Chapter 3 Three

AMANDA

We took a seat at one of the picnic tables, towards a beautiful day: the clear sky, the birds singing, children playing and tormenting their parents, who had the wrong idea of bringing them into the world, but still loved them with all their heart, for they were part of them.

I hated days like that, so much sweetness made me want to throw up, especially if I hadn't had my daily dose of caffeine.

My supposed friend, that is to say Joshua, was looking at me straight in the face with an amused expression when noticing my discomfort; If I had been a person with less self-control I would have punched him, but being the great lady that I was, I limited myself to showing them my teeth in an almost animalistic gesture.

Yes, it was the very representation of grace and elegance.

Apparently my action really scared Joshua because he shrugged and handed me one of the coffee cups he was carrying.

I looked at the drink adoringly, as if God himself had appeared before me in that form, and I snatched it from his hands, perhaps too aggressively, and took a long sip.

My mood improved considerably as soon as the caffeine took effect in the system, whoever said that coffee did not influence the behavior of human beings, it was obvious that he had never had a cup when stressed.

- The day has just begun, such a bad start? Joshua asked in a mocking tone, pointing to the drink that I had inadvertently finished.

" Shut up," he hissed through his teeth. My friend raised his hands in surrender, but kept the same expression, which made me grunt in response. - So much love and colors makes me nauseous. I admitted feigning a gag. Joshua looked at me as if I had grown a third eye.

I couldn't say that his reaction surprised me, objectively the people around us weren't doing anything wrong and they actually looked very happy with each other.

Unfortunately I was the type to be amazing and unique who hoped his surroundings would match the mood I was currently in. If I felt bad, why was the rest of the world acting like they had perfect lives?

That would forever be one of the great mysteries of my existence.

"When do classes start?" Joshua asked cautiously.

I dropped my head on the table, letting out a frustrated sigh; there must be some kind of unspoken rule that forbade your friends to know you so well, no doubt I would approve of its enactment instantly.

- In a week. - I answered in a plaintive tone that was very strange to me.

She wasn't usually that whiny, or that depends on who you ask; I liked my job and tried to give one hundred percent every day that I taught writing courses at the university.

But this year would be completely different from the previous ones, I had been assigned the most difficult section and I would have to spend the next nine months away from a rope or I would end up tying it around my neck.

- Did they finally assign you to the new recruits? she asked , taking a sip from her own cup of coffee.

n't understand how he was able to take so long drinking it when I had already finished mine and was wondering if going for another one would be a good idea or it would make me more anxious than I already was.

- That's right, but... how do you know? - . I raised an eyebrow looking at him suspiciously. I hadn't had time to tell anyone about my latest misfortune, for the simple fact that even I still didn't fully assimilate it.

Joshua settled in of course, adopting a position similar to that of a university professor when he wants to explain something obvious to you.

He looked at me as if he was impressed that I didn't get it the first time and brought both hands together, resting his chin on them; I couldn't help but compare him to Montgomery Burns, a very famous character from the cartoon The Simpsons .

I chuckled under my breath, knowing that between the cruel millionaire and my friend there was no common appearance. Out of the corner of my eye I watched as the park began to fill up more and more.

- You've only been talking about it for the last month. It seems you brought your own bad luck. He replied in a knowing tone that made me roll my eyes. - See it on the positive side.

"And what would that be?"

Joshua shrugged.

I don't know, but there must be one.

"Easy to say when you don't have to spend six hours of your life with kids who just graduated from high school who have no idea what to expect in college." - I affirmed taking my hands to my head. -And it wasn't so bad, but most of them don't even impress me. They all seem to have been cut from the same pattern, the same conversations, the same interests and without any kind of enriching input. I assured shuddering, there was nothing more terrifying than that. -Where is our individuality? At what point do we become a cheap copy of someone else's personality?

"Did you wake up philosophical today?" I gave him a dirty look. "Okay, seriously, I think you're acting more like a writer than a teacher. Your job is to test their knowledge, not the depth of their souls. He responded by making a movement with his hands to play it down. I nodded, but I didn't feel calmer, I was about to answer when Joshua's phone rang. -It's a message from Katherine, she invites us to a touch she has this afternoon. he said, reading the information, his expression becoming more and more scared as he went on.

-No. I responded almost instinctively.

"She's our friend." Joshua said with a frown.

"I know, and it feels bad to leave her standing up." But there's no way in hell I'm going to show up there.

"It's been eight months, you should get over it. He said reaching out one of his hands to take mine, I moved away quickly. "You can't just not go to your friend's performance because your ex is also part of the band." he claimed in a reproachful tone.

I lowered my head, I felt like a teenager being scolded by her parents when they find her with her boyfriend in the room, not that I had any kind of experience with that of course, but I figured that's how it should be.

"I'm over it, but I'm not ready to see her again yet." I said crossing my arms. -It's the truth! I yelled, drawing the attention of some people who were passing by.

I was well aware that Joshua was right and that my attitude was bordering on childish. My last partner and I had ended like this for almost a year, after the one I found cheating on with someone else, at that time we were already living together and the separation was twice as dramatic.

We met through Katherine when she introduced us to the bassist of the group and we clicked almost instantly, we had incredible chemistry and thanks to that I made the terrible mistake of asking her to move into my apartment, after only six months of living in a engagement.

The honeymoon , as my friends like to call it, didn't last too long, only a couple of months before the discussions started.

Certainly I was not surprised that he deceived me, it was something that I had been suspecting. But her reasons for doing so were so stupid and incoherent that I remember them and they amused me: apparently I couldn't please her in private and I ended up looking for someone who would.

That he tried to make me feel guilty, as if I had pushed myself to make that decision was the straw that broke the camel's back. I asked her to pack her things and leave, I had no intention of ever seeing her again.

"You know things didn't end well between us. Joshua nodded, of course he knew, I told him myself, and he offered to chase her down and shave her skull in revenge. When I refused, he ended up staying with me all night, watching classic horror movies and eating ice cream.

-But it was her responsibility, she decided to finish what she had with you. And you can't spend the rest of your life hiding like that. I smiled a little, he was right. "At least promise me you'll think about it, please." He asked squeezing my hands, I nodded and he released them visibly calmer.

We got up from the table to go to a nearby cafeteria for something to eat, my stomach was beginning to growl with hunger.

On the way we ran into some tourists who asked for help with some direction or to take a photo, Joshua was delighted while I stayed a little away from the rest.

My friend had an almost natural magnetic charm, everyone liked him and it was easy to trust him because he gave off an infectious joy, it was almost impossible not to feel comfortable around him.

Maybe that's why he worked for a small advertising agency, all his clients admired his creations so much, that sometimes they didn't even notice that behind that easy smile and affable expression was hiding an ambitious man who knew how to sell himself as a product, offering his best profile. to the world.

I was lucky to be one of the few people who knew the real Joshua, not just the brand, and I enjoyed making fun of those who presumed to do so, because he knew many, but was friends with few.

-Sometimes I envy the facility you have to relate to everyone. I admitted when we got to the cafe. The name of the place stood out on a huge brown sign with gold letters: Caffé Marceletti .

Joshua looked at me with a raised eyebrow, if he had tried I'm sure he could hear the gears of his mind working at full speed, desperate to find some meaning in what he just said.

Their seemed to speak to me, either that or I was starting to watch too many science fiction and fantasy movies, where the protagonists were able to communicate with a single glance.

<< What the hell is that for? >> i read in them.

We sat at one of the tables facing outside, Joshua and I used to come here at least three times a week ever since we discovered the delicious rolls they served.

An elderly woman approached, outlining a radiant smile as soon as she saw us; It was the owner of the establishment, Marcela Dinusso , I had known her more or less since I arrived in Rome.

She was plump and a bit short, though not above average height, her black hair shone like a raven's wing all the time, but I knew she dyed it all the time.

Marcela hugged each of us hard enough to break a bone if she wanted to, infusing us with the distinctive smell of butter and flour that I had come to associate with her.

She left a kiss on our cheeks and sat next to us, the old woman looked radiant and I blushed because she wasn't used to provoking that kind of reaction in others. Perhaps it was only due to Joshua's presence.

She wore a knee-length burgundy dress that highlighted her deep brown eyes and was paired with a white apron and black flats.

- Ma guarda chi c'è qui. Miei cari figli! he yelled effusively. "I thought they'd become a couple of ungratefuls, but prodigals always come home." He stated angrily.

A few diners observed the situation with poorly concealed amusement, since the character of the owner of the premises was public knowledge.

Nobody, and I want to emphasize this very much, but absolutely nobody, wanted to have problems with that woman.

Maybe her Irish blood had something to do with it, but she still hadn't reached the level of superstition where she believed a person's ancestry defined their behavior toward others.

It could well be that it was because his sign was Taurus, one was never quite sure when it came to these things.

- Siamo very Dispiaciuti di offenderti , Marcela! Joshua apologized taking her hand and giving her an innocent look along with a charming smile. -But let me tell you that today you are beautiful . he inquired, leaving a kiss on her knuckles, which caused the lady to blush immediately, whose face turned the same color as ripe tomatoes.

-Ragazzo _ dispettious . Marcela hissed, hitting him with one of the rags she brought to clean the tables. -You must have more respect for your elders. -he affirmed, putting his arms on his hips, although his cheeks still held the proof of his embarrassment.

We both laughed helplessly and put an arm around each shoulder, kissing the old woman's cheeks, who only grumbled and looked at us angrily.

It shook those in her space, but I was aware that she just didn't want them to see her showing a soft spot for us, in her own words: " Then everyone will think I'm a soft-hearted vecchia ."

"Are you going to order something or are you just coming to disturb my business?" she inquired, taking a notebook from the apron pockets to write down what they asked for.

I shook my head from side to side, shocked and unable to believe the pride of the woman.

But that was precisely what I liked about her, she was a total curmudgeon who had been left a widow at a very young age with no children, she had no siblings either, so after the death of her parents she was left totally alone in the world.

Far from that stopping her, she discovered her passion for pastries and after a lot of hard work, she managed to set up her own cafeteria that was soon to be thirty years old since its opening.

She lived alone and with no more daily company than that of her clients and the occasional friend, keeping herself full with the company of herself. He faithfully believed that, if he was lucky, when he grew up he would have the same life as her.

Marcela took our order and turned around to go get it, while Joshua and I took the opportunity to burst out laughing. Without a doubt, those were the little pleasures in life that I would never get tired of and for which I got up every morning.

He came back too soon, so we had to get serious quickly to avoid another scolding; He carefully left the plates on the table and said goodbye kissing our crowns, the anger had already vanished.

We attacked breakfast without stopping to think for a second, we had ordered two croissants filled with cherry jam and Nutella.

I would have wanted to have an espresso, but Joshua insisted that I had already had too much caffeine in the morning, so we ended up ordering two glasses of orange juice.

As soon as the buttered dough touched my mouth I moaned with satisfaction, I was not a believer, but at that moment I didn't know who to thank for the investment of such delicious food.

<< If I have to die, I hope I know now>> I thought, taking another bite of the croissant. The chocolate spread around the corner of my lips and I had to reach for a napkin to wipe myself off.

-We would earn a lot of money if you were a porn actress. Joshua assured, although from the corner of his eye I noticed that he was taking a bite of his own puff pastry and imitating my gesture without hiding much.

-We would go bankrupt quickly, no one would have to pay my high prices. I affirmed, sucking my thumb, which had been covered in chocolate, and taking a sip of my juice.

Breakfast did me good, after eating my mood always took off and I no longer acted like a mad dog every time I was spoken to.

I got distracted watching the Roman streets, I never regretted making the decision to move here, despite the difficulties, I couldn't deny that I had grown as a person in recent years and also academically because the city gave me the opportunity to learn, since in itself it was an encyclopedia of knowledge.

The one who only needed to expose herself to the world and allow others to know her.

<< Complimenti per l'italia !>> I thought finishing my drink.