EMPTY PROMISES

International High School / Two weeks later

The school bell was ringing through all the classrooms. Finally, school was over! I quickly packed my bag and left the classroom with Leyla and Cindy; we had biology class together for the last two hours. Sally had left school earlier today because she wasn't feeling well. Outside we were standing on the schools ground and talking for a moment, before parting ways for today. "Fortunately the biology test was quite easy; I expected it to be more difficult!" I said with relief. "What do you think, girls?" I was looking at my friends, but there was no reaction! They weren't even listening to me, but were obviously taken with something, or more likely, someone ... I rolled my eyes annoyed. "Is that hot guy over there your boyfriend, Sofia?!" asked Leyla now. "Look at him; Marco looks simply stunning!" said Cindy raving and her blue eyes were glowing. WHAT?! I turned around ; there was actually my boyfriend standing and waving to us! "Hey girls!" he called with a wink and my two friends were literally melting. My heart skipped a beat; it was the first time Marco was picking me up from school! And he looked really stunning, even in his college uniform.

Marco!" I called out his name and he laughed happily. That laugh! Now I was melting too ... "Bye Leyla, bye Cindy! See you tomorrow!" I greeted the girls, then I walked over to my boyfriend. My friends waved at me before walking away. "Marco, what a surprise!" I said with a soft smile as I was standing in front of him; then I went up on my tiptoes to kiss him. He grinned and pulled me close to him, kissing me back tenderly. I felt a pleasant warmth; his lips were so soft and he tasted so fucking good, of tobacco and mint! I was hopelessly in love with Marco ... "Ciao amore, come stai?" he murmured now in Italian. I sighed deeply. "I'm feeling great, Marco, now that you're here!" I replied softly. I moved away from him a bit, looking at him thoughtfully. "Don't you have lessons at college this afternoon?" Marco shook his head. "No, I'm free this afternoon. Aren't you happy to see me, piccola?" he asked, a little disappointed. I laughed loudly. "Of course I'm happy, amore! You've no idea how much." I winked at him and he was glowing all over his face.

"Let's grab a coffee! Right over there is the cafeteria where we use to go during the break!" I explained. "Good idea! Later I'll drive you home!" said Marco, putting his arm around me, as we were walking over to the cafeteria. A little later, we were sitting in front of each other in the café, drinking our coffee. I had also ordered a muffin; I was hungry! Marco was watching me while I was eating the muffin with pleasure. The look from his deep blue eyes was intense, as always, but also inscrutable, making me a little nervous. We were together for two weeks now, but it felt like I had known him since forever ... Marco used to come over often to my place in the afternoon, still tutoring me in math. Being the two of us alone in my room, we had enough time for hot kisses and gentle touches, exploring and knowing each other more and more! Otherwise, we met with Sally and Frank and other people from the group and always had a good time. Everything seemed to be perfect, but it wasn't, at least not for me! Marco kept on smoking weed and I could not help, but doubt his intention to ever stop it ...

I was feeling disappointed and involuntarily changed my face expression; I was really pissed off! Marco noticed it and looked at me in dismay. Then he reached for my hands, but I immediately pulled them back. "Sofia, what's wrong? Why are you looking that angry?!" he asked with a worried tone in his voice. I took a deep breath. "Can't you imagine why, Marco?" I shouted at him and he flinched. "You didn't keep your promise!" I gave him a furious look and he swallowed hard. "What, what do you mean?" He seemed to be confused! Was he playing dumb, or the promises, he had made to me two weeks ago, were nothing else than empty promises?! "You know exactly what I mean, Marco!" I said angrily. "You promised me something two weeks ago; the night we first kissed and you asked me to be your girlfriend!" I took another deep breath and Marco nervously cleared his throat. "You promised me to go to therapy. But you don't even try to get away from the stuff!" I sighed deeply and looked at him with mixed emotions; I was really disappointed! Marco avoided my gaze, concerned, and once again he didn't say a word ... Then he cleared his throat several times.

"That's not true, Sofia! I'm really trying to smoke less weed. I'm reducing the quantity of weed in the cigarettes day by day, please believe me!" He was looking at me insistently and I swallowed. Was he really doing that?! "But it's so fucking hard! And then there are the sleeping pills I really need for sleeping!" he said nervously. "I'm suffering from insomnia since my parents got divorced; I've always been taking some kind of sleeping pills since then! At first I was taking herbal medicinal pills, but in recent years I've needed stronger sleeping pills." Marco looked so unhappy that I was feeling really bad. He needed my help, how could I forget that! I reached for his hands and started caressing him gently. He swallowed hard. "I really need to go to therapy to get off all this stuff. I'm addicted to the sleeping pills too!" My heart was aching to see him that desperate. How could his dad have let him down all these years, even accepting that his son was getting addicted to sleeping pills?! I couldn't imagine that he didn't know about it ....

I took a deep breath. "Okay Marco, please listen to me! I will give it all to support you in your detox," I said seriously. "I really care about you and I want to make it work between us!" Marco gave me a little smile, warming immediately my heart. I was so in love with him! "Grazie Sofia, grazie di esistere!" he said softly and although I had never learned Italian, I understood the meaning of his words: "Thank you Sofia, thank you for being there!" He pulled my hands to his lips and kissed them with so much devotion, that my eyes were filling with tears! Marco had that bad boy image, he wanted to appear strong and untouchable, but he was broken inside. He showed this vulnerable side only to me and when we were together, he was giving me all his love. It was breathtaking, beautiful when he kissed and touched me tenderly and with so much devotion; I was crazy for him! "You have no idea how much you mean to me, amore!" interrupted Marco's rusky voice my thoughts. "When I'm with you, I'm just happy." He was still caressing my hands with his lips and I was slowly getting hot! It felt just so good ... "I will go to that damn therapy, I promise you! It should, it has to work between us." Marco was very serious, I could read the sincerity of those words in his beautiful eyes.

I leaned over to him and gently touched his face. He sighed softly. "My parents want to invite you for dinner on Saturday night; they want to know you better!" I said grinning. Marco looked at me in surprise. "Really? It looks like things are getting serious between us!" he said with a wink and we both bursted in laugh. Then Marco suddenly became serious, looking at me without saying a word. His look was inquiring, but also a bit unsure. I held my breath; what was on his mind?! He took a deep breath, before finally continuing to speak. "I don't wanna lose you, Sofia." he said softly and I flinched. What; why should he lose me?! "I, I'm in love with you!" Marco ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment; once again looking irresistible! I rolled my eyes. "Marco, Marco! You won't get rid of me that easy!" I said with a wink. "After all, I'm in love with you too!" I tried to play it cool, but my heart was beating like crazy. Marco had just confessed that he was in love with me! He looked deep into my eyes; I was getting very hot! I could clearly see the desire in his dark blue eyes ... It was obvious that he wanted more than just kiss my hands!

"Maybe we should go now!" I said softly, with a seductive tone in my voice. "I have some homework to do this afternoon. But before we can stop at that little park in Cole Valley on the way home and spend some time together ..." I winked at him and Marco swallowed hard. "Sì, amore mio, that's a great idea!" he whispered breathlessly, jumping up so fast the chair almost tipped backwards. "Marco!" I exclaimed with indignation, then I could not help, but laugh loudly. Marco looked so cute, standing there all embarrassed! After we had paid, we left the cafeteria, driving on Marco's motorbike to Cole Valley. But before arriving at home, we stopped at the little park near my parents' house. Marco turned off his bike, then we went far into the park, where barely came people at this hour. Marco spread his jacket behind some bushes and we lay down on it together. It was only supposed to be for half an hour ... The afternoon sun was warming us pleasantly, while we were kissing and caressing us with all the love and devotion we felt for each other. We just forgot about time and everything else around us! I could not get enough of Marco ... and he could not get enough of me. It was almost evening when he finally took me home.

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