Beyond The Coral (A Luberto Story)

Chapter 5- A Newly-Found Family

That dang door

It's like it wants me to go over and open it so badly.

Alberto, who was slouched over on the living room chair, felt himself staring at the mysterious door that Maria had claimed was an 'old storage room.' He knew he could trust Maria most of the time, but something about the way she talked gave Alberto an uneasy feeling. It was like she was trying to hide something from him.

Surely that's not true. She wouldn't lie to me.

For the first time in forever, Alberto was talking to himself. Before that, Bruno was around, and Alberto could never think about anything without Bruno completely ruining it. It felt nice. He felt free for once.

"Alberto, are you still there?"

Alberto heard Maria call his name from the kitchen. He got up from his comfy spot in the living room to see what she wanted.

"Could you go get Luca and Giulia for dinner please? I know Luca is asleep, but he needs to eat as well," Maria said. "I swear— he got skinner after he left Genova."

Alberto laughed, "Yeah, of course."

Alberto made his way upstairs, repeating Maria's comment again in his head. To be fair, she wasn't wrong. Luca was definitely on the skinner side when it came to boys his age. While Alberto could snarf down an entire bowl of Massimo's Trenette al pesto and still be hungry, Luca had a much smaller appetite. On top of that, his overall physique was much scrawnier and smaller compared to Alberto. It had always been that way, ever since they met.

Perhaps living underwater and eating nothing but seaweed and coral for so many years had made Luca that way. Either way, however, Alberto didn't really care. In fact, he often liked it. He could pick up Luca and carry him with ease. Alberto always thought that was a benefit.

Alberto suddenly realized he had been standing at the top of the stairs for a while as he thought about Luca.

Oops

He shook it off and made his way to Luca's room. Actually, it was their room. He made sure to turn the doorknob cautiously and tip toe his way into the room so Luca wouldn't get woken up. Alberto would rather do it himself.

He's too cute when he's asleep.

Did I just think that?

Yes, yes I did.

As the door creaked open, Alberto expected to see Luca sound asleep, probably buried under three layers of covers. What he saw instead, however, was an empty bed with no one inside.

Huh?..

Alberto stared at the bed for a second, dumbfounded. He walked over to the closet and shoved its doors open, as if Luca was going to be hiding in there.

Oh, he's probably just in the bathroom, Alberto thought to himself. Probably just fixing up his hair or something.

As Alberto walked out of their room and toward the bathroom, however, he overheard a voice from Giulia's room. It was a voice that he instantly recognized. It was Luca.

Alberto recalled how thin the walls had seemed when they had first arrived earlier that day, and this was proving his theory. In his defense, it seemed like Luca was speaking somewhat loudly. Much louder than usual.