Gianluca Ginoble and I

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Someone caressed my chin, and ran their hands up the side of my face and through my hair, then went back down to hold my head in their hands.

My eyes fluttered open to see Gianluca sitting cross-legged on the mattress above me. I was lying on my back, my feet dangling off the end of the bed, and my side was against the cool wall, giving him plenty of room to sit with me.

“Good morning,” he whispered, leaning over me to kiss me upside-down.

The room was bright.

“What time is it?” I whispered, rubbing my eyes.

“Almost nine.”

“That’s weird. I hardly ever sleep this late.”

“I know,” he said, “I was worried. I kept getting up to check on you all throughout the night, and I set an alarm to be up when you got up, but you didn’t.”

“What did my mom say when she got back last night?”

“Not much, really. She was just glad you were okay, and she said she should expect things like that to happen sometimes, with a crazy child like yourself. You were asleep, and you looked like an angel. If she would’ve seen you when you got back, she…I don’t know, it just wouldn’t have been good. She said I did a good job of taking care of you.”

“You did. Well, aside from not letting me sleep at first.”

He caressed my cheek.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to let you sleep, I really did! But you know I needed to find out what happened.”

          “Yeah, I know.”

          I yawned and closed my eyes again, and he leaned over to kiss my cheek.

          “So I guess you’re not going out today?”

          “No, I am.”

          “What!?”

          I smiled.

          “I love the outdoors, Gianluca. What happened last night isn’t going to stop me from exploring.”

          “You’re crazy, Naomi,” he said.

          “I know.”

          “And I’m going with you.”

          “Yeah, okay. But I’d just like to remind you that I did get myself out of the situation last night. I got myself unstuck, and I came home after.”

          He was quiet for a moment.

          “I’m very proud of you, Naomi. It must have been so hard to get home in your condition. I’m upset I couldn’t find you, because you wouldn’t have had to get yourself home. But sweetheart, next time you might not be able to save yourself.”

          “Yeah, okay…”

          I kicked the covers off of my legs and stretched, feeling achy, and Gianluca moved over a little and lay down next to me.

          “Naomi, you scared me so bad last night.”

          I watched him quietly, then reached out for his face, “I’m sorry, Gianluca.”

          He took my hand and held it to his heart.

          “I didn’t know where you were, or what was happening to you. I was imagining all these horrible things that could be going wrong!”