When I met Levi

Prologue - Venice

I was at my hotel room when I checked my phone and realized it was time to go meet my parents at the bistro down the road, we were on family holidays in italy, something I genuinely enjoyed, but with their company, something I really didn't, july in Venice, this would be fun,

I wore a white dress and my white heels, my mom demanded I would always have to look like that, since my dad is a former rock star, and her, the best lawyer of New York, paparazzi always followed us around, something that made me completely lose my shit. I just wanted to live my life, and I would.

I straightened my long brown hair and put on some make up, I took my purse on my hands and started walking to the bistro, five minutes later and I have arrived, they looked at me and smiled, when my dad pulled out the chair for me to sit, as I sat down I noticed a guy sitting across our table, his arms we're covered in tattoos, he was wearing ripped jeans, a black top and a black snapback, he was holding a coffee, and as he took a sip he sat up and grabbed a camera, as he turned around he looked straight at me, and locked eyes for a while, he, then, moved a bit further to take pictures of the beautiful canals and the gondolas, he was really tall and thin but not too thin, I could see some muscle, my dads hand moving in front of my face snapped me out of my connection to that stranger and he asked me what Id like to drink, I was searching through the catalogue and once I was done I raised my eyes and that guy was nowhere to be found, I sat there kind of disappointed, he seemed to enjoy being alone on holidays, and to be honest I envied him.

The next day, after a long conversation with my mother of why "I should go to the lake alone and mingle with people" to quote her words was a good idea, I just put on my bathing suit and grabbed my backpack, I put inside some clothes in case it got cold and got down at the lobby, the receptionist smiled at me and I got inside a cab and told the driver to take me down to Lake Como, I arrived and I was speechless, the view was amazing, and it was filled with people, I took a look around and to my surprise, I saw that guy from the bistro yesterday, and I decided to talk to him,

I walked slowly and tapped his shoulder gently, he turned around and faced me

"Hi. Can I help you?" he gently let his arm down while holding his Nikon camera, his bright brown eyes locked with mine once again

"I show you yesterday at that bistro taking photos and I thought of saying hi since I saw you, and since I don't know anyone here."

I replied nervously playing with my bracelet to release stress,

"Oh I see. You're on vacations right?"

His British accent made it pretty clear where he was coming from, the best of all the lands, England.

"Yes. Unfortunately."

He tilted his face slightly and made a confused facial expression.

"Whys that? Venice is stunning"

"It's not about Venice. It's because I'm here with my parents and they tell me what to do 24/7 and it's driving me insane, you know?"

"Can't relate. I'm here on my own. I'm backpacking through Europe. I arrived in Venice yesterday from Austria and I am leaving tomorrow. This is kind of like my bucket list."

"That's ...dope. I envy you. But doesn't it get lonely sometimes?"

"No. Because I might not have any human friends here, but I have a four legged one."

He stopped and started whistling

"Come here, Charles"

A cute Labrador puppy started running towards us and he jumped on that guy,

"I'm Levi."

He introduced himself

"Valerie"

I smiled, he then pointed to a towel that he had put on the ground in the shade of blue,
We sat down and he offered me a beer,

We started drinking,

"So what brings you here, Valerie?"

"My parents are on a business trip. I, unfortunately am the daughter of David Taylor, I am tired of this Levi. I know I probably shouldn't tell these things to a stranger but I can't take it.."

"Let me start of by saying, I am a huge fan of your dad. I love punk rock. Secondly, I ain't a stranger, I am Levi and you can tell me anything. I don't judge and I am a good listener."

I smiled and sipped on my beer,

"They just always drag me around, ya know? They tell me how to dress, how to act, how to talk. I just wanna be a teenager. I am at an age where I wanna do crazy shit and not play with the rules."

He smirked as he sipped on his beer,

"It's not funny, Levi."

"I know. It's hilarious"

I looked at him with a mad facial expression as i felt my blood boiling,

"How come it's hilarious?"

"If you don't like where you are, move, you're not a tree"

I started thinking but I couldn't understand, so I asked again,

"What do you mean?"

"Be rebellious, girl. My parents were tired of me because I smoke weed and so I just left and here I am having the time of my life."

"I don't know how to do that Levi."

"I am bat shit crazy, Val. If you're up for a challenge, I can take you with me on a fucking great adventure."

He sipped his beer and lit a what it seemed to be a joint,

"They're gonna hunt you down. Do you have a car or something?"

"That's up to me. Now are you in or are you out? Just remember that if you say yes there's no going back. I don't usually invite random people with me. I like silence and peace and being with Charles here."

"Then why me?"

"Because I like a mental unstable person that desperately wants to live life but is too afraid. I can give you the time of your life you little punk rock princess."

"Fuck it. I'm in."

"Good choice. Now make yourself comfortable because we're camping here tonight."

He laughed and fell on his back down the towel as Charles sat right next to him.