Sink or Swim - Luca x Alberto

From Another Perspective

Hey, everyone! I'm sorry I've been away for so long. But now I'm back, and I'm really happy I decided to continue writing this book.

Also, I know I said I'd post this on Tuesday, but we all love a little surprise. :-)

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Luca's POV

Caro Alberto,

I know you'll probably never read this, which calms my nerves a lot. Right now you're over on your bed reading something, and you probably couldn't be more uninterested in what I'm writing.

Spending time with you makes me so happy. When we finished that drawing a little while ago, and you told me that my doodles were even better than yours, it made me feel all fluttery. Like I always feel when I'm around you.

I look over at who I'm writing about.

His eyes are glazed over, his focus completely on the comic. I look at his chest, which rises and falls slowly. I watch as he idly sits up a little straighter and sniffs.

He does everything so naturally, and yet it's so perfect.

How did I get so lucky to have a friend like him?

But also: how did I get so unlucky?

Because it's torture having to sit all the way over here, when I wish I could lie next to Alberto and read the comic with him. In a perfect world, I could fall asleep to one of his warm and loving hugs.

But no. Instead, I have to sit here and watch him.

I turn away before he can notice me gawking at him. (Another fancy word I learned at school.)

I place the tip of the pencil down, about to write again, but the sound of a door opening stops me.

"Ciao, boys!" I look up and see Giulia with a white cake box.

Our treats are here!

* * *

When I look at you

Everything else disappears

Because nothing else is worth looking at

You make me happy when you smile at me

Because that's how I know I made you happy too

And I love hearing you laugh

Because it's the best sound in the world

And I love when you hug me or pat my shoulder

Because you're always so warm

I love everything about you, amore mio.

When I first learned about poetry back in February, I never thought I could do it myself. It seemed really hard to write about things while also making the words rhyme. When we had an assignment on it, I was very close to giving up. But then signora Florentino told me that poetry doesn't have to rhyme, and it comes a lot easier if I write with love.