Edna has just had the sleep of her life and she feels so bad that morning has finally come.
She blinks her eyes and slowly comes back to consciousness. The first thing she notices is the warmth of the bed, it's more warm than usual and it's making it even harder for her to get up.
It seems there is someone else on the bed with her and that person's strong hands are around her stomach, holding her close.
She manages to turn around slowly and she almost lets out a scream when she sees that it's Malik that is holding her in his arms.
Her first instinct would have been to scrabble away from him, but she doesn't do that.
He looks so peaceful and beautiful that she lays her head back against the bed, she doesn't want to wake him up.
His finely jawed face is still as he calmly breathes in and out. His lips are calling her to themselves, she just can't stop staring at them.
Then his eyelids move and then he opens his eyes. He seems to be shocked to see her looking at him because he jumps right off the bed to her surprise.
He looks confused and disorganized like he doesn't know what happened, and she doesn't know why.
" Hi. " She sits up. That's all she can say to him.
"Hey. " He manages not to sound too weird.
He looks around as if he would be able to pick up clues to what has happened until he turns to her.
" I didn't do anything to you, did I? " He asks and just as the words leave his mouth, he notices how terrible it sounds and he shuts his eyes in cringe.
" I'm sorry I meant to say that–" He sighs and drops his hand into his head.
He is trying so hard not to make her feel like he is anything like his brother but he doesn't know that he is making it seem a little bit on the nerdy side.
" Malik, it's fine. " She smiles. " We just slept, that's all. "
"Thank God. " He says. He means the best for her but he doesn't know that his last words just caused a jab in her heart.
"I just woke up to you holding me, but it's okay. " She says.
He looks disheartened like he did something that he didn't want to do.
"I'm sorry. " He looks so down with sadness. " That's why I insisted on sleeping on the floor. "
" It's okay. " She quickly says. " It's okay, I liked it. I think it made me sleep better. "
He nods, not sure of it himself.
"I'm going to dress up quickly to take you for breakfast. " He runs his hand over his jaw. " I know you're hungry. "
She takes it as an invitation for her to leave. She stands up to her feet.
" I'm going to go to my room now. " She declares. " You can call me if you are ready. "
She pulls her legs lazily and walks out of the room, leaving him speechless.
****
Rome is beautiful and has a lot of sights that need to be explored but they can't do it now.
Malik has a lot in front of him now and so until after then, they have to just keep everything together.
Edna and Malik are at one of the tea shops, having breakfast.
Edna is seated at a table while she waits for Malik who has gone to the bathroom.
Her cup of coffee is in her hand and a plate of croissants is before her.
She is a bit distracted by the video that's playing on her phone and she doesn't notice someone sitting at her table. She doesn't notice that this someone is not even Malik.
The stranger clears his throat and it gets her attention because that's not Malik's voice.
She can tell that he is younger, like five years younger, and he has the personality of a nice person.
He smiles at her, a harmless smile and she smiles back even though she finds it odd that he is at her table.
" American?" His accent is mild but very pleasing to the ear. It seems that the Italian men around here are romantic even without trying.
"Yep. "She confirms.
"Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Antonio. " He offers her his hand.
" I'm Edna. " She says. She wants to end this conversation even before it starts, but she doesn't want to hurt the pretty boy.
" My father has lots of houses scattered around America and I have lived in a few states there for a few years. Where exactly are you from?" He leans back against his chair. He has the air of a rich kid.
"Well, um. I grew up on a farm in Alabama, but I live in New York now. "
"New York!" He snaps his finger like he has remembered something. " I just got into NYU, you see. "
"Oh, great. " She beams.
" You are so beautiful. " He comments. " Would you mind hanging over a cup of wine and later showing me around New York anytime I start school?"
" Sorry kid, she's someone else's. "
Edna turns around to see Malik standing behind her seat. She has never seen Malik more disgusted by someone's presence before.
The kid looks from Edna to Malik and his face begins to turn red from embarrassment. Edna feels sad because she could have ended it, but didn't, and now this.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I will go now. " The boy hurriedly stands up, almost tripping over the legs of the chair as he leaves.
He doesn't turn to give Edna a final glance, she has this feeling that she is never going to see this boy again.
Malik sits down and she holds her breath, waiting for him to chastise her, but it doesn't come.
He quietly sits down and sips from his own cup of coffee.
" I was going to ask him to leave, but I got so confused. " Edna says.
"It's nothing. I'm sure that he just thought you were beautiful, that's all. " Malik says, taking her by surprise.
She tries to imagine what Mister Jackson would have said, or Keith, and she knows that it wouldn't have been nice words.
She would have been called a whore for that. She would have been made to feel dirty, but not Malik. Why is he so different from his father and brother?
He steps his cup down and looks outside of the window.
"Maybe we should get you that ring now. " He suggests.
She is kind of lost so she squints at his question.
" For the guise of the engagement. " He expantiate. " We have to make Mister Leonardo believe us, right?"
" Oh. " She laughs nervously. For a moment she thought he was trying to put a mark on her so that other men wouldn't speak to her.
" You don't have to really buy a real ring. " She sips from her drink. " We could get a cheap one since it's just to fool him. "
" Are you kidding? I am going to find you the most expensive ring in all of Rome. " He tells her. " If we are going to lie we better do it the right way. "
Edna doesn't protest, he is saying the truth and he is making sense.
" And thanks for helping me, Edna. " He looks at her. " I know that it's kind of hard, but thanks for doing it for me. "
" After all you have done for me and my family? " She scoffs. " Trust me, I would do this a million times if it makes you happy. "
Malik laughs a genuine happy laugh. He raises her right hand to his lips and kisses it as he places it against his chin.
They hear whispers around, people are talking about them. The admiration is there for all to see.
They don't even have to try to pretend to be a couple. If they can fool a whole coffee shop, who the hell is Mister Leonardo?