Smitten: A Mafia Romance — Chapter 26

They wheezed with laughter as they walked slowly out of the Cinema. The sounds of their laughter was loud, real loud.

Cole stopped intermittently to clutch at his abdomen while in fits of laughter.

"My favorite part was when that bubble gum sensation girl went over to jamie's house to yell at Chris and they ended up burning the Christmas decorations and he messed up the night with Jamie and had to apologise." Korina said in one breath, "And when he got there, the old man of the house was like 'Have you come to destroy the rest of the house?" She said trying to imitate a manly voice which she successfully failed at causing she and Cole to erupt with more laughter.

"My favourite parts were when Chris and his brother fight and when Chris always tried to be rid of Samantha, the bubble gum sensation."

They continued chatting and laughing as they walked to the car.

"I am so down for any Ryan Reynolds movie." Korina said resting a hand on the car.

"I guess we have something in common now." Cole winked smiling.

"Yea, maybe we do." She breathed moving closer to him.

"But I do know there is something we do not have in common." He said shaking his head.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Gluttony." He said, "It's gluttony."

"You dick head." She slapped him hard on his arm and got more vexed when he laughed instead of yelping in pain.

"I am absolutely right." He said dodging the second hit, "You finished all the snacks and went for more."

"And so?"

"I had only a cup of popcorn." He shrugged, "You are gluttonous, you finished the entire packs of snacks and went for more."

"I am not a glutton." She huffed, "watching movies just drains my energy which needs to be regained."

"Yea right." She thought he agreed, "Whatever makes you sleep at night."

"Asshole." She cursed hitting him again.

They were both leaning against the car now staring into space, up at the starless night.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Cole asked breaking the silence.

"Would love to, but don't you think it's kinda late."

"Nope."

"Okay." She said standing straight, "Let's get going then."

"Let me get something first." He told her.

She watched Cole open the car, he stretched his hand to the pigeon hole and brought out something. She took a closer look and saw it was a gun.

She gasped.

"Cole." Korina gulped.

"Calm down Korina." Cole said rolling his eyes, he put the gun in his coat pocket, "We are about to take a walk and I can't risk anything happening, it's dark and there might be danger out there. Besides, it's licensed." He explained.

"Okay, okay." She nodded being a little calm now, "Let's go." She grabbed her coat from the car and threw it around her shoulder.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"Yep, let's go."

The night was dead dark, they walked with only the street lights guiding them, lesser vehicles and people were on the way now, it wasn't almost completely silent.

The maybe would be couple walked with Cole's hands stuffed in his pockets and Korina's holding her coat in place. They stole occasional glances behind them as they conversed to make sure no one was following them.

"So..."

"So..." Korina repeated his word looking up at him.

"I really wanna ask questions." He said, "Get to know you more, everything about you."

"Hmm."

"I know you could maybe be uncomfortable with some but I really wanna know all about you Korina."

"No problem Cole." She assured him, "You can ask."

"Tell me about your childhood."

"Hmm...my childhood?"

"Yes."

"Here it goes." Korina said, "I grew up in Michigan, both parents black, I didn't entirely have a childhood filled with flowers and butterflies, in nursery school, I had a best friend named Onyx."

"Onyx?" Cole asked a little taken aback by the name.

"Yea, onyx." Korina replied with a light laugh, "Everyone used to tease him for his weird name back then."

"What race?" He asked.

"He was biracial, super cute, had a real cute gaptooth that gave him a charming smile, he used to bring cookies his mama made for him all the time and share them with me and I contributed by bringing milk."

"Awwwn." Cole said in a girly voice.

"Stop that." Korina said attempting to hit him which he dodged.

"Continue."

"I always helped him with his homework, he wasn't entirely bright."

"Oh."

"I remember he also had braces and used glasses."

"Wow."

"I used braces and glasses too, even retainers, made me look like a dork." She said.

"Wish I saw you in them."

"Uggh, don't make me push you into a ditch." Korina jested slightly giving him a push, "So where was I?"

"You being a dork."

She smacked him, "Then as we grew, we grew apart, he became the high school sweetheart belonging to the school basketball team and I just stayed on my own, had a few friends but they, you know, betrayed me."

"Sorry." Cole mumbled, "What was high school life like?"

"I was bullied a lot, was a smart kid and my school was filled with racist and people that hated my very existence."

"Ouch." He grimaced.

"My hair got burnt off about twice."

"The fuck?!." He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Yeap, first by cheerleaders, second by a girl who claimed I answered a class question before she did."

"Those fucktards." He growled, "Sorry about that."

"It's okay."

"My dad and mum had an argument one day, I was still really young, I watched him walk out the door and he never returned."

Cole just stared at her, he had no words.

"My mum died when I was 14, murdered. She got missing for a week, the same week unjust rampant killings of people from other races occurred especially blacks. I raised an alarm and later her body was found in a stream." She was sniffing now.

"She was swollen and bloated, beaten, bruised, battered, her eyes removed and monkies go home was imprinted on her abdomen." Uncontrollable tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Cole brought her closer as she sobbed, he had no comforting words. He wrapped his arms around her as she broke out into loud cries. He did the only thing he thought was appropriate, he gave her gentle back rubs whispering comforting words in her ears.

The ride back to Korina's apartment was silent with Cole putting is full concentration on the road and Korina staring out the car windows, she had stopped crying now. Cole had tried making small talk earlier on as they walked back to the car but he got ignored.

He parked the car and got down, rushing over to Korina's to help her as usual but she already helped herself.

They both stood for a while, Cole staring at Korina but she was looking down the whole time.

"I guess it's goodnight then." He said, he wanted to move closer and hug her but he didn't think it was okay to.

"Bye, Cole." Korina said, her voice heavy with sadness, she turned around and walked towards the building.

Cold stood there staring at her as she walked away. He was about to enter the the car when he heard his name.

"Cole!" Korina called again, she walked briskly towards him and pulled him into a hug,"Thank you." She whispered, tiptoeing to peck his cheeks.

"D...on't me..ntion." He stammered taken aback by her actions.

She pulled away from him and walked back towards the building.

Cole stood there staring at her before turning back and entering his car, a wide grin plastered on his face.

She kissed my cheeks, He gulped, she fucking kissed me.