My Italian Nightmare

Chapter 15: Deja-Vu

I breathed heavily and blushed at his touch, even though he didn't even touch my bare skin. "Hi", I said quietly, my voice raspy and I smiled at him. He raised his hand and slowly led it to my face, brushing his fingers softly across my cheek. My skin burned under his touch and my abdomen clenched together. I held my breath until Angelo let his hand sink down again and cleared his throat.
"Can I get you anything?", he asked and took a step back, creating more space between us. Did I want to drink more alcohol or did I want to sober up this time? I was not as drunk as last time, but the bottle of wine we had drank before the concert had set me into a well tipsy state. On the other hand, I was just as nervous being here as I had been last time in Angelos's presence, and more alcohol would definitely help me loosen up. I didn't want Angelo to think that I was unconfident or too intimated when he was around me, although of course that was totally true. But then again, if this was the last time I would be with him, wouldn't I want to experience it while being sober?
"How about some wine?", Angelo suggested, taking the decision out of my own hands. If he thought that I should drink some wine, then I wouldn't be the person who asks for water instead. So I answered: "Yes, sure."
"Good. I am gonna get some, make yourself at home." Angelo stepped out of my way and I walked into the room, finally being able to check it all out.

I smiled widely when I saw Matteo, Edoardo and Valentina lounging on a big couch, Matteo and Edoardo smoking a cigarette.
"Ari!", Matteo exclaimed when he saw me and waved at me. "Hi!", I said and walked towards them.
"Come, sit with us", Matteo invited me and shifted in his seat so I could take my place between Matteo and Valentina.
"Come stai?", I asked and tried to remember my Italian vocabulary.
"Parli italiano?", Matteo raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"Un po, Io sto ancora imparando, I replied. "So che hai difficolta a parlare inglese."
"Ahh, Ari, sei cosi dolce", Matteo grinned and took out a cigarette out of his pack, handing it to me.
"Grazie", I said and grinned back.
"But it's okay, I, um, I am learning fast, at the moment, I am much better already", Matteo said and helped me litting up my cigarette. I took a drag from my cigarette and looked over to Edoardo, whose dark brown eyes observed me warily. I smiled at him and he carefully and barely noticeable smiled back.
"How do you like the new single?", Valentina asked and crossed her legs, sinking deeper into the couch.
"It's so cool and catchy", I replied, "I didn't understand all of the lyrics though. But what I understood was..." I blushed and Valentina laughed, nodding.
"Yeah, lots of explicit lyrics again. People will either love it or hate it."
"Heyy bitches", a voice interrupted our conversation and Angelo came into the room, carrying a couple of glasses and two bottles of wine.
"You been occupying my guest?"
"Oh non sapevamo l'avessi gia reclamato", Edoardo remarked in a slight ironic voice and cocked a brow at Angelo. I didn't understand what he said, but was surprised to hear Edoardo speak in my presence. Edoardo's character was still a mystery to me. I knew that Matteo was goofy, with a good soul, a young spirit, a bit silly and chaotic sometimes, just as I was and that's why I liked him so much. I knew Valentina was kind, protective, independent and strong-minded, which made me look up to her and reminded me a bit of Winter, who had the same Mom-friend spirit and was never afraid to speak her mind about what mattered to her. When it came to Edoardo, I couldn't quite characterize him. He was quiet, but I was sure he was just as kind-spirited as Valentina and Matteo, just more introverted – as the German saying expressed: "Stille Wasser sind tief". I had no idea what he thought about me or the whole matter, it was very well possible that he didn't care, that he didn't like me, or that he didn't bother getting to know Angelo's 'conquests', in case he actually made habit of hooking up with fans often.
Angelo poked out his tongue at Edoardo and put down the glasses, filling them up with white wine. He raised one and we all started clinking glasses. Angelo and I looked each other into the eyes and he smirked briefly. Valentina and Matteo smiled and Edoardo held down his gaze as we clinked glasses, his expression impenetrable.
"You need to look me in the eyes", I said quietly and Edoardo looked at me, raising his brows. I blushed and added, "you know uh, because when you don't you're gonna have bad sex for seven years." Now Edoardo smiled as well, keeping his eyes fixed on mine and muttered: "Well, we can't let that happen, can we"

I grinned slightly and nodded, clinking my glass at Edoardo's again.
"To us", Angelo proclaimed and raised his glass. "And to our new single." They all exclaimed something in Italian and took a sip from their glasses. I followed their example and drank from mine as well.
"Well, Arian", Angelo said squeezed himself between Matteo and me on the sofa, putting his arm around my shoulder.
"How have you been?" I tensed a bit, having him sitting so close to me, but tried to relax and get comfortable in my position. I was surprised that he seemed to be actually interested in how I had been, that he wanted to have a proper conversation with me. I had not realized until now that we had barely talked last time, let alone had a proper conversation.
"I...", my voice was still a bit raspy so I cleared my throat, "my 6th semester at the art academy started and I've been quite immersed in that, and, uh, I've met a couple new students at a big party in the beginning of the semester, which was nice."
"Art academy, huh?", Angelo asked and his fingers caressed my shoulder softly, "what are your subjects?"
"Fashion design and sales management", I said and blushed again, as Valentina said "Oh we should have known!"
"Yeah, Ari, I love your style!", Matteo added and I smiled at him.
"Thank you guys", I said and took another sip from my wine glass.
"What do you want to do after?", Angelo asked and I sighed at the big, old, scary question that every art student had to endure at least two to four times a year by old relatives at family gatherings.
"I want to do an internship at a fashion company, maybe abroad...you know, maybe in a fashion metropolis like Milan or maybe Florence, or...Rome", I ended my answer quietly.
"Oh, you should totally come to Rome, you'd love it there", Matteo exclaimed and his face showed genuine encouragement.
"Have you ever been to Rome, Ari?", Matteo asked, cocking his head to the side, eyeing me intensely.
"No, never", I breathed and quickly looked down at my glass, holding it tightly as to stop my fingers from drumming against it.
"Well, maybe I should invite you there, then, one day", Angelo suggested and smiled, leaning his head back and finishing his glass in a big sip. I smiled back at him, a bit uncertain if he had meant it sincerely or was just saying nice things to impress me. I knew how men flirted and usually I could see right through them. But my judgement of Angelo was severely impacted, I knew that. In this moment, Jürgen looked around the corner and said: "The car is ready to take you to the hotel." Edoardo and Valentina finished up their wine glasses and stood up from the couch, stretching themselves. I looked at Angelo, the obvious question written all over my face.
Do you want me to come with you?
"Ari is gonna come with us, yeah?", Angelo stated, and I wasn't sure if he said it to Jürgen or to his band members. They didn't look surprised, however Matteo pressed his lips together as if he needed to stop himself from saying something.
"There'll be a lot of fans waiting outside so we're gonna go out back", Angelo said and Jürgen nodded before leaving the room. I grabbed my jacket and my bag and followed the band outside the back entrance where a big car with tinted windows was standing and Jürgen opened the door for us. I climbed in behind Matteo and sat myself down onto the middle seat. Angelo came in last, in his hand the half-empty wine bottle, grinning as he sat down next to Edoardo in the seat-row in front of us. "Couldn't let that baby go to waste", he commented and handed the bottle to Edoardo, who tucked his long hair behind his ear before taking a big sip.
"Well, Ari, do you want to choose some music for the drive?", Matteo asked me and I laughed quietly, pulling out my phone.
I'm having a fucking Deja-Vu, I thought as I skimmed through my playlists.