Piccoletto

Friends Forever

Giulia and Alberto stood still under the yellow light. Alberto had just admitted to Giulia the truth. The truth about what probably happened- or was happening, to Luca. Alberto took a shaky breath, willing himself to speak. The vespa didn't matter. Luca did. It had always been Luca.

"Ercole was- really mad," Alberto muttered, looking down at the ground. "No, well- I made him mad. His friends took a hold of me and he pushed Luca down."

Alberto quickly wiped a tear away as he spoke. The more he talked, the more it sounded like this was all of his fault. Giulia approached Alberto shyly as she waited for him to continue.

"I didn't mean to escalate things!" Alberto lashed out. "I just wanted to show him he wasn't the boss of me! And he started hitting me. . ."

Alberto turned away from Giulia who had attempted to put a hand on his shoulder.

"So you didn't fall out of the hideout, did you?" Giulia asked quietly.

Alberto shook his head. "No, it was Ercole. He realized that hitting me wasn't shutting me up, so he- he turned to Luca."

Alberto sniffled, willing himself to continue. "He punched Luca and kicked him. But Luca didn't give up. He refused to let me get hurt. And Ercole tried choking him. He said if we ever saw him again he'd finish what he had started."

Alberto shamefully wiped more tears as he broke down into cries. Giulia tried to catch a glimpse of his swollen eye, realizing that Luca was in much more trouble then she had originally thought of.

"Alberto," Giulia said. "None of this is your fault. You know that, right? We're going to find Luca and-"

"Just shut up!" Alberto roared, turning around towards Giulia. "Don't you get it? It is my fault! I'm the one who kept fighting back! It's my fault Luca got taken! All of it! And now Ercole might have hurt him or- or taken him somewhere! And it's all because of ME!"

Giulia looked Alberto up and down, trying to find the words to speak. As soon as she opened her mouth, Alberto interrupted her.

"I hurt him, Giulia. He's gone."

"And that's why we have to find him," Giulia said. "And it isn't your fault. If it's anyone's fault, it's Ercole's. We'll call my dad and he can call the police, and we'll-"

"No!" Alberto shouted back. He realized he might have to tell Giulia the truth. About him and Luca.

"Uh- sorry," Alberto said. "There's just something else I gotta tell you. About me and Luca."

Giulia stomped her foot. "Are you serious, Alberto? You can't keep hiding all these secrets from me! I won't tell my dad. But you have to promise you'll never lie again. Capito?"

Alberto sighed, weighing his options before holding out his hand. "Capito."

Alberto and Giulia made their way over to a bench, away from any buildings at the edge of the small village. Alberto didn't know how to go about this. He'd never actually tell Giulia the whole truth, it would be a betrayal to Luca. And he couldn't bring himself to do it, then maybe there was another way.

"You know how I said Luca and I are runaways?" Alberto said, grabbing Giulia's full attention. "It's because of his parents. Luca wanted to be my friend and- and I wanted to be his. But we weren't allowed to hang out together because his parents don't like it here. They don't like anyone."

"Luca's parents?" Giulia asked. "But how? Luca sounds like the complete opposite of them."

Alberto nodded with a little smile, thinking about how cute Luca looked trying to make his way to the surface. Alberto by then had been spying on Luca, trying to find out how to become his friend.

"Yeah," Alberto said. "I thought it was crazy too. You should've seen him. So eager to explore, just like me. I've never had a friend like him before. He was my first friend. My best friend."

"Is that why you're so protective of him?" Giulia asked.

Alberto nodded again. "Yeah. When he told me his parents found out we were hanging out together- it didn't go well. We came here to stay friends forever. Which is why you can't tell your dad. Or else they'll take Luca from me."

Giulia contemplated in silence before launching herself forward to hug Alberto. Alberto was surprised, but wrapped his arms around her too. He heard Giulia sniff on his shoulder and squeezed her tighter as he let out a small cry too. Soon they parted, and wiped away their tears.

"I promise I won't tell anyone," Giulia said with a smile. "I'm glad Luca has someone who loves him so much."

Alberto blushed. "Yeah."

Giulia took one more sniff before turning to the more disciplined side of herself.

"Ok, Alberto," Giulia said with a smile of determination. "Help me carry Ercole's vespa away."