From the upcoming fic (On the Run).

Big Gino, Katrinka: Change of heart, change of life.

October 2005.

"You comin' back for Christmas?." He sounded like a child needy for his mother's company … but this wasn't his mother. It was a young lady he's known as a child.
After that dance he had with her eight years ago at their school's very first April fool's dance she was gone never to be seen again till they meet at a party held by a mutual friend.

She turned to him and gave him a sly smirk, "You really like having me around?."

He smiled at her through half lidded eyes and brought her hands to his lips. "I've had the most enjoyable moments of my life during our short … reunion."

"Unfortunately I'll be in Russia this Christmas." She placed her free hand on his cheek a loving smile drawn across her face.

"Will I ever see you again?."

A person who didn't really know them would think they were long time lovers. They've only been talking for a couple of hours however and their romantic gestures towards each other may seem a little rash but perhaps they've both been planning for this for years … they were both looking for love, the real kind.

"I'll be here till next saturday before going back to LA." She tried to sound casual but deep inside, her heart was aching at the thought that they only had almost a week to be with each other before they went their own ways.

"Then how about I invite you for lunch tomorrow?."

Katrinka smiled at him, "sure." She said as she dug out a pen from her purse, grabbed his hand and scribbled down her number on it.

They both smile at each other, she licks her lips, he ponders whether it was an invitation for a kiss or her lips were simply dry but she already walks away.

"See you tomorrow Gino." As soon as Katrinka leaves the house her phone rings. "Hello?."

"Just checking." He tells her and she chuckles.

Their lunch date went well and one date led to another till their last meeting that Saturday night.

"What's this?." she asks as he handed her a small box beautifully wrapped in silver paper and a pretty silver ribbon.

"Consider it an advanced Christmas present." He tells her debonairly with a hand in his pocket.

She takes the present and carefully unwraps it revealing a pair of diamond earrings. "Gino … this … it's …" she was speechless."Is this real?." She was finally able to blurt out.

"If you mean by 'real', real diamonds then yes. They are. I hope you don't refuse them, please take them as a gift … an appreciation actually. I've never enjoyed a lady's company as much as I did with you."

'This kid doesn't sound like and 18 year old college student.' She remarked to herself. "Well um … they're a little too expensive for me t-."

"Nonsense. My Father always told me that no gift is too expensive for a special somebody." He was surprised at himself for saying that.

Katrinka felt a wave of red hit her cheeks. She looked at the earrings and back at Gino. The setting was already romantic.

They were at the balcony, the moon was bright, he looked so amazing, so classy … this all looked familiar.

"Gino?."

"Yes Katrinka."

"Are you still … you know, part of a mafia?." She herself was afraid to find out. How else can he afford a pair of diamond earrings?.

His debonair started to wear off as he moved his feet uneasily, he was so proud of his title … but tonight … "Y-yes. I still am." He tried to regain his composure but he failed. Her question totally took him off guard.
His loan business was much more fruitful now that he has entered college, thanks to the 'party animal' fools. This saved him the trouble of looking for a job.

They didn't know what else to say at that moment and you bet it got pretty awkward.

"Hey guys we're all saying our final goodbyes before we leave back tomorrow. Join us!." Some random girl called to them from inside breaking the uncomfortable situation much to their relief.

"Let's go inside." He extends his hand towards the living room, ladies first.

Everyone hugged and bid goodbye to each other not sure when they'll see each other again, no kisses … much to his dismay, she was leaving the next day anyway. And as far as he knew long distance relationships never really worked … he's seen his friends go through them.

Katrinka was sitting at the airport, two more hours before her flight back to LA. She looked at her cell phone in her hands.
She tossed and turned in her bed, sleep wasn't gonna drop by that night. She couldn't stop thinking of the earrings Gino's given her … it wasn't the price of the gift that bothered her … it was the diamonds. She needed to call him.

The familiar distinctive ringtone could be heard from behind her, she turned around to find a guy wearing a baseball cap and shades nervously trying to shut his phone.

"Gino?." She walked over to him.

"Katrinka." He laughed nervously as he took off his shades and stood up from his seat. "Wha-what a coincidence."

She smirked, 'Yeah right'. "What are you doing here?." As if she couldn't guess.

"I-I heard about this new Italian restaurant opening exclusively here at the airport so I decided to drop by and … get a taste." Where was a falling piano when you needed it?.

"Ok. " she nodded and took out something from her handbag. "Now that you're here, I just wanted to give you your gift back." She handed him the earrings.

"You didn't like them?." He sounded hurt.

"No it's not that, it's just- I'm against wearing diamonds … at least the real ones."

"Why?." He started getting curious. "I thought diamonds are a girl's best friend?."

"Not mine. They look beautiful and irresistible I know, but when I look at them I see innocent blood, sweat, misery, inhumane conditions."

He tilted his to the side trying to understand what she meant.

She smiled "Just google' inhumane conditions of diamond workers' and you'll get the answer."

"I understand. But, what do I do with these?." He looked at the gift, now in his hand.

"You can sell them and take back your money or give them for charity." She suggested.

He gave her a loving smile, 'I'm gonna marry her someday.' He dared to promise himself.

She looked at her watch, "I've got less than two hours before my flight leaves. How about you take me to that Italian restaurant you were talking about."

His palms started getting sweaty, what we going to tell her now?. Mama was right when she said never lie to a lady. "Umm well." he tried to improvise.

She chuckled, "or how about we get some pizza over at Pizza hut." She pointed her thumb to the fast food restaurant behind her.

"Even better." he shrugged smiling nervously.

They were done eating, having yet another delightful conversation. It was her calling, she wipes her mouth and his with cleansing wipes, share a delicious kiss that hurt when they let go … it was only for two minutes.

He helps her with her bags as they rush to the gate.

"Goodbye." She kisses his cheek though what she was hungry for was another taste of his mouth but she didn't want to taint the innocent mind of the adorable little girl standing behind them with her parents.

She remembers how when she was five she witnessed a couple French kissing in front of her, oh how much she wondered about it and why they did it.

"You'll always be on my mind." He holds her hand.

"Yeah, there's always email." She jokes and plants a final kiss on his nose. He has grown in height but his face was still that cute baby face he's always had. "Next time when I see you, make sure you're out of the mafia business." She whispered to his ear and with that she enters the gate and soon disappears.

He places his hand on his heart.

Will he be able to keep that promise? …

(MUSIC:LENNY KRAVITZ-I'LL BE WAITING)

Author's Note: For those who've read my 2nd fic 'Dream on' I'm sure you know the answer, but I'm fast forwarding it to a couple of years later from that fic … things'll be a little twisted and I'm meaning to make this ficlet as a continuation to a later fic I'll be working on once I'm done with my current one 'Ninety two days of summer'.

Some of you may ask, 'why do you write ficlets from upcoming fics? Isn't that going to ruin the whole plot?' My answer, 'No it wouldn't, these are like aftermaths of those fics so they don't have any spoilers or anything.' I was planning on posting some already finished ficlets but they'd probably be a little confusing for you who read 'Ninety two days of summer' since some of them are related to a few subtle plots happening in the fic itself … I just need to be free from my upcoming Nutrition exam this Thursday and I'll hopefully be good to go. I've got all these ideas for the other kids not emphasized on in the show that I just need to write down before I get tired of them bouncing around in my head. I still need solid ideas for the chaps. In my other fic 'Ninety two days of summer'.

This ficlet was partly inspired by apocalypticism's new avatar pic and Maroon5's song 'secret'. Though that's gonna be the soundtrack of part two of this ficlet. Stay tuned. I gotta go to sleep now though I got a question for 'ye' which I'll be asking in my next chapter. Boy howdy, do I love hearing myself talk don't I? =P.