<<Dont worry, I can tolerate it>> I say smiling at him.
Matthias is in his bedroom and throw himself on the bed thinking amused about Isabels exuberance and awkwardness. He is bewildered too by the many emotions of the days events. He feels attracted to that girl. He thinks back on the moment he saw her whirl. He would have stayed hours watching her while she danced. Since he met her piercing hazel eyes he could no longer look away from her. He is aware of her embarrassment. He feels attracted not only to her appearance but also to her vulnerability that she wants to hide by irony and self-confidence. He found her irresistible when she joined them in the living room wearing that cream dress that left her long toned legs uncovered. Isabel: a particularly beautiful face, framed by long brown hair with russet shades, big amber brown eyes, well designed full lips that contrast with the spontaneous and innocent expression. She has a toned body, a round and well-shaped bottom, generous breasts, narrow waist and curves in all the right places... Evidently, the sport has helped her to ensure that her body was modelled in the right places. Certainly she does not go unnoticed, everything about her is perfection and sensuality... Overwhelmed by Isabels thought he forgets for a while his problems and the real reason that has led him to move to Turin for some time.
At the very thought that theres only a wall to separate me from Matthias, it gives me goosebumps. Stop thinking of him! I have to recover and get a move on. I decide to wear a black dress that highlights my curves without being vulgar, black court shoes, a trace of make-up on my eyes and a bit of lip gloss, a few drops of Jadore, a last brush to my hair that I will let loose and, finally, Im ready.
The mobile phone starts ringing and, as expected, its Max who calls to advice me of his delay. He never succeeds in being on time!
<<What happened to you this time?>> I ask him snorting.
<<Forgive me, Isabel. I had a hitch, so unfortunately we can not go out together tonight.>>
The reaction is an immediate retort <<And do you tell me it only now? Fifteen minutes before zero hour? Nice, we are back to the usual routine!>>
<<Youre right to be angry, but my mother wasnt feeling too well and she needs me, Im sorry. I swear that tomorrow morning I will pick you up very early and first of all Ill take you for a breakfast at the bar and then Ill take you to the university.>>
<<Okay, I forgive you this time too but for revenge tomorrow I wont give weight to my shape and, since you will pay for me, Ill eat whatever will pass under my nose. Dont stand me up again! Now go to your mother and say goodbye for me!>> I say softening my resentment.
I understand that this time its for a good cause, but its seriously hard to bear that he is constantly no-show.
I leave my room, slamming the door involuntarily. I shouldnt but Im still very angry. Its the third time in the last ten days that he stands me up. Im so furious not to realize that my gentleness in slamming the door made Matthias leave his room. His eyes are on me and scrutinize me from head to toe. Why is he staring at me thus?
Breaking the silence I say to him: <<Forgive me for the noise. But my better half has an innate and unbelievable predisposition to make me mad...>> he continues staring at me embarrassingly, practically he is devouring me with his eyes.
Im sure red-faced. Finally he decides to tell me something.
<<No, do not worry about me. Tell me what happened to you, instead.>>
<<Max stood me up again! And to say that I got cute for him.>>
<<He will have no idea what hes missing; you are beautiful!>>
And after this statement I blush even more.
<<Do you know what? Nothing goes to waste! If thats all right, Ill go out with you tonight.>> Matthias proposes.
<<Of course, Ill guide you around the streets of Turin!>> I answer enthusiastically, worried about the strange emotions I feel and about having to be alone with him.
<<Would you like to go for a walk in the city centre and then to a pub for a drink?>>
<<Id like it! Just give me a few minutes to get changed and Ill be right with you.>> he replies amused to have noticed my eyes on his sweatpants, winking at me. I blush, realizing that I was devouring him with my eyes too. Good heavens! This man would be really sexy even wearing a garbage bag.
In the meantime I went down in the kitchen to drink a glass of cold water to recover and to dampen my ardour although perhaps I should swallow something alcoholic which could make me more uninhibited.
I head towards the hallway and in the meantime I notice that Matthias is walking down the stairs to join me. He wore jeans, a black cotton T-shirt with v-neck and a leather jacket. He is to die for!
He takes my hand and asks me if Im ready to take him around. I nod and, breathing deeply, I start talking non-stop: <<Ill take you by car to Piazza Vittorio Veneto that is one of the largest square in Europe and from there we will walk down the main streets of the city centre: Via Po, Piazza Castello, Via Roma and then we will get back from Via Lagrange to end up again in Via Po. Finally we will conclude our tour having a drink at Murazzis.>>
<<Perfect, I trust you!>> he exclaims, amused by my sudden gift of the gab.
We reach my car, a black Alfa Romeo Mito.
Put aside shyness and broken the ice, I start feeling at ease. So, to speed things up and to know him better, I bombard him with questions about his home town and his private life. When I put my mind Im really pushy.
<<Sorry if I trouble you, but I wonder what the hell you are doing here in Turin, living in a beautiful city like Rome.>>
<<I work>> he answers.
Despite my court shoes are very tall, I managed to walk a lot and to follow the predetermined itinerary.
Going towards Murazzis I point out Gran Madre Church and Mount of the Capuchins.
<<Did you know that Turin is a magic city? Next time Ill take you in Piazza Statuto. In ancient times it was the gates of the city, considered inauspicious, and out of this there were crucifixions. Because of its historical precedents it is believed that the square hides something evil, even its assumed that under the central flowerbed theres the door to hell. Turin is the vertex of the triangle of black magic with London and San Francisco and also of white magic with Prague and Lyon. The exact point of the vertex of black magic is a small obelisk built in 1808 on a geodetic point according to trigonometric calculations and its placed in a flowerbed of the small garden.>>
<<Really?>>
I nod. Then I point at the three statues of Gran Madre Church and I explain him what they represent.
<<The statue in the centre represents Victor Emmanuel I, the right one is the allegory of religion with a tiara at its feet, while, the left one represents the allegory of faith, a woman holding a chalice. It is believed that the statue looks to the place where the Holy Grail is hidden. Instead one of the esoteric legend says that it is not its look that indicates where the Grail is buried but its index finger. For this reason unknown persons destroyed it.>>
<<Interesting.>>
<<Maybe as soon as we will have some free time, Ill take you for a tour, making you visit the mysterious, subterranean and esoteric Turin.>>
<<Interesting.>>
<<Maybe as soon as we will have some free time, Ill take you for a tour, making you visit the mysterious, subterranean and esoteric Turin.>>
<<Id like it very much.>>
<<I do not believe in these things... Even though esotericism fascinates and frightens me at the same time.>>
<<I do not believe in these things too. Although at this time I perceive a little magic and more than through the gate of hell I feel to stay through that of Paradise.>> he says looking into my eyes.
<<I knew you would have liked this place...>> I say, pretending not to understand. Because I think he was not referring to the city... Im the usual presumptuous.
While we are in the pub and continue to drink, Matthias lists the places that he would like to visit. Then he tells me something about his family. He has two sisters and he loves them much.
<<I moved here for work issues. Im a financial consultant. My aunt told me that she knows people who need me and I need to have more clients and to gain experience, so I decided to move! Knowing your parents, she helped me to find an accommodation. She asked them the possibility to host me in your boarding house. Unfortunately theres not much space in her house to host me.>>
<<I have never met your aunt. My mother told me she is one of her long-time friend that I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet. According to what she says, your aunt doesnt live in this city. Id be curious to meet her, she may reveal something that my mother did when she was young. Who knows, it may come in handy when she will be breathing down on my neck!>> I remark with a smirk.
<<Someday if you would like it Ill take you there. She lives in Susa Valley since she got married.>>
<<Thank you, Id like it very much.>>
Id like to ask him also if he is engaged but I dont think its appropriate. He may think that I have other interests in him.
We talk still a lot continuing to swallow beer which makes me more confident and less shy. We laugh and have fine throughout the evening. Without realizing it the time flew.
<<Its very late!>> I exclaim, watching the time. <<Its almost three in the morning and in a few hours I have to go to the university.>>
<<Youre right, the time passed quickly. I didnt think it was so late!>>
<<Yes... Its time to go to sleep>> I say very sorry to have to interrupt the pleasant chat.
<<Thank you very much for the nice evening...>> I say pausing to take courage and tell him that I had already seen him.
<<You know, this morning while I was going to university I met you; you were standing at a traffic light with a road map in your hands. I could not help but notice you and I have been fascinated by your look. I thought you were English or Irish... you are particularly interesting!>> I exclaim and then I try to repair <<Forgive me, I shouldnt drink so much, I lose control and I dont think to what I say...>> I blush and avoid looking at him.
He smiles at me and placing two fingers under my chin he forces me to look into his eyes: <<Evidently its a sign of fate that we should meet.>>
<<Maybe...>> I answer intimidated by him, his eyes and the circumstance.
<<Nothing gets past you! In part you guessed it. I have Irish origins by my mother.>> he tells me proudly.
<<Your features, and the colour of your eyes and your hair suggested me it. Youre the classic beauty of northern Europe.>> I confess becoming red-faced. Good thing that I stopped drinking beers. I dare not imagine what I could say... For example that if I wasnt engaged I would jump on him. And now? Where do these sinful thoughts come from?
We head for the car, we get in it and I put my hands on the steering wheel, pretending to be careful to what Im doing. I dont want him to notice my face still flushed because of my confession of a few minutes earlier.
Matthias is lost in thought and I dont want to open my mouth to prevent other howlers. The silence is almost comfortable.
Finally we arrived at home. We climb the stairs staying always in silence and we find ourselves before the hallway where there are our bedrooms.
Breaking the silence I whisper to him: <<Good night, Matthias and thank you again for the lovely evening.>>
He looks at me and gets closer to give me a kiss on the cheek. <<Good night, Isabel.>>
We come in our respective rooms and despite the strong emotions felt during the day just passed I fall asleep as soon as I lean my head on the pillow.
III
The doorbell rings: its Max who has kept his promise. He has come to get me to have breakfast together and to take me to the university. I quickly walk down the stairs ready to face a new day and my unreliable boyfriend.
He is wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and dark blue jacket. I feel like weve been apart for a lifetime. Dark-haired, attentive and bright green eyes, olive complexion, tall and slender. I had almost forgotten how charming he was. We got engaged last year but we met in junior high school He was my first boyfriend. I have always been too focused on dance to think of love, I had some infatuations but nothing more. Poor Max! He has always loved me in silence for years and during courtship he has been very patient and insistent. Maybe I have succumbed to exhaustion.
I join him and ironically say: <<Hi, are you real or a hologram?>>
<<Im real and Im all here for you.>> he replies, dampening a guilty grin.
Meanwhile Matthias was walking down the stairs to reach the living room. Hes wearing a grey tight outfit and a white shirt, classic look for a businessman. Its impossible to describe how he looks magnificently good in that outfit. I try not to look at him too much, focusing only on Max.
I feel really embarrassed, I hope nobody notices it. But then why do I feel this way? I study psychology for some years and Im still not able to analyse my mind. The emotions of recent days are an enigma! I see Max who looks at Matthias and then at me. Maybe he expects introductions...
<<Hello Matthias, this is my boyfriend and my favourite flake Max...>>
<<Nice to meet you!>> Matthias exclaims disconsolately holding his hand out to shake.
<<Max, this is the guy I told you about yesterday on the phone.>> I say trying to deaden the tension. He looks stiffened. The knowledge and the existence of Matthias dont seem to be as much well-accepted and it appears obvious by the way he quickly dissociates himself from Matthias.
<<Lets go now, otherwise you will be late at the university and, besides, on an empty stomach!>> he smiles at me and nods his head to say goodbye to Matthias.
While were heading for the bar I tell him how I spent the previous evening. I was uncertain whether to do it or not, then I decide that it would be better to tell him it otherwise he would think that I had something to hide if he becomes aware about it by other means. And honestly I have not done anything wrong!
<<Nice, so after only few hours you had met him, you went out together. Great!>> he reproaches me.
<<Now are you jealous too? I have already explained you that he is the nephew of a dear friend of my mother and theres nothing wrong with having a new friend! He is here just since yesterday and he feels like a fish out of water. Seen how yesterday evening ended, I wanted to distract myself a bit and he wanted to begin to know our city. Come on! Now take me to the university. Its too late to have breakfast, so jealous boy!>> I exclaim without challenging too much his absurd suspicions and his sudden bad mood.