"CHEERS!" My friends and I clinked glasses before we drank the alcohol. The Chinese buffet was not as packed as I would imagine on a weekend since every college student would come to the buffet every Friday to eat and hang out.
"It's barely any people here." I pointed out.
"Yeah, you know people are going to that new restaurant that opens 24/7." Maya said.
"You mean that Mexican spot?" Amelia said with furrowed eyebrows.
"Yes ma'am. Ever since they opened that up, that place has been packed every weekend. They open 24/7 on the weekends." Maya explained.
"Damn, they food got to be bussin' if they open 24/7." Keisha said before taking a bite off her egg roll.
"I agree. And plus, I am pretty sure students don't feel like cooking, so they just go to the spot to eat." Maya said before sipping her drink.
"Girl, nobody wants to cook a home no more. All they want is takeout and alcohol." Keisha said.
"You mean like us?" I lightly laughed.
"Girl, hell to the yeah." Keisha laughed.
"So, did you see the hot Italian professor again?" Amelia asked me while the "eyebrow dance" with her brows.
I instantly rolled my eyes and smiled. "Yes, yes I did." I answered while eating my noodles. "Actually, before I came to the dorm, he was in the library, but he was in the meeting room above me."
"How did you both see each other if you were in different rooms?" Marcus asked.
"When I was coming out of the study room, I accidentally bumped into him, and we just talked. I told him I was there to study, and he told me that he was in the room above me grading documentations" I explained.
"Gone ahead and get you one girl!" Keisha said as she raised her glass.
I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my egg roll.
"She know she want that Italian dick. I heard Italians give the best sex." Keisha shrugged.
"Bitch, how you know? Have you ever been with an Italian man?!" Maya laughed.
"Girl, nah, but with white boys? Hell yeah. But I mean I will gladly snatch up her professor and pussy him
down.
" Keisha laughed as she did a light dance in her seat. "Trust me, once these people go black, they ass don't want to go back. They gone be put in a motherfucking trance."
Amelia and I looked at each other and started to laugh at Keisha, and we both did the 'shame on you' with our fingers. I think she is getting a little tipsy. Even Dorian looked at her and gave her a side smirk before sipping his beer.
"Bruh, we sitting right here with white people." Trey said as he pointed to Dorian and Amelia.
"No, no, no. I don't mean that disrespectfully. Amelia and Dorian cool though! They our peoples! And plus, Dorian can get this too! Now I ain't into females, but Amelia can get this too." Keisha said in a playful, flirty manner.
Amelia rolled her eyes and gave her the 'talk to the hand' with her hand. "Thanks, but no thanks. You know I got a boyfriend."
"Then drop yo boyfriend and come to me, shawty" Keisha playfully smiled.
We all laughed and shook our heads. There were people giving us strange looks because of how loud we were being, so we had to make sure to keep it down before we get asked to leave.
"You know you can come with me anytime, girl." Dorian winked to Keisha in a playful manner.
"Aight, keep on. You gone get yo' soul snatched." Keisha said as she bit her bottom lip.
"Oh my god, get a room." Maya playfully rolled her eyes.
Me and the rest of the gang nodded in agreement as we finished eating.
"Oh my god, I am full." I said as I touched my stomach.
"Girl, me too. The food was bussin' too." Marcus said as he began to stretch.
"Alright ya'll, let's pay and take our asses to the house." Trey said as he took out his wallet.
Maya called out to our waiter and asked for separate checks. Meanwhile, I was getting my wallet out to pay for my half of the food, and I found some cash to tip the waiter since he had been so nice and kind to us despite him and another waiter being the only waiters that worked tonight.
"I am going to leave a big tip for him." I said as I took out my wallet to look for cash
"Me too. He was so nice, and even though this place wasn't packed all the way, he was a trooper." Maya said as she also took out her wallet to do the same.
After the waiter brought the checks, we all went to the front to pay all while giving our waiter a total of $120 in cash tips. I told him that we were very appreciative of his service, and that he deserved it for his hard work. He gave us a heartwarming smile and waved us goodbye as we walked out of the door, waving back. Luckily, we didn't drink too much, or we would have to sleep in the car in the parking lot again. Last time we came out to eat on a Saturday night in separate cars, we all got so drunk that we had fallen asleep in the car. We woke up in an empty parking lot at around seven in the morning, and we safely drove back to the dorm complex. That was great night, and we were finished with exams that day before, so we went out to celebrate. After we got settled in the cars, we gave a thumbs up to Dorian, and Dorian gave us a thumb up back. We all drove off to go back to our dorms while we blasted music with the windows down, feeling the wind in our hair.
Meanwhile, Valentino was in his study room of his home in his pajamas, video chatting with his mother, Mariota, who still resides in Florence with her new husband, who is also Italian. His mother can speak little English while his Spanish father, Julio, is fluent in the language. Often, Valentino would help his mother with her English when they both have the free time. Valentino would speak in Italian, and Mariota would try to answer in English.
"Ah, mi Valentino. How you?" Mariota spoke in her heavy accent.
Valentino chuckled at how cute his mother tried to say "how are you?" in English. "Sto bene, Mama." He replied in Italian. "Come stai?" (I am good, Mama.) (How are you?)
"I..is...good? Si?" Mariota said in a thinking manner.
"Si, Mama. Avete capito bene!" Valentino chuckled and clapped. (Yes, Mama. You got it!)
Mariota clapped and smiled, proud of herself for speaking some English. Valentino misses his hometown dearly, and his mother is a gem to him. His parents sacrificed a lot for him, and since he was the only child, he had to be the best that he could to be able to give back to his parents, and he did just that. All his hard work paid off, and he bought his mother a home in the nicer part of Florence, which was completely paid off, and he bought his father a brand-new Spanish car when he went to visit him in Barcelona. Despite being a non-social person, he values his parents in high regards. Valentino smiled at his mother through the screen after thinking how far he had come, lost in thought for a bit.
"Valentino?" Mariota said.
"Si, Mama?" Valentino replied.
"Stai bene, figlio mio?" Mariota asked in a concerned tone. (Are you okay, my child?)
Valentino took a silent, deep breath and gave a small smile. "Stavo... Stavo solo pensando a quanto siamo arrivati lontano. Tu e papà avete fatto così tanto per me, e sono eternamente grato per entrambi. Tu e papà meritate tutto in questo mondo e altro ancora." (I...I was just thinking about how far we have came. You and Dad have done so much so for me, and I am eternally grateful. You and Dad deserve everything in the world and more.)
Mariota had tears in her eyes, and she sniffed as she got some tissue from the tissue box to wipe her tears. She smiled at the camera again as Valentino continued talking.
"Mamma, grazie per essere mia madre." He smiled. (Mama, thank you for being my mother.)
"Oh, mio figlio. Non c'è bisogno di ringraziarci. Tuo padre ed io volevamo il meglio per te, e tu ci hai reso così orgogliosi. Tuo padre potrebbe non aver dimostrato di essere orgoglioso, ma è molto orgoglioso. Lo rendi orgoglioso ogni giorno. Sono grato che tu sia mio figlio.." Mariota said with a small smile. (Oh, my son. No need to thank us. Your father and I wanted the best for you, and you have made us so proud. Your father may not have shown that he was proud, but he is very proud. You make him proud every day. I am grateful that you are my son.)
Valentino lowered his head down, and he could feel tears forming in his eyes. Valentino was not an emotional person because his father instilled in him that emotions won't get anyone anywhere in life, and he had carried that with him ever since he was child. Although his father was harsh, he cared deeply for Valentino. Valentino quickly wiped the tears before they fell, and he looked up at the camera and smiled at his beloved mother.
"Grazie, mamma." He said with a small smile.
"You welcome, my son." Mariotta said as she giggled over her broken English, but Valentino found it adorable that she was at least trying.