Gianluca Ginoble and I

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

          I sat high in a tree, dangling my legs and listening to the early sounds of nature as I read The Old Man and the Sea.

          I wanted to read some classics before I started school, but this book was pretty boring. As I read, my mind wandered to other things, mainly Gianluca. I reflected on our trip to the lake, his encouraging words during my attack, his voice, his gentle touch…and his kiss.

          My thoughts wandered to his accent, and then to Italy. I wondered about what it was like there. There’s got to be more to it than the cuisine that tends to come to people’s minds.

          I wanted to know about Italy. What did it look like? What did the land look like? What would it be like to go for a walk in Italy? What things would I see? What would I hear?

          I tried to picture it, and I didn’t know what to think of.

          I closed the book and climbed down from the tree, jumping down the last few feet and scaring off several forest animals resting nearby.

          I tucked the book into my backpack and rode off on my bike to find Gianluca.

          To my surprise, I found him sitting on the bench in the garden with my mother. They were talking, and my mother seemed deeply interested in whatever he was saying. She turned to smile at me as I approached.

          “Hello, sweetheart. I’ve just met the boy you’ve told me about.”

          “I see,” I said, picking up my bike in the bushes.

          “He is very interesting,” she said, “and very intelligent.”

          Gianluca nodded his thanks and then smiled at me.

          “Gianluca, will you go for a walk with me?” I asked, taking off my backpack.

          “Absolutely,” he said. “Now?”

          I checked my mother’s watch.

          “Tell you what,” I said, “How about I put together a picnic for us and then we can go?”

          “Wow!” he said, “You cook?”

          I laughed.

          “If you count peanut butter and jelly as cooking,” I said.

          “I’ll help you make it a little better than that,” my mother offered, and I nodded.

          “I’ll come get you in maybe twenty minutes?” I said.

          He nodded, and my mother and I went inside.

          My mom heated up some leftover chicken and found some Italian bread to put it on.

“Very fitting,” I joked, and she laughed.

 I searched for fruit and came up with strawberries. My mom cut us pieces of pie while I attempted to make lemonade, which came out incredibly sour. My mom added water and a large pile of sugar as she laughed at my scrunched-up face from tasting it.

          I packed the food in the kind of basket you would see in movies and found a checkered blanket to match.

          Gianluca insisted we take his car to wherever we were going instead of riding our bikes.