Te Adoro - Book 2 ✔️

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This artist. Is so freaking amazing okay, it makes me cry every time. Their insta is Hvnnart.

Arriving on the very shore he learned to walk felt strange to him; like he was back to being 13.

He gazed at the now colorful sky, each sunset different from the last. Today, in particular, it reminded him of cotton candy; a soft blue entangled with beautiful pink clouds that looked like pulled cotton complimenting the colors. He smiled softly to himself.

It gave him hope. At least, more hope than he had.

He made his way to the grassy hills, spotting the decomposing tower.

His heart thumped roughly against his rib cage, and it became hard to breathe.

What if he was getting his hopes up over nothing? What if he was actually long gone, and he was wasting his time? He shook his head, continuing his way to the tower, the broken Vespas they had made catching his eye, making him smile fondly. Before he could dwell on it his eyes flickered to the ladder that was still up, determination filling his features. He took a deep breath, grabbing onto it, and began to climb, each wooden plank up felt like it would break. His grip on it was tight, nervously, until he reached the top.

He struggled only slightly to lift his body weight over the bricks, landing with a grunt. When his arms recovered, he decided to look around.

Nothing much changed about it; it only seemed to be cleaned up.

The Vespa e Liberta poster was back up, covering the past tallies; however, there were a new set of tallies beside it. "Huh" Luca looked around some more.

The abandoned Vespa parts were put away to one side nicely, put against one wall, and made the place look roomier, as well as things that were seemingly collected littered the shelves and walls, making it look homey.

Homey...someone lived here. That was apparent. But was it really Alberto?

As he wandered more, taking in the objects and identifying them, as he's seen them in Genova, he noticed something that caught his eye.

It was a little wooden box, a little smaller than a shoebox, labeled 'Letters".

His mamà taught him not to go into other people's stuff; it was rude. But how could he just ignore the box that pulled him in, enticed him to open the latch and look through the contents? It wouldn't hurt. No one was here. This way he could find who really lived here.

Although he knew he was alone, he looked around him cautiously before opening the box lid and snatched up an envelope.

There was no name. Luca bit his bottom lip and opened the unsealed envelope, carefully taking the paper out and unfolding it.

It was addressed to him, much to his surprise, and was marked six months after the incident.

Caro Luca,

I know you aren't here, but I'm scared. I don't know what happened after that day at the shore. Where did you go? Where is Giulia? Why is everyone so sad? My chest hurts.

I know I won't send this, but writing this is helping.

Luca set the paper down and picked up another that was marked with a later date than the first. He decided to scan through them, reading them fully may cause more tears.

Luca,

I don't remember that day. But I do remember you talking to me. I felt so dizzy so I went to sleep, just like Giulia said I would. But when I woke up, I was wrapped up in some white smooth blanket and on the beach? Did you leave me there?