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I keep my hands firmly on my own knees while Nora seems completely unaware that I'm currently fighting for my fucking life.

Then the beach goes dark.

The music changes to some old movie's piano theme, and for a moment, there's nothing but the melody drifting across the sand and the sound of the sea.

A whistle cuts through the crowd.

Then…

BOOM.

Gold explodes across the sky.

Nora jumps against me as hundreds of sparks spread above the water, falling towards the black sea before disappearing. Another firework shoots up, blue this time, followed by red, green and white. One after another, they burst above the Mediterranean, their reflections stretching across the water until it looks like there are two shows happening at once.

Kids scream every time another one goes off. People clap and someone behind us whistles, but Nora seems to forget I'm even here.

Her head tilts back against my shoulder as she watches, eyes wide and full lips forming a soft O every time another firework fills the sky. Colors flash across her face, gold, blue, red, and then she smiles.

Not the careful one she gives people when she's trying to convince them she's okay.

The real one.

The one I've been seeing more and more lately.

“Wow.”

I should be looking at the sky.

I'm not.

I can't take my eyes off her.

I swallow. “Yeah.”

She turns her head slightly at the sound of my voice, not enough to look at me, but close enough that one of her curls brushes my jaw.

I stare out at the water before I do something stupid.

I'm screwed. Completely fucking screwed.

“Oooh, tarantella on the beach! Let's go dance.”

Nora gets up and takes my hand.

And, of course, I follow her, because when it comes to Nora… there is no place in this entire universe I wouldn't follow her to.

So. Fucking. Screwed.

Eleonora

Two hours later, the music from the fair is still ringing in my ears.

My feet ache, my cheeks hurt from laughing, and I'm fairly certain I've danced enough tarantella to qualify for Italian citizenship all over again.

Worth it.

Especially the part where Jude Hawthorne, the man who looks personally offended by the existence of large crowds, actually danced with me.