A Train's Too Far Away

Silenzio Bruno, the Duo

The weeks passed and soon the weather became warmer again, allowing Luca to move more freely about. The closer it came to being time to return home, the more excited he became. Plus another feeling he couldn't name but Giulia always seemed to know when he did feel it. She always grinned like she knew something he didn't and he was determined to figure out what.

Throughout the school year, Luca had acquired and sharpened his artistic skills, creating more lifelike drawings and paintings every day. He devoured books almost as fast as the librarian could lend them to him, too. Giulia sometimes called him a "dork" for reading so much, though she assured him it was a good thing. Mostly.

Luca had kept up his habit of writing a letter every day (or at least every other day) and mailing them on Saturdays, which is the day the two groups had their weekly phone call as well. Most times, Giulia's mom Diyana would even join in!

Though Luca didn't know it, Giulia had gushed to each of her parents about how oblivious Luca and Alberto were to each other. She was trying to recruit her parents to her "noble cause" of helping the sea dragons realize how much they really liked each other, which was harder than it seemed.

Today was the day before Luca and Giulia were going to leave and go back home. Everything seemed to go much too fast and much too slow at the same time to Luca. A few of the only things he had yet to pack were his sketching notebook and a bag full of Alberto's letters.

A quick peek through his old notebook (he'd filled up many since those first weeks here) revealed that he had doodled Berto many more times than he remembered. Whether he realized it or not, Alberto was everywhere in this book. He couldn't wait to get back to the real Alberto and be wrapped up in his wonderful, strong arms when he stepped off the train...

Like usual, fish started to swim around in his stomach, making it feel jumpy and excited and nervous all at once. And also like usual, Giulia somehow found Luca right in the middle of it. She peeked around the door and set her suitcase down.

"Ciao, Luca! You almost packed? The train leaves at 8 am sharp tomorrow!" Her voice startled Luca and made him drop the notebook. She saw the pages of it and smiled knowingly. "You remember the first sketch you did in that book? When you dropped it in class and I held it up and you were all like 'Nooooo! Giuliaaaaa! How will Alberto ever know I looooove him without that skeeeeeetch...' " She dramatically flopped onto his bed and pretended to die. She laughed after a moment of "death" and sat back up on the edge of the bed.

Luca laughed too at her display until she realized what she said. "I- Alberto? You think- I mean- we- um..." he sighed, "it doesn't work like that..." He gazed down and fiddled with the button on his uniform. Even just thinking about telling Berto how he felt was as exciting as it was nerve-wracking.

"What doesn't work like that? You guys are meant for each other! Santa Gorgonzola, anyone with eyes can see that!" Giulia paused as something hit her. "Luca...are you worried that he doesn't feel the same?"

"I..." Luca took a shaky breath. "I don't want to be something he doesn't want me to be. What if he just wants to be friends and I make him uncomfortable and then..." Luca sighed as his sad, hazel eyes teared up. Giulia felt her own heart squeeze at seeing one of her closest friends in such distress. "Giulia...what if he goes back to his island and I never see him again?"

Somehow, Giulia knew Luca wasn't talking about the literal island he'd met Alberto on. That was an easy trip for the cyan sea dragon to make. "Hey, c'mere." She patted the bed next to her and Luca sat, pulling his knees to his chest. "Alberto isn't going to run away or tell you to be someone you're not. He's one of the stubbornest, most accepting people you and I know. Remember what I said about anyone with eyes being able to see you belong together?" Luca nodded. "Well guess what? I have eyes and I know he feels the same way!"

"You think so? You...you think he likes me back?" A spark of hope appeared in Luca's teary eyes and he sniffed. Giulia snorted.

"If he said he didn't, he might as well be all human too because that would be a lie!" She laughed and Luca laughed shakily next to her. They lapsed into a beat of silence.

"Thanks, Giulia," Luca whispered.

"No problem, Luca."

After another few seconds, Giulia left Luca alone for the night. Only then did Luca remember his promise to himself to not let Giulia know how he felt for Alberto. Even he didn't really know how he felt inside. How was Giulia supposed to know how to help? What if she told Alberto or his mom or even her dad? And most importantly...how would Alberto react tomorrow?

"Silenzio Bruno. That's just the dumb voice in your head." Luca recited the words he'd told Alberto all those months ago. Maybe they would provide some sort of comfort, he thought as the moon rose and so did his number of thoughts of Berto.

~

Alberto couldn't sleep that night as he lay on his back, hands crossed behind his head. All he could think about was how excited he was to finally see Luca again. Giulia too, of course, but Luca was first on his mind. A surge of energy raced through him when he thought about Luca again. His heart beat faster and a smile grew on his face.

In the back of his mind, he also had a smidge of doubt that Luca didn't really want to come home. "Silenzio Bruno." He told Bruno and focused on the full moon outside his window. He still called them fish in his head, sometimes. Mostly as a reminder to himself that Luca would come back. He didn't know why the thought comforted him exactly the way it did, but he was glad.

Earlier that evening, Luca's family had come over to help prepare a welcome home party for Giulia and Luca. Luca's parents had seemed especially insistent on telling Alberto how excited they were to see the boys together again.

Out of the blue, an idea struck Alberto and he shot up in bed. If he could pull this off, Luca would love him forever!

His cheeks burned as he registered what he just thought. "Silenzio Bruno," he said firmly again , though he wasn't sure if it had been Bruno or himself who had wished that to happen. Rushing to get ready as if that could somehow rush these feelings away, he snuck out of the house, bag in hand. He had somewhere important to go.

~

{A/N: Make sure to leave comments and votes if you liked this chapter! I loooove comments! The next chapter will be here on Tuesday :) }