<<Interesting.>>
<<Maybe as soon as we will have some free time, Ill take you for a tour, making you visit the mysterious, subterranean and esoteric Turin.>>
<<Id like it very much.>>
<<I do not believe in these things... Even though esotericism fascinates and frightens me at the same time.>>
<<I do not believe in these things too. Although at this time I perceive a little magic and more than through the gate of hell I feel to stay through that of Paradise.>> he says looking into my eyes.
<<I knew you would have liked this place...>> I say, pretending not to understand. Because I think he was not referring to the city... Im the usual presumptuous.
While we are in the pub and continue to drink, Matthias lists the places that he would like to visit. Then he tells me something about his family. He has two sisters and he loves them much.
<<I moved here for work issues. Im a financial consultant. My aunt told me that she knows people who need me and I need to have more clients and to gain experience, so I decided to move! Knowing your parents, she helped me to find an accommodation. She asked them the possibility to host me in your boarding house. Unfortunately theres not much space in her house to host me.>>
<<I have never met your aunt. My mother told me she is one of her long-time friend that I have not had the pleasure of meeting yet. According to what she says, your aunt doesnt live in this city. Id be curious to meet her, she may reveal something that my mother did when she was young. Who knows, it may come in handy when she will be breathing down on my neck!>> I remark with a smirk.
<<Someday if you would like it Ill take you there. She lives in Susa Valley since she got married.>>
<<Thank you, Id like it very much.>>
Id like to ask him also if he is engaged but I dont think its appropriate. He may think that I have other interests in him.
We talk still a lot continuing to swallow beer which makes me more confident and less shy. We laugh and have fine throughout the evening. Without realizing it the time flew.
<<Its very late!>> I exclaim, watching the time. <<Its almost three in the morning and in a few hours I have to go to the university.>>
<<Youre right, the time passed quickly. I didnt think it was so late!>>
<<Yes... Its time to go to sleep>> I say very sorry to have to interrupt the pleasant chat.
<<Thank you very much for the nice evening...>> I say pausing to take courage and tell him that I had already seen him.
<<You know, this morning while I was going to university I met you; you were standing at a traffic light with a road map in your hands. I could not help but notice you and I have been fascinated by your look. I thought you were English or Irish... you are particularly interesting!>> I exclaim and then I try to repair <<Forgive me, I shouldnt drink so much, I lose control and I dont think to what I say...>> I blush and avoid looking at him.
He smiles at me and placing two fingers under my chin he forces me to look into his eyes: <<Evidently its a sign of fate that we should meet.>>
<<Maybe...>> I answer intimidated by him, his eyes and the circumstance.
<<Nothing gets past you! In part you guessed it. I have Irish origins by my mother.>> he tells me proudly.
<<Your features, and the colour of your eyes and your hair suggested me it. Youre the classic beauty of northern Europe.>> I confess becoming red-faced. Good thing that I stopped drinking beers. I dare not imagine what I could say... For example that if I wasnt engaged I would jump on him. And now? Where do these sinful thoughts come from?
We head for the car, we get in it and I put my hands on the steering wheel, pretending to be careful to what Im doing. I dont want him to notice my face still flushed because of my confession of a few minutes earlier.
Matthias is lost in thought and I dont want to open my mouth to prevent other howlers. The silence is almost comfortable.
Finally we arrived at home. We climb the stairs staying always in silence and we find ourselves before the hallway where there are our bedrooms.
Breaking the silence I whisper to him: <<Good night, Matthias and thank you again for the lovely evening.>>
He looks at me and gets closer to give me a kiss on the cheek. <<Good night, Isabel.>>
We come in our respective rooms and despite the strong emotions felt during the day just passed I fall asleep as soon as I lean my head on the pillow.
III
The doorbell rings: its Max who has kept his promise. He has come to get me to have breakfast together and to take me to the university. I quickly walk down the stairs ready to face a new day and my unreliable boyfriend.
He is wearing jeans, a white t-shirt and dark blue jacket. I feel like weve been apart for a lifetime. Dark-haired, attentive and bright green eyes, olive complexion, tall and slender. I had almost forgotten how charming he was. We got engaged last year but we met in junior high school He was my first boyfriend. I have always been too focused on dance to think of love, I had some infatuations but nothing more. Poor Max! He has always loved me in silence for years and during courtship he has been very patient and insistent. Maybe I have succumbed to exhaustion.
I join him and ironically say: <<Hi, are you real or a hologram?>>
<<Im real and Im all here for you.>> he replies, dampening a guilty grin.
Meanwhile Matthias was walking down the stairs to reach the living room. Hes wearing a grey tight outfit and a white shirt, classic look for a businessman. Its impossible to describe how he looks magnificently good in that outfit. I try not to look at him too much, focusing only on Max.
I feel really embarrassed, I hope nobody notices it. But then why do I feel this way? I study psychology for some years and Im still not able to analyse my mind. The emotions of recent days are an enigma! I see Max who looks at Matthias and then at me. Maybe he expects introductions...
<<Hello Matthias, this is my boyfriend and my favourite flake Max...>>
<<Nice to meet you!>> Matthias exclaims disconsolately holding his hand out to shake.
<<Max, this is the guy I told you about yesterday on the phone.>> I say trying to deaden the tension. He looks stiffened. The knowledge and the existence of Matthias dont seem to be as much well-accepted and it appears obvious by the way he quickly dissociates himself from Matthias.
<<Lets go now, otherwise you will be late at the university and, besides, on an empty stomach!>> he smiles at me and nods his head to say goodbye to Matthias.
While were heading for the bar I tell him how I spent the previous evening. I was uncertain whether to do it or not, then I decide that it would be better to tell him it otherwise he would think that I had something to hide if he becomes aware about it by other means. And honestly I have not done anything wrong!
<<Nice, so after only few hours you had met him, you went out together. Great!>> he reproaches me.
<<Now are you jealous too? I have already explained you that he is the nephew of a dear friend of my mother and theres nothing wrong with having a new friend! He is here just since yesterday and he feels like a fish out of water. Seen how yesterday evening ended, I wanted to distract myself a bit and he wanted to begin to know our city. Come on! Now take me to the university. Its too late to have breakfast, so jealous boy!>> I exclaim without challenging too much his absurd suspicions and his sudden bad mood.