Italy and us

Chapter 2

ALBERTO

I waited there for a long time, holding those flowers. When I got tired of holding them, I put them in the bag, careful not to smoosh them.

Then I kept waiting, eager. This was the best time of the year and I was determined to make it the best summer yet. Time would only keep moving faster if we didn't fill it with adventure. 

The thing about me is that I can't have consistency. I need change, something that is different and shocking. Something that will make you realize how small you are in the world. That is why he should have leaved Portososso a long time ago. 

The winters without Giulia and Luca were tedious, everyday predictable and boring. I worked for Massimo and I took trips to Manarola and under the surface. But leaving never felt right. Portossoso was home, and I felt that if I left I might never find another home like it.

The summers, those were filled with change. A new thing to see everyday. A new adventure. I could never sit still on sunny days, I was always ready to do something. Anything at all. 

This summer we would do it all because they were leaving Portososso, him and Luca alone with the entire world at their fingertips. That thought gave him a rush of excitement. 

Then Giulia came out of nowhere, surprising him as she slammed into him. She started talking about how he never wrote, but he was distracted because Luca was walking towards him. His hair was curled in a fascinating way on his temples, shaping his delicate face. Freckles lined his nose and his sharp cheekbones. 

Now I think that it might have started right then, because I was perfectly aware that I was noticing Luca in a way that a girl should've been. But back then, I didn't think much of it, only that Luca looked kind of beautiful. 

After that I remember deciding that I would keep my thoughts on his looks to myself. That I would only secretly admire. But I didn't stop to think if there was a reason I thought those things about him. 

Luca came to Guilia's house after a weeks visit to his parents. And when he came back, we spent the night packing, although there really wasn't a lot to pack. Instead we just layed on my bed and listened to music. It was very late when I asked, "Do you think we can stay awake until sunrise?" 

"I kind of need sleep for tomorrow. . ."

"Come on, it's already morning. And think, the two of us on the treehouse watching the sunrise."

We ended up curled up in blankets under the stars, telling each other stories to keep us awake until there was a sliver of light on the horizon.

"Look!" Luca said, excitedly. He looked over to me, "We did it. Can we go to sleep now?"

"No, not yet." I said but Luca was already laying down on his pillow, eyes closed. I layed down next to him on my back and fell asleep within a minute.

That next day we slept till noon.