A Train's Too Far Away

Empty Space in the Sea

The first week away was the hardest. Luca had never been away from the ocean this long and sometimes his heart ached more than anything else to go back home. He had to keep reminding himself that Alberto helped him to be here, though, and that kept him going.

The nights quickly became Luca's favorite time to go down to the ocean and write his letters. He never put more than his feet in, just in case the paper flew away it wouldn't go into the water. He'd promised to write home every day and he hadn't failed yet. Somehow the water always made his thoughts clearer and more focused on Berto and-

Alberto. Just the name made Luca pause his writings and smile. Even though the night air was a bit chilly, he felt heat rush to his stomach and cheeks. He missed Berto so much.

Berto was the nickname Luca had given Alberto in the letters he'd been writing back home. He and Giulia were going to mail all the letters they'd written to their families tomorrow, which meant he had to get them all done tonight if he wanted to send completed ones. Of course, he missed his family, too. He just really wanted to tell Alberto about things his family wouldn't understand.

To try to settle his flipping stomach, Luca focused on his letter again. Every single day he wrote down everything he'd learned so far. He wanted to share as much of his school life as he could with the people back home. Especially Alberto. This letter in particular was about his favorite class: art.

Luca hadn't shown anyone yet but he was working on sketching Alberto as his first project for art class. After another half hour of writing, he ran out of paper. He signed his name in his careful, shaky handwriting and folded them up to be sent later.

~

The days passed, slowly turning into weeks and months away from Portorosso. It was now close to being halfway through the school year. The colder it became, the more anxious Luca became with wanting to go back home.

School was wonderful, it really was, but every time he thought about how he was even able to attend here, his heart ached a little more. He wondered if the time would seem as long if Alberto had been able to come with him and Giulia to school in Genova, instead of staying behind with Signor Massimo in Portorosso.

Alberto had a funny way of making time go faster and slower at the same time whenever they were hanging out. It was unlike anything Luca had experienced before. If only he was sitting next to him in class, everything would be-

"Luca Paguro!" A sharp voice reprimanded him from outside his daydreaming. Mrs. Lia, his science teacher. Luca snapped to attention, jerking his head back towards the front of the room. The whole science class was staring at him, including Giulia.

"Y-yes ma'am?" Luca's voice wavered and he sat up straighter in his chair. Darn it. He should've picked another seat that wasn't next to the ocean window but he couldn't help looking at it, remembering he had someone waiting for him out there...

"Would you like to share with the class what is so distracting out there?" Luca shook his head and gulped. "Santa Maria ...then perhaps ragazzi your age should learn how to pay more attention." Mrs. Lia sighed and shook her head. Luca was a good, hard-working student, always ready to learn. Sometimes, he just needed to be reminded that this was real school and not whatever he had been allowed to do before he transferred.

Luca nodded with downcast eyes and the teacher sighed again. She hated scolding the most inquisitive member of her class. He had a thirst for knowledge she had never seen before, which made this class a lot more enjoyable than she'd hoped. "Just please pay attention, alright? Tomorrow we have a quiz on oceanic ecosystems and I expect you to know all about it, considering your past." She barely cracked a smile and slightly raised an eyebrow.

She wasn't supposed to know about Luca's "condition," but she had heard his talkative friend Giulia mention it the other day. As long as he participated well in her class, she wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Luca's eyes widened and he nodded with a tiny smile. "Yes ma'am, of course. I'll pay attention." She nodded back and continued with her lesson.

Some minutes later, Luca could feel himself becoming bored with sitting still. The cold outside made it harder to focus and function normally. He was used to living in warm outside waters year-round, not in the cold air indoors. In school, they used a machine called an air conditioner . Giulia explained it worked by moving air really fast, making it cold. His mind and body seemed to move slower whenever he stayed on the surface too long, which seemed to be much too often these cold days.

Being a natural artist (according to his art teacher, Mr. Parge), he usually cured his in-class boredom by doodling. So doodle he did. He spent the rest of class doodling on his paper, only half-listening to Mrs. Lia. He drew fish, coral, bubbles, himself, Giulia, Alber-

Alberto. He realized he'd covered over half his page with a single sketch of Alberto during the last time they'd seen each other. Alberto was running alongside him on the train station, reaching his hand towards Luca with a teary smile. Luca had even drawn his own hand reaching back.

Luca's heart started hammering. He gulped and his freckled face flushed bright with heat. He slammed his notebook shut right as the bell rang. However, he wasn't very neat when speedily putting his things away and the notebook fell onto the floor in front of Giulia.

Right on the page of his doodles. "No!" He gasped and reached for it. Giulia snatched it up before anyone could step on it and Luca sighed in relief. Until he realized she was looking at the sketches instead of closing the book.

Giulia started grinning mischievously and looked up with a smirk. "Berto on the brain?" She winked and held it up towards him so he could see the sketches. The fluttering feeling from earlier came back in Luca's stomach and he desperately tried to reach the notebook.

"Giulia! Give them back! I need them!"

"Ay! Santa mozzarella, it's nothing to be ashamed about. Your art is amazing! I wonder what you would draw if you and Alberto were alooone-" Giulia started to laugh and Luca finally snatched the notebook back with a red face.

Luca hugged his drawings close to his chest and rushed past her into the hallway. "Silenzio Bruno. Be brave." He whispered with his eyes squeezed shut. Giulia followed soon after, struggling to contain her giggles.

~

{I hope you enjoyed chapter 2 of ATTFA! This one was focused more on Luca's feelings but in the next one we'll get a little peek into Alberto's side of the story! See you Tuesday with another chapter!}