5.8 Richter Scale

Chapter 1

Lisa smiled, watching the pictures she, Simone, Gabriele and Virginia had taken at "Italy in Miniature" the summer before. For them, it was a special day, each one had the opportunity to show the others the place where they were born and tell the stories of all its monuments.

Lisa, Simone, Gabriele, Virginia. Four different guys with different backgrounds, but so close to each other.

«Falconara!» said Simone, while the pictures were sliding on the friend's notebook. «Isn't it where Gabriele screwed the pooch with the quadruplets mom?»

Lisa laughed.

«That's Gabriele, everybody!» she said.

«What about me?» cried Gabriele, coming down the stairs.

Watching the picture was enough for him to burst out laughing with Lisa. He remembered that day spent at the amusement park with his friends. There, he professed his endless love for Virginia, the beautiful Roman girl whom he fell in love with a lifetime before. Well, it seemed a lifetime to Gabriele, but it was actually just a year: Gabriele was young and he used to live day by day, like the guys his own age.

«What are you thinking about?» asked Simone.

«I'm thinking about... the Paradise I've found here with you» he said.

Lisa smiled softly. She didn't like Gabriele at first, she thought they were too different, and she was right. But then she realized that was actually the most beautiful thing. He was so wild, while she was very quiet. Gabriele had no problems moving out from his parents' house because of the fights with his father, whereas Lisa had a difficult time settling in a new city, changing her all habits. Luckily Simone was with her, or she would have been back home in less than ten days. She thought she wasn't fit for that life: it was her first time away from her family and her emotions almost got the best of her, but having Simone there, meant everything to her, just like every time. Sure, she lived in Senigallia and he lived in Macerata, around 90 km from each other, but since they met five years before at the stadium, they've been best friends. Grown up apart but just like brother and sister, when someone told Lisa they were destined to be together, she used to get angry, saying that they didn't believe in that kind of friendship. Simone used to laugh instead.

When Lisa and Simone enrolled at L'Aquila University and started looking for an apartment, they met Virginia and Gabriele. The two of them were classmates and they've felt a strong connection from the start. But Virginia was extremely shy and she would never have confessed she liked him. She believed men had to do that. Beneath that arrogant appearance, Gabriele's love life had always been a disaster, so he waited. And waited, and waited and waited. Until Lisa and Simone had come and immediately sent them into each other's arms.

«Would you ever believed it?» asked Virginia, joining them in the living room, and sitting on the sofa.

Their house was nice and comfortable. They were lucky: their families have never had money issues and they've known no poverty or renunciation. Virginia used to believe that you could buy everything with money, regardless of what people say. She was a bit spoiled, she liked to be treated like a princess, but she had a big heart and her character had been softening thanks to her patience. Timid and strong: like the tortoise crawls out of the shell when it feels safe, Virginia was finally able to be herself around her roommates, especially with Gabriele, she was the typical Roman girl, with that funny accent that Lisa found amusing.

«Believe what?» was Lisa's comment.

«This.»

Virginia moved her hand around, indicating their world. She was laying on her stomach, her feet swinging down showing her socks full of hearts, a gift from Gabriele for Valentine's Day. Lisa and Simone, sitting at the table, were watching the pictures on the laptop. And then Gabriele, leaning in the doorway, with his sleeves rolled up and that buster vibe. The house was cool and cleaned, apart from Lisa's books, scattered all around the table. It was peaceful.