I would like to thank Beatrice Benedick for her help with this chapter. Was starting to get writer's block again and she helped me think of something else to write without even meaning to. And just for your information flash backs will be done in italics (it makes sense) Betty's POV
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The next morning, Betty sat in class in a daydream. She was in Biology, one of the classes Gio wasn't in with her. Her mind had drifted off and she was thinking about him yet again. He had been constantly on her mind since her Spanish class yesterday. She let herself daydream. "Hmm," she sighed thinking of how she had actually fallen for him and built up enough courage to tell him.
She thought it was so sweet, him helping her out in class like that. They walked down the corridor in silence; the weird thing was it wasn't awkward. They had art that afternoon and as they headed for the art department Gio accidentally dropped Betty's books. "Oh shit," he swore and then looked up at Betty. "Sorry, I didn't mean to drop them." Betty giggled at him. She bent down and helped him pick up the sheets that had flown out of her folder. The jotter she had been drawing on previously in geography had fallen beside Gio's feet and he picked up. He smiled as he saw the drawings. There were hearts and song lyrics doodled all over it.
They sat in art, next to each other, speaking away as if they had been friends for years. It was really easy for them. They had draw different fruits and vegetables. "What is the point of this?" Betty asked doodling onto her page. She had pictures of bananas and oranges, carrots and pickles. "I know! This is so boring," Gio said yawning. Betty got a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She took her pencil and started doodling again. "What are you doing, Betty?" Gio asked looking over her shoulder. He laughed as he saw the pickle that she had drawn with a smiley face on it. They sat for the whole lesson drawing food with faces on it.
Betty laughed out loud as she thought about that day in art with Gio. It had been so much fun and the start of a wonderful half a year friendship. She missed him when he wasn't around, which was weird for Betty. She had never been that close to someone before. She looked up and saw that her Biology teacher was still working at the board. She went back to reminiscing.
They had been friends for about a month and spent every moment together. They were round at each other's houses every second day of the week. Betty had been shopping with him to find the perfect dress for the senior prom in a week's time. "Betty?" Gio asked as they grabbed a hot drink, "I should have probably asked you this sooner, but seeing as how we are such good friends, can we go to the dance together? I don't want to go with anyone else." She smiled at him and nodded, taking a long drink from her mug. She didn't want him to see her turning beetroot.
They continued dress shopping. Eventually they found a dress that suited Betty perfectly. It wasn't her normal style of dress but she could tell Gio loved it on her and she trusted him more than anyone else in the world. The dress was a burgundy colour and was strapless and had a flirty skirt to it. She hoped it wasn't too suggestive, but to be fair she didn't mind flirting with Gio every now and again.
The dance was going to be a perfect opportunity to flirt with him, but they were friends. Did she really want to take it further? He was absolutely gorgeous to look at, especially since he was growing his hair out and he had an amazing personality and knew exactly what to say to make her smile. He was brilliant in every way possible.
Betty smiled as she came out of her daydream. Everyone else in the class had started working, but she wasn't in the mood too. She doodled hearts onto the back of her jotter. She wrote Gio's name in the middle of one and smiled. "Giovanni Rossi, my boyfriend and my best friend," she thought. She remembered the night of the dance. She had never been happier.
Betty had walked down the stairs to see Gio standing there waiting for her. He was wearing a tux and looked amazing. She coughed as she got to the last step and Gio walked over towards her and took her hand to help her to the ground floor. "Betty, you look $1million tonight," he said smiling proudly. She smiled at him. She was a little self-conscious, as she had gotten braces put on a few days earlier.
Gio could tell Betty was not happy with the braces. "Betty, I want you to do me a favour?" he said. She nodded her head. "You look beautiful to me no matter what and I love your braces. They really suit you. Lei non ha mai guardato più bell'a me." Betty looked at him confused. "What did you say? I don't speak Italian remember? You haven't started teaching me yet," she said smacking his arm playfully. He smiled at her and replied, "It doesn't matter. Oh and that reminds me I have this for you." He took a box out of the inside of his tux pocket and revealed a beautiful lily corsage. He tied it around her wrist. "Bye Papi," Betty shouted as they left.
Betty and Gio sat and spoke for hours at the prom. They ate and spoke and then Betty started to sing the song that had just come on. Gio stood up and held out his hand, "Would you like to dance?" he asked. She grabbed his hand and felt a spark shoot up her arm again. There was a connection between them and she knew it. They started dancing. The song was upbeat and they happily danced, Gio even showing Betty some salsa moves. When the song ended Betty didn't want to stop dancing. The next song was a slower beat. Betty saw Gio move uncertainly. "Betty, we don't have to if you don't want to," he said. She put a finger to his lips and smiled at him, flashing her braces to him. He smiled back and put his hand on her waist as she put hers around his neck. They swayed backwards and forwards. Betty could feel Gio's breath on her neck and it sent shivers down her spine. She moved closer towards him, not thinking about what she was doing. She liked the feeling of him being so close.
They continued dancing and eating and speaking all night. When it was time to go home, Gio walked Betty home. When they got to her door, Betty turned to Gio and gave him a huge hug. "Thank you very much for tonight," she said smiling. He had given her confidence and made her night very special. "It's my pleasure. You are very special to me," he said sincerely. They parted from their embrace and said goodnight. Betty walked inside and saw Gio sit down on her doorstep. Her heart was pounding. He was special to her too, very special. She has started to fall for him properly. Not like all the girls in her year, who said they were in love for the sake of it; she actually felt it.
"Miss Suarez! Are you leaving today or are you just going to sit there?" he r teacher said interrupting her daydream. She hadn't even heard the bell go for break. "Oh, sorry Sir," she said gathering her things and running out of the class. She ran to her locker and saw Gio waiting for her.
"Hey you," she said trying to compose herself as she saw Gio waiting at her locker for her. He smiled when he heard her voice. "How are ya today?" she asked smiling brightly. "I'm great now that I've seen you. How about you?" he said smiling even more. "I'm great thank you," She said giving him a friendly hug. To be honest she just wanted him close to her like when they were dancing the previous night. The hug was very intense. She really enjoyed having her body pressed against his. She smiled at the thought of getting a hug like that every day for the rest of her life. She felt like she couldn't live without him. She knew she couldn't live without him. She felt something more than friendship for this wonderful guy next to her. She fancied him obviously, h was amazing, but it was more than even that. Could she possibly love him?
"Hey babes," Gio said as he saw her. As she approached him he took her into and embrace that said all she needed to hear. He looked lovingly down at her as she cuddled into his shoulder. "Hey, how are you?" she said moving away from his arms. He caught her waist and kept her close. "I feel amazing with you here like this," he whispered in her ear. She blushed and looked up at him. "Come on you, we better get going or we will be late for class and we kind of owe a lot to the geography department now," he said winking at her and taking her hand as they head up to class.