"A tiger doesn't loose sleep over the opinion of a sheep."
~
Three classes later, we finally meet back up at lunch. People that pass by barely recognize me, but I get plenty of compliments on my hair. It's awkward not sitting at my usual middle table with Jayanand's friends.83Please respect copyright.PENANAnNi4h5RvY9
"Hey Maddie, how are classes going?"
"Good, as usual."
"Did you brainstorm for our AP Biomed project?"
"Yep, I'm finally decided on autism last week. How is yours going?"83Please respect copyright.PENANAjeT1wNLa2x
"I chose----" She does a drumbeat on the table. "OCD----isn't it so interesting?" She presents her poster board with all of its high-tech looking graphs and pictures.83Please respect copyright.PENANADas8HxFego
"What's this class? You did autism? Guess it would have been nice if you had known me before hand, huh?" Rizzo plays with his lima beans.
"Yeah, probably so, Rizzo, but I think I did alright." I study the amazing premliminary details of her OCD research compared to what I put together last minute. "Though not as good as yours, Saunders." I scoot beside Rizzo as Paige joins us.83Please respect copyright.PENANAOt0A4qdZBM
She settles beside Saunders. "Hello, my favorite vice president."
"Isn't it standard to only have one vice president?" Rizzo frowns. "According to what I read about American democracy, right?"
"It's just an expression," I explain.
"Are you a new member of our student body? Let me introduce myself. Paige Miller, standing student body president of the 2018 class. We're 2018, and we're a lean, green, fighting machine."
"Ewww, is that our motto? Because it sucks!"
"Yes, Saun, well that's what I was going to ask you about. We have a week to come up with a class motto before senior pics. I was wondering if you would be willing to take the lead on that? I'm already tied with trying to convince the teachers that prom should even happen after the mishap at the dance."
Saunders bites into her square pizza thoughtfully. "But...we're seniors. Who cares what happens? We'll be leaving. Besides, we all know what's on most guys' mind that night, anyway."
Paige rolls her eyes. "The only thing on MY mind is getting through the night smoothly and leaving an awesome legacy as standing class president."
"Excuse me. Do you need a photographer for this event?" Rizzo leans across the table to stare directly in Paige's face.
"Uhhh..." She frowns, taken aback by how close he is.
I smile with a fry to my mouth and slowly put my hand on Rizzo's shoulder, pulling him back down. As he seems slightly put off by the gesture, I sit back a minute.
"Rizzo, talk to me."
He turns to me. "I don't like when people touch me unexpectedly. Next time, warn me first, please."
"My apologies." I touch his arm gently. "You don't need to get so close to people to talk to them."
"Then how will I get her attention? She is talking so nonstop."
I smirk, and Saunders spits out her milk as she laughs. Paige's mouth drops open fifty feet. Well, someone needed to tell her.
"Just say her name."
"I didn't care to remember it."83Please respect copyright.PENANAd4oKcR1DBm
"Dear sir, you have GOT to work on your manners," I reply with amusement. "Then just say, 'Miss.' That's good American mannerisms."83Please respect copyright.PENANAtaUabNL3b9
"Oh, oh, oh!" Paige bounces in her seat. "Are you the new foreign exchange student?"
"No, he just moved here. The foreign exchange student is from Australia or Poland or somewhere," Saunders corrects.
"Pardone perdere," Rizzo interrupts. "Miss Paige, do you need a photographer for the event?"83Please respect copyright.PENANAEobagOAjXu
"Yes! I forgot. Rizzo is totally an awesome photographer. His father is Giuseppe Balistreri. Photographer extraordinaire." Saunders flares her hands in the air for dramatic effect.83Please respect copyright.PENANAv4RPrAZTau
"Padre cannot do it, but I can."
"Hey, that's great. Just bring me a sample of your portfolio before the end of the week, okay, Rizzo?" Paige sticks out her hand.
As Paige sticks out her hand, he narrows his eyes and moves away like her hand is the plague. "Gianrico Balistreri is my name. You can call me Gianrico. Only my friends call me Rizzo, and you and I are only acquaintances, by traditional social standards, right?"83Please respect copyright.PENANA1B4lfHrhZO
I just stir my corn with a sigh. This boy...83Please respect copyright.PENANAld7oHWgyhj
"What?" Paige turns red with embarrassment. "You're just as weird as Saunders." She shakes her head at Saunders forming a mashed potato building on top of her pizza, then hops away from the table to chase down her secretary.
"Saunders, do you consider her a friend?"
Saunders looks up suddenly. "Sure, Rizzo. She's good people."
"But she...seemed like she looks down on you. Is that how friends are supposed to act?"
"Ummm...well, I don't really pay attention to it, to be honest."
"No, Rizzo, friends aren't supposed to do that," I answer. "Friends are supposed to help you."
"Like you, Maddie?"
"Yes, like me and Saunders did this morning. Though she has her nice moments, Paige can be two-faced, but she's alright people."83Please respect copyright.PENANA9gTkFyPswC
"Two-faced..."
Saunders stifles a laugh through her mouthful of potatoes. "Yeah, like a two-faced poser. A real faker?"83Please respect copyright.PENANAEvfcEbDeaw
"Cretino?"
Saunders pulls out her phone to look up the word. "Yes, perfect definition---jerk. You got it."83Please respect copyright.PENANAu93P6C08de
"You'll learn that a lot of girls are like that. We're not as to the point and cool as guys are."83Please respect copyright.PENANAJrt81HjTs0
Rizzo laughs, staring at his burger. "Is this good American food?"83Please respect copyright.PENANAqSwNuUu5sr
"No way!" Saunders laughs. "It's about as good as playdo. Hence my leaning tower of pizza." She jams her fork into the mashed potato structure with its pizza foundation. "But if you're really hungry, you should try it. At least it's not mystery meat day, and you usually can't go wrong with the burger. I'm glad you didn't get the pizza. It would have been a disgrace to what you're probably used to. By the way, I'm sorry, Maddie, I forgot my book of Italy at home."
"Book of Italy?"
"Yeah, Maddie and I won a school trip to Italy this summer to work at the Maestoso Tigre wildlife sanctuary this summer. Do you know it, Rizzo?"
"Yes, it opened up recently. Padre Gui and I were the photographers at the opening event." He excitedly pulls out a fancy camera and flips through the pictures to display: him behind another camera in the enclosure with baby tigers---dressed in a tiger suit complete with a little tail. "Padre Gui took this while I wasn't looking. I like to connect with my subjects, and they really enjoyed the suit. The people who had the first day tour said we were their favorite exhibit." He chuckles to himself as he flips to a picture of him with a baby tiger pouncing on his tail. He even has on elaborate facepaint more realistic than any I have ever seen. "I did the facepaint myself. It took an hour out of my morning to do the whole suit. My sister helped me sow it."
"Man, that's amazing!" I am excited just seeing photographs of the tigers we will be working with in barely a two months' time.
"And, Saunders, here is REAL pizza," he jokes. "We went to lunch with the staff afterwards." The pizza in the picture is huge. "Your pizza is a poser in comparison, right?"
"Agreed." Saunders shoves her plate away. "And with that, I'm done with this gross thin."
I sip my chocolate milk, grimacing at my own slice of dried-up pizza, which I have dipped in mustard to spice up the taste. "I'll say. Rizzo, we are going to have to take you to Wright's Cafe. That's the best American food in town, and I assure you it's not mystery meat like the crap they throw on our plate in here."83Please respect copyright.PENANAECdedtdvYI
"Sounds good, but right now, I'm hungry." He packs up the camera and picks up the top bun. "Pardone Saunders, will you please pass me a ketchup packet?"
"Sure, Rizzo." I set a handful down in front of him. "Add some flavor to that mystery meat."83Please respect copyright.PENANA9Th8dVD36V
"My manners were correct?" his blue gaze studies me.83Please respect copyright.PENANA6Nbt2alFKj
"Excellent."
He smiles and reaches across the table to grab mustard packets off my own plate.
"Rizzo, you have to ask her permission too." Saunders giggles and tosses a few ketchup packets on his plate.
He stops, sitting back. "Right. Maddie, might I have mostarda?" Embarrassment reflects in his expression.
"Yes, you may." I place a gentle hand on his arm to reassure him that I am not the least bit offended. He flexes his shoulder unexpectedly and glances at me. This boy...he makes my face heat up and my heart pound... dang, he sure is fine---what the HECK, Maddie, you are betrothed, remember?83Please respect copyright.PENANAN7I02w543E
I fall back. "I'm sorry, i forgot to ask---"83Please respect copyright.PENANAuvOhzntBYa
"No, is corretta." He grins. "We are friends, and friends relax around one another." He places a hand on my shoulder. "I think I can trust you."83Please respect copyright.PENANAlqVTztfOXX
"Totally, Rizzo."83Please respect copyright.PENANAq0Og8hYMUi