Chapter Text
“Giulia and I… We won’t be coming to Portorosso this summer.”
The inevitable feeling of Alberto’s heart sinking within his chest came with a sudden and dull pain as he tried to process what Luca had just relayed to him. Every summer since the fateful one they had first spent together had started with Luca stepping off the train from Genova and right into the arms of his friend. A tight embrace, one to make up for all the missed days they had spent apart as Giulia joined in with her sweet laugh. And each summer, as it came to its unavoidable end, was punctuated by the well known, yet bittersweet departure of Luca boarding the train once more. But much like the first time they had parted ways, there always seemed to be a lingering touch, a gaze that was held on longer than for what it was needed until the eventual chug of the train pulled them away once more.
It didn’t matter if the two of them knew that the summer after this one would start much the same as the current one they had spent together. It didn’t matter if they both knew that eventually, they’d have to say goodbye to one another again. Knowing did little to lessen the ache within their hearts as they parted ways until another fun-filled summer brightened their skies once more.
Yet, Alberto suddenly felt as if Portorosso’s skies had grown very grey with Luca’s sudden confession. A summer without Luca or Giulia? Would that even be a summer at all? Alberto found himself unconsciously biting his bottom lip as his mind began to wander. Who would he take with him to scope out the underground caves he had found while Luca was gone? Who would be there to talk his ears off about new things that he had never even experienced before?
“Alberto?” The sudden crackle of Luca’s voice coming through the phone snapped him out of his thoughts as he blinked wordlessly. A smile was feigned through his voice as he finally answered, yet, it was painfully clear that he was still processing all of this.
“Then I guess I’ll have to join the Portorosso cup all by myself this year, huh? You guys should’ve told me beforehand, I would’ve started training earlier!” A laugh followed, but Alberto could only hope that somehow, Luca would tell him that this was some cruel prank that Giulia had put him up to.
“You’re way too old to join the cup now!” Luca couldn’t help but chuckle, knowing fully well that his friend happened to be joking. Deflecting? He couldn’t tell, as the phone only allowed him so little to go based on when it came to gauging how his friend truly felt. The silence, although expected in a sense, had really stunned Luca. He knew it would come as a shock to his friend, to be told that they were expected to be apart even longer than before. Even Luca had wondered if this act on his part was nothing more than selfish… “But, Alberto… You… Will you be okay?”
The little familiar hesitation within Luca’s voice brought a genuine faint smile upon Alberto’s face as he could only imagine how he looked at that very second. Both hands holding the phone to his face, brows pulled in with a worried frown as he kept his teeth softly grit. Was he really that worried as to how he would react? Alberto could only imagine how difficult it must’ve been for Luca to work up the nerve to actually tell him this… Simply the thought alone brought forth an image of poor Luca pacing around in front of the phone murmuring to himself Silencio, Bruno! Until he could dial Massimo’s home number. But… Alberto wasn’t the same kid he used to be anymore. Actually, he wasn’t even technically really a kid anymore, now was he? Sixteen going on seventeen! In just a short amount of time, he had certainly changed, much like his two friends had.
“Well, I can’t say I’m thrilled about knowing I’m not going to see you guys this summer,” Alberto’s finger slowly began to curl around the phone’s cord as he softly plopped himself into the nearest chair. “But… Where exactly are you guys going again? It must be somewhere super important for you two to miss out on coming to Portorosso.”
“Neither are we. Thrilled about not seeing you this summer, I mean! But, Giulia and I signed up to take an extracurricular course this summer. We’ll be traveling another town over to visit another observatory and talk more about what exists beyond our own planetary region! That way, next year we can take an advanced astronomy class that is only offered after you take this summer course. Oh, but other nearby schools will also be joining us too!”
“Still chasing after the anchovies, huh?” Alberto’s smile had turned from faint to wide in a matter of seconds as he clearly saw the other boy beaming with excitement as he babbled about the far off stars. Ever since he had met Luca, even before he knew that the stars weren’t anchovies, he could see them dazzling within those big brown eyes with absolute wonder. “Portorosso is going to be lonely this summer without its space nerds.”
“Well… Guess that means I’ll be taking up more hours with helping Pa Massimo around here to keep myself busy. But I expect you to bring me back some type of star rock from your space explorations, you hear? So I can add it to my human collection.” The sound of Luca’s giggle made Alberto follow with a laugh of his own.
“We’re not really going into space! Although, wouldn’t that be fun?” However, it would only be fun if Alberto happened to be there with him… Luca felt his smile slowly soften as a small air of silence formed between them on the phone once more. Summer was the only time they had to spend together now, wasn’t it? And now this summer would be the one that they would spend away from one another. Apart for more than a year… Luca felt his eyes close for a second, momentarily picturing the shore of Portorosso once more. The very same shore that he found himself dipping his toes into on the soft summer evenings before Alberto crashed into the water and motioned for him to follow. Simply the two of them, splashing into the sunset, catching the last glimmer of light before they raced back to shore towards a waiting Giulia. A summer that simply thinking about alone made his heart yearn for those days.
“Hey, maybe I can add rockets to the Vespa then. That way we can explore space together when I finally get one up and running.” Even though he had sold off the one they had initially won together all those years ago, Alberto had never lost interest in owning a Vespa of his own. With his lifeguard job during the summer and helping out Massimo whenever he needed him to, Alberto was steadily saving up whatever amount of money he could get his hands on. Heck, he had even picked up several different books about models and parts, taking in all he possibly could when it came to learning about Vespas. Maybe it was a little hopeful to think that one day he could have his own, to take off into the countryside and explore whenever he wanted. To travel the world… And to take him along too…
Softly, he shook his head before he continued on. “But forget about exploring space. I just can’t wait until next summer now! It’s going to feel long and lonely without you guys here.” Without you here, Luca…
“We’re going to be lonely without you too, Alberto.” Without those wisecracking jokes. Without that lopsided smile… Without all that Alberto had to offer. Luca’s sudden nervousness had been replaced with an empty feeling within the pit of his stomach. As much as he wanted to learn more about the stars, about space, and whatever happened to be out there in the far reaches surrounding them… Would it be better than his time away from Portorosso? Away from Alberto?
“Hey, c’mon, Luca! I’ll just have to make sure to surprise you guys with tons of new secrets and stuff to do when you do come by. Besides, I’m going to be alright here! It’s one summer, right?” One summer… And then what followed after that until the next. It’s going to feel like an eternity. “I know it’ll be tough for you, missing me and everything. ”
That last line was added with a hint of sarcasm, but even if it was a joke… Luca could only feel his heart tighten from how true it happened to be. Yet, he smiled, a small laugh following as he looked down towards the floorboards. “Has Giulia told Massimo about this yet by the way?”
It seemed as if that statement alone had summoned forth that excitable and bubbly voice as the phone was now taken from Luca. “Well, maybe if you two would stop hogging the phone to yourselves, I’d have the chance to talk to papa. Ah, but you two sure have a lot to say, don’t you?”
Alberto felt his eyes widen. Had she heard everything the two of them had said? A small chatter between his two friends could be heard in the background now, Luca wondering out loud the same thing that Alberto happened to be questioning himself. “Of course I didn’t listen in on your conversation together! How dare you suggest I’d even do something like that. Anywaaaaays, do you think you could put papa on the phone, Alberto? I have a feeling that it’s going to be tough breaking the news to him…”
That hunch was more than certainly true. If Alberto was going to miss his two dear friends, he could imagine how much more Massimo would miss out on seeing his daughter… “He’s down untangling some nets, so I’ll head out and get him right now! Don’t hang up. Just… Go easy on him for me, will you Giulia?”
“I’m sure papa will be alright! Hopefully… We’ll talk to you later, Alberto!” Yet, those last few words alone brought back that sinking feeling within Alberto’s heart. For the time being, their interactions would be limited by the number of letters and phone calls they exchanged for the time being until they met in person again. Of course, every time he received a letter from Luca, Alberto found himself bounding towards his room with it, opening it and reading over and over what his friend had to say. It's seems like until the next summer where they all met again, these interactions would have to hold him over.
“Ciao, Giulia! Luca!”
Luca.
For once in his life, Alberto couldn’t wait for summer to be over.