We wandered through the narrow, historic streets filled with tantalizing aromas, feeling more like adventurous tourists than two kids skipping school.
Zane seemed to know all the best spots.He took my hand and led me inside the Pantheon, and I was mesmerized by the vast dome and the oculus that let in radiant sunlight.
“Did you know the rain never touches the floor?”Zane said, standing close behind me, his breath brushing against my ear as he pointed to the oculus.
“No way, it's gigantic!It must be 20 feet wide!”I exclaimed.
“Actually, it measures 29 feet.And while it does rain and snow, look at those tiny holes…” He gestured to the floor.
“How do you know all this?”I asked, turning to face him.
“Excuse me?You're speaking to a future architect here,” he replied, feigning indignation.
“Oh right, I almost forgot.The aspiring New York architect,” I teased, and he tried to tickle me in retaliation.“But doesn't it flood when it rains heavily?”I continued, eager to learn more.
“As I was saying, see that over there?The floor is slightly raised in the center and slopes toward 22 hidden holes along the edges.They drain rainwater into an ancient Roman sewer system, preventing flooding,” he explained, his enthusiasm contagious.“This marvel was completed in 125 CE, and that oculus is a testament to ancient engineering, embracing nature instead of resisting it.Isn't it incredible?”His eyes sparkled as he spoke.
He took my hand again, acting as my personal tour guide.Sure, my teachers had shared this information during school trips, but it was far more captivating coming from Zane.
“See that hotel?”he pointed to a building with double glass doors.I followed his gaze to the sign that read '9Hotel Cesari.'
“One day, we'll stay there, enjoying the nightlife and the peaceful mornings after,” he said, glancing at me with excitement.“It's perfectly located between my two favorite spots: the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain—only four minutes away from each other,” he said.I admired his ability to plan for the future.
We continued our exploration, and we stopped for ice cream, the chilly treat causing me to shiver.He wrapped his arm around me for warmth and protection.When we arrived at the Trevi Fountain, I couldn't help but ask him for more intriguing tidbits.
“Tell me something I don't know,” I challenged him, thrilled at the prospect.
“Hm, over €1.5 million in coins are tossed into the fountain every year,” he stated proudly.
“I already knew that, next!”I replied, feigning disappointment.
“Alright, let me think.Hmm….Do you see that large vase?”He pointed to the right.I nodded.“That's called the Ace of Cups.Legend has it that when architect Nicola Salvi was commissioned to design the Trevi Fountain in 1732, a critical barber whose shop was directly across the street constantly berated his work.To get back at him, Salvi added this vase, blocking the man’s view of the project as a cheeky middle finger to the naysayer.”
“Is that true?”I asked, genuinely curious.I had already heard that story, but I pretended not to know.I wanted to please him, to let him know he succeeded.
“Well, it's a fun story, and I like to believe it is,” he replied with a smile, pulling me closer to the fountain.“Here, take this,” he said, retrieving a coin from his pocket and handing it to me.I was ready to toss it when he halted me.“What are you doing?Not like this.Stand with your back to the fountain, toss the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder, but don't look back.Legend says that looking at the fountain while tossing the coin voids your wish.”I followed his instructions, closing my eyes as I made a wish.
“All done,” I said proudly.“Don't you want to toss a coin?”I added.
“My wish already came true.”His words melted me.And then we kissed.It was a perfect kiss, in a perfect place, with a perfect guy.Pure happiness filled all my senses, and I wished to stay still with him in that chaotic city, as if there were nobody else on earth.
Time was slipping away, and we needed to head home.We stopped for a slice of pizza on our way to the car.I had envisioned what a perfect date would look like, but this one exceeded all my expectations.My feelings were so intense that I struggled to put them into words, unable to sort through the whirlwind of emotions.
As promised, he drove me home.The house was empty since my mom was at work, so I didn't need to explain why Zane drove me home.She had left some pasta for me in the fridge, but I wasn't in the mood to eat.
Being cautious, I decided to call Emily to catch up on what had happened at school.She was surprised to hear from me, and of course, the gossip had spread like wildfire.When she asked about my day, I told her about our trip to Rome.The downside was that I had missed the English test.
The following day, I forged my mom’s signature on the excuse slip.It was easier to replicate her signature than my dad’s.I didn't want to lie, but I felt I had no choice.Everything went smoothly; my parents didn't suspect a thing, and at school, everyone bought my story about having a stomachache.
We tried to coordinate our schedules: Zane had capoeira practice on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so I asked Enzo to work on those days and Fridays.The arrangement made the other days available for us to spend time together.
Zane would come over, but only when one of my parents was home.It was especially awkward when my dad was around since we had to keep the door wide open, and he would check in every ten minutes, just as he did with Marco.My mom, however, was more relaxed and allowed us more privacy.Zane even stayed for dinner a few times.
Jessica had a new boyfriend who was four years older than her.She often stopped by the coffee shop to chat whenever I had some free time.I shared all the details about Zane, our trip to Rome, and his visits to my house.She seemed fine with it as long as I was honest with her.
I wouldn't say our friendship was the same as it once was, but it had matured and evolved.While our conversations still revolved around guys 99% of the time, I was grateful to have her in my life.School would be ending soon, and who knew what our futures held?
I told my parents I was considering taking a year off to figure out my next steps, which mostly depended on what Zane would choose to do.They didn't exactly support my decision, leading to ongoing debates.
