him when Vito stopped her. He grabbed her arm and stared into her shocked mascara stained eyes.
"Poison ivy eh?" Vito quickly looked her up and down with a quizzical look in his eyes. "Aw man, you got it bad toots…"
"Vito, stop! Let me go! Don't look at me like zhis! I'm revolting, 'ideous, absolutely repulsi-" She was cut off with Vito whipping her around and crashing his lips into hers. Rosie resisted pitifully at first, trying to wiggle out of his grip but he held her tightly. After a struggled few moments, Rosie melted in his arms and vigorously kissed him back. Vito took a step forward to intensify their contact. Rosie's hands pulled him closer and she took a step back to mimic his movements. Suddenly. The edge of the pit crumbled away beneath Rosie's feet and they both tumbled over the edge.
Rosie shrieked in panic and Vito quickly spun her around so that she was on top of him. When they landed, Vito grimaced as his back cracked with Rosie's impact on his stomach. There was only enough room in the hole for one person to stand, with Vito crunched into a laying down position and Rosie wedged on top of him, they were pretty much stuck. Vito's pupils dilated as he felt the thousands of stinging nettles pricking him with their poisonous fluid. He sighed as he realized that now they would both be plagued with the itchy rash. Rosie slowly rolled around so that her legs were straddling Vito and she wasn't completely sitting on his stomach. Vito smiled and painfully arched his back to get more comfortable. Rosie sighed romantically and collapsed onto Vito's chest. Her reddish brown curls cascaded down his bare chest as she nuzzled up to him. Petting her soft hair gently, Vito's other arm curled around Rosie's bare back protectively.
"Well….it appears we are stuck 'ere for a while…" The content of the sentence itself was rather dire and dangerous; however the way Rosie sighed and cuddled closer to Vito made it appear much more like good fortune than a deadly situation. Vito snickered happily.
"Sounds good to me." Vito leaned in and growled like a dog. "I could stay like this all day."
"I was so 'appy…"
"What?"
"I was so 'appy to 'ear your beautiful voice." A tint of red colored Vito's cheeks as Rosie's chest slid across his torso as she looked up at him. "You're my 'ero Monsieur Vito…" Rosie cocked her head and her small giggle made tingles fly up Vito's crushed spine. "Well…sort of my 'ero…we are still trapped after all…" Vito's hand reached up to Rosie's face. He delicately brought her head down to his. Just before their lips made contact, Vito smiled slyly and whispered with that devious tone that Rosie had to come to love so much.
"Well yeh, I guess you could look at it dat way…" Vito stared right into Rosie's eyes. She felt his hot breath caress her full lips and flow down her neck. "But I like to see it as I'm trapped in a claustrophobic pit with da hottest girl in da world." Vito sealed his words by pulling Rosie's lips into his. Rosie eagerly accepted his invitation and teasingly nibbled on his top lip. Vito's top lip quivered, but it wouldn't let her in. Not yet. Vito unexpectedly broke away and stared up at Rosie, complete seriousness in his usual soft casual gaze. "Rosie, there's somethin' that I gotta tell ya."
"It can wait mon chere…" Rosie leaned in to continue her attack but Vito held her face in his hands.
"No, I gotta let'chu know dis right now!" Rosie relaxed and stared into his eyes. Apparently this was important.
"Alright…zhen tell me!" Vito looked down at his bare chest, trying to find the right words. A slight pink tinted his cheeks. Rosie smiled and traced his lips with her slender finger. "I 'ave never seen zhe Vito like zhis…'e looks so embarrassed…like a little puppy. You don't 'ave to be shy with me Baby…"
"I know…it's just that…I've neva really done dis before…" Vito wiped a drop of sweat off his forehead and took a deep breath. "Rosie…I think I…I think that I …uh…" Rosie cocked her head in confusion. She waited a few moments, then pushed him to speak his mind.
"Vito…"
"Gahh…no wait…" Vito put his finger up to her lips. "Just gimme a minute alright?" Vito squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead. "Lemme put it dis way…I've met a lot-a-girls…and I mean A LOT of girls…"
"Mmmhmm…" Rosie blinked, failing to realize the importance of this topic.
"And well…none-a-dem, not one single chick, has ever made me feel like I do with you…" Vito looked up shyly and put his hand behind his head. "Jeez-a-lou this is harder than I tought…heh…hm…" Suddenly, Vito couldn't control his own mouth. All his thoughts suddenly spilled out in a long string of words that Rosie could barely understand. "You are so hot…no, its more than that, you are gorgeous. But that's not it, there's something about you that I don't know why but it just won't leave me alone. You're so smart, and nice, and fun, and you always smell like roses and other guy's cologne…and with other girls I'm always just like 'dang she's smokin' but with you I always get so happy and all like…knuckleheaded or somethin…and I know it's impossible, and that I was just made to be a pervy womanizer but deep down…deep down…I think that I…I…" Vito stared up at Rosie. Her chocolaty eyes were wide and watery and her mouth was trembling in shock. Her beautiful red and brown hair was outlined by the blue moon, and her pink bow was hanging to one side making her look like a little confused bunny rabbit. "I think…no, I know that I love you Rosie! And I don't care if that loosa Mike's the real guy, I can't ignore what I'm feelin in my gut any longer. I just can't live without ya Rosie…believe me I have tried…and I just…I just…can't."
A long silence followed after this. Vito's face burned with his sudden outburst, and Rosie tried to take it all in with a confused blank stare. She leaned forward, her bangs shadowing her eyes.
"You're wrong…" A single tear rolled down her cheek and landed with a plop on Vito's bare chest. He shivered at the cold liquid.
"What?"
"I said zhat you are wrong Monsieur Vito!" Rosie suddenly stared right in his eyes, tears streaming down her face. She screamed in his face with an angry shaking of her head. "Mike can't be zhe real guy! 'E just can't! Rosanne Louise would not fall in love with just a personality!"
"…Rosie…" Vito stared at her in shock, he had not heard her raise her voice like this since she had last spoken to Pierre.
"If you were truly just a personality, zhen why would you run all zhis way to save me? Why would you always get excited to see me? Why would you say all zhose zhings…'ow could you possibly feel zhis way and just be a personality of zhe stupid Mike?" Rosie was pounding Vito's chest now and crying roughly. Vito wanted her to stop crying, but he couldn't find the right words to say. "You are more zhan zhat…don't call yourself just a personality…I know zhat you are more zhan zhat, Vito! And deep down…deep down in my 'eart…" Rosie cringed and tensed up her shoulders. She stared down at Vito with a sad lonely smile and big teary eyes. "I…I know zhat I love you too…" Another tear fell onto Vito's face and Rosie's voice softened to a barely audible whisper. "I love zhe Vito…zhe real Vito who always 'olds me so close, and touches me so gently…'e always kisses me so…so…"
"Real…" Both Vito and Rosie said it at the same time. Vito wiped a tear delicately from Rosie's eye as she relaxed her shoulders and took a deep breath.
"Please…please don't cry Rosie…especially over me…" Vito stared at her as she sniffled pathetically. (Heh, literally over him)
"I probably look 'ideous when I cry…I'm sorry Vito…"
"No…that's not it at all…actually, you look beautiful like dis…ya know with the moonlight and the ripped clothes and the stained mascara and the poison ivy welts…"
"Stop it Vito!" Rosie flicked him on the forehead but she was starting to smile a little at his hidden insults. "You don't look so good either! You 'ave zhe poisonous ivy too, and your hair isn't so slick anymore and now your pants are all muddy and ripped too…" Rosie was giggling as she pointed out how ridiculous the usually smooth Vito looked crushed beneath her in the small box-like pit.
"Ey, you're laughing again! I'll take insults for that." Vito attempted to shrug his itchy shoulders and smirked happily. Rosie smiled and leaned in close to his ear.
"I love you, Vito…" Vito felt tingles scurry through his itchy back, torso and arms with each breath. "Now 'ow did zhat sound?"
"Eh, you're good toots." Vito wiggled his eyebrows at her deviously. "But why don't you leave this to da professional?" Vito suddenly rubbed his hands along Rosie's itchy shoulders and slowly pulled her down so her ear was right next to his lips. His hands then trailed along her slender shoulder blades and began to massage her lower back. He coyly bit her ear before whispering his sweet nothings.
"I love you, Rosie…I think that I would die without you by my side." Rosie giggled and gently kissed his neck. "Now how was dat? Pretty good eh?"
"I believe zhat I stand in zhe presence of a true master…" Rosie's lips lowered to Vito's collarbone as she slowly kissed her way down his neck. She gently pressed her lips into his cheek, then stared dreamily into his eyes. "Will you perhaps take me on as you're little apprentice, oh powerful master?" Vito grinned from ear to ear as he pulled her in for the final destination of her elongated trail.
"I'll teach you everythin I know Baby." With that their lips finally met. Unhindered, without distraction, and without hesitation. Just pure bliss of couple who just experienced the joy of a fresh mutual confession. Rosie regained her position of knocking on Vito's door with her teeth; however Vito surprised her. He ravenously turned the tables and began to sweetly caress her full bottom lip with his tongue. Rosie instantly surrendered with her nibbling and gave in to simply allowing Vito to completely take control. Her arms twirled up behind his neck and she latched on to pull herself closer to him. Vito continued rubbing her back and simply tightened his grip whenever Rosie would throw in a playful nip at his tongue.
Suddenly, the harsh beam of a flashlight shone down on the couple with a ferocious piercing light.
"MIKE?" Zoey stared down at the couple romantically sucking face. Her eyes widened with a look of horror. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The flashlight shined right down into Vito's eyes as Zoey screamed with outrage. Rosie groaned and rolled her eyes as she reluctantly broke away from Vito's enticing lips. A small string of saliva still connected the couple as Rosie turned to glare up at Zoey. Vito and Rosie both giggled as the small string broke when Vito smiled. Turning his attention back up to Zoey, Vito growled through clenched teeth up at her.
"Not you again…look lady, I already told ya that the Vito is a taken man. Now if you wouldn't mind, we would appreciate some privacy…" He stressed the last word with his eyes on Rosie. He slowly leaned in to pick up where they left off, however Rosie simply placed her finger on his lips and smiled up at Zoey.
"Ello little red-head virgin…would you mind 'elping us out of zhis 'ell' 'ole? Si vous plait?" Rosie didn't seem to realize the insult and smiled happily. Zoey rolled her eyes and groaned with irritation.
"Fine…but I'm only doing this for Mike." She angrily tossed a ball of rope down the pit and secured the other end to a tree nearby. "You can climb up now!"
Rosie grabbed onto the rope and helped Vito to stand up next to her in the cramped space. Vito grimaced as his back cracked back into its original shape.
"Oh boy…I'm gonna feel that tomorrow…" He moaned in pain while rubbing his lower back. He winked over at Rosie and motioned towards the rope. "Ladies first…" Rosie giggled and began scaling the wall while hanging onto the rope. Halfway up the wall, Vito cat-called up at Rosie, clearly enjoying the view.
"Vito! Ooh-la-la…" Rosie's face grew red with embarrassment but her smile couldn't be contained. "You are such a little romantic."
"Pervert is more like it…" Zoey grumbled under her breath. Rosie glared at her as she finally jumped up onto solid ground.
"Ok my love, you may climb up now! It is safe!" Rosie tugged on the rope, signaling for Vito to start climbing. Some strained groans and the tightening rope made both girls step back as Vito painfully crawled up to the edge of the pit.
"Holy canoli…I feel like I got attacked by a whole army of starving mosquitoes." Vito flopped down on his back and began itching his arms wildly.
"What happened to you guys?" Zoey watched him writhe in pain as Rosie too began scratching her thigh.
"Zhe 'ole zhing was rigged with poisonous ivy…" Rosie grit her teeth as she began to itch faster behind her neck. "Everywhere…it is everywhere!" Suddenly, Rosie's eyes widened and she stopped scratching instantly. "Oly crab!"
"I think you mean 'holy crap'…." Zoey muttered. "What's wrong?"
"Zhe challenge! I almost completely forgot! Vito!" Rosie stared down at the shirtless boy with panic in her eyes. "Vito what are we going to do?" Vito instantly stood up and grabbed Rosie's dirty hand in his own muddy palm. He stared into her eyes with a fiery determination.
"We gotta go find dose statues!" Rosie nodded in understanding and they both began to walk towards the forest.
"Wait! Mike, I mean…Viho? Vivo? Vibo…whatever, I found two statues." Zoey ran over and set her hand on Vito's shoulder, spinning him around to face her. "I was going to give the other one to Mike, but I guess…if technically, you are him…"
"No! Vito is not Mike! Mike is Vito!" Rosie glared and made a fist at Zoey. "Do not forget zhat!" Zoey shrugged her shoulders.
"Whatever, the point is, I have an extra statue for Mike." Zoey handed Vito the gilded Chris statue and held his hand tightly. "I know you are in there Mike…and I'm doing this for you…" Suddenly, Vito felt Mike gaining control by the sound of Zoey's voice. He held his head in his hands and groaned.
"It's you! Dis red-heads givin this loosa back his control!" Vito moaned and glanced painfully at Rosie. "Back where we split up…statue…I dropped…and ran for you…" Suddenly, Vito gasped for breath and his hair bounced up to its original spikes. Mike stood there with a dumb-struck look on his face.
"Ugg…what happened?" Mike asked rubbing the back of his head. Zoey threw her arms around him, kissing him on the cheek.
"Mike! You're back!" Rosie cringed as Mike blushed and wrapped his arm around Zoey's waist.
"Zoey! You are alright!" He looked so happy to see her. Rosie squeezed her eyes shut as tears streamed down her face. She spun around on her heel and took off in the direction Vito had told her to go. Just before they were out of sight, Rosie watched Mike gently kiss Zoey on the lips. Rosie felt her heart sink into her stomach and her eyes wouldn't stop crying. She shook her head and ran even faster.
"Vito…Vito…Vito! I love you Vito!" Rosie screamed to no one as she simply ran. "I love you…I really do…I really love you…" Her voice faded to nothing but a whisper which was lost among the trees.