“It really did,” I hear myself adding. “We even encountered a pretty disturbing likeness of Hades at one point. It was so lifelike, yet grotesque at the same time.”
My gaze skirts over to Matt, our own personal resident of the underworld, who sends a self-important smirk in my direction. “That makes sense. If anyone can inspire a living hell, it would be you. And by the way, Hades is Greek mythology. In Roman mythology, he’s referred to as Pluto.”
I almost snarl. I’m primed and ready to answer his snide comment with one of my own when Marco pinches my leg under the table, covering up my yelp with a laugh.
“These two are hilarious,” he says with forced levity, directing his words at the professor. “We all met earlier today at a café.”
“You all met earlier?” she asks, surprised. “At a café? How extraordinary.”
“Very extraordinary,” Holly then quips. I give her a double take, ready to dispel whatever she’s thinking, when Matt speaks again.
“I wouldn’t call it extraordinary,” he says. “As it happens, I was writing in the café, finishing up on something pretty important, when Violet barreled into my table and smashed my laptop.”
My head whips toward him at his abrupt description, my jaw dropping. “Yeah, but I mean, obviously, it was a complete accident.” My voice is flustered. Holly and Professor Leoni are decidedly intrigued. “And I told Matt I was more than willing to replace his laptop.”
“Don’t even think of it,” his mother swiftly says. “That won’t be necessary.”
“That’s what I told her,” Matt adds. “But I guess it wasn’t so much about the computer as it was about the hours of unsaved work that was erased because of it.”
My stomach drops at his words. “I didn’t know your work got deleted.”
“You didn’t ask.”
It’s so confusing, because I truly am apologetic but something about Matt makes me feel like maybe I shouldn’t be. “Again, I’m very sorry about your computer.”
Matt relaxes in his chair and cuts into one of his sliced tomatoes. “Has anyone ever told you that you apologize too much?” He takes a bite, flashing me a condescending grin in the process.
That’s it. I’m flipping the table. I’m flipping the table and I’m going to get ejected from Italy and the competition before it’s even begun.
“Stop teasing her, Matteo,” Professor Leoni chimes in. “And don’t you worry about him,” she tells me. “My Matteo likes to rile people up. It’s just his way. Though, I don’t know where he gets it from since his father was the sweetest man in the world.”
A cloud seems to cross over Matt’s face at her words, and all his focus is now on the food in front of him. Professor Leoni doesn’t seem to notice, only keeps a small smile to herself before turning to Marco.
“So tell me, are there any specific places you’d like to visit while you’re here?”
I’m listening in on his answer when I feel Holly inching closer beside me. “I didn’t know you met the professor’s son before you got here,” she says quietly.
A little startled, I look around the table and make sure that everyone is homed in on Marco’s response as I lean over to answer her.
“I did, but it wasn’t a good meeting.”
She nods and shifts a bit, peering over at Matt. “He’s barely stopped looking at you since we sat down,” she says.
I’m so tempted to turn and see if that’s true, but I keep my attention focused on her.
“That’s probably because he’s silently plotting my death. You heard what he’s been saying. He obviously hates me.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”
I do sneak a peek at Matt then, and I’m happy to find that he’s absorbed in whatever his mom is currently saying. Holly leans toward me, once again drawing my attention.
“Professor Leoni is going to give input into who should win the competition. She’s supposed to give the judges insight into our progress and process.”
I nod and take a generous sip of my wine. “Is she? I didn’t know that.”
I look at Holly’s wine and see that she hasn’t drunk any. “Since the professor is involved in the competition, it would probably be weird if any of us got too personal with her or her family. It’s important to keep things fair.”
My eyes go big as her assumption couldn’t be more off base. “Oh no. No, no, no,” I quietly assure her. “In no way am I trying to get close to the professor’s family. What happened between Matt and me today was a freak, chance encounter and from here on out, I can guarantee you that we’re going to avoid each other at all costs.”
