a work in progress

Chapter 6 - What if?

"Buona sera" is what he'd said, and in my dumbfounded stupor all I could muster was "okay". Four almost inaudible letters were the only things to fly from my mouth. Such an anticlimactic end to a seemingly perfect afternoon. After that night, I kept replaying that moment in time. Recapturing the way his eyes caught the auburn glow of the setting sun. Rewinding and playing it in slow motion, I analyzed all that led up to Luca's departure hoping it was more than him taking pity on a poor awkward soul like myself.

I wanted to be a mature and reasonable person, so I made a pro/con list to solidify my decision to like him.

Luca Bianchi

Pro:

Wait; is it wise to start with a pro? Don't you usually start a pro/con list when you secretly want something but you're trying to systematically prove that you should in fact have it? Which means that pros are easier to come by...so...

Con:

But wait, who wants to be a Negative Nancy, always quick to point out the negatives? That's just so...insert a word that's essentially a synonym for cliché. Ah...let's consult Robert. Robert's Rules of Order begin their debate with...Survey says...Pro...so....go.

Pro...he's chivalrous. Con...he makes me lose my words. Pro...he's easy to talk to. Con...he laughed at me....twice! Pro...he has a job. Con...we've only just met...

The pro/con list was a stressor. I'd become functionally debilitated until it only made sense to shut down. Who was I kidding anyway? The school was huge and there was no way I'd see him nor was there a high likelihood that he'd even remember a chance-encounter with a dancing fiend. For my sanity's sake, I abandoned my list and I focused on school.

Being at SMU was undoubtedly the best decision I ever made. My coursework was enlivening and enriching. Being a psychology major I decided was the best way to understand myself and hopefully help me have better experiences with others.

My first day on campus was everything I'd imagined and more. Maybe my imagination was a bit developed because of my slight addiction to literature but walking back onto campus made me feel very scholarly. I knew that my destiny was awaiting its discovery and I was on the prowl to find it.

My schedule was light and fairly easy. My classes started early and went until lunch, and after class I'd eat under the most perfect magnolia tree. Its trunk curved almost perfectly to my body shape and there I could dine and read and just be.

One Wednesday nestled 'neath my tree I was pinged on my shoulder by a flying acorn. I looked up to no avail and asked myself when magnolia trees began housing acorns.

I started to read again when another acorn found its way onto one of the pages of my book. I ignored it until a shower of acorns covered me from head to toe. Flustered, I stood, shook acorns from my hair and scanned the horizon in search of the acorn source. Finding nothing and no one, I returned to my seat.

"You missed one," A very familiar Italian accent said from behind the tree.

I turned over my left shoulder, to find Luca holding an acorn he'd just released from my hair.

"Where'd you come from?" I asked, truly surprised and intrigued.

"I've actually been buzzing around you for the past 20 minutes. You read rather intensely."

"Oh gosh, I feel so embarrassed," I said feeling the warmth of my shame radiating up the nape of my neck.

"Please don't be embarrassed. I am actually quite impressed and a bit envious of your ability to focus. How's your time here been so far? I've noticed that you've made a bit of a home in this spot," he said rounding the tree and squatting in front of me.