Like Hurricanes

22. From dust to stars and vice versa

"Oh thank you, I love your jacket too," Virginia said. "Gaia, don't you think this girl has amazing style?"

Gaia shrugged. "I don't know, it looks average to me."

Virginia glanced at her and then turned back to Noemi. "Well, I like it. The way you choose to match your clothes, I think it's quite unique. You know, when I figure my life out, I want to start a clothing line. Your style is definitely going to be an inspo for one of my collections."

"Wow, thank you. I'd love to see that. So you really like fashion, huh?"

"I love fashion! I don't understand how people say it's mundane and superficial. Fashion is art! It's a form of self-expression, maybe even self-discovery. It's a way to show strangers a little piece of yourself when they don't have the time or the opportunity to discover the rest. It's just... Fashion is everything to me. I can't imagine my life without it."

Her eyes sparkled. Her voice roared. Every single word she said, she meant it with all of her heart.

"And then there's Gaia," Dario said, "wearing her dad's jacket and looking like an Eskimo."

"Fuck off," she replied, "I'm not going to freeze my ass for art."

Virginia lowered her eyes and in just a second, her enthusiasm faded away.

"I think it's nice," Noemi said, "to have a passion like yours. I'm sure there are millions of people out there who love fashion as much as you do. They don't know it yet, but they can't wait for you to release your clothes collection."

Virginia smiled. "All right, daydreamer, I think you're pushing it. What's your phone number? I'd like to have a chat sometimes."

With a cigarette in her mouth, Gaia watched as they exchanged their numbers. When their conversation continued, she took out her phone and started scrolling through a pile of messages, not opening even a single one. Just scrolling.

"Oh, I completely forgot!" Noemi put her hand to her forehead. "I have to go to the secretary before the classes start."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I asked.

"No, it's okay. I'll see you inside. Bye, everyone."

"Bye, Noemi!" Virginia and Dario replied.

Gaia put away her phone and Dario cleared his throat.

''Announcement, announcement!" he said. "I'm expecting a huge cake for my birthday.. Like one of those that can't even fit on the table. And candles. I want those too.''

Gaia snorted. ''Okay, big boy, you can ask that to your mother. I've got something better.''

Dario raised a brow. ''What's better than cake?''

''A Milan concert of your favourite rappers?''

''Oh my god, are you – are you messing with me?''

''Nope. I've got ten tickets and a place to crash.''

He hugged her, he really did. ''I love having rich friends!'' he exclaimed.

''And you?'' Gaia glanced at me. ''You're coming, right?''

''Uhm...''

Dario stopped laughing and looked at me. I scratched my head.

After a few seconds, Gaia's gaze turned cold. ''If you don't wanna come, just say so.''

''Yeah, I do, I just... ''

I didn't really know why I hesitated. Maybe I was afraid. Of what? I didn't know. Of seeing Gaia with Diego again, or Dario with Stiff. The way they'd both ignore me and the other two would make fun of me. I knew they did. With their hidden glances and sarcastic remarks and all those I'm just joking.