VINCENZOThe pack house pulsed with two distinct sounds. The upbeat music shooting from the living room, and my grunts. A bitch had her butt clasped on my dick; my head was thrown back as spams upon spasms of pleasure coursed through me. This was the first I was getting laid since the semester ended. And it had only been yesterday that I realised how sex starved I was. Coughing out a groan, I freed myself from her and started getting dressed. I didn't give a second look before leaving and returning to the partying room. All signs pointed at the fact that my parents were away. Colours—red, blue and green—shot from the disco ball, painting up the room. People were chattering, laughing, grinding and generally, living their lives. Given how loud the music was, my chest drummed. I was a happy-go-lucky guy which explained why I threw a party to mark the end of a semester. There was no sense in being a workaholic. I sat with Michele and Luigi, my arms spread wide on the head of the couch.
RINA"Next up. Rina." Mia looked up from the sheet of paper and sneered. Unenthusiastically, she read out my day's work. "Will be taking the garden, collecting the garbage and doing dishes."That said, I returned to what I'd been doing since I came to the assembly ground. Wandering mentally. We had three days till the end of the year, and as such, were preparing for the Festival of the Sun—my favorite holiday until lately. To prove how wrecked I was, Mammà and I would be visiting some relatives in Bologna; but I was anything but excited. It seemed like my mood would never be revived. Not even by the prospect of babysitting Uncle Enrico's cute daughter. . Everyone dispersed, going to their respective posts. Fortunately for me, it was airy outside. The sun was perfectly tucked under the clouds, and a cool breeze brushed across. I'd have been a sweltering mess if that hadn't been the case. I worked through the afternoon and had lunch with Mammà. It wasn't the usual kind as we barely
RINARina, take a deep breath. Breath in; breath out. There's nothing you can do. I had tears in my eyes and an emotion that was similar to the one I got when Papà died. Denial, that was what it was. Not wanting to believe a fact was a fact. Wishing so damn badly that the hands of time slid backwards to afford me the opportunity to right the wrong of the present. It laid on the ironing board, staring at me. The blackened spot around the breast pocket of Liliana's jumpsuit. The time she'd given me had long passed; I wasn't ready to leave the laundry room. I didn't think I could. What's the worse that can happen? An unknown voice rang in my mind. Yes, what was the worst? I didn't have a strong threshold for pain, and I probably would spend the night crying, but wasn't that where the torture would end? My hands came to my face, wiping off tears. A dry chuckle left my lips. Good riddance I hadn't been excited for the Festival of the Sun. Good riddance I hadn't imagined how much of a g
RINAA turn sent the shower wailing. I stood still —my eyes closed—as warm water rained on me. It was so for the next minute or two: me, not moving with just the rush of the water as the only sound here. I couldn't bring myself to make a move. To pick up my sponge and start bathing. I didn't see myself leaving the shower anytime soon. Or leaving it at all. The water was just too sweet to let go of. It was like an addictive drug. What made me reach for my sponge was the mere fact that this wasn't my house. And that I couldn't even afford such luxury to begin with.I scrubbed my body. The smooth sponge, suddenly becoming sandpaper due to how much force I used. I knew, though, that no matter how much I scrubbed, no matter the fact bruises might surface, I would never totally wipe out Piccolo Maestro's touch. I'd been doing that since everything started, and this morning he came close to me, I'd washed up..Still.Wherever I was, his presence hovered around. I couldn’t make something as
RINAGli Angeli della Città buzzed with a different kind of energy. It was the busiest tram terminal in the city, but was now packed much more than a can of sardines. You could hardly find a spot to place your foot. And while this was frustrating, there were hoodlums to look out for. People who'd sneak up on you and steal. This was one of the cons of festive periods. Mammà and I managed to snag ourselves some tickets amidst the chaos and the ticket seller’s unfriendliness. We got some things for Uncle Enrico’s family before claiming our seats. I might not look it, but I was happy. Couldn't even close my eyes for more than a minute last night, because all I could of was Uncle Enrico, Bella in my arms and the corn field. Mammà and I snacked, then—thanks to the graying sky—I slipped to sleep. I woke up some time later when Mammà nudged me. "Someone's been calling you." I looked down at my tote bag and drew out my phone. Whoever it was had called thrice. Sophia came to mind, but I
RINAOne of the things I'd come to terms with was being perpetually sad. But since I stepped into Bologna, I'd been nothing but a creepy clown. Wearing this smile that stretched up to my eyes and beyond. Nico, my seven-year-old cousin, the boy that always gave me a run for my money, had called me out on the strangeness of my smile. Asking me if I'd been high on nitrous oxide. However he'd gotten that knowledge, it was between him and the moon goddess. I wouldn't stress myself to know. Peace was grossly underrated. This, I'd come to realize. And having all the wealth in the world, living in a palace, eating junks or visiting the world's most beautiful city did not equate to peace. Where should I start?Sleep. Oh, yes. Even though I was crammed in bed with Mammà, I dozed like a baby. I slept without crowding my chest, or checking the doors. I slept without setting an alarm every thirty minutes or waking with a start because of some horrid dream. For once, Piccolo Maestro wasn't ming
VINCENZOI buttoned up my sleeves and ensured—for the umpteenth time—that my shirt was properly tucked. Next came my tie. I made sure the clip was in place and my hair—even though not gelled—looked good. I didn't have to look like some one dimensional superhero in a comic strip to make an impression. I knew why I took my time, and I'd be damned if I didn't get the desired result. Four days of being suave couldn't go unrewarded. Spraying some bit of perfume, I grabbed my satchel and left the room. From what my watch said, Padre should be anything but ready. I was wrong. He was perched on a couch, sipping what I knew was espresso. All dressed and ready for the day's business.He looked me over, I must say, quite surprised at my punctuality and maybe my clean character these past few days. I knew so, even though his expression relayed nothing. "Coffee?" he asked as I took a seat opposite. "I already have."Silence took form; all the while, I watched him. He locked gazes with me tw
VINCENZOI dropped on the bed, totally and utterly drained. It'd been a long day today. We'd left the airport to attend a conference which had nothing to do with how miserable I was. If anything, I'd enjoyed every bit of it. I'd learnt a lot. My problem stemmed from the one hour drive to Melbourne where Padre had some old friends. To cut the story short, time had been nonexistent. I loosened my tie and tossed it to the floor. Sighing as I admitted to the good side of the whole thing: connection, experience. If I embarked on, say, two more trips like this with Padre, I'd be fully made. I took a shower and got ready for bed. While dressing in front of the closet, my eyes fell on the nightstand and a flash of memory hit me. I'd been away from Rina for days, and while I didn't expect her to call, I felt sour. Bitter? Weird? I didn't know what to call it, but it was something. Most of the servants usually traveled home for the holiday and this fact further worsened my plight. By some u