That early morning, while everyone else was sleeping, Alexia stirs in bed, under the comforter, when her phone vibrates under the blue-colored pillow.
She quickly picks it up and unlocks it with her fingerprint, it was a message from Paolo, the message read:
[Paolo: Open this App, I guarantee you won't regret it].
The girl squeezes her eyes with the strong brightness, and lowers the cell phone light and then looks at the message, her finger on the cell phone clicks on the link, which gave on an App named " All the reasons why I love Alexia by Paolo"
She smiled, not quite understanding however downloaded the app.
Some reasons:
"I always stay informed, the way you listen to me, the way you love your family,
or the way you make my heart always peaceful when I hear you laugh, the way you eat.
I love the face she makes when she drinks ice cream, Alexia always waits for all the ice cream to melt before drinking it! My girl always replies that it would take all the fun out of waiting, which brings me to another reason why I love you Lexi, your patience, your drive and determination...
She read carefully, she pressed her hands to her cheeks and held on with the other, holding on not to cry.
Then the messages on the app came in with a topic "Reasons to accept dating me".
Then he wrote: "I can cook" "I'm a great dancer" "Extremely cute (his words)" "Modest (catch the irony)"
The app message ended with pictures of Alexia, taken by him were in "Burns" style Without the girl realizing it.
I spent weeks taking these pictures of you to show you how beautiful you are, blowing your nose, laughing and eating pizza, looking sideways, and attacking your sneakers.
Lexi, I'm just asking for a chance, and I'll understand if it's no, but I want you to know that I will always love you for who you are, and I know this is the bare minimum, and you hate the "romanization of the bare minimum" as you always emphasize, but give me the chance to do more, to be more by your side, to be there for you.
The girl has tears in her eyes, it was something amazing an app dedicated to her, he quickly wipes the tears away but his eyes get too wet.
He calls her by face time, she hangs up and doesn't want her to see her like this, crying with red eyes and her hair up quite messy.
But at that moment the wall Alexia had in her heart for no reason, were torn down, that application warmed her heart and gave her certainty of her feelings.
She turns from the side with her cell phone in her hands and writes to it:
[Message from Alexia: Thank you, I didn't know I felt something so intense like this, and I lied when I said I didn't feel anything, I believe I do and even too much! But the answer is yes, I will be your boyfriend].
[Message from Paolo: I just wanted to show you how I saw you, I can't believe you accepted! I wish you could see me now I'm climbing the walls of happiness! ]
[Message from Alexia: You're too much! Come here in the morning, I need to tell everyone!!! Good night, take care in! ]
[ Message from Paolo: I will, Sweet dreams and good night, Girlfriend! The boy dialed quickly with a wide smile on his face. ]
The girl lies down, and goes to sleep smiling, her heart was so happy she couldn't wait to tell everyone.
In life there are necessary corny things. Things that need cheesiness to maintain their charm.
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Apollo is up early and after taking a shower he goes downstairs for breakfast, he then passes the kitchen, he frowns feeling a strong perfume coming from Paolo.
- My God! - He holds his nose, and feels his eyes burning. - He points to his eyes as he asks. - My eyes are literally burning! He gave a half smile.
Paolo sniffs himself, - I think it's good, you know! - He shrugged, and pulled his chair up and put his elbows on the table. - Alexia and I are dating!
Facing Apollo, who had a wide smile on his face.
-I'm happy for you. - Apollo scratched his beard and approached his brother, "You go to her house now in the morning right? Ah, that's why the perfume's too much!
He put his mouth up, and patted his brother on the back.
Paolo drew his brown eyebrows together. - What, too much, really? - Scratching the corner of his mouth, he stood up smelling himself again, bringing his blouse to himself.
- Nothing, Apollo blurted out. - He shook his head giving a smile at his nervousness.
Paolo put his chair in and looked suspiciously at him, putting his backpack on his back.
- I know, you're weird! - He raises an eyebrow looking at his brother, and walks away.
Apollo catches up with him and puts his hands on the back of Paolo's neck.
- You know what, I'll go with you there! - He gave a strange smile, like he knew something.
Paolo rolls his eyes and walks as fast as he can.
Arriving at Alexia's house he knocks on the door, and Apollo arrives next.
- Apollo, seriously man! Why did you come here? - He lifted his chin, and put his backpack on his back.
- Ah, you already know support, good luck ok! - He pressed his lips together.
Paolo has a closed expression, but turns as Alexia opens the door, with a smile. She extends her hand to him.
- Good morning," she smiled and stood on tiptoe. - And there, ready? She's all in the kitchen, come on. - She steps aside to give him room to pass.
- Excuse me. - Paolo says with red cheeks, his hands sweaty.
Alexia's eyes widen, looking at him and pointing to her family standing in front of her.
- So, I wanted to ask ... - He looks at Julia and lowers his head, putting his hands together in front of his body, "To date Alexia! He speaks in an inaudible sound.
- Oh, Paolo and I are dating! - The girl said opening her arms, and bringing them around her waist.
Julia puts her palms together in a clap, and Iris giggles and leans back in her chair, and her grandmother continues to face the stove making porridge.
They all react as if it's nothing new.
Tereza looks on and laughs at the situation: - It's about time, everyone already knew you two liked each other! - She turns her eyes back to the newspaper.
- What? Everybody? - Alexia crossed her arms. - We weren't that obvious!
- Honey, it was in our faces! - Julia drinks a cup of coffee, and squeezes her eyes shut. - Every time she ran away, it was to Paolo's, even though her friends Nicole and Cassandra lived much closer! Julia laughed, - But there's no need to be ashamed, Paolo, you're already family, of course you can date my daughter!
The boy smiled nervously, still trying to smile.
- I wish him good luck! You have to be crazy to handle this one. - His grandmother says, still cooking. Laughing.
- Giágia! - Alexia asks, grabbing her backpack from the chair. - She looked over her shoulder, took Paolo's hands and left.
- Julia scratched her hair, and looked at Cybele who slowly came down the stairs.
-Mom, can we talk? Upstairs. - She pressed her lips together with her hands on her lap.
- Of course! - She rubs her palms together as she finishes chewing a piece of bread, when she then looks at Iris, saying: - Honey don't forget what I ask you to do.
- What? - asks Tereza looking over the newspaper she was holding in front of her face.
- Never mind, Tereza something between me and Iris!
- A but you are very... - Tereza says raising her eyebrows.
Iris interrupts, takes her hands on the table and says: - Oh mom, it's a thing between me and Tia, it's no big deal! In fact. - She gets up and grabs an apple from the table - I'm already going to work, family! Kisses, kisses! - She puts her hand on her mouth, releasing kisses.
Julia goes up the stairs right behind Cybele, who has her expression hard, her face dark under the eyes like someone who had a bad night's sleep, and indeed she did, the two of them enter and she locks the door.
Cybele crossed her arms in front of her mother and asked: - Giovanni Alexia's father, is the same as Giovanni Pietro's uncle isn't it? - she said loudly.
Julia put her hands on her hips, she nodded, pale. She didn't know how to lie to her daughter.
Cybele had gathered what her mother had said, and knew that by putting her against the wall she would confess.
- But Cybele, I can explain, I... - She gestured with her hands.
Cybele interrupted her: - You hid it from me mom! I couldn't have done that, and now how am I going to face Pietro, mother! - She puts her hands on her forehead. - Now I have to tell him.
- No, no! - You can't tell him anything, Giovanni and I have a deal, I won't tell him anything and he stays away, far away from his sister. - Julia pleads.
- Mom! - Yesterday we had an amazing afternoon and ended up talking about family too, you have to see the way he talks about his uncle, he admires him so much, I can't...
- Daughter, listen! It's not good to tell, okay? - Julia insists and sits up in bed, and thinks about what Giovani said.
- It made me sleepless, I can't believe it. - She walks over to the bed and throws herself down, looking at the ceiling, and today we are going to the beach, and I don't even know how to react, and being near him.
Julia bites her lips nervously. - Try to act as normal as possible! - She pulled up the collar of her shirt.
- There's no way, Mom, because I'll be hiding something from him! - She puffed out her cheeks. - It may be easy for you to lie and hide from people, but not for me," she gestured with her hands.
She walked to the bedroom door, and opened it. - Please leave me alone.
Julia lowers her head. - It's okay! - She swallowed dryly. - But remember that everything I do is to protect our family," she looked at Cybele and left the room.
∴━━━✿━━━∴
Iris was at her job, she was working as a tour guide in a restaurant when at lunchtime, Stefan passes by the houseboat.
He gets out of the boat, and learned the stairs of the dec, approaching her.
- Hi, I came right over, but I have to be back in a little while. - She pointed to her work, her blonde hair flying in the wind as she straightened it.
- How about a speedboat ride and a swim, before I get back to work. - He gently took her by the waist and brought her to him, and looked into her eyes with a smile.
That made her heart soar. - Okay! But hurry! - she said softly, looking up into his eyes.
Then he takes her hand and leads her to the white boat in the harbor. Apollo was passing by with Alice for lunch and saw the whole scene.
- I'll tell you, you have terrible taste in food! This place only has seafood. - the girl looked around.
Alice smiled and put her hands on the left shoulder of the boy who seemed to be far away. - Apollo? Apollo, can you hear me? - the girl asks with narrowed eyes.
- Yes, yes! I... - He lowers his head and puts on his sunglasses, "It's just that I just saw a friend, getting into Stefan Demetrius' boat. Anyway, it's something of mine, you probably don't know who it is! He looked at the girl next to him.
She opened her mouth. Where? she said angrily.
- There, he pointed to the speedboat, which had not yet started. Why is it like this? The blond man stopped in front of her and crossed his arms.
Alice tossed her hair. - He's my father, it's a long story, it's just...
Alice's speech is interrupted by a female voice.
- Apollo? - said Cybele, taking off her dark glasses and walking towards him. - She looked at Alice.
Alice gave her an analytical look, looking down at her, Cybele didn't like this. Pietro approached and put his hands on Cybele's shoulders and the two couples stood facing each other.
- Cybele, this is Alice! - He pointed his index finger at her, and scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably, as he was about to meet Cybele's new someone, which he never thought would happen.
The boy felt strange, he wanted to get away from that situation and go home and eat his mother's cake.
Cibele adjusts her beach hat, and stares at him with the corners of her narrowed eyes. - Hi, nice to meet you, this is Pietro. Cybele puts her hair back and introduces him.
Pietro extends his hand to Apollo, and smiles in courtesy at Alice.
Alice stares at Pietro and her jaw drops. - cried the girl. - You player! Wow, you are terrible, Neymar is a thousand times better than you!
- Well, I do my best! If you think I'm so bad you'd better come and play in my place. - Pietro said ironically while holding himself back from saying more.
Apollo wanted to hide from the restaurant tables, Cybele held back her laughter at Pietro's answer and held his hand.
The sight of this squeezed Apollo's heart. But Alice laughed out loud, making everyone but her laugh.
And you! she pointed to Cybele and opened her eyes wider - You're the famous Cybele, the love of Apollo's life! Well, at least that's what everyone on the island told me. - She gave an evil smile, and turned her head to look at the two of them.
Well, dear reader, Italians are notorious for being impulsive. If you google "Italian habits and behaviors" you will surely find these items on the list, they are not mincing their words and defend themselves tooth and nail, and without stereotypes, this is something they themselves confirm.
Then, like any self-respecting Italian, Pietro was about to explode in front of that woman who seemed to have no filter between her brain and her mouth, but Cybele takes the lead, saying
- Apollo, we'll be right there! - She pressed her lips together and looked only at him as if there were no one by her side. - See you later! - She takes Pietro's hand or pulls him away.
- Wow, what a beautiful woman! I understand that she is hard to forget," Alice winked.
- Why did you act like that? - He scratched his beard and stared at her with an expression.
- Hey, I just told you what I was told. - She rolled her shoulders. - And I know it's none of my business, but what did she mean by "See you later.
He lifted his hands to his sunglasses, straightening them, and breathed in the warm salty beach air.
- Ah, Athena, her sister, is giving a dinner party at the new house, and of course Cybele is going with Pietro," he approached her and took her chin, lifting it to his face and looking at her with his blue eyes. - Just don't act like that anymore. - He put one hand in his pocket, and she nodded.
∴━━━✿━━━∴
Cybele and Pietro get close to the paria, he lets out a long breath, his feet feeling the warm sands on the soles of his feet.
- Well, that's what they say, looking for a relationship when you're needy is like going to the supermarket hungry, any crap will do! - Cybele says, staring at the immensity of the sea, taking off her hat.
- Do you think Apollo is needy? - Pietro asks raising an eyebrow, taking off his shirt.
- Well, he must be! Apollo would never get involved with someone like that, so...
Pietro interrupts her and finishes: - Unpleasant? Clueless! - He emphasized.
- Exactly. - She pursed her lips together and slung her purse off her shoulders, looking for the protector.
- But are you jealous? - He squinted his eyes as he stood in front of her, and put his hands together
-What? She put her hand over his face. - I'm the one who broke up, remember? - I'm with you, and you're the one I want to be with. - She bit her lips and smiled widely.
He took her hand and kissed it, she looked at him with a smile on her face, but was tense, but didn't want to spoil things, she watches him smiling.
He takes her hand and kisses it, she looks at him with a smile on her face, but she is tense, but she doesn't want to spoil things, she observes him smiling.
∴━━━✿━━━∴
Iris and Stefan were in the middle of the blue sea of Santorini when.
- You don't get seasick here?" she asks leaning against the railing of the boat.
- No, no! - He smiles broadly, "You get used to it in time! - He says with his hands on the rudder, looking at her.
- You know. - Iris puts her hands together, snapping her fingers - What I'm about to ask you may seem strange but, does any Sebastian work for you? He's tall, dark, has blue eyes?
She asks with a half smile, leaning on the ship's rails.
- No! - He shakes his head, - But why do you ask? I know, he needs a job! - He turned the ship around and stopped it, approaching her.
Iris turned pale, she tensed up, - Are you sure? And that... - She rubbed her temples.
He interrupted her: - Iris I know it may seem impossible, but at least on this island I know everyone who works for me. - He tugged on her earlobe.
He noticed that she was tense and suggested a dive, she accepted, and at that moment it was just the two of them.
When they got back to the ship they talked so much, they both shared more about themselves, and laughed at Stefan's stories and there were many, he was a funny man, the blonde laughed so much that water came out of her nose...
But at a certain moment he approached her, and brought his hands to her face, caressed her forehead and went down her whole face, the girl shivered, he then looked into her eyes and his green eyes were all she saw at that moment.
- Is it ridiculous at my age to be nervous about the first kiss?
The blonde laughs, and cracks a silly smile, she couldn't take it off even if she wanted to.
Their wrinkled fingers from the water after the dip go into her wet hair. Their lips, meeting in a passionate kiss, he grabbed the back of her neck and conducted the kiss she gasped to feel his hands traversing her wet body. Their breaths are synchronized and they both surrender to the moment...
But right at that moment Iris' cell phone rings in her purse, and when she answers she sees it's her chef.
She opens her eyes. - I really have to go, I can't lose this job! - she says in a broken voice.
He nods and turns the ship towards the port.