Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“We have decided to send you to Portorosso for the summer.”

It hadn’t even been an hour since Serena Pearl Cavalluccio came home from school that day and already her summer was getting off to a bad start.

Serena’s ocean blue eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze flickered between her mama and papà. “ Tu cosa?! Why would you be sending me to Portorosso?! Of all places…”

“We know, but your therapist suggested that it would be a good idea to try out this new treatment called exposure therapy. We thought it could be worth a try,” Papà explained.

Serena’s papà was a man of few words, only speaking when something needed to be said. Mid forties, he had a large and stocky physique, coffee brown hair that was parted and combed-back, and had tanned skin. Most likely from all of those years of being outside in the hot summer sun when he used to live in Portorosso. 

Serena frowned, seething in anger. “So that’s why you wanted me out of the room that day we went to see my therapist last? So you all could plan this behind my back?!”

Serena’s mama came over to stand next to her husband, her plump lips tugged into a slight frown. Her mama was the most caring, beautiful soul she ever had the pleasure of knowing. Being in her late thirties, she was fair skinned, curvy and short in stature. Often seen wearing her dark chocolate brown hair in a high bun, her bangs softly rolled and pinned up to the right side of her face.

While both of her parents had blue eyes, Serena’s eye colour was closer to her mama’s shade. mama once said that her eyes reminded her of the ocean itself; Serena hated her eye colour.

“We didn't make this decision lightly, Serena,” said mama steadily, “Your papá and I have worked tirelessly alongside your therapist for the last couple of years in order to help you get over your fear of the ocean. This is the only thing you haven’t tried yet.”

It was true, her parents had tried everything and anything in order for her to get over her fear of the ocean but their efforts were fruitless. But when a treatment actually involved going to Portrosso in person, that’s when Serena drew the line. She didn’t feel comfortable with the idea at all.

Serena shook her head stubbornly, “ No! I’m not going, you can’t make me go!”

“We’re sorry tesoro , but it’s already been arranged,” Papà informed, “You’ll be staying with your Zio Giovanni and Zia Francesa and you’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”

Serena's eyes widened in shock, her mouth slightly agape. She couldn’t believe that her parents were forcing her away to the main source of her trauma.

“B-But you can’t send me to Portosso...it’s a dangerous place!” Serena tried to argue in a desperate attempt to convince her parents to not send her away. “What if I fall into the ocean? When no one is around…what if I drown?! What if —”

“Serena, calma per favore! ” her papà tried to soothe, “Nothing bad is going to happen to you, Portrosso is a safe place.”

“We don’t want you to fear the place you used to love so much. You used to love the ocean,” her mama reminisced fondly, “You were always so captivated by it. You used to go down to the beach everyday and play in the water with all the other children until it was dark. You begged to be out on the sea in your zio and nonno’s boat…” 

Serena didn’t want to admit it but she missed the days of her early childhood in Portorosso as well. Serena used to love the ocean but her love for it was replaced by a feeling of dread and caution. She didn’t want history repeating itself so she stayed away from the ocean or any other body of water, in fear of drowning a second time.

Serena’s lips were pressed into a thin line; her gaze solemnly dropped to the floor. “I used to love it — not anymore...not since the accident.”

Suddenly, her mama huffed in frustration, which made the teen look up in curiosity and confusion. 

“I don’t know why you can’t just let this go already, Serena! It’s been years, you can’t let one little incident like that hold you back! It’s time you stop acting so childish all your life!” As soon as those words left her mouth, her mama’s shock turned into instant regret.

Serena froze. She didn’t understand; her parents were always so understanding of her and her phobia. Her parents were always careful when bringing up the subject but this time…her mama seemed fed up? Never once were her parents not supportive and understanding of her condition. They always made her feel safe and secure. They always took extra precautions whenever she was exposed around a body of water, big or small. But now it’s as if her parents were exhausted from being forced to handle her panic attacks, as if she was just an inconvenience.

Serena could feel tears pricking at the corners of her ocean blue eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

“One little incident?! Little?!” she repeated. Her throat ached as she tried to swallow the lump to prevent herself from crying. “You have no idea how big of a deal it was for me! You don’t know how I felt; what I went through that day! Once you experience a near death situation then we can talk.”

“Serena, tesoro …I—” Her mama stood in shock at her daughter’s outburst. Her papà had a similar expression. 

Serena didn’t want to listen to what else her parents had to say. The young teen let out a sob as she turned on her heel, ran upstairs to her room before slamming the door shut behind her.

🐚 .° ｡

It had been a good three hours since her little quarrel with her parents and yet Serena remained in her room.  As the young teen sat on her bed with a sketchbook in hand, doodling whatever came to mind, she had time to ponder to herself. Serena was ashamed of how horribly she acted: her parents were only trying to help.

Eleven years it had been since Serena last stepped foot in her seaside hometown of Portorosso. After her traumatic accident she endured when she was only five years old, one that nearly ended her life, Serena’s parents decided that it was best to move away from Portorosso to Genova and have avoided going back to their hometown ever since.

Her parents thought that moving away from the ocean altogether would have been regarded as water under the bridge but unfortunately the trauma of that day lingered inside Serena’s memory. Since leaving Portorosso, she was never able to fully recover. Her trauma was a burden on her day to day life, this included school — she can’t bring herself to participate in any type of water sports or activities.

Serena didn’t have any friends at school, she only had acquaintances. She used to hang out with a group of girls at school that she considered friends but outside of school they never talked or invited her to hang out with them, and when Serena would ask if she could hang out with them they would always make up some type of pathetic excuse to avoid hanging out.

After Serena came back from last summer vacation, someone from her school managed to find out about her fear of water and that she couldn’t swim — she was immediately teased about it. Serena suspected that it was someone from her friendship group. After that, the teasing turned into relentless bullying and her “friends” started joining in with their other peers.

Over the last couple of months, Serena had water thrown at her in the form of water balloons, had water spilt on her and a couple of jocks even attempted to throw her into the school’s swimming pool but luckily a teacher came just in time to stop them; she had a very severe panic attack that day.

The only place she felt safe was at home in her room —  hiding away from people and the world.

A soft knock at her door interrupted Serena’s thoughts as the door opened to reveal her parents. Ocean blue eyes immediately fixated themselves onto her sketchbook. 

“ Sono così dispiaciuto ...I didn’t mean to lash out at the both of you,” Serena apologised meekly, not looking up.

Serena felt her mama’s weight sink into the mattress beside her, while her papà took a seat at her desk chair, hunching over before resting his elbows on his knees.

A soft hum came from her papà. “We appreciate and accept your apology. Hopefully you’ve calmed down enough now.”

Serena grimaced while fiddling with her pencil. “I may have gotten...a little too carried away before. Sono calmo ora. ”

“We understand that it was wrong of us to send you away without even discussing it with you first,” mama spoke softly, “But we knew how stubborn you’d be about it. If we told you about our idea you would’ve refused straight away.”

“We know you were looking forward to a relaxing water-free summer but…” Papà started but trailed off.

“Do I have to go?” Serena questioned apprehensively. She secretly hoped that her parents would change their minds about the trip.

Papà sighed as he clasped his hands together, “Like we said, it’s already been arranged. We’re sorry, tesoro .”

Serena grimaced. 

"On the bright side,” mama chimed in, “Zio Giovanni, Zia Francesca and your nonno are so happy that you’re going to be staying with them for the summer. After not seeing you for nearly a year…they miss you dearly, especially Guido. He misses you the most.”

Serena’s lips twitched into a small smile. While she may not love her hometown, she loved her extended family that lived in said town. They understood how traumatised Serena was when her accident happened so they made the effort to visit her and her family in Genova for every important family gathering, no matter how big or small a deal it was.

Serena was especially close to her cousin Guido, who was older by a few months. Growing up, the two of them were inseparable; they would be around each other every waking moment of the day since their families lived right next to each other and worked in the family’s restaurant together. They were practically siblings.

“I want to see them again, I want to see Portorosso again but…” Serena paused before she spoke with a shudder, “I’m still terrified."

For a moment they remained in silence. Serena continued to add a few more pencil strokes onto the paper of her sketchbook, searching her mind for something to say. Mama stretched an arm over her daughters shoulders, pulling the teenager into her side before rubbing her shoulder in order to soothe her.

“We may not know how terrified you were and how you felt that day,” mama cupped Serena’s cheek gently, this made the young teen look up into her mama’s matching blue eyes. “But don't you think for a second that we weren't worried about you; we were worried sick! You don’t know how terrified we were when we saw the paramedics try to resuscitate you and how you had to stay in the hospital for a while. We thought you were going to—”

Her mama stopped. She didn’t want to finish that sentence, she didn’t even want to fathom the idea. The tears that were evident in the corner of her mama’s eyes finally made Serena understand that they all suffered through hardships that day.

“I’m sorry for what I said to you earlier, I was just frustrated,” mama apologised, “All we ask is please try...for us. We know it’s scary but we don’t want to see you live in fear anymore. This fear of the ocean of yours isn’t going to go away overnight. It’s going to continue to take over your life unless you do something about it. If this exposure therapy is going to help you then why not give it a chance?”

Mama pulled her hand away from her daughter’s cheek but still held her close. Serena’s weak smile turned into a frown before she let out a sigh. Her gaze dropped down to her sketchbook again, mousy brown hair fell from behind her ear, hiding her face. The older woman could sense her daughter’s reluctance. 

“This could be good for you,” Mama coaxed, brushing the hair behind her ear and out of her face. “And who knows…you might make some friends there, or even meet a nice boy,” Mama teased her daughter playfully, reaching down to pinch her cheek softly.

Serena giggled bashfully before swatting her mama’s hand away.

"Just try it out for a week or two,” Papà spoke up with a smile, “If you decide that the treatment isn’t working for you, you can catch the next train home. At least you could say that you tried.”

Upon hearing those words, Serena had a brilliant idea. She’d try to tough it out for a week and a half before deciding that she’d like to come back home to Genova. Serena’s frown slowly evolved into a bright smile; this was gonna work.

"Ok, andrò...I’ll go to Portorosso."

Chapter Text

Serena sat motionless in her seat, ocean blue eyes fixated themselves on the harvest of grapevines and olive trees that blanketed the surrounding hills as the train glided along the tracks. The young teen kept reminding herself that this trip was only for a week and a half and then she was out of there. All she had to do was try to stay away from the ocean — easier said than done.

The small isolated town of Portorosso nestled itself between the cliffs and coastline of the Italian Riviera which had a long history as a fishing village.

It also didn’t help that Serena’s family owned a small but very popular restaurant called ‘ Il Ristorante Cavalluccio ’ that was situated right next to the marina. It had been managed by her family for the last fifty years and it was renowned for its seafood delicacies.

Unfortunately, Serena found seafood to be absolutely disgusting. She felt that she was the minority when it came to this opinion because just about everyone she knew loved seafood. This included her parents; they first pressured her into trying seafood at a young age, she found that it tasted like it had been soaked in a pool of wastewater that littered the floor of a seafood market. After spitting the food out she stubbornly refused to try anymore; Serena developed an extreme love of pasta after that.

It was an hour and fifty-one minute train ride to Portorosso but it felt like an eternity for Serena.

Serena had the window open beside her the whole train ride, the air that whipped about the carriage provided her and her fellow passengers some relief from the blazing heat. Not that Serena really needed it, she was fairly insensitive to warm weather but was quite sensitive to colder weather. This was one of the many reasons why summer was her favourite time of year.

“Okay Serena,” the brunette whispered to herself quietly, “You can do this. You are strong and capable. Just remember what your therapist told you; breathe.”

Serena closed her eyes and started to breathe in slowly through your nose before exhaling slowly through slightly pursed lips. She went to inhale through her nose again but the scent of salt water and sea breeze invaded her nostrils. Every muscle in her body tensed. Portorosso was only a few hundred meters away.

Serena’s eyes snapped open before her world went dark.

The young teen panicked for a second, only for her to relax slightly when she realised that the train had entered a tunnel. She knew that on the other side of this tunnel she’d be arriving in Portorosso. The smell of the ocean became stronger and the roaring of waves echoed throughout the tunnel. After a minute of complete darkness the train emerged from the tunnel, Serena squinted her eyes against the sudden onslaught of light. She immediately flung her hand over her face, trying to protect her eyes from the unforgiving Mediterranean sun.

After a few seconds she moved her hand back down, blinking blearily as her surroundings slowly came into focus. As her vision recovered, the first thing to grab Serena’s attention was a tiny island that sat in the middle of the vast ocean about three miles off the coast of Portorosso, a tall cylindrical stone tower perched itself on the highest hill.

The salty wind whipped through her curly mousy brown locks, her bangs bouncing as she moved closer to the window to get a better look. Serena recalled the island was named Isola del Mare ; nonno had told her and Guido many legends and stories about ferocious sea monsters that lurked beneath the ocean, and were warned not to go to that island as it was believed to be the epicentre for sea monster sightings. The both of them promised never to go there. Guido wasn’t afraid of the stories but Serena on the other hand was terrified of them. 

Before she could dwell on the thought of sea monsters she was interrupted by the sound of the overhead speaker, the loud static noise filled the carriage followed by a robotic voice.

" Signore e signori , we have reached our next stop…Portorosso.”

Serena drew a deep breath in; there was no turning back now.

Hastily rising from her seat, she stretched out her arms, arching her back as she did so; it felt good to stand up after such a long train ride. Serena bent down to pick her large brown leather travel case which contained a few clothes, bathroom essentials, sketchbooks and a photograph of her, mama and papà. She couldn’t store the case in the overhead compartment because she was too short to reach it, so she had to place it down in front of her legs the whole trip.

Soon the train groaned and hissed as it pulled to a stop, the doors flung open. Serena adjusted her travel case in her hands before she placed both feet onto the platform; she was the only person to step off the train.

“Serena!” a familiar voice rang through the empty train station.

Turning her head, Serena saw the person she had missed dearly since last summer — Guido was a slim boy of fifteen, tanned skin, brown eyes and had his chestnut brown hair combed over to the left. He wore a red and orange striped shirt with brown shorts held up with a black belt and light blue sneakers. He was jogging towards her before he broke into a sprint.

Letting her travel case fall to the floor, Serena outstretched her arms ready to embrace him. In his excitement, he almost caused the two of them to topple to the floor when he jumped into her arms. Serena managed to keep her feet firmly on the ground.

“I’ve missed you so much piccolo cugina !” Guido exclaimed, squeezing her tightly.

“Anch'io!” Serena squeezed him back even tighter before she let go, moving backwards.

“You grew a few inches since we last saw each other,” Serena teased the older boy, ruffling his brown comb-over.

“Nah, I’m pretty sure you just grew shorter,” Guido let out a chuckle, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. Serena giggled at her cousin's response while watching him smooth his hair to the side once again.

“I can’t believe you’re really here. I was thinking that you were going to chicken out…” Guido trailer off, his hand moved down from his hair to rub the back of his neck.

“Wouldn’t miss the chance to see my favourite cousin in the entire world!” Serena boasted, making a move to pick up her case she had dropped on the floor moments ago.

“No no, don’t worry, I got it!” Guido demurred, lifting Serena’s heavy travel case like it was nothing and the both of them started to make their way towards the exit. “And you didn’t come all this way just to see me. Mama, papà and nonno are so glad you’re going to be staying for the summer! It’ll be like old times.”

Serena looked up at his joyous face and felt a pang of guilt. She had just gotten here three minutes ago and already she couldn’t get the thought of leaving Portorosso out of her head. However she couldn’t help but smile at the way Guido was behaving; he was so excited to have her here that this made Serena second guess if she should go through with her plan.

“I bet it feels weird to be back in Portorosso after so many years,” Guido remarked.

“More like anxious and a little terrified,” Serena admitted. “I just don’t know when my tiggers will pop up, they come on so suddenly.”

Guido nodded in understanding and Serena felt herself relax. She knew that she could count on Gudio to not make things into a big deal. That’s one of the reasons why she felt like she could tell Guido anything.

The cousins made it out of the train station and out onto the narrow cobblestoned streets of Portorosso. Even though it had been years since Serena and her parents left their old lives behind, the town hadn’t changed one bit.

Portorosso was tiny compared to a bustling city like Genova. The town had no car traffic and was strictly a pedestrian only town, with the exception of piaggio apes, bikes and scooters which were perfect for the narrow alleys of Portorosso. The tall and slender terraces, painted in an array of warm pastels, were cemented into the natural topographical hills that were blanketed with cactus, grapevines and olive groves, and lead all the way down towards the ocean. 

The piazza was buzzing with commotion as people went about their daily lives. Serena walked out into the crowd, immediately eyeing the marina that led out towards the ocean. She briskly swerved her gaze to focus on the active townspeople of Portorosso.

Serena saw a few familiar faces in the crowd, others she had idea who they were. The piazza was lined with restaurants, bars, grocery stores and gelato shops. A group of elderly men were playing a game of scopa, children sat down to enjoy some gelato and watermelon in hopes that it would cool them down from the heat. Little old ladies hung their washing out on clotheslines located high above the piazza so that they would dry up in the hot summer sun.

Serena’s eyes eventually trailed over towards the ocean before she froze in fear; you couldn’t miss it. Portorosso had a natural marina with an amphitheatre shape that led all the way out towards the Mediterranean ocean. Serena couldn’t move as the events of that traumatic day replayed in her mind, that is until Guido’s voice snapped her out of her silent panic. Her head swiveled in his direction.

“You alright?” Guido asked, his voice held concern.

“Y-Yeah, I’m alright,” Serena confirmed with a stutter.

Guido eyed his cousin suspiciously although he decided not to question her. “Come on, we better get home. You know how my mama gets, she’ll have a whole search party looking for us if she doesn’t expect us soon.”

🐚 .° ｡

Il Ristorante Cavalluccio was a large restaurant that was situated right next to the marina and was built into the rock cliffs that overlooked the Ligurian coast. Before Serena moved away to Genova, she and her parents lived in the apartments with Guido and his family which was also located next to the restaurant. 

Serena had so many fond childhood memories from when she used to reside in the restaurant and the house. When she and Guido were younger, they would often help out around the restaurant by folding napkins, washing and stacking dishes, setting the menus and dining ware onto the tables and unload groceries and supplies from the delivery trucks.

It wasn’t all work though. They would often get to try and taste the dishes their family whipped up and would always get free dessert every single night.

Before Serena knew it, she was already scaling up the flight of stairs that lead up to the restaurant. Serena assumed that the family were preparing the restaurant to open for lunch time, and she was right. The two cousins stepped into the restaurant to find a few employees whizzing past them, as they tried to get everything in order before customers started to come in droves.

Serena’s gaze swept over her surroundings; the restaurant hadn’t changed at all just like the rest of the town. Everything was exactly the way it was when she had left all those years ago. The young teens' eyes spotted Zio Giovanni behind the bar polishing wine glasses while Zia Francesca was sitting on a bar stool, filling out some paperwork.

The Cavalluccio’s had a strange tradition where all male relatives had names starting with the letter ‘G’. It got even more confusing when Serena’s zio and her papà had the same initials and were also twins.

Zio Giovanni was the youngest twin; he was identical to her papà in every way physically apart from possessing a stubble beard, fishing themed tattoos along his tanned arms and donned a brown cap over his brown scruffy hair. He wasn’t the quiet type like his brother, he was rather outspoken and was a social butterfly.

Zia Francesa was in her early thirties, she was tanned, tall and slim. She had hazel eyes that compliment her short black hair that was cut shaggy, tousled with deep waves that framed her forehead and cheeks. She always wore red lipstick, no matter the occasion. Serena always thought that she would make a great pin up girl and would be quite the catch.

“ Siamo a casa! ” Guido announced happily.

Zio Giovanni and Zia Francesca looked up from the bar, their calm expressions turned into ones of pure joy.

“ Bentornata nostra cara nipote! ” Zio Giovanni greeted boisterously with a smile.

Zia Francesca let out an excited shriek, leaping off the bar stool and ran over to Serena with her arms outstretched. “Oh! La mia bellissima nipote . We’ve missed you so much!” 

As soon as Zia Francesca reached her dear niece, she cupped both sides of Serena’s face and kissed her right cheek and then her left before pulling her into a hug.

“I’ve missed you all so much too!” Serena exclaimed as she hugged her zia back with the same amount of enthusiasm. “We hope your journey was pleasant.”

“It was a nice change of scenery that’s for sure,” Serena managed to say through a fake smile. 

That was a total lie. Serena was in a constant state of panic the whole train ride and was more focused on trying to control her anxiety rather than enjoying the scenery.

The brunette untangled herself from the hug and took a double take around the restaurant. Someone was missing, “Where is nonno?”

“You know your nonno Giuseppe,” Zio Giovanni shook his head as he continued polishing a wine glass to perfection, “Always fishing down by the marina. Lately he’s been going down there with Tommaso every morning and sometimes doesn’t come back until late afternoon.”

“Oh zitto ,” Zia Francesca scolded her husband, “He’s enjoying his retirement.”

“Retirement?” Serena raised an eyebrow.

“Your nonno retired about a month ago and passed down the restaurant to your Zio Gio,” Zia Francesca explained before her voice dropped an octave, “Your uncle has been a bit upset since he can’t go off and fish whenever he pleases now that he’s working full time as the restaurant's owner.”

Serena felt somewhat guilty. She couldn’t help but feel that it was her fault that she burdened her uncle with the responsibility of taking over the restaurant. Her papà was the eldest brother and he should’ve taken over the family business but he had moved away for her well-being.

“I’m not upset,” Zio Giovanni grumbled, having heard what his wife said. “I may miss fishing as often as I used to but I’ve got a family business to run now. I am perfectly happy.”

Serena breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that her uncle didn’t hold a grudge over who was supposed to take over the restaurant, he was just happy that it was still in the family.

“ Congratulazioni, I’m so happy for you zio Gio!” Serena cheered happily. 

“ Grazie, mia cara nipote,” Giovanni nodded with a smile, “And don’t worry, your papà and I talked about who would take over the restaurant a very long time ago and we came to an agreement that it was going to be me.” 

He then winked as if he read her mind. This made Serena’s shocked expression turn into one of joy and relief.

“Now, why don’t you get settled then, hm?” Zia Francesca suggested.

🐚 .° ｡

Serena reached the top of the stairs with her heavy travel case in hand. Her old room was located in the attic so it took some time to make it all the way up those flights of stairs. The girl approached a familiar door, twisting the handle and pushed the door open. Stepping inside and peering around the room, Serena was hit with a wave of nostalgia; a lot of memories in this room.

Serena heaved up her travel case with both hands before letting it bounce onto her once freshly made bed. She breathed a sigh of relief, opening up her case and started to unpack her belongings.

After putting away most of her clothes, she felt a slight draft through her hair and on her face. Looking up, Serena hadn’t noticed that the doors that lead towards her small balcony were open. The soft breeze moved the curtains gently, as the sound waves crashed against the rocks of the marina below.

Serena could feel her panic rising from just the sound of the ocean. Squeezing her eyes shut, she bolted over to the balcony slamming the doors shut and closed the curtains. She gripped the curtains tightly in her hands, trying to regulate her breathing just as her therapist instructed her to do. After a few moments of deep controlled breathing, Serena took a last deep breath in and out before moving over to the other side of the room where there was a smaller window.

“How am I going to stay here for a week and a half without having a panic attack every five minutes?” Serena whined to herself out loud as she overlooked the vineyards.

A sudden knock at the door pulled Serena out of her thoughts as she turned around to find Guido poking his head around the door.

“Mama wants me to grab a few things from the store and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me.”

“Are you sure zio and zia wouldn’t want some help with the restaurant?” Serena questioned.

“Nah, they’ve got it covered for now,” Guido shook his head, “So are you coming?”

Even though she didn’t really want to be here, Serena didn’t want to miss out on spending quality time with her cousin.

“Sure, I’ll be down in a couple of minutes,” Serena informed with a smile.

With a nod, Guido walked out of her room and closed the door behind him.

Serena rushed over to her closet and changed into something more equipped for the hot and smouldering afternoon it was turning into. After putting on fresh clothes, Serena stepped in front of her vanity’s mirror so that she could take in her appearance.

She took her hair out of it’s ponytail, letting her mousey brown curls cascade down to her mid back. Picking up her hairbrush, she started to comb the few tangles out for a few seconds before pushing her curls back with a soft orange peach kerchief headband, her bangs stuck out from underneath the kerchief.

Serena smoothed out her white sleeveless blouse that had a knot where the buttons stopped, before fixing it’s peter pan collar. Her outfit was completed with light blue jeans that reached her mid thigh and white sneakers.

Now she looked like a Portorossan!

🐚 .° ｡

Serena and Guido had gotten what they needed from the corner shop and had also bought a few treats for themselves from the money that was left over. 

“I can’t believe that Signora Lombardi is still in charge of the corner store, after all this time!” Serena marvelled, adjusting her grip on the shopping bag in her hand.

“It’s sad that her husband passed away a few years ago though. He was such a nice man,” Guido said solemnly.

Serena nodded, “Yeah, you’d think that she’d retire by now to mourn his loss, but I guess she doesn’t want to give up the store because it’s a good distraction for her.” 

As the two cousins had walked down the main street and out into the piazza, Guido stopped and became transfixed on a group of children playing soccer.  The children had completely disregarded the sign that had a big red stop signal painted over a picture of a ball which was nailed to a nearby stone archway.

The two stood and watched for a couple of minutes before Guido wondered out loud, “Do you think I could be good at professional soccer?”

Serena’s gaze shifted from the children towards Guido. “You could be, assolutamente! ” Serena chirped, “You’re really good, one of the best soccer players I’ve ever seen.”

Guido beamed proudly and was about to say something when the roar of an engine could be heard coming from behind them. The children stopped playing and all froze in their place.

Guido’s confidence deflated in a matter of seconds as he turned around and saw his best friend approach the both of them on his cherry red vespa, Ciccio running behind Ercole. He looked like he was about to pass out from the amount of running he had endured.

“Ah, eccoti qui , Guido! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Ercole glowered, looking very unimpressed that he had to go out of his way to find him. 

Ercole hopped off his vespa; Ciccio immediately took the handle of the vespa and kicked the stand in place so that it would stay upright. He stood next to the vespa like a soldier, waiting for Ercole’s next order.

“I-I um…uh,” Guido stuttered trying to think of a response as Ercole drew closer.

Serena was speechless as she stared at the older boy in disbelief. Here she was, face to face with the boy who was mostly responsible for her trauma.

“E-Ercole Visconti,” Serena finally managed to speak, although with a slight waver in her voice.

Ercole’s hazel eyes flickered to meet her blue ones. His eyes widened as his brows arched in surprise, completely ignoring Guido who was still trying to find the words to explain himself.  “Serena Cavalluccio, sei tu ?” 

“ Sì , it’s me,” Serena confirmed with a nervous laugh.

“Oh my, I haven't seen you in forever, you've grown so much,” Ercole fussed. Serena watched his eyes sweep over her form, “I must say…you look bellissima .”

Serena was taken aback by Ercole’s compliment so much that she immediately felt her cheeks grow hot. Not from flattery but from pure embarrassment. From the corner of her eye she saw Guido, who had stopped fumbling, gawking at Ercole quizzically.

“Uh, grazie Ercole. You look…” Serena now being the one who was fumbling for words.

She felt her own eyes sweep over this form and let’s just say that puberty was not kind to him. 

At the age of sixteen, he had matured quite awkwardly. Tall, thin and lanky; he was physically older than he looked. A big round nose that stuck out like a parrot's beak took up half his face. An overbite with crooked teeth, and to top it all off he had a pencil-thin moustache growing on the top of his upper lip. His dark brown hair was slicked back.

He didn’t look like a local as his clothes were no doubt a luxurious label brand. He seemed to be the only one in town to own a cherry red vespa, and liked to parade it around as a symbol of his wealth. He was a spoiled brat through and through.

“Bello,” Ercole finished her thought for her with a gloating smile, “I know, you’ve never been in the presence of such perfezione before.”

Serena couldn’t help but roll her eyes; he was still the same person he was back when they were children. A pompous windbag who arrogantly thought he was better than everyone else. As Ercole was busy admiring himself in his vespa mirror Serena thought that this was the best time to change the subject. 

“How have you and your parents been, Ercole?”

“My parents are doing well. They’re in Milan for the summer enjoying a well deserved break from their mayoral duties. Padre left me in charge while they’re gone; I thought this summer was going to be like all the others — boring,” Ercole explained with a bored tone before moving his gaze away from his reflection to look at Serena, “Until you came along.”

Ercole’s father was the Mayor of Portorosso. Back when they were younger, Ercole would use the ‘son of the mayor’ card to control others and would often proclaim that he was the golden child of Portorosso; he saw Portorosso as ‘his’ town.

“How long will you be in Portorosso?” Ercole questioned.

“I’ll only be here for a short —”

“She’s staying for the whole summer!” Guido piped up, interrupting his younger cousin. Serena gave Guido a look of dismay, but the boy didn’t notice. 

“ È magnifico! ” Ercole slicked his hair back smoothly before flashing a charming grin, “What do you say to a vespa ride with me tomorrow morning? It’ll give us a chance to reconcile and to get yourself familiar with the town once again.”

Guido finally caught onto what Ercole was implying as he gave his cousin a frantic look. Serena looked in between a frantic Guido and Ercole who was waiting for her answer with a smug grin.

“I...I’d love to, Ercole,” Serena began to say, “But I—”

“Perfetto! I shall pick you up at the fountain, tomorrow mid morning,” Ercole insisted and turned around to hop onto his vespa, not even giving Serena a chance to speak. “Ci vediamo domani, mia perla!”  

Ercole started up his vespa, pulled the throttle back before taking off up the main street. Ciccio was already struggling to catch up with him.

Serena blinked; did that really just happen?

“I’m pretty sure Ercole just asked you out on a date...why didn’t you say something? Like maybe  ‘no’ ?” Guido gawked.

Serena turned to face her cousin. “First of all, I’d barely call that a date and second, I was going to lie and say I was busy helping out at the restaurant!” the brunette defended before mumbling to herself, “But I guess the only person who’s worth listening to is Ercole himself.”

“No, you need to go and tell him that you’ll be busy tomorrow morning right now!” Guido pressed before he grabbed her arm and began to drag her up the street where Ercole had disappeared to.

“Guido, no, stop,” Serena demanded, pulling her arm out of his grip, “You know as well as I do that Ercole won’t take no for an answer. Besides, I don’t want to hurt his feelings. He looked so happy to see me...”

Now wasn’t the best time to start feeling guilty but Serena couldn’t help it. She didn’t want to upset anyone, not after she just arrived. 

Serena watched as she saw a look of disappointment flash across Guido’s face before he let out a sigh, his shoulders slumped, “Come on, let's go.”

Serena looked confused for a moment as Guido walked off in a hurry. She let out a deep sigh and thought about nothing more than going back home.

Chapter Text

The Mediterranean sun had just started to peak over the horizon and the first rays of light shone over Portorosso in a gorgeous blanket of yellow, orange, and red. Serena, up bright and early, had already finished her breakfast and was making her way down to the restaurant’s food storage room that was located on the ground floor. She wanted to make herself useful while she was here so she was on her way to help Guido and her Zio Giovanni with replenishing the restaurant's food supplies. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she made her way to the back door where the two males had already started to unload the truck that had arrived only a few moments ago.

“Would you like any help?” Serena spoke, making her presence known.

“Grazie Serena, if you don’t mind,” Zio Giovanni responded gratefully.

Serena smiled in response and immediately stepped into the truck to grab a crate of fresh produce. Of course she didn’t mind, she was happy to help. She didn’t want to seem lazy or rude by not picking up a few chores while she was here. While she was a guest she did live here once upon time, she wasn’t excused from chores back then and she certainly wasn’t now.

Serena stepped out of the truck, walking through the storage room door and started to place the produce away where they belonged.

“Buongiorno, Giovanni!”

A booming voice made Serena whirl around to find a large and tanned Italian man walking up to the back door. His skin was tanned as a result of years being outside all day in the sun. A brown cap sat on the top of his short brown hair, bushy eyebrows that seemed to cover his eyes and a short moustache that covered his mouth. His outfit consisted of a light yellow short-sleeved sweater and brown pants. But what really stood out about him was he was missing his right arm and he had a tattoo that was located on his left lower arm that looked to be a sea monster impaled by a trident. 

Ocean blue eyes were trained on the man, he was very intimidating to Serena who stood at only five foot two. He could barely fit through the doorway because he was that tall and bulky. She watched her uncle and the man engage in conversation with one another, trying to listen in.

She walked towards the truck to pick up the last crate when a young Italian girl around her age came into view. She looked to be younger than Serena by just a few months or a year. Her most recognisable feature was her fiery red hair that was styled in short curls, her bangs peaked out from underneath her sky blue beanie. Freckles littered her lightly tanned skin. Her outfit that consisted of a tangerine and white striped t-shirt, turquoise jeans with a blue patch on the right knee and brown sandals was perfect for the hot summer they were about to endure.

The girl grabbed a crate of fish and handed it to the large man with a smile. Serena took a double take before she shrugged and turned around to go back to her organising. Serena was never one to talk to strangers unless she was forced to, and even if she tried to make an effort with that girl, she doubted that she would become friends with her, much less acquaintances. She wasn’t going to be staying for long so Serena didn’t see a point in trying. After many fruitless attempts, she had all but given up on the hopes of developing a friendship with her peers. 

The teen sighed, going about her business and placing the last of the produce in their correct spots when she noticed the redhead approach her in her peripheral vision. 

“I haven’t seen you around here before.”

Serena paused, looking to the side where she saw the redhead standing in the middle of the storage room with a crate of fish in her hands. They both gazed at each other in a type of mutual curiosity. One was expecting a response, the other wasn’t expecting a lull in the conversation. Serena desperately searched her mind for a moment, trying to think of something to say. She didn’t talk to many people, let alone girls around her age so she was struggling to find the words.

"Sorry, I’m so rude,” the redhead grimaced before she grinned brightly, “ Ciao, my name is Giulia Marcovaldo, che piacere incontrarla! ”

“Ciao Giulia,” the brunette greeted hesitantly, “I’m Serena Cavalluccio, it’s nice to meet you as well.”

“Ooh, your name is very pretty!” the redhead complimented.

Serena was taken aback by the compliment. 

She didn’t get this far into the conversation with someone, let alone receive a compliment straight off the bat. Serena somehow found a way to mess up during the conversation, most of the time she would say something really weird and stupid which made the other person drift away or end the interaction completely. So she was approaching this interaction with caution. She didn’t want to mess up because Giulia seemed like a very nice girl.

“O-Oh,” Serena stumbled on her words before replying shyly, “Thank you, your name is pretty too.”

“Thanks! Uhm, here,” Giulia went to hand her a crate of once live fish, “I’m not really sure where I’m supposed to put these.”

“Ah — I um, I’m not really fond of fish.”

Startled, Serena backed away. Her eyes darted down at the fish, then back to Giulia before darting back down again. Serena shivered at the sight of the crate full of dead fish that were freshly caught — slimy and wet. Their soulless black eyes bore into her blue orbs as if they knew that she was deathly afraid of them, piercing into her soul. 

Tearing her gaze away from the disgusting creatures, her eyes met Giuila’s. The young girl gave Serena a look before she swerved around her to place the crate on the bench. Serena shuddered as she shuffled away from the crate of fish.

“I’m sorry,” Serena awkwardly, scared of the awkward silence that fell between them. She felt as though she had offended the girl.

Giulia laughed, shaking her head. “Don’t worry about it, I get it! I’m used to working with fish basically my whole life, so I don’t mind the smell or the slime.”

Serena allowed herself to relax, even letting out a few giggles herself. Giulia seemed like a great person so far and that gave Serena the confidence to slowly start opening up.

“Sooo, are you new in town?” Giulia asked in curiosity. 

Serena shook head. “I’m actually visiting from Genova.”

“Santa Mozzarella, I live in Genova too!” Giulia exclaimed, bouncing up and down on the spot.

Serena started getting as equally excited as Giulia.She started to imagine all kinds of different possibilities if they did become friends. Finally, she’d have a friend to hang out with and maybe they could even visit each other’s houses. Yet, the more Serena thought about all the fun times she could have, doubt started to creep into her fabricated hopes and dreams. She mentally scolded herself, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Giulia might not even want to be friends and was just being polite.

“How long are you staying in Portorosso? I stay around for the whole summer until I go back to Genova to live with my mamma for the school year.”

“I’m staying for a week or two,” Serena’s mood deflated.

She was adamant on sticking to her plan; stay for a week or two before hysterically crying over the phone for her parents to come pick her up on the next train. As much as she was enjoying staying with her family, she was in a constant state of anxiety and so far exposing herself to the water and the town that brought back so many memories wasn’t helping her so-called “treatment” at all.

“Oh that’s a bummer,” Giuila genuinely looked sad before she regained her sunny disposition, “Do you work here or something?”

“Well yes and no, I actually live here. I mean I used to live here until me and my parents moved to Genova when I was five. Kind of a long story actually but I would rather not get into it.”

“Oh, you’re Guido’s little cousin!” a sudden realisation blossomed across the redhead's face as she connected the dots before she shrugged, “And it’s fine, I understand you don’t need to explain.”

Serena smiled gratefully as they both fell silent again.

“Giulietta!”

The redhead flinched at the unexpected voice before she turned around to face the burly man at the back door.

“Andiamo, we need to deliver the rest of the fish!”

“Coming papà!” Giulia called out before she faced the brunette, “Well, I gotta go work never stops, you know? It was nice meeting you, see you around Serena!”

Before Serena could even answer the redhead, Giuila ran off to catch up with her father who already walked out. The redhead waved goodbye then rushed out the door. Serena watched Giulia disappear as a tiny smile made its way onto her lips; she couldn’t wait until the next time she would see Giulia again. 

Serena hoped that she made a good impression on Giulia and was looking forward to seeing her again really soon. After a few moments, Serena snapped herself out of her reverie and glanced up at the clock; she was half an hour late.

🐚 .° ｡

Why was she even rushing to meet Ercole?

Serena grimaced, she didn’t even want to be alone with Ercole, let alone ride on his vespa. Vespa’s were gaining popularity at the beginning of the year. Only the wealthiest people in Italy owned one, as they were quite expensive and not just anyone could afford one. Serena has seen only a few people ride them around in the city of Genova, most of them were a cherry red colour. Nobody in Portorosso, apart from Ercole, owned one but Serena couldn’t care less if Ercole had one or not.

The brunette secretly hoped that Ercole forgot about their meet up this morning but sure enough, he was waiting by the fountain.

Once again, Ercole was admiring his reflection in his vespa’s rear mirror, slicking back his hair 

and making himself look presentable. Serena rolled her eyes before taking a deep breath, she composed herself and put on the most believable smile she could muster as she approached Ercole.

The older boy spotted her reflection walking towards him in the mirror. He immediately whipped around to face her. 

“Ah la mia perla, you’re finally here,” The annoyance by her tardiness was made apparent as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re late.”

She grimaced, grabbing a thin strand of her hair and twirled it around her index finger nervously. “I know, I-I’m sorry. I got caught up with the restaurant's morning deliveries, I was helping out and it took longer than expected.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie; she did get caught up. But she didn’t know how he would react if she told him the whole truth. Ercole’s hazel eyes softened slightly.

“Bene , I will let you off this time but in the future make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Ercole’s eyes turned dark and cold all of a sudden as his voice dropped an octave, “ O non sarò felice. I don’t like being left waiting.”

The brunette instantly nodded which made Ercole smirk in satisfaction. She released a breath she didn't realise she was holding. Holy cannoli, if Ercole could be that frightening then no wonder Guido was so anxious and obedient around him. He knew better than to be on the other end of Ercole’s wrath.

“Now, on with the tour!” Ercole called out in a happy tone.

Serena was disturbed by how fast Ercole’s mood shifted. She was going to have to be careful about what she said from now on, she didn’t want another outburst from him like that again.

“This is my bambina,” Ercole cooed as he stepped aside so Serena could see his most prized possession, his elbow resting on one of the scooters handle while the other on his hip. “She’s beautiful, no?”

The cherry red vespa, in all of its glory, shone in the early afternoon sunlight. Serena admitted to herself that it was a beautiful yet flashy looking vespa but she didn’t want to say anything other than that. His ego didn’t need to be bigger and it already was.

“It’s very nice, Ercole,” Serena replied with a smile.

With a proud grin, Ercole hopped onto the seat of the scooter and waved a hand towards the empty space on the seat behind him. “Andiamo, perla mia!”

Ercole turned the key to start up the scooter and pulled up the kickstand. Pulling back the throttle, the scooter surged to life. Serena wondered if she could get away with holding onto the back of the seat just so she didn’t have to touch Ercole. She had only been on a scooter when she was very little, however she vaguely remembered what it felt like to be on it.

The brunette let out a shaky breath as she got on behind him. Once she was seated, she gripped the back of the seat with both hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Serena then remembered something.

“Um, shouldn’t we be wearing helmets?” Serena shouted over the engine.

However, her question was ignored as Ercole revved the throttle once again and the vespa jerked forward. This made Serena yelp in surprise before she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ercole’s waist tightly. She had no choice as she was about to fall off. She could practically imagine a cheeky grin making its way onto Ercole’s face.

Ercole said something to Serena but she could barely make sense of what he had said to her, not that she wanted to know about the nonsense he was spewing, as the wind battered her eardrums.

“Ercole, could you please slow down!” Serena begged as he continued to speed up the hill.

But Ercole didn’t listen to her pleas, he just kept driving at the speed he was going ever since he took off. He was even talking about something she could not hear over the motor. Serena decided to drown out Ercole’s muffled voice and tried to focus on the fast moving scenery.

🐚 .° ｡

The so called tour only lasted for fifteen minutes and it mostly consisted of Ercole speeding around Portorosso and being a public nuisance. Serena had only caught glimpses of the scenery and newly built spaces until they whizzed off once again.

Serena breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the fountain come into view. The nightmare ride was over! As soon as Ercole came to a stop, the brunette immediately let go of him and got off the scooter as fast as possible.

“I am sure you enjoyed the tour as it was one of the best highlights of your stay so far, riding with yours truly,” Ercole boasted.

Serena couldn’t believe the audacity of this guy. That was the worst tour she had ever been on. That tour was far from a highlight, let alone the best, meeting Giulia was one of the best highlights of her stay so far. 

Serena started running her fingers through her mousey brown locks as it was a tangled mess and she thought she had swallowed a bug a few miles back.

“You nearly ran over multiple people, Ercole!” Serena seethed.

“They were in my way,” Ercole shrugs his shoulders with nonchalance.

Serena was at her wits end with Ercole and was about to tell him that he was an irresponsible and careless driver when she heard a familiar voice shout behind her.

“Ercole!”

Both Serena and Ercole turned their attention to Ciccio and Guido as they came spiriting towards them.

Ercole scoffed, “What do you two bozo’s want, I’m a little busy right now!”

“There was a sea monster sighting!” Guido announced. Serena’s eyes widened in fear when she heard the words ‘sea monster’. Ercole was stunned for a moment before he scoffed. “What are you talking about? Impossibile, there hasn't been a sighting in years."

“It’s true!” Ciccio exclaimed with enthusiasm, “We overheard Maggiore talking with Tommaso and he said that he saw the monster last night while they were out collecting the nets.”

Ercole rolled his eyes. “Tommaso is old, you know he makes up crazy stories all the time.”

“No no, Giacomo was with him too. He saw the whole thing; Tommaso was telling the truth!” Ciccio confirmed.

Guido nodded vigorously, “Yeah! They’re also setting up a reward for anyone who catches one!” 

As soon as the word reward left Guido’s lips, Ercole’s bored expression melted away. 

“Then what are we waiting for! Go get your harpoons!” Ercole grinned with an evil glint in his eyes.

Ciccio and Guido obeyed and ran off to grab their weapons.

“Uh, E-Ercole,” Serena began hesitantly, “Don’t you think it’s dangerous to be going after —” 

“Shh…” Ercole whispered before he took Serena’s hand in his and patted it, “I know you want to help but you can’t come with us, I will not allow it. It’s too dangerous for a girl like you to be mixed up with sea monsters.”

Serena frowned down at her hand that was held by Ercole before she ripped her hand out of his grip. ‘A girl like you? What was that supposed to mean?’ Did Ercole think she was weak?

“You stay here, while me and the boys take care of it,” Ercole ordered, as he hopped onto his vespa once again.

Serena huffed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. He did think she was weak. If asked, Serena wouldn’t deny that she was deathly afraid of sea monsters because she was. They were dangerous.

Even though she didn’t particularly like Ercole, she didn’t want to see him get hurt, nor did she want her cousin to get involved but nothing was going to stop them. If Ercole didn’t want to listen to her concerns then she wasn’t going to try and talk him out of it. 

“We will hang out tomorrow, I’ll have Guido tell you what time. Until then, ciao mia bella perla ,” Ercole blew her a kiss as he bid his goodbye, driving off.

Serena gagged in disgust at the romantic gesture. She didn’t want to have to hang out with him tomorrow but she knew that Guido would make her come along. Both of them wanted to remain in Ercole’s good graces.

Sighing, Serena contemplated on what she should do for the rest of the day. She could go for a walk, or head back to the restaurant to see if her help was needed, or maybe she should just sit in her room and draw for the rest of the day. In the end, she decided to go back to the restaurant. She had had enough socialising for today.

The brunette slowly made her way across the piazza until she caught sight of a familiar looking man she saw from this morning; it was Signore Marcovaldo, Giulia's father. 

Serena avoided looking at the placid sea and focused on the big burly man a few feet in front of her. He seemed to have returned from fishing, as he had lots of freshly caught fish, and was docking his boat into the marina. Serena thought that if her father was around then Giulia would be too. Scanning the marina and the piazza, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed when the redhead was nowhere in sight.

Feeling disheartened, Serena once again made her way back towards the restaurant when a blur of flaming red zoomed past, nearly clipping her in the process. Serena flinched and jumped back, her heart racing.

Placing a hand over her heaving chest, she turned her attention towards the person that nearly ran her over; it was Giulia. The young girl was perched on a cobalt blue bicycle, a large wooden cart with empty crates was attached by the handles with a rope that looped around the seatpost.

Signore Marcovaldo called her name to gain her attention. She got off her bike, grabbed the empty crates and threw them down towards her father who then started loading them with the fish he had just caught. Giulia looked really busy and Serena didn’t want to bother her so she turned around and decided to head back home

“Ciao Serena!”

Giulia had noticed her presence; the brunette whipped around and she greeted a little too enthusiastically, “Ciao Giulia!” 

Giulia paused; a look of utter horror suddenly came over her face. “Mio dio , was that you I nearly ran over? I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine — I’m fine,” Serena reassured the younger girl with a smile.

Giulia breathed a sigh before she smiled. Her father then muttered her name to get her attention again before he handed her a crate of fish. She took it with ease and loaded the crate onto the wooden cart, and waited patiently for the next crate to come up.

“Nice bike you got there,” Serena complimented.

Giulia gave her a proud smile, “Thanks, it’s a bit rusty but this baby has lasted me years.”

“That’s the last of them, Giulietta,” Signore Marcovaldo said as he handed her the last crate of fish.

Giulia placed the crate down onto the wooden cart and hopped onto her bike once again. Her gaze shifted towards, eyebrow arching, “I saw you hanging out with Ercole a moment ago, what's up with that?”

Serena’s face contorted into a grimace, “Oh well, we’re sort of…friends.”

Giulia reeled back in shock, nearly falling off her bicycle, “Friends?!” 

Serena continued to add, “…childhood friends.”

“Santo Pecorino, that’s even worse,” Giulia sputtered, “I could only imagine what he was like as a kid! He must’ve been the most insufferable, self conceited jerk.”

Serena confessed, “He pretty much was and still is it seems.”

Giulia gave Serena a funny look. “If you think so then why are you friends with him?” 

The brunette was taken aback by her question because it made sense. She had such conflicted feelings that involved the older boy. Serena still thought of Ercole as a friend, even though he was a bit of a jerk sometimes. He was her first ever friend back when they were young. Guido, Serena and Ercole were all such good friends but it was short lived when Ercole all of a sudden started being a jerk and he was never reprimanded for his behaviour.

Serena assumed that Giuila didn’t truly know what Ercole was really like. She would never admit it to anyone but Serena was afraid of Ercole. She had seen firsthand how quick he was to anger, she knew all of his nasty habits and his true self. She felt that if she told Ercole ‘no’, or to leave her alone or that she didn’t want to be friends with him he’d be very agitated to say the least. She didn’t want to experience his full wrath so she kept up the nice facade when it came to him. 

Ercole prided himself on his reputation above all else, so she knew the consequences if that reputation crumbled.

“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Serena defended, “So I guess I am just used to his behaviour but he’s not really horrible to me.”

“You’ve got that right,” Giulia agreed, “Ercole never, and I mean never, lets anyone on that Vespa except for himself. He must see you as a really close friend to let you ride on his Vespa.”

“Oh joy, just what I wanted to hear,” Serena’s voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Giulia let out a laugh before she gestured towards the cart, “Hop on, we can talk while I make the fish deliveries!”

As much as Serena didn’t want to be near the crates of fish, this was the perfect opportunity to get to know Giulia more.

“A-Are you sure you can handle my weight on top of all those crates?” Serena asked in concern.

“Ovviamente! ” Giulia confirmed with a smile, “I’m used to pulling heavy loads of fish all day long, so with your added weight I’m sure it won’t be any different.”

Serena took her word for it and hopped up onto the cart, careful not to get too close to the fish. Giulia then started to pedal up the cobblestoned streets without working up much of a sweat.

Going door to door and delivering fish, the two girls began to talk about anything and everything as they made the rounds to people’s houses. Serena was enjoying Giulia’s company and was actually starting to open up about herself, she even found some things in common with Giulia. They both shared a deep love for astronomy, reading books and overall learning new things. By the time they had delivered the last fish, it was late afternoon, the temperature had dropped significantly which was a relief.

Guilia rode down the hill slowly as she enthusiastically chatted away about how Saturn was her favourite planet; something on the wall caught Serena’s eye.

“Portorosso Cup…” Serena read out loud.

Giulia’s breaks squeaked as they came to a stop, the topic of Saturn long forgotten.

“The Portrosso Cup! It’s an annual Italian Triathlon which includes swimming, biking, pasta and running. We hold it every year,” Giulia explained before she frowned to herself, “ Jerkole has participated every summer and has won the cup six years in a row. But not this year —  this year I want to be the one to take him down once and for all!”

Serena stared at the redhead in surprise at her outburst. Giulia noticed the older girl’s stare so she hunched down, turning meek and sheepish.

“Sorry, I get too much sometimes,” she apologised as she started pedalling once again.

Giulia scolded herself for acting so weird. She didn’t want to be branded as the weird kid again. After a moment of silence, laughter filled her ears. The redhead craned her head around to face the brunette behind her in confusion.

“Mi dispiace but your nickname for Ercole was hilarious!” Serena said in between giggles, “And I don’t think you’re not too much at all…I admire your determination. Anyone would be lucky to be on your team because I guarantee you’ll win.”

“I-I don’t have a team. I’ve mostly done it alone every year…” Giulia said sadly.

Serena felt bad for Giulia, she knew what it was like to do activities by yourself. 

“We should compete in the cup together!” the redhead chirped brightly. 

Ocean blue eyes blinked a few times; someone wanted her to join their team. Serena was always the last one picked for everything, whether it be for sports, school projects or activities that required a partner. But now that Giulia was asking her to join her in the race, Serena felt a mix of emotions. She was reluctant to participate as she was scared that she’d disappoint Giulia, but on the other hand.

“Oh uhm, I don’t know…” Serena's words tiddered off, wringing her hands. 

Giulia sensed that Serena was a bit hesitant about the idea. “You don't have to decide right now. We’ve got a few days until we can sign up!”

“I-It’s not that I don’t want to…it’s just…” Serena tried to find the words.

Giulia steered over to the fountain before she came to a complete stop. The young redhead’s gaze watched the brunette as she got down from the cart, waiting for her to finish what she had to say.

“To be completely honest with you…I-I’m not good at sports, a-and I’m terrified of w-water,” Serena told truthfully, albeit surprised by her own honesty.

Giulia was shocked for a moment. If Serena was scared of water than Portorosso was the worst place to be, as they were surrounded by water and Portorosso was right next to the ocean.

“That’s alright, we all have fears,” Giulia said in a reassuring tone, “You can do the eating and running parts, while I can do the swimming and biking.”

Serena nervously twirled a strand of her mousey brown hair, “I-I’m not a very fast runner, as for eating, I can do that…at least I think I can.”

“Like I said, you don't have to decide right now. Just think about it first before you say no, please?” Giulia pleaded.

Serena stared into Giulia’s pleading brown eyes before she gave in, “Bene, I’ll think about it.”

The girls soon bid their goodbyes and went their separate ways. The early afternoon sky was gone and the sky was painted a brilliant orange, the sun was beginning to dip into the ocean.

Chapter Text

All Serena wanted to do today was to seek refuge in the safety that was her room in the attic back at the restaurant. Instead she was down by the piazza, forced to hang out with Ercole, along with Guido and Ciccio. There was no getting out of it, not even when she had asked her zia if she needed any extra help at the restaurant that morning but she insisted that Serena go and enjoy the beautiful summer weather.

So here she was, sitting at a table in the hot sun trying to not have a panic attack from the water that was a few feet away. It was a little too close for comfort. The boys were engaged in a conversation that Serena had no idea about what they were saying but it sounded like they were debating what they were going to do today.

“What do you say we go out on the boat today?” Ciccio suggested, “Search for some sea monsters!”

Ercole perked up at the idea. “Great idea, I’m so glad I thought of it. Now Ciccio, go grab my harpoon and boat keys, affrettarsi!”

Ciccio’s smile fell as he realised that he had to run all the way through the town, which was on a steep slope, to get to Ercole’s house that sat on top of the highest hill in Portorosso. Nonetheless, Ciccio obeyed and began to make his way through the piazza.

Serena began to panic even more, she wasn’t comfortable in a boat, especially with Ercole behind the wheel.

“Oh, I-um—” Serena spoke, struggling for words.

Ercole turned his head towards her as he raised an eyebrow, waiting for what she had to say. Guido could sense her nervousness, he knew that her going on a boat wouldn’t be a good idea.

Sweat started to bead her forehead. “I—I completely forgot that my zia asked me to grab her a few things from the corner shop and then help out with the afternoon rush!”

Serena shot Guido a look, in order for him to get on board with her lie.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot all about that!” Guido came to mention, “You should really get going.”

“Yeah I better go, sorry I couldn’t hang out today,” Serena lied right through her teeth, “I’ll maybe hang out with you ragazzi tomorrow, ciao!”

Ercole couldn’t even get a word out as Serena had already rushed off and rounded a corner. Once she knew that she was out of sight, Serena slowed her pace down and breathed a sigh of relief.

She knew that she couldn’t avoid hanging out with Ercole forever, eventually she would have no choice but to do just that. For now, she was avoiding him for the meantime as she thought of the best route to get back to the restaurant so she could lock herself in her room with a good book for the rest of the day.

Serena peeked around the corner to see if Ercole and Guido had left the piazza when she saw a familiar redhead. Giulia was riding on her bike making deliveries around town. Ever since Serena met Giulia yesterday, she was considering entering the cup with her but not without making a little request first. She hoped that Giulia would let her join regardless of a few changes.

Confirming that the coast was clear, Serena called out “Giulia, hey, wait up!”

Giulia swivelled her head around until her eyes landed on Serena, she instantly smiled.

“Oh, buongiorno Serena!” Giulia greeted, her bike squeaked to a stop.

”B-Buongiorno…you’re really fast,” she said in between pants as she caught his breath.

“Thanks,” Giulia giggled, “Always be training, yknow?”

Giulia was really committed to this race, but Serena chalked it up to the fact that this was literally her job. “I was actually hoping to talk to you about that, if you got a minute?”

“Yeah sure, what’s up?” Giulia smiled.

“I was wondering if I could enter the race with you?” Serena asked, wringing her fingers together nervously, “It’s ok if you don’t—”

“Santa Gorgonzola, really?!” Giulia exclaimed with happiness, “This is so exciting! Ok, I remember that you’re not really fond of water, so I was thinking that I could do the biking and swimming challenges and you can do the running and the eating challenges.”

Serena smiled gratefully. She appreciated Giulia's consideration of her fear of water and the solution she had devised. Admittedly, Serena didn't consider herself a fast runner; she tended to tire quickly after a few minutes of exertion. Nevertheless, she was determined to give it her best effort. The reassurance that she would be far from the water was comforting.

“But are you alright with the running challenge? You’re not exactly in tiptop shape,” Guilia chuckled before looking horrified at her comment, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like th—”

“That’s alright, you can train me!” Serena insisted quickly, “We still have months before the cup.”

Giuila relaxed, “You’re right. If running works for you then it works for me!”

The two girls smiled at each other, Serena was glad that Giulia was so easily accepting of her phobia.

“Well, I’ve got to get a move on with these deliveries,” Giulia frowned, pointing her thumb towards the full cart of fish.

Serena’s mood deflated. She was actually hoping to hang out with Giulia for a little bit . Maybe even help her with deliveries but the cart was full of fish; no room for her.

“But you should come over for dinner, my papà would be alright with it! Then after that we can talk about training strategies!”

Serena was stunned that Giulia had invited her over to her house. She had never been invited to dinner over at somebody’s home before, much less without her parents.

“Yeah, sure, that sounds great!” Serena agreed, smiling, albeit nervous.

Giulia quickly wrote her telephone number down on Serena’s hand. The two girls bid their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

🐚 .° ｡

Standing on the doorstep of the Marcovaldo residence, Serena's nerves began to stir. She was mustering up the courage to knock on the blue wooden doors of the pescheria. She didn't want to do or say the wrong thing around Giulia and especially around her papà. It was crucial to her that she made a good impression, especially in front of Giulia and her papà. Concentrating on steadying her breathing and calming her racing heart, it took every ounce of courage for Serena to lift her hand up and knocked on the door.

“Buonasera, Serena!” Giulia could barely contain her excitement as she greeted her, “Come on in!”

Giulia quickly led Serena through the pescheria shop, through the back room, up the stairs and into their small living room.

“Dinner is almost ready,” Giulia informed, “So we can stay in here and chill out.”

Serena nodded and smiled warmly, her ocean-blue eyes sweeping around the modestly sized living room before settling on a white cat with black patches over its body, comfortably perched on the couch in front of the television. What caught her attention most was the cat's distinct black muzzle, reminiscent of Massimo's own moustache. With a gasp of surprise, the teen approached the plump feline with cautious steps.

“Who’s this adorable piccolo gatto?” Serena cooed, extending her hand out so that the cat could take a sniff.

Serena adored animals, she preferred their presence more than people’s company sometimes. The cat leaned its head over to her hand and sniffed it a couple of times before letting Serena scratch under its chin making the feline purr in content.

“That’s Machiavelli, he’s my little hairy baby,” Giulia cooed.

“You named your cat after the Italian philosopher and writer Niccolò Machiavelli?” Serena giggled.

Giulia chuckled, “Kinda dorky, huh?”

“No, it’s a brilliant name!” Serena laughed, still scratching Machiavelli under his chin. The purring grew even louder.

Giulia stood next to Serena and went to scratch behind the cat’s ear. “He loves everyone he meets, I don’t know a single person he doesn’t like!”

Machiavelli nuzzled into Serena’s hand and leaned into her touch more. “Well I’m glad I’m one of them,” Serena smiled, continuing on patting and scratching the cat’s soft fur.

“Ragazze! Dinner is ready!” Massimo called out from the kitchen. Both girls headed towards the kitchen immediately. They were all starving.

Upon entering the kitchen, it was filled with the presence of sea monsters, newspaper clippings, harpoons and fishing gear everywhere. Serena felt uneasy but her hunger was too strong to resist as she made her way towards a chair at the table.

“It’s nice to see you again, Serena,” Massimo greeted with a warm smile, “And it is a pleasure to have you over for dinner.”

“Nice to see you again, Signore Marcovaldo,” Serena greeted politely, as she pulled out her chair and settled down at the table, “Thank you for having me!”

“Please call me Massimo,” the man smiled warmly.

Serena nodded in response and instantly relaxed. Massimo was a gentle giant of a man, she had no reason to be afraid or nervous. Massimo dished up the food and placed three bowls onto the table. Trenette al Pesto, one of Serena’s favourite dishes.

“Buon appetito!” Massimo declared as they began to devour the delicious bowls of pasta.

The girls praised Massimo’s cooking, both agreeing that this was the best pasta they’ve ever had. Serena even offered Massimo to come cook at the restaurant. He politely declined but wasn’t opposed to the idea. After a few bites of pasta, Massimo cleared his throat. “Is this your first time in Portorosso, Serena?”

Serena grabbed a napkin nearby to wipe around her mouth, swallowing her food before she spoke, “Technically no…I used to live here many years ago until I had to move away to Genova with my parents.”

“What a coincidence, Giulietta here also lives in Genova,” Massimo stated, “Which school do you attend?”

“Oh, I attend Genova High School,” Serena said, “I’ll be in year ten this year as I’ll be turning fifteen next month!”

“That’s the same high school I’ll be going to next year!” Giulia chirped.

“No way really?!” Serena gasped in excitement, “That means we will be attending the same high school together!”

The red head squealed, “I’m so happy now that I’ll know someone there! You can show me around.”

Serena nodded in excitement, looking forward to showing Giulia around her school. Massimo watched the two girls engaged in conversation, he was overjoyed to find that Giulia was going to have a friend in Genova and that Serena would guide and watch over her.

“Although, it sucks that we can’t celebrate your birthday…since you’ll be leaving soon,” Giulia looked defeated, “Wait! Does that mean you can’t participate in the Portorosso Cup?”

“The race?” One of Massimo’s bushy eyebrows raised in suspicion.

Giuila said nothing as her gaze shifted down to her bowl of pasta nervously before she began to stuff her mouth full of it. As if she was begging her father to just drop the subject.

Serena quickly interjected, “Oh — well…I was going to enter the race by myself…but I’m not sure if I can do it anymore as I just remembered that I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

Serena’s gaze dropped down to her bowl of pasta too. She felt guilty for letting Giulia down. She totally forgot about her plan to leave Portorosso in the coming week. Serena snuck a glance at Giulia. She looked downcast, as she was playing around with her pasta. Serena was beginning to panic now. She thought that Giuila hated her now.

“We are sad to see you go so soon, Serena,” Massimo spoke sadly.

Serena nodded, as she was too pushing her pasta around, suddenly losing her appetite.

“I’ll have a chat with my parents and see what they say about me staying here for a bit longer,” Serena said after a long pause in silence. The brunette slowly looked up to see Giulia’s reaction. Giulia was beaming with happiness and Serena smiled back.

🐚 .° ｡

After dinner, the two teenage girls found themselves nestled in the comfort of Giulia's room. The soft glow of fairy lights coming from outside cast a warm and cosy atmosphere that enveloped them both.

Serena's eyes danced with excitement as she picked up an astronomy book from Giulia's shelf, flipping the pages open, her fingers traced the intricate illustrations of constellations and galaxies.

"I've always been fascinated by the stars," Serena confessed, her voice filled with wonder, "I even chose astronomy as one of my classes for next year. I can't wait to learn more about the universe. I’ve never looked through a telescope before.”

“It’s like looking through a super powerful magnifying glass!” Giulia threw her hands out wide, trying to accentuate how big and wide the telescope could search the vastness that was space. “Old man Bernardi lets me use his telescope all the time. Next time you’re over, we can use it!”

“Sounds like a great idea!” Serena beamed, “I am so excited for you to show me.”

A comfortable silence fell over them as they sat side by side. Enjoying each other's company as they looked over the astronomy book laid out before them.

“I am truly sorry about agreeing to be your partner for the cup, I completely forgot about it,” Serena apologised.

“It’s ok, don’t worry!” Giulia smiled, “All you have to do is ask your parents if you could stay a bit longer. I'm sure they won't mind!”

Serena smiled as she relaxed. She thought Giulia was going to hate her for agreeing to participate in the cup even though she was planning on leaving soon. But why did the thought of leaving make her feel sad? Maybe because she might have unintentionally made a new potential friend and that she knew that saying goodbye wouldn't be easy.

“Your papà seemed very happy that I was invited over, almost…surprised, what’s with that?” Serena asked curiously, breaking the silence.

“Oh, must be because I don’t have any friends here in Portorosso…or even in Genova,” Giulia replied sadly.

“So you spend your summer’s here alone?” Serena frowned.

Giulia nodded, her expression reflecting a mix of resignation and loneliness. "Yeah, pretty much. It gets kind of lonely sometimes, but at least I have my papà and Machiavelli to keep me company.”

Serena knew the feeling of loneliness and isolation all too well.

"Well…you have me now," she spoke hesitantly with a warm smile.

She didn’t want to overstep a boundary. This was usually the part the other person would either awkwardly agree and then forget they were friends minutes later. She was pretty sure that this was how one made friends.

“Santa Mozzarella, really?! Us being friends?!” Giulia grinned brightly, her eyes lit up like stars.

Serena's heart fluttered with relief at Giulia's enthusiastic response. “Certo! I mean if you’d li—”

“This summer is going to be the best one I’ve ever had!” Giulia's grin widened, a genuine happiness radiating from her, “You and me, we’re gonna be the best of friends!”

Serena felt a surge of excitement and warmth. The evening had been more than Serena could have hoped for. She felt like she was going to cry; she had a friend! After so many lonely days in school and in this little town, meeting Giulia felt like a blessing.

A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. “It’s getting late,” Massimo stated, his voice gentle yet firm, “Serena has to go home now.”

Serena was sad and disappointed that she had to leave but it was getting late and she didn’t want her zia and zio to worry.

“Thank you again for dinner, Massimo, it was delizioso!” Serena said gratefully with a warm smile.

“It was my pleasure Serena, you are welcome back anytime,” Massimo replied warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a smile.

“We should hang out tomorrow and get a start on your training,” Giulia suggested eagerly, her excitement palpable. “Meet me at the piazza in the morning.”

Serena nodded eagerly, her heart full. “I’ll be there!”

Serena bid her last goodbye to Giulia and Massimo before stepping out into the warm summer night. Her path home was illuminated by the moon and stars that shimmered overhead. Serena smiled to herself as she couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for stumbling upon Giulia. She finally had a friend to call her own. She didn’t feel so alone in this world anymore. Tomorrow was a new day, full of promise and friendship.

Chapter Text

The sun shone brightly as Serena was running up the steep Portorosso streets, Giulia pedalled alongside her on her rusted bike with a stopwatch in hand. The red head was timing her as she was testing to see how fast Serena could run two kilometres.

“Come on Serena, run faster, you’re nearly at the top!” Giulia cheered, glancing down at her stopwatch.

“I’m going as fast as I physically can!” Serena huffed, sweat beading down her forehead.

Serena was drenched in sweat, her skin glistening under the harsh sun. Each step felt like a monumental effort, her legs heavy and burning from the strain. She had never pushed her body to this limit before.

Finally, as she reached the top of Mount Portorosso, Serena’s body could take no more and she collapsed on the ground, feeling the relief of getting to rest her poor aching feet. Giulia stopped the stopwatch and screeched to a halt. She then held out a water bottle, and Serena desperately grabbed it, taking huge gulps of water before pouring the rest of the liquid onto her face. She sighed in relief.

“Forty-five minutes!” Giulia’s exclaimed, “Not bad, but we can do better.”

Serena groaned, “Really? I guess I really am slow.”

“You’ll get better at it! Just focus on your form — keep your arms loose and drive your knees up,” Giulia demonstrated as she spoke, “And remember to breathe. It’s about rhythm.”

Serena tiredly nods with a smile, taking her advice.

As the brunette sat on the ground, working to steady her heart and breath, she glanced at the distant clock tower and gasped at the time. “Mamma mia, Giulia! I’m so sorry, but I promised to hang out with Ercole at lunch today.”

Giulia crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “You know…you don’t have to hang out with him all the time.”

Serena felt the weight of that statement, torn between loyalty to her friend and the pressure of keeping Ercole satisfied.

“I know but he’s still my friend, no matter how unfriendly he is sometimes,” Serena explained, “Plus, he’s my cousin's friend as well — I’m just trying to keep everyone happy in this situation.”

“You’re too nice for your own good,” Giulia said with a bemused smile, shaking her head, “Ercole doesn’t deserve a good friend like you.”

Giulia admired Serena for her good and kind nature; it was a rare quality to find someone who radiated kindness, even in the face of indifference. Yet, as Giulia watched her friend wave her goodbye and ran off to meet Ercole, she couldn’t help but worry that such goodness might go unappreciated, leaving Serena vulnerable to the very people she tried so hard to uplift.

🐚 .° ｡

Serena instantly regretted agreeing to hang out with Ercole that afternoon. She could’ve used the restaurant as an excuse to spend more time with Giulia, but she had already done that yesterday. Today, the restaurant was unusually slow, and her zia would’ve encouraged her to hang out with Guido instead. Serena didn’t want Guido to keep covering for her, especially since she didn’t want Ercole to interrogate him about her constant excuses. Guido didn’t handle being under pressure well, and they both knew it.

She hated feeling torn between two friend groups; it was a problem she never faced back in Genova. There, she only had herself to keep her company and the expectations of loyalty were nonexistent. Here, the lines blurred, and the weight of her choices pressed down on her shoulders. She feared that she would never get used to the feeling.

When she met up with the three boys, Ercole offered her a ride on his Vespa once. "Come on, it'll be fun! Guido and Ciccio will just have to run after us," he said with a grin, and she reluctantly agreed.

As they sped off, Ercole started driving around like a reckless hooligan, they darted through the narrow streets of the town, weaving in and out of foot traffic. Ercole’s laughter rang through the streets. He wasn’t even paying attention as he was too busy showing off to notice his surroundings.

What Ercole lacked in road safety, he made up for with his impeccable music and fashion taste; as much as Serena hated to admit it, his style was bold and expensive.

As they zoomed past the marina, ‘Andavo a cento all’ora’ blared from his radio, the lyrics echoing in her mind as they raced through the town. It could be heard all the way from the marina to the piazza, drawing curious glances and disapproving frowns from the townsfolk. She overheard snippets of their chatter — murmurs of reckless youth and safety concerns — each disapproving glance weighing heavily on her conscience.

“Mannaggia! Here we go.”

“Oh, mamma mia! Please, no more revving.”

“Che puzza, Ercole!”

“Look at them,” Ercole shouted over the music, his eyes sparkling with mischief, “They’re just jealous they’re not young and free like us!”

“Or maybe they’re worried about your driving,” Serena shot back, but he didn’t hear her over the music and wind whipping against their ears.

“Beep, beep! Pride of Portorosso coming through!” Ercole exclaimed with an exaggerated grin, dramatically slowing his scooter to a more reasonable speed.

The sun glinted off his polished ride, but to Serena, it was less a symbol of pride and more a garish display of arrogance. She cringed at his boastful declaration, fully aware that Ercole’s self-proclaimed title was a far cry from the truth. His pompous attitude and relentless bullying, he could only be deemed the ‘Pest of Portorosso’, a nuisance that everyone tolerated but secretly wished would ride off into the sunset.

“And now! Who wants to watch me eat a big sandwich?” Ercole’s voice rang out, dripping with theatricality as he executed a flawless, acrobatic stop on his Vespa. The engine roared defiantly before he dismounted, his movements confident and flamboyant. With a casual flick of his wrist, he placed the Vespa onto its stand, the sun glinting off its polished frame, and strode over to a nearby café table. There, Ciccio and Guido were hastily arranging the spread for his lunch, their movements almost frantic as they anticipated Ercole’s every whim.

Serena stood off to the side, watching in a mix of shock and bewilderment. The way Guido hovered around Ercole, almost servile in his eagerness to please, was puzzling. It was as if he had forgotten his own identity, becoming merely a shadow to Ercole’s commanding presence. Serena shook her head, her disdain bubbling beneath the surface. The last thing she wanted was to witness Ercole’s overzealous enjoyment of a sandwich; she would rather spend an eternity observing someone struggle with a fishing line, their bait remaining untouched while they fought the impatience of the sea.

As Guido and Ciccio were about to feed him his sandwich, a soccer ball came hurtling through the air, striking Ercole’s beloved Vespa with a sharp thud that sent it teetering precariously off its stand. In a split second, Ciccio dove beneath the scooter, cushioning its fall with his body. He saved Ercole’s Vespa just in time before it fell.

“Oh, la mia bambina!” Panic surged through Ercole as he shouted, rushing over to the Vespa.

Serena scanned the bustling piazza, her heart racing as she searched for the culprit. Her eyes finally landed on a small boy with tousled brown hair, who stood frozen, wide-eyed and fearful. She felt instantly sorry for him as he was about to be Ercole’s next victim.

“Oh, mamma mia! Talk to Ercole. Are you hurt?” he implored, speaking to his precious Vespa as if it could respond. His voice a mixture of panic and affection as he knelt beside his prized possession.

“Well, my head kinda hurts...” Ciccio muttered, glancing timidly at Ercole.

“Not you, Ciccio! Out of the way!” Ercole scolded the blonde, waving a hand dismissively as he focused on his Vespa. Guido rushed forward to prop the scooter back upright while Ciccio scrambled back to his feet.

“Oh, piccolina,” Ercole cooed, his fingers gently brushing against the handlebar, each stroke filled with adoration. Ercole’s dramatics made Serena roll her eyes.

“If there is so much as a scratch —” he murmured, inspecting the cherry red Vespa with the precision of a mechanic. A wave of relief washed over him as he discovered that there was no damage, and he let out a deep sigh, grateful that his prized possession had escaped unscathed.

He quickly rose from the ground, dusting off his designer clothes before scanning the piazza with a discerning eye. “Someone got lucky today. Hmm? Who got lucky?”

Ercole casted a sharp gaze toward the group of kids who were playing with the ball beforehand. They all pointed at two boys off to the side who were just standing there, as if they didn’t understand the situation they were about to face.

Ercole straightened up and approached them with an air of authority. “Mm-hmm. Out-of-towners, eh?” A sly smile crept onto Ercole’s lips as he prepared to confront his newest victims. The smaller boy with the tousled brown hair looked nervous while the slightly older boy with curly golden brown hair that was styled in somewhat of a cowlick looked unfazed. Serena hesitantly followed Ercole, as did Guido and Ciccio but with more enthusiasm.

“Let me welcome you. Benvenuti a Portorosso!” he announced grandly with a flourish, before taking off his sweater that was tied around his shoulders. “Ciccio!” Ercole beckoned before he dramatically dropped his wool sweater into the waiting hands of Ciccio. His mouth was agape, honoured and blessed that he was holding something of Ercole’s.

“I am delighted to meet you, Number One and Number Two,” Ercole continued, gesturing to the newcomers. “I love your stylish clothes. Where did you get them? A dead body?” He laughed, also drawing laughter from Guido and Ciccio behind him.

Serena was slightly taken aback at the response Guido had. He was laughing, she shot him a disapproving look. He didn’t notice.

“I’m delighted to meet you, Number One and Number Two,” Ercole continued, gesturing to the newcomers. “I love your stylish clothes! Where did you get them? A dead body?” He laughed, prompting snickers from Guido and Ciccio behind him. Serena frowned, unimpressed by the tasteless joke, and shot a disapproving glare at Guido, who remained blissfully unaware.

“I’m kidding,” Ercole added, but Serena could see through the act; Ercole’s annoyance was evident, despite his facade of warmth.

“Uh…look, Signor Vespa, I—” the older boy began, but was quickly cut off.

“Signor Vespa?!” Ercole erupted into laughter, turning back to Guido, Ciccio, and Serena. “This guy a-funny, hmm?” He whipped his head around, a smug grin spreading across his face.

“I am Ercole Visconti, five-time winner of the Portorosso Cup!” he declared proudly with dramatic flair.

“The Portorosso what?” the older boy asked, confusion evident in his voice.

“The Portorosso Cup! Per mille sardine!” Ercole exclaimed. “How do you think I paid for my beautiful Vespa?”

The smaller boy peered behind Ercole, staring at the cherry red Vespa in awe, as if it were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

“Hey, stop looking!” Ercole snapped, causing the younger boy to gasp in fright.

“She’s too beautiful for you,” Ercole taunted, and the younger boy tried to respond but could only stammer, backing away while stealing a glance at his friend.

“I-I, uh—” Ercole mimicked the smaller boy mockingly, bursting into laughter. “I love it. The little guy can’t even get a word out. Oof, and he smells like behind the pescheria.” He scoffed, revelling in his own cruelty.

“Hey, my friend smells amazing!” the taller boy interjected, stepping in between Ercole and his smaller friend, shoving his pointer finger into Ercole’s face while gritting his teeth.

Serena gasped, bracing herself for what she feared would escalate into a full-blown fight between the two older boys as the air thickened with tension.

“Sorry, sorry,” Ercole apologised, feigning innocence as he raised his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll make it up to him. Ciccio, Guido—”

At Ercole’s command, Ciccio and Guido seized the older boy, gripping his arms tightly. He thrashed against their hold, calling out to the younger boy who was being dragged along behind Ercole. “Ah, just a little bath!” came a teasing reply, followed by the younger boy’s frantic protest, “Oh, no, no, no!” Ercole laughed, revelling in the chaos.

Serena's heart raced with panic; she felt utterly helpless and lacked the strength to intervene, knowing that Ercole wouldn't stop for her sake.

As Ercole approached a fountain featuring a moustached man battling a sea monster, he roughly shoved the younger boy's face toward the water. The boy struggled against Ercole's hold, panic evident in his eyes as he fought to avoid being dunked beneath the surface. Serena held her breath, gripped by the fear of the feeling of being held down underwater. She knew that feeling all too well.

Just then, a voice cut through the chaos. “Hey, Ercole, basta!” It was Giulia, barreling through the crowd. Ercole jumped back, releasing the smaller boy from his grasp.

“Oh, look who’s here. Spewlia,” Ercole mocked, a snicker escaping his lips. “Wow… is this how you’re training for the race?” He gestured dismissively at the girl’s fish-cart bike, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Giulia pedalled up, positioning herself defiantly between Ercole and the younger boy. She hopped off her bike, rummaged through one of the wooden crates behind her, and pulled out a dead fish, brandishing it like a weapon. “Sì, certo!” she declared, a fierce grin on her face.

The younger boy shrank back behind the cart, eyes wide with fear. The older boy, just released from the clutches of Ciccio and Guido, rushed over to his friend, only to retreat behind the cart as well, both of them watching the standoff between the fiery redhead and Ercole with apprehension.

“Your reign of terror is coming to an end —” Giulia began, but Ercole cut her off, “...coming to an end,” he overlapped, his tone dripping with boredom, having heard this line from her before, “You mean, like a year ago? When you quit in the middle of the race? Because you couldn’t stop throwing up?”

“I didn’t quit, they made me stop!” The fiery redhead defended with a frown

"I think that is worse. Now, go away,”Ercole replied flatly, trying to shoo her off. “I’m having fun with my new friends.”

Though Serena may not have had many friends, she couldn’t help but think that friends weren’t supposed to bully one another like this.

“Oh no, you’re not! They’re coming with me! Hop on. I could use the extra weight,” Giulia said, shooting Ercole a fierce glare. The boys complied and jumped onto the back of the cart. “Serena, you coming?”

Serena perked up, a spark of excitement in her eyes.

“You know her?” Ercole asked, turning to her with a raised eyebrow, curiosity mingling with confusion.

“Uh, yeah. W-We met yesterday and hung out for a while. She’s really cool once you get to know her,” Serena replied, her voice gaining confidence.

Giulia beamed at her friend's kind words, feeling a swell of pride.

“I never expected you to hang out with the likes of Spewlia,” Ercole scoffed, a mocking grin plastered across his face. “She smells just like piccoletto over there,” he continued, jabbing a finger toward the younger boy who, visibly embarrassed, shrank even further behind his friend. The taller boy shot Ercole a furious glare, protective instincts flaring.

A sudden surge of confidence coursed through Serena, breaking through the haze of intimidation that usually enveloped her in Ercole’s presence.

“Y-You can’t talk about my friend like that, Ercole,” she stammered, but her voice gained strength with each word.

Ercole’s expression shifted to one of surprise, momentarily taken aback by her unexpected defiance. Even Ciccio and Guido exchanged glances filled with apprehension, their eyes wide with disbelief. They had never seen Serena stand up to Ercole before, and the sight filled them with a mix of admiration and fear. Giulia watched on in amazement. Serena couldn’t bear to hear her friend insulted any longer.

“Your friend?” Ercole’s laughter rang out, echoing in the tense air. “She’s your friend?” He guffawed, his disbelief punctuated by the way he threw his head back, revelling in the moment.

Serena locked eyes with him, her expression resolute and unwavering. As Ercole processed the seriousness in her gaze, the realisation struck him: Serena was not going to back down. His sneer deepened, morphing into a mask of disdain as he tried to regain control of the situation.

“Sei serio? You don’t want to be seen hanging around these vagrants,” he spat, his voice dripping with scorn.. “I’m the only friend you have here, and the only one you’ll ever need.”
His words hung heavy in the air.

That wasn’t true, not at all. Serena had found a true friend in Giulia, someone who genuinely cared for her and stood by her side — far more than Ercole ever had.

“You’ll be the laughing stock of the town if you’re caught hanging out with a nobody like her,” Ercole jeered.

With a steady voice, she made her choice clear. “See you around, Ercole...” she murmured, the weight of her decision settling over her like a shield.

Serena hopped onto the back of Giulia’s fish-cart bike, next to the smaller boy. As Giulia pedalled away, she blew a raspberry in Ercole’s direction, a playful defiance that echoed Serena’s own feelings.

Serena’s ocean blue eyes held a typhoon, a tempest brewing within.

“Fine, go start the club for perdenti!” Ercole scoffed, his tone dripping with derision. He quickly shifted back to his arrogant demeanour, locking eyes with Serena again, “After all, it’ll only be a matter of time before you come crawling back to me, la mia perla.”

Ciccio let out a loud laugh, while Guido shot a concerned glance at Serena, sensing the turmoil beneath her calm exterior. For a fleeting moment, Serena’s hardened gaze softened as she looked down at the cobblestone street, the uneven stones a reflection of her own tumultuous thoughts.

Was it really so wrong that she didn’t want to return to Ercole? In her heart, she knew being labelled a loser was far preferable to being entangled with someone as toxic as him.

After what felt like an eternity, she turned her gaze toward the two boys sitting beside her. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, and she managed a shy smile, feeling a flicker of warmth ignite in the space between them.

The younger boy of the two stared at her in curiosity. He was short and slender, with fair skin. His round face and rosy cheeks added a hint of warmth to him, complimenting his warm brown eyes, which resembled those of a gentle doe, wide and expressive. Tousled dark brown hair frames his face. He wore a teal-striped ivory button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, blue shorts which sat comfortably just above the knee.

The older boy stared at her with a laid back expression. He was tall and slender with a somewhat muscular build. His sun-kissed skin was dotted with light freckles. His thick, curly golden brown hair stood tall, featuring a playful cowlick. His bright emerald eyes sparkled, radiating warmth and mischief. He wore a fitted yellow tank top that highlighted his athletic frame, paired with brown shorts held up by a simple rope belt.

His rugged charm and boyish innocence made him stand out among the other boys in Portorosso, especially compared to Ercole. There was something captivating about him that Serena couldn’t shake. She tried not to stare at his eyes for too long.

“That was amazing, Serena! You really showed him who’s boss!” Giulia exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. But despite her friend's praise, Serena felt anything but amazing. Although she had stood up to Ercole, a nagging doubt lingered in her mind — she knew he wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

“Sto imbecille thinks he can be a jerk ’cause he keeps winning the race, which he shouldn’t even get to do anymore, ’cause he’s too old and too much of a jerk!” Giulia ranted, her anger spilling out with each word.

Despite the added weight on the back of her cart, Giulia pedalled with surprising strength up the steep, cobblestoned streets of Portorosso. Perhaps it was her fury that fueled her energy, allowing her to pull all four of them with ease.

As the words tumbled from her lips, she suddenly realised she had gotten a bit carried away. With a sheepish chuckle, she turned her gaze back to the winding road ahead. “You know, we underdogs have to look out for each other, right?” she said, her tone lightening.

“What’s under the dogs?” the taller boy asked, his confusion evident.

“Underdogs,” Giulia explained, coming to a halt. “You know, kids who are different, who dress weird, or who are a little sweatier than average.”

The boys hopped off the cart, glancing at each other in confusion.

“Uh…” The younger boy started.

“Too much?” Giulia asked, raising an eyebrow, “Too much.”

Serena let out a giggle. As the atmosphere began to lighten, Giulia couldn’t help but grin awkwardly. “Sooo, are you in town for the race?” she asked, her excitement palpable. The boys stared at her, confusion etched on their faces, as if she were speaking a language entirely foreign to them.

“The Portorosso Cup?” she clarified, but the realisation that they had no idea what she was talking about dawned on her. She let out a soft chuckle, trying to mask her disappointment. “Wellll, good talk…” she said, shifting her focus. “I gotta deliver these. Always be training, you know?”

With that, Giulia switched on her portable radio, the familiar tune of ‘Tintarella di Luna’ filling the air as she pedalled up the street. Serena still sat on the cart and couldn’t help but smile; the lyrics seemed to capture the essence of the fiery redhead perfectly.

As they rounded the corner, Giulia let out a laugh that danced through the air like a burst of sunlight. “Those ragazzi were kinda weird,” she remarked, amusement bubbling in her voice. The memory of their awkward gestures lingered, adding a playful sparkle to her expression.

"You could say they’re fish-out-of-water weird," Serena added with a soft giggle. They exchanged a knowing look, both enjoying the absurdity of their earlier encounter.

Giulia couldn’t help but let out a fuller, infectious laugh that echoed off the cobblestones. As the sound faded, she steered her bike to a stop in front of old green doors, its surface weathered, adorned with two brass octopus handles that glinted in the sun like treasures from the sea.

Giulia hopped off her bike and walked up to the doors, knocking on the wood enthusiastically. The doors opened and before the women could even greet the redhead, Giulia plopped two fish into her hands. Luckily, Signora Marsigliese caught them just in time, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Buongirono, Signora Marsigliese! Due sogliole! Perfetto, ciao!” Giulia spoke, her words tumbling out at what felt like a hundred miles an hour, eager to wrap up the transaction.

“Uh, grazie,” responded Signora Marsigliese, slightly taken aback by Giulia's rapid-fire transaction. With a bemused smile, she dropped the coins into the girl’s palm before gently closing the door, the soft click echoing in the small space.

“Hey, uh, Spewlia?” a voice stammered from behind the two girls, breaking the moment.

The two boys had returned, looking determined.

“Giulia,” the redhead corrected him firmly, her Italian accent sharpening the syllables. She then softened her tone, “My name is Giulia.”

“Okay…” The older boy glanced at his friend, uncertain, while the younger boy nodded in encouragement. “So, when you, uh... race... in a cup... what do you get?”

“Soldi. Prize money,” Giulia replied, revealing a handful of coins in her palm.

“Oh…” The older boy’s face fell, disappointment flickering across his features. It seemed odd that someone would be let down by the prospect of prize money.

“Oh..kay,” Giulia responded awkwardly, then pedalled away once more.

Just as the older boy turned to leave, the younger boy grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him toward where the girls were headed. The boys began bickering amongst each other, talking in hushed whispers.

“No, no! Keep going!”

“What? Why?”

“Ask her about the prize money!”

“But that stuff is useless!”

“Maybe that could get you a Vespa!”

“How would that become a—”

“Just ask her!”

“Fine, fine, fine.”

With a mix of reluctance and determination, the two boys ran to catch up with the girls, walking alongside the bike and cart.

“Hello, again,” the older boy greeted, shooting his friend an annoyed glance.

“Ciao…” Giulia replied warily, eyeing them with caution.

“Can we turn the money into something else? Something like—”

As they turned a corner, they spotted a mechanic’s shop adorned with gleaming Vespas out front.

“That!” the younger boy exclaimed, pointing to a brand new canary yellow Vespa that shone brightly in the sun.

“Pfft. No,” Giulia scoffed.

“It might get you that, at best,” Serena chimed in, redirecting the boys' gaze to an extremely rusty and decrepit Vespa parked next to the vibrant one. It was a relic that needed a great deal of work, yet somehow, the boys were entranced by its worn charm, imagining the adventures it could hold if only someone cared enough to restore it to its former glory.

“It’s so beautiful!” exclaimed the younger boy, his eyes wide with wonder as he gazed at the rust bucket.

“Yes we need it,” the older boy agreed, his enthusiasm shining through.

Giulia rolled her eyes, pedalling away; she didn’t have time for the boys’ lost in their daydreams.

“Great! So we’ll just win the race. ” The older boy flashed a bright smile at his friend, brimming with determination.

Suddenly, Giulia slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing in protest. She turned sharply to face them, her expression serious. “You’ll have to beat Ercole.” His cockiness rubbed Giulia the wrong way.

“Okay, so we’ll beat Ercole,” Alberto replied nonchalantly, placing a fist on his hip, as if the challenge were already a given.

“Huh. Really? Thinks he’ll beat Ercole, this guy.” Giulia chuckled, hopping off her bike and walking towards the boys with a calm demeanour. “First of all, get in line!” Giulia barked, a fire glinted in her eyes, “Every summer, that jerk makes my life miserable. So, no one’s taking him down unless it’s me!”

The boys exchanged worried glances, clearly intimidated by her fierce determination.

“Second, this isn’t any old race,” Giulia continued, her tone serious. “It’s an epic, gruelling traditional Italian triathlon: swimming, cycling, running, and eating pasta. So, you’d need a teammate.”

“Well, we’ll figure it out. Thanks, human girls,” the older boy replied, his tone somewhat dismissive.

“Human girls?” Serena raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. Was that meant to be an insult?

Giulia rolled her eyes and went back to delivering her fish. After making a few deliveries, the boys came running back yet again! They couldn’t make up their minds.

“Hey, Spew…girl!” called out the golden brown haired boy as he sprinted ahead of the girls. “Ocean eyes!” He was trying to catch their attention, his playful tone echoing in the warm air.

Giulia rolled her eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. “Santa Mozzarella,” she muttered under her breath, wishing the boys would just disappear. The constant interruptions were getting old.

Meanwhile, Serena felt a blush creeping across her cheeks. She had never had anyone refer to her by the colour of her eyes before, and it made her heart flutter unexpectedly.

“Congratulations, you’re joining our team!” the sun-kissed boy exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face as he tried to rally the girls into his playful scheme.

“Hah!” Giulia exclaimed, sticking her nose up at the two boys with a scoff. “We race alone.” Her tone was firm, determined to keep their focus on their own path, undeterred by the boys’ antics.

Just as her confidence radiated, the cart she was pulling suddenly got stuck in between the cobblestones. The boys sprang into action, instinctively joining forces to free the wheel. The sun-kissed boy positioned himself at the back, pushing with determination, while Serena lent her strength alongside him, both working together to dislodge the cart.

“By the way, I didn’t catch your name?” Serena asked, glancing over at the curly-haired boy who was now exerting effort beside her.

“Alberto Scorfano,” he replied, his voice laced with a boyish cockiness that elicited a smile from Serena.

The name rolled off her tongue effortlessly, fitting him perfectly as if it were a part of his essence. It sparked an unexpected warmth within her, igniting curiosity about the boy behind the name.

Once they finally freed the cart from its stubborn grip, the younger boy, gathering his courage, piped up, “We could be under the dogs, too.” His suggestion hung in the air, playful and inviting, hinting at a potential alliance in their shared adventure.

Giulia hesitated at the idea, unsure of how to respond.

“Hey, it’s okay, Luca. She’d rather do the whole race alone again. Maybe this time she won’t throw up as much!” Alberto quipped, leaning lazily against the cart with a cheeky smirk.

Luca — so that was the younger boy’s name. It suited him perfectly, fitting his shy but bright-eyed demeanour.

Giulia felt a jolt of indignation at Alberto’s jab. “Uh, hang on—” she began, ready to defend her honour, but she paused, recognizing the hopefulness and determination in their expressions. They weren’t about to back down easily. She crossed her arms, assessing the two boys. “So, you want to join my team, eh? Let’s see what you’ve got.”

🐚 .° ｡

Luca sat on Giulia’s bike, which she disconnected from the cart. Giulia and Alberto had agreed that it would be best for Luca to give it a go, believing that his lighter weight would make him faster and more agile on the bike. He was nervous yet thrilled to be sitting on an actual bike.

Giulia looks on expectantly, but quickly realised her mistake as soon as Luca hopped on.

Unfortunately, he had never ridden a bike in his life before this moment, and immediately tumbled onto his side. A mix of disbelief and concern washed over Giulia as she brought her palm to her forehead, while Serena winced at the sight. From the ground, Luca looked around and saw people walking around the piazza, staring at him and giggling to themselves. Luca chuckled sheepishly, trying to mask his embarrassment.

“All right, try jumping onto it!” Alberto suggested.

Luca was sceptical that jumping onto the bike would magically make it work. Nevertheless, he followed Alberto’s instruction, but he stumbled and fell again.

“No, no, no! You gotta show it you’re the boss!” Alberto instructed with fiery determination.

Taking a deep breath, Luca attempted to wrestle the bike into submission, trying to make it stand on its own. Yet, he toppled over once more, frustration mounting.

Giulia sighed heavily, having enough of this, “Santa mozzarella! Eyes up! Looking up is what’s making you fall.”

With confidence and the urge to try once more, he put his foot on a pedal and pushed it down. The bike moved forward slowly, catching him by surprise. This time he looked forward, not down. After he circled his newly found friends, he was finally doing it with confidence. Luca smiled triumphantly, pedalling around the pizza with ease.

“Oh yeah, I was gonna say that too — about looking down,” Alberto chimed in, a little too late, knowing full well he had no intention of giving that advice earlier. “So, can we be on the team?”

“Aspetta!” Giulia interjected, raising her hand to silence him.

While Luca rode around the piazza, Giulia playfully pretended to be an old lady, tottering into his path to try and deter him. “Can you dodge obstacles? What if an old lady crosses your way?”

With quick reflexes, Luca barely managed to swerve around her.

Giulia sprang up in front of him again, her expression teasing. “Can you withstand passive-aggressive verbal assaults?” She began to mimic Ercole’s voice perfectly: “Nice bike, number one! And number two — I was kidding; your bike is a disgrace!” Her impression was spot-on, complete with Ercole's signature laugh.

Luca cowered, but he kept riding.

"And finally," Giulia said, propping thin wooden planks against the fountain’s edge to create a challenging obstacle course. "Can you handle the course's fiendishly difficult terrain?"

"Silenzio Bruno," Luca whispered, his focus sharpening as he manoeuvred his bike onto the first plank.

Serena watched, concerned. The obstacle course seemed a bit too ambitious for a beginner, but Luca was determined. He balanced carefully, making it to the middle plank before wobbling and tumbling onto the cobblestones below. Alberto dashed over to help his friend up, lifting both Luca and the bike. With a grin and a thumbs up to the girls, he reassured them that Luca was okay. Luca quickly regained his composure, going to try the obstacle course yet again.

"Stop," Giulia said, raising a hand to pause Luca. She turned to Alberto next. "What about you? Can you swim, at least?"

"Yeah, I'm amazing—" Alberto began confidently, but a sharp jab from Luca cut him off. "—ly bad at swimming," he finished sheepishly.

Giulia threw her hands up in exasperation. "You all can't swim. You can barely ride a bike! Siete un disastro!"

Serena was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Luca and Alberto to be bad at swimming too! Little did the girls know, the boys actually loved the sea; they just couldn’t reveal their secret: they were sea monsters.

“Hey, you’re not exactly a perfect swimmer yourself!” Serena shot back, a playful glint in her eyes.

“At least I can swim,” Giulia retorted, flashing a cheeky grin.

“Touché,” Serena replied, a smirk spreading across her face.

Giulia then turned back to the boys and shook her head in disbelief. “Who doesn’t know how to ride a bike and swim? I mean, where are you boys even from?”

"We’re not telling you our secrets!” Alberto exclaimed, but the resolve in his voice faltered as he quickly added, “We’re runaways.”

“Runaways? I don’t know, ragazzi…” Serena replied hesitantly, her curiosity piqued but her instincts wary.

The revelation shifted everything for her. Where were these boys’ parents? Did they even have anyone looking for them? A whirlwind of questions raced through her mind, each more pressing than the last, but she decided it was best to hold back for now.

"Please?" Luca begged, his eyes wide and pleading. "My family was going to send me somewhere horrible, away from everything I love. But if we win this race, well, we can be free!"

Serena felt a pang of understanding. She could relate to Luca’s desperation; her own parents also did the same thing to her. Giulia, observing Luca's earnest expression, felt her heart soften. She turned to Alberto, who shrugged nonchalantly, saying, "My life’s great. I’m just helping him out."

Serena doubted that what Alberto said was true. Giulia was lost in thought, weighing the gravity of Luca’s plea.

"Just give me one more chance," Luca urged, his voice tinged with hope.

Giulia met his gaze, her expression firm, “No.”

The boys paused, momentarily taken aback, while Serena mirrored their shock at Giulia’s response.

Suddenly, a fiery determination ignited in Giulia’s eyes. “You guys want it just as bad as I do,” she declared, her voice steady. “You have the hunger. That's the most important thing."

“I’m definitely hungry,” Alberto chimed in, nodding in agreement.

“Perfetto! You eat, Luca bikes, I swim, and Serena runs,” Giulia outlined, confirming each person's role within the group.

“Underdogs?” she suggested with a grin.

“Underdogs!” The four of them cheered in unison.

Giulia smiled, her enthusiasm infectious. “Now we just need money for the entry fee!”

Chapter Text

Operatic music filled the air, emanating from the kitchen, where a deep voice sang passionately in Italian. The Underdogs had made their way into Giulia's home.

Giulia and Serena had devised a plan to invite their two new friends — Luca and Alberto — over for dinner. The girls intended to persuade Giulia’s father into giving the boys a job at the pescheria to afford the entry fee for the Portorosso Cup.

“All right, just let me do the talking and act casual,” Giulia instructed, her voice steady, as they stood outside of the kitchen door. “He doesn’t do well with fear.”

Luca and Alberto exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how her father would react. Serena, however, couldn’t fathom why they were anxious; Massimo was a kind man who adored his daughter. Yet, it was clear that his protectiveness over his only child could sometimes manifest in unexpected ways.

They all followed Giulia’s lead as they entered through the kitchen door. “Hey, Papà! I brought some friends for dinner!” Giulia called out, putting on an innocent face.

Luca and Alberto walked behind Giulia, they nervously stared at the harpoons on the wall. Serena gave them a look; they seemed somewhat afraid of them.

“Is there enough for five?” Giulia asked with a hopeful smile.

Alberto and Luca stood frozen, awestruck by the imposing figure of her father who was in the middle of prepping dinner. Massimo loomed before them, adorned in tattoos and wielding a massive cleaver with only one arm. He looks them up and down, silently.

Alberto smirked as he approached the man. “Whoa. What’s wrong with you, stu—” but Luca quickly covered his mouth, chuckling sheepishly at the awkwardness of the moment. Serena stood nearby, watching the boys with confusion.

Massimo grunted as he turned back around to continue chopping up fish. Giulia, ever the hostess, smiled and encouraged her friends to sit down at the table. Serena, eager to help, offered to stir the pot of pasta and Massimo agreed with a nod of approval. Giulia busied herself with setting the table.

Luca and Alberto, however, were preoccupied, their eyes fixated nervously on the harpoons mounted on the wall above them. “What do you think he kills with those?” Alberto whispered, his voice low with a twinge of curiosity, they were very strange.

“Anything that swims.” The boys watched as Massimo brought a sharp cleaver down onto a dead fish's head, the discarded remains falling into a bucket. Luca’s face turned pale.

“Hai visto il giornale today?” Massimo questioned, holding up a newspaper clipping that featured a scaly tail emerging from the water.

Giulia, skilfully balancing several glass cups in one hand, groaned, “That photo is a fake, Papà!”

But the doubt was evident as Serena's eyes widened in fear. “What if it’s not, Giulia?!” she exclaimed, nearly knocking over the pot of pasta in her anxiety.

“Don’t worry, Serena,” Giulia reassured her, snatching the clipping from her father's hand and bringing it over to the table where the boys were sitting. “Everyone in Portorosso pretends to believe in sea monsters.”

She held it out for them to see before Alberto took the new paper clipping from her hands to get a better look. His emerald green eyes widened as he recognised that tail — it was his!

“I believe in them! They could be anywhere lurking in the dark waters below,” Serena shivered, trying to get the mental image of all the terrifying creatures that could possibly exist in the ocean out of her mind.

“Well, I’m not pretending!” Massimo whips around and takes the clipping from Alberto's hands before violently pins it to the wall with a sharp knife, adding it to a board full of sea monster articles and photos.

Massimo focused on cooking, his movements deliberate and practised, while Giulia stood beside him, eager to lend a hand. Serena watched, still reeling from the intensity of Massimo's hatred for sea monsters. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of conflict; while she wasn't particularly fond of them, she could never bring herself to harm one. The thought unsettled her deeply.

Suddenly, a loud thud shattered her reverie. Serena, along with Massimo and Giulia, spun around to find Luca and Alberto sitting at the table, both adjusting their positions with innocent smiles plastered on their faces.

"Slipped," Luca said, placing his cup upright with an awkward grin. Both boy’s feigned nonchalance, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Serena exchanged puzzled glances with Giulia and Massimo, trying to decipher what had just happened. After a brief moment of silence, Giulia shrugged, returning her focus to the cooking alongside her father, who seemed equally unfazed by the boys' antics.

But Serena couldn't shake her suspicion. She watched as Luca flashed a sheepish grin, while Alberto leaned back in his chair, sending her a wink accompanied by a dazzling smile. Heat crept into Serena's cheeks, and she quickly turned her attention back to the pot, stirring the pasta with a mixture of embarrassment and intrigue.

“Dinner's ready,” Massimo announced with a hearty voice that echoed through the cosy kitchen.

Giulia gently ushered Serena to take a seat at the table while she and her father began dishing out the meal. Serena settled into her chair next to Alberto, her cheeks still feeling warm from before.

“Trenette al pesto. Mangiamo.” Massimo declared, plopping onto his chair. It felt like the whole room shook.

As the aroma of fresh basil and garlic filled the air, a wave of calm washed over Serena. It felt comforting to be here again, in Giulia and Massimo’s home, a space where she had begun to feel like part of the family. She eagerly took her first bite, and the vibrant flavours danced on her tongue, bringing a smile to her face.

The boys, however, seemed a bit lost. Rather than navigating their forks and spoons, Alberto scooped up a handful of pasta and tossed it into his mouth. Luca, watching his friend with a mix of hesitation and amusement, eventually followed suit. Before long, both boys were shovelling pasta into their mouths, looking every bit like ravenous animals.

“Uhh…okay,” Giulia remarked, stifling a laugh as she finally dug into her own bowl of pasta.

“Where did you boys say you were from?” Massimo asked, arching a thick eyebrow.

“They’re, uh, classmates!” Giulia quickly fabricated, “From Genova. Luca and uhhh —”

“Alberto,” Serena whispered softly, offering a lifeline.

“— hhhhlberto!” Giulia finished, relieved yet embarrassed that she had nearly forgotten his name.

“And what brings you to Portorosso?” Massimo inquired, his brow slightly furrowing.

“Oh, funny you should ask! They came for the race,” Giulia said, attempting to sound casual as she stuffed her mouth with pasta. She could sense things slipping out of her control.

Massimo darkened, “The race?”

Panic surged through Giulia; was he suspicious of her plan?

“Yeah…uh, you know what? Don’t worry about it,” she said, waving her hand dismissively as she tried to shove the rest of her pasta into her mouth, wishing desperately for the conversation to shift away from the topic. This was not how she envisioned this dinner going.

“Don’t worry about it?” Massimo echoed, his tone growing more suspicious.

“Mm-hmm. Don’t worry about it,” Giulia nodded vigorously, gathering her and the boys' empty plates from the table and making her way to the sink.

Massimo felt that he should definitely worry about it, so he set down his glass with a quiet thud, sighing heavily. Giulia’s shoulders stiffened at the sound. “Giulietta…a word.”

Defeat washed over her as she felt her shoulders slump, bracing herself for the confrontation she knew was coming.

🐚 .° ｡

Massimo and Giulia conferred in a hushed tone from their spot on the bed across the room, creating an atmosphere thick with tension. The boys sat in silence, while Serena quietly picked at her plate of pasta, she was a slow eater by nature. Despite her focus on the food, she couldn't help but overhear snippets of their conversation, which hung awkwardly in the air, almost impossible to ignore given the cramped space.

“Fine, I lied about training Serena for the race,” Giulia confessed, “We were planning on joining this year, but now Luca and Alberto are part of the team too.”

Massimo's concern for his daughter seeped into his voice. “I don’t want you doing the race again; you get so upset.”

“Papà, per favore,” Giulia urged, her determination shining through as she fixed her father with a resolute gaze. “I have a team now!”

With a heavy sigh, Massimo recognised that once Giulia had her heart set on something, it was nearly impossible to sway her. A trait she definitely inherited from her mother. “But there’s also the entry fee. Money is tight,” he said, a hint of sadness in his tone.

Serena’s heart sank at this revelation. While her own family had never struggled financially, she couldn’t help but empathise with Giulia and her father’s predicament.

“I’ll work double shifts at the pescheria,” Giulia offered quickly, desperation creeping into her voice. “Whatever you need!”

“I can’t sell what I don’t have,” Massimo replied, shaking his head. “What I need is more fish in my net. Mi dispiace, Giulietta.”

Giulia slumped in defeat, the weight of their situation pressing down on her. Just then, Luca, who had been listening intently, mustered the courage to interject. “Um, excuse me?” he said timidly. “We could help.”

Massimo turned to him, scepticism etched on his face. “You know fish?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, we? We know lots of fish,” Alberto chimed in with a cocky smirk, his confidence radiating through the room.

Massimo glanced at his daughter, noticing the hopeful spark in her eyes. There was no way he could say no to her this time; her enthusiasm was impossible to resist.

Giulia flashed her most winning smile, “Can this face lose?”

With a heavy sigh, Massimo surrendered. “You want to work? I’ll put you to work.”

“Really?” Luca exclaimed in excitement as he pumped his fist in the air. Alberto grinned widely.

“Oh, grazie, Papá!” Giulia cheered, her joy overflowing as she enveloped her father in a tight hug.

Serena couldn’t help but smile at the sweet scene but unbeknownst to all of them, Machiavelli leapt onto the table, fixing a menacing glare on Luca as he began to stalk toward him, growling low in his throat.

“Machiavelli! Psssssst!” Giulia scolded, trying to rein in her pet.

“Don’t you — No!” she warned, but it was too late.

In a flash, Machiavelli pounced, launching himself at Luca and sinking his claws into him. Luca whimpered and screamed in surprise, while Alberto, attempting to save his friend, quickly became the next target of the cat’s fury.

“Machiavelli!” Giulia shouted in anger.

🐚 .° ｡

“I’m so sorry about the cat,” Giulia apologised, her voice laced with genuine concern as they all hurried out of the house and into the small backyard.

Scratches marred the faces of both Luca and Alberto, remnants of Machiavelli’s sudden attack. It was puzzling; Giulia insisted that Machiavelli loved everyone he met and that she didn’t know a single person he didn’t like. So, why had he turned on them so abruptly? Serena felt a flicker of suspicion, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint a reason for the cat’s bizarre behaviour. They hadn’t done anything wrong.

“It’s fine. We’re gonna head back to, uh…” Luca trailed off, realising he hadn’t even considered where they would spend the night.

“Oh!” Giulia’s eyes widened with a sudden realisation. The boys had nowhere to go. Coming up with a quick solution, she quickly gestured toward her treehouse perched above them. “Do you guys need a place to stay?”

She darted inside to gather two pillows and blankets, ensuring they would be comfortable on this warm summer night. Once everything was set up, the four of them settled into the treehouse, their eyes drawn to the twinkling fairy lights that cast a warm glow over the space.

“Cool,” Luca gasped in amazement.

Giulia chuckled apologetically as she scooped up the books she had carelessly left scattered on the floor of her treehouse, “Oops! Sorry. This is my…”

“Your hideout!” Alberto declared with enthusiasm.

“Huh. Yeah. My hideout,” Giulia agreed, a smile spreading across her face. “Buonanotte, boys!”

With that, she stepped onto the broad branch that extended to her bedroom window. As she climbed through, she stumbled, landing with a thud inside her room. Books went flying, and in the chaos, she accidentally landed on Machiavelli, who let out an indignant yowl.

“Woah!” The redhead exclaimed, popping up in embarrassment. “Slipped! Uh, see you in the morning!” She quickly shut her window and turned off the lights, leaving the treehouse enveloped in a cosy darkness.

Breaking the silence, Serena said, “Well, I better go home now too. It’s getting late.” She began to descend the ladder slowly.

“Wait!” Luca called after her, his voice tinged with concern. “Are you okay from earlier?”

For a moment, Serena was taken aback, unsure of what he meant until she recalled her earlier encounter with Ercole. “Uh, oh me? Sì, I’m okay… Ercole and I are childhood best friends, I’m kinda used to it.”

“You’re friends with that jerk?!” Alberto exclaimed in disbelief.

Serena shrugged, “We might not be friends after today.”

“He’s not a very good friend if he treats you and others like that,” Luca affirmed, his tone serious.

“Yeah! You don’t need him; you have us now!” Alberto grinned, his emerald eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

Serena couldn’t help but smile back, warmth spreading through her. “Thanks, boys.”

🐚 .° ｡

Serena arrived home at a somewhat reasonable hour, only to find the house cloaked in darkness, the lights of the restaurant extinguished as well. It seemed as if everyone had succumbed to sleep, leaving the night in a quiet stillness.

Suddenly the room illuminated with light. Serena squeaked and jumped in fright and turned around only to reveal Guido leaning against the wall.

“Guido! You scared me!” Serena hissed, trying to slow down her rapidly beating heart.

Guido didn’t say anything, only glared at his cousin, his arms folded against his chest, "You shouldn't be sneaking in like that."

“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that…why are you glaring at me?” Serena groaned, already bracing herself for the consequences of the day’s events.

“Ercole was really upset with you today,” Guido replied, his voice tense.

“Well, you know what? So am I,” she shot back, her frustration bubbling to the surface.

“You completely humiliated him in front of everybody!" Guido hissed, throwing his arms up.

“Good, I hope I did!” Serena raised her voice an octave higher, “He deserved it after being a jerk to Giulia, Luca and Alberto!”

Guido immediately shushed her, “Serena, keep your voice down! People are trying to sleep."

"And you were a jerk too!” she added, lowering her voice but still intense, disappointment etched on her face, “The way you followed Ercole’s every command? That wasn’t you…that wasn’t the Guido I know.”

For a moment, Guido's hard expression faltered but he quickly masked it “He's my best friend, Serena. You wouldn't understand that kind of loyalty.”

Was that a personal dig at her? He knew that she didn’t have any friends back in Genova. But here, things are different now.

"And what about being a decent person? Is that just gone because of your 'loyalty'?" Serena said in frustration.

Guido deeply sighed, running a hand through his hair, "It's not that simple…and it isn’t like that.”

Serena rolled her ocean blue eyes, “You can’t justify Ercole’s action because you’re loyal to him and he’s familiar. You think it’s okay to belittle others? Because that's what he did!"

There was a heavy pause as they both took a breath.

Guido’s voice softened, "I don't want to lose him as a friend, Serena. Not over this."

"But if you lose yourself in the process, what's the point? You're better than this, Guido." Serena softened her tone as well.

Guido’s gaze shifted around the room uncomfortably. He looked visibly torn.

Serena took a step closer towards her cousin, “But you're just losing yourself. Friends should lift each other up, not drag each other down."

Guido’s expression shifted to that of vulnerability before he spoke up quietly, "What if I'm not strong enough to stand up to him?"

Serena smiled lopsidedly as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Then lean on me. We'll figure it out together. Just don't forget who you are."

A moment of silence followed, both of them absorbing the weight of the conversation. Guido nodded slowly, not meeting her gaze. Serena knew that she wasn’t going to be seeing results right away. It’ll happen naturally over time. They shared a meaningful glance before the two of them went their separate ways, both aware of the choices ahead, as the stillness of the night envelops them.

Chapter Text

It was already a warm morning in the sea town of Portorosso, though it seemed to have rained last night — a rare event for early summer in Italy, but not entirely unheard of.

Serena made her way to the back gate of the Marcovaldo residence, stepping lightly over the damp cobblestones as the morning sun began to break through the rain clouds.

Massimo was already at the back gate, his hand busy pushing Giulia’s cart toward the door. “Buongiorno, Massimo,” she greeted warmly, her voice rising above the soft hum of the town waking up.

“Ah, buongiorno, Serena,” Massimo replied with a gentle smile.

Serena glanced over towards the horizon, where the ocean was only a few feet away. “How’s the tide this morning?” she asked, her voice rising above Giulia’s enthusiastic trumpeting. Although the ocean’s rhythms held little interest for her, the question was more out of politeness as she hoped to keep the conversation flowing.

As Massimo eagerly updated her on the tides, Serena suddenly caught a flash of purplish blue behind the big man. Blinking rapidly, she squinted, trying to make sense of what she had just seen. For a moment, she wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her. She hadn’t fully woken up. As Giulia’s trumpeting died down finally, she smiled brightly.

“There you are!” the redhead exclaimed, her voice cutting through the calm morning air.

Serena whipped around, startled, to see Luca and Alberto standing at the base of the tree. Her sharp gaze settled on them, suspicious and curious all at once. She didn’t see them nor hear them descend the tree.

“Buongiorno,” Luca called up to Giulia with a sheepish grin.

“All right, ragazzi!” boomed Massimo, a harpoon resting on his broad shoulder. “You want that entry fee? You’ve got to earn it.”

He turned toward the girls with a piece of paper in hand, “Giulietta, Serena…”

“We’re on it!” Giulia cut him off, her voice full of determination. She was already in the back garden, her red curls bouncing with every step. She grabbed the list of morning deliveries from her father’s hand with a mischievous grin.

“…you two make the deliveries,” Massimo finished with a small approving nod of his head.

“Already makin’ ‘em!” Giulia declared as she grabbed Serena’s hand, pulling her onto the back of the cart with uncontainable energy. Serena followed without hesitation, the excitement of the moment sweeping her along.

“Ciao!” Serena called to the boys with a cheerful wave as the cart rattled off toward the now bustling piazza. The two girls were ready to take on the morning, determined to earn their share and seize the day.

🐚 .° ｡

After a long day of deliveries around town, Giulia and Serena pedalled their way to the marina to meet Massimo, Luca and Alberto. Giulia’s legs were burning from the effort as she pushed herself to go faster, determined to beat her own record. Serena, clinging to the back of the cart, held on for dear life, bouncing along with every jolt. When they finally reached the marina, Giulia slammed on the brakes, bringing the cart to a skidding stop. Pulling out her pocket watch, Giulia checked the time. Her face lit up with excitement, and she raised her fist into the air with a cheer. "New personal best!" she shouted, her voice full of triumph.

Serena couldn’t help but smile. Giulia was always chasing a new challenge, always striving for more.

Giulia glanced up toward the dock from the piazza, where her papa and the boys were returning from their fishing expedition. As they neared, the girls did a double take. The sight that greeted them was almost unbelievable — the boat was loaded down with an enormous haul of fish. It was enough to feed all of Portorosso!

"Santa Pecorino," Giulia muttered in awe, unable to hide her surprise.

Even Serena, who usually dreaded the sight of fish, couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer scale of the catch. She watched as Alberto chased away a group of seagulls, his voice sharp and playful.

"Your friends do know fish," Massimo said with a proud smile, patting Alberto on the back. The young boy beamed, clearly pleased by the compliment.

Giulia’s excitement bubbled over. "Benissimo!" she exclaimed, her hands wringing together with eagerness. "Let’s go sign up!"

🐚 .° ｡

Serena, Giulia, Luca, and Alberto made their way for the piazza. There, they joined a moderate line of kids, all eager to submit their entries for the legendary Portorosso Cup. Serena couldn’t help but feel nervous as she looked around at the sea of determined faces. How could they possibly stand out among so many talented kids? Despite the anxiety in Serena’s chest, Giulia remained unshaken and her excitement for the race clearly outweighed any doubts.

As they neared the edge of the crowd, they spotted a woman dressed in an extravagant costume, standing tall with the confidence of someone who owned the stage. The woman was none other than Signora Marsigliese, who was enthusiastically presenting herself as the face of the race’s sponsor. Giulia pulled a pamphlet from her pocket and showed it to the group. Holding it up so that it covered Signora Marsigliese, she pointed to a picture of a moustachioed man dressed in a strikingly similar costume. Serena squinted at the image, feeling like she knew the man, but the connection escaped her. Giulia then lowered the pamphlet, revealing a matching moustache on the woman herself. Serena couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter, her nerves momentarily forgotten.

With all the flair of a grandiose performer, Signora Marsigliese stepped forward and declared in a booming voice, "Fellow Portorossans! It is I! Giorgio Giorgioni! Slayer of sea monsters and beloved purveyor of pasta!"

Luca frowned, concern flickering across his face. “Slayer of sea monsters?” he repeated, his voice laced with worry as he glanced nervously at Alberto.

Alberto puffed out his chest with confidence, leaning in with a smirk. “Pffft. I could take him,” he said, sending Serena a wink. Serena blinked in surprise, her cheeks flushing before she shyly turned her gaze downward.

“Oh, that’s just Signora Marsigliese,” Giulia explained, shaking her head. “She works for the sponsor of the race.”

Serena crossed her arms and cocked a hip to the side. “Sounds like a marketing scheme to me,” she deadpanned, her tone dripping with skepticism.

Luca and Alberto exchanged a confused look before shrugging, uncertain how to respond. Giulia, arms folded in impatience, rolled her eyes and sighed. “This is gonna take forever,” she muttered, glancing around at the slowly growing crowd.

Signora Marsigliese, oblivious to the impatience brewing around her, continued her spiel with enthusiasm, “The finest pasta in Liguria at a price every family can afford!” She was reciting off a script.

“Get to the rules!” Giulia shouted over the crowd, her voice cutting through the noise with a hint of frustration.

“Enthusiasm, love to see it!” Signora Marsigliese called back, clearly undeterred.

“To win my famous race,” she continued with exaggerated flair, “your team must be the first to brave the treacherous waters of the bay, devour a mystery bowl of my delicious pasta, run through the twisted streets of Portorosso, and ride to the top of Mount Portorosso and back!”

Luca bit his lip nervously, his brow furrowing. “That all sounds pretty hard…”

“Yeah, hard to lose!” Alberto interrupted with a confident grin, “We’re going to win.”

Serena smiled and gave Luca a reassuring glance. “We only get to do our parts, not everything all at once,” she said, her words meant to reassure both him and herself. But deep down, she knew this race was going to be anything but easy.

Giulia raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Love your confidence, Alberto" she remarked, but before she could finish her thought, her voice trailed off, replaced by a more serious tone. "But the competition looks brutal this year.”

The redhead gestured at a very tall girl with broad shoulders who was stretching. "Carlotta once out swam an angry dolphin!"

Then there was another kid, with a really, really long tongue, who was licking a gelato ice cream.
"Danilo's fork skills are insane,” Giulia commented, “But the biggest obstacle, as always, will be —”
Right on cue, a loud voice rang out, cutting through the hum of conversation and the restless energy of the crowd.

"Champion coming through!"

Serena and Giulia groaned in perfect unison, their excitement draining as they turned to see who had arrived. Luca and Alberto weren’t impressed either.

"Ugh." Giulia sighed, clearly exasperated.

“Ciao, ciao! Ay!"

“Ercole,” Giulia groaned in disgust.

And there, pushing his way through the crowd with a smug smile, was Ercole. The older boy’s presence was enough to send half of the kids scattering, defeated by the very sight of him. Ciccio and Guido were right behind him. Guido and Serena shared a passing glance, he was holding a sandwich for Ercole, as he usually did. Serena shook her head in disappointment.

“Well, at least we have a chance now,” Serena muttered under her breath. Ercole’s arrival had already dampened the spirits of many, and nearly half the crowd seemed to vanish, their plans to join the race abandoned within an instant.

Ercole stood proudly before the crowd, puffing out his chest with his signature smug grin. “You might want to save your money, ragazzi!” he called out, his voice booming with cocky confidence. “This year, Ercole’s gonna break the record and make it six in a row!”

His words echoed through the piazza, and the surrounding kids glanced nervously at each other, clearly intimidated by his boast. But then, Ercole’s gaze shifted, and he saw her — Serena. His eyes widened in disbelief before his laughter broke the silence. “Oh, no. I don’t believe it,” he chuckled, shaking his head as if this sight was some absurd joke.

With a smooth, almost theatrical stride, he approached Serena, a playful glint in his eyes. “Serena, la mia perla,” he purred, his voice dripping with sweetness. “You really teamed up with these vagrants? You know, it’s not too late for you to join my side.”

Serena’s stomach churned. The thought of being near him again, much less being part of his team, was the last thing she wanted. She opened her mouth to respond, but Giulia beat her to it, her voice steady but firm as she placed a comforting hand on Serena's shoulder. “Ignore him,” she muttered, though the frown on her face was a permanent fixture.

Ercole, however, wasn’t done. He turned away, his teasing tone sharpening as he addressed the rest of them. “Oh, I wish for you that you could,” he mocked, stepping back to rejoin Guido and Ciccio. His smile faded, and his voice turned cold and dark. “Well, in that case, I’m afraid your friends still need to pay the out-of-town weirdo tax.”

With a snap of his fingers, Ciccio sprang into action, moving swiftly toward Giulia. Before anyone could react, he yanked her beanie down over her eyes and snatched the entry fee money right out of her hands. Serena gasped, her eyes wide in horror before fury quickly replaced her shock.

“Hey! Ercole! Give that back, we all worked hard for that money!” Giulia shouted, her fists clenching at her sides. But Ercole only smirked, holding the money out of reach as Ciccio handed it over to him with a proud grin. Guido shifted uncomfortably.

“Ercole doesn’t have to do anything,” he said with a smug shrug, his voice dripping with arrogance. “He’s the Portorosso Cup champion, number one. And number two? His life is amazing, and everyone loves him!”

Giulia’s eyes flashed with defiance. “They don’t love you! They’re afraid of you!”

Ercole scoffed. “Raise your hand if you love me!” His voice rang out, daring the crowd to oppose him. His eyes swept across the sea of children, and with a flick of his gaze, he intimidated them into raising their hands, each gesture more out of fear than true affection. “See? Everyone,” he declared with a self-satisfied grin. “Especially you, la mia perla.”

His voice lowered to a near-whisper, and before Serena could even register what was happening, he was leaning in too close, his face nearly pressing against hers. His fingers pinched her cheek with a force that made her yelp in pain. Serena instinctively reached up to rub the sore spot, her cheeks burning from both the sting and the humiliation. But the worst part came when she noticed the fury flashing in Alberto’s eyes.

Serena cradled her aching cheek, her glare locked on Ercole, but it was Alberto who broke the tense silence. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, his voice low and filled with barely contained rage. "Oh, that’s it," he growled, his temper snapping like a taut wire. Without thinking, he stood in between Ercole and Serena and squared up, his body coiling with the urge to lash out. Every fiber within him screamed to drive his fist into Ercole’s smug face.

"Hey! The vagrants want to fight! Wow, che bello!" Ercole taunted, he also took a mock fighting stance. Throwing fake punches here and there.

Alberto’s fury only deepened. He was ready to throw down right there, but Luca stepped forward, his voice strained. "Alberto…”

"Silenzio, Bruno!" Alberto snapped, his green eyes flashing. "Remember, this is for our Vespa!" His words were sharp, but beneath the anger, there was a strange protectiveness that made his voice tremble ever so slightly. As much as he wanted to take down Ercole, something else gnawed at him — a feeling he couldn't ignore. Every time Ercole interacted with his friends, especially with Serena, it unsettled him, like a flickering unease in his gut. The urge to shield them from Ercole, to keep him away, was stronger than his desire to fight.

Then, Serena’s voice, calm and steady, broke through his thoughts. "Alberto, it’s okay, sto bene," she said softly, placing a comforting hand on his bicep. Her touch was warm, soothing in a way he couldn’t explain, and for a moment, the tension in his body eased. He didn’t understand how, but Serena had calmed him.

Still, the anger simmered beneath his sun kissed skin. "Alberto, please stop," Serena pleaded, her ocean blue eyes wide with concern.

She held his gaze, and it felt like he was being weighed down by the entire ocean. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt. The last thing they needed was a fight, especially when it could cost them the chance to enter the race. The thought of that made his anger burn hotter, but the pull to protect Serena was stronger, and for once, he held back.

“A Vespa?" Ercole sneered, his laughter thick with mockery. "Trash like you can't ride Vespas."

Giulia, unflinching, shot back, "Ercole, you're just afraid we're gonna put an end to your evil empire of injustice!" But as the words tumbled from her mouth, a sinking feeling gripped her. Ercole was saying the exact same thing, at the exact same time. She stopped mid-sentence, realising that her comeback, one she had used countless times before, was now just a tired repetition.

Ercole rolled his eyes, arms crossed over his chest, his sigh heavy with boredom. "Got anything new?" he asked, his voice dripping with boredom.

Giulia faltered. Her mind scrambled for something fresh, something sharp. "Uh, y-yeah!" she stammered, but her words felt stuck. "Here's a new one! You look like a... umm...a…" Her mind went blank. She stood there, momentarily paralysed by the pressure.

Then, out of nowhere, Luca leaned in and whispered something in her ear. He pulled back just as quickly, and the words spilled from her lips before she had time to even process. "Ahh...a catfish!" she blurted out, confusion clear even as she said it. She glanced at Luca, brows furrowed.

The crowd exchanged confused looks, their expressions a mix of bewilderment and curiosity. Ercole's face was a picture of pure confusion — he had no idea why he was being compared to a catfish.

Luca, sensing the sudden awkwardness, stepped forward with surprising shyness. "Uh, they're bottom-feeders," he explained softly, his voice almost too quiet, "and they also have two sad little whiskers." The words that described Ercole’s appearance perfectly, innocent in nature, but their simplicity had a strange effect. A few stifled giggles rippled through the crowd.

Ercole's face flushed red with shock and offence. He let out a sharp gasp, and his gaze darkened, clearly insulted by the unexpected jab.

Behind him, Guido, who had been silently observing, couldn't help himself. A soft snort escaped him, followed by a quiet snicker. It was enough to set Ercole off. His head snapped around, and he growled, "Shut up!”

Serena, who had been watching with growing tension, now saw red, just like the angry red mark on her cheek.

She saw Ercole's fury boiling over, and her eyes fixed on Ercole’s sandwich, which Ercole had just snatched out of Guido’s hands. Without warning, he smacked Guido across the face with it. The sound of the slap was sharp and Guido froze, instantly lowering his gaze in shame. The laughing from the crowd had ceased at this point as tension filled the air.

Serena's voice rang out in fury. "Don't do that to my cousin, Ercole!” she shouted, stepping in between Ercole and Guido, her body rigid with anger. She wasn't about to let Ercole bully anyone else — not today. Guido, embarrassed, looked down, as if he hadn't wanted her to step in, but it was too late. Serena was done standing by.

“First you treat my friends this way, and now Guido," she snapped, her patience wearing thin. She had had enough of his bullying, enough of his arrogance. "Just leave us all alone!" Her words were sharp, almost desperate, as if she couldn't bear to see anyone else suffer because of him. Especially people she cared deeply about.

Guido's brown eyes flickered nervously. He was panicked, his gaze darting between Serena and Ercole, as though he wanted to escape but didn't want her to make things worse by intervening.

Ercole's face contorted with a volatile mix of fury and disbelief. "How dare you talk to me like that!" he hissed, his voice a low, menacing growl. His eyes burned with a dangerous intensity as he leaned closer. "I think you've forgotten your place," he sneered, his words dripping with venom. "I'm your friend — your only friend." With a sudden, sharp motion, he seized her wrist, his grip tightening as he yanked her toward him. Alberto's eyes narrowed, his body coiled like a spring, ready to pounce.

"Let go of me, Ercole!” Serena struggled, her breath quickening as she tried to break free. She wasn't going to let him have control over her, not again.

But Ercole wasn't listening. "I've had enough of this nonsense," he growled. "You're coming with me!"

"No! I don't want to go with you!" Serena protested, trying to back away with every ounce of strength she had left. But Ercole's grip tightened, and she winced in pain, "Ow! Ercole, fermare, you’re hurting me!”

"Let go of her!" Alberto's voice rang out, a low snarl of anger slicing through the heavy tension in the air.

With a reluctant grunt, Ercole finally relented, his fingers unclasping from Serena’s wrist. But not before he shoved her roughly forward. The sudden force sent Serena stumbling, a startled yelp escaping her lips as she fell toward the ground. In an instant, Alberto was there to catch her, his arms wrapping around her to steady her, pulling her against him.

Ercole sneered, his face twisted with disdain. "Fine, have it your way," he muttered bitterly. He wasn’t going to win today, but he would soon and he will make sure of it.

Ercole turned away from her and strode toward Luca. He was the one that made up the backhanded comment towards him in the first place. The young boy stood frozen, a helpless observer caught in the whirlwind of events. He looked like a deer in headlights, wide-eyed and nervous, as Ercole closed the distance with a predatory ease.

"Listen, Piccoletto," Ercole sneered, his face now uncomfortably close to Luca’s. "I eat kids like you for breakfast. I dunk them in my cioccolata and finiti!" He punctuated the final word with a sharp slicing motion across his neck, the gesture as chilling as his words.

Luca swallowed hard, his throat dry with fear, but Ercole wasn’t finished. He leaned in further, draping an arm around Luca’s shoulders. The feigned camaraderie was somehow more menacing than his earlier threats, the weight of Ercole’s presence was suffocating.

“So, here," Ercole said smoothly, pulling a crumpled wad of cash from his back pocket. He shoved the entry fee money into Luca’s trembling hand, his voice almost mockingly gentle, "Sign up. Mm?" The false encouragement in his tone was like a trap baited with honey, meant to disarm and deceive.

Then came the final blow, the words that erased any illusion of kindness. “I’ll make it my mission to destroy you all,” Ercole growled, his voice dark and full of venom. The threat hung heavy in the air, making Luca shrink further under his shadow. Luca felt his entire body go numb.

Just as swiftly as the mask had slipped, Ercole shifted. He turned to the crowd, his trademark cocky grin firmly back in place. "Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed, soaking in the attention. "It's gonna be some race, huh? Sorry, no autographs today!"

But as the tension dissolved for everyone else, it lingered for Luca, leaving him stranded in its aftermath. The echoes of Ercole’s threat still weighed on his chest. Luca wanted nothing more than to disappear. But before he could retreat into himself completely, another arm draped over his shoulders. This time, it wasn’t threatening — it was warm and encouraging. Giulia’s bright voice broke through his haze. “Ha, ha! Luca! Bravo, we did it!” she cheered.

Luca’s lips hesitated before curving into a slow smile. He wasn’t entirely sure what they had achieved, exactly, but her energy lifted him enough to breathe again. She tugged him forward, guiding him toward the sign-up table.

Alberto watched as Giulia pulled Luca away, a pang striking his heart. He couldn’t shake the gnawing suspicion that Luca was starting to like Giulia more than him. The thought of his first friend being closer to someone else — much less a human — felt unbearable. He tried to push the feeling aside, but it still lingered. Suddenly, another voice broke through his spiralling thoughts.

“H-Hey, Alberto,” Serena said shyly, her voice soft yet earnest. “I just wanted to say thank you… for defending me back there. I really appreciate you doing that for me.”

Her words jolted Alberto back to reality, and he remembered what had transpired moments ago. The way Ercole had treated Serena had ignited a protective anger in him, though he wasn’t entirely sure why. He glanced at Serena, trying to mask his worry with a casual shrug. “Oh, yeah sure, no problem…I don't like bullies.”

But his attempt at indifference faltered when he noticed how red her cheek had become. “Serena, your cheek —” he said, his voice filled with concern.

Her hand flew up to her face, wincing as she gently touched the sore spot. “Oh, it’s fine. Really, don’t worry about it. It’ll go down eventually,” she assured him, though her smile didn’t quite hide the discomfort.

Alberto hesitated, but Serena’s warm smile made him relax a little. “Now let’s go sign up!” she said, her enthusiasm shining through as she led the way. Alberto couldn’t help but smile back, her enthusiasm was infectious as sunlight after a storm.

They approached the sign-up table, where Giulia confidently placed the money down. “Giulia Marcovaldo!” she declared proudly.

“Ciao, Giulia,” Signora Marsigliese greeted with a knowing smile. “Team of one again?”

“Not today!” Giulia replied with determination, nudging Luca forward.

“Luca Paguro!” Luca chimed in, his eyes brimming with excitement.

“Serena Cavalluccio,” Serena said proudly, her voice steady and confident.

“Alberto Scorfano,” Alberto drawled, feigning nonchalance. Though in his mind carried a hint of reluctance. He wasn’t entirely sure about this team thing, but Serena and Luca’s excitement overshadowed his hesitation.

Signora Marsigliese glanced between them, “What is your team name?”

“The Underdogs!” Giulia proclaimed, wrapping an arm around Luca and Serena’s shoulders in a triumphant side hug. Serena glanced over at Alberto, who stood just a little apart, awkwardly looking away.

Not wanting him to feel excluded, Serena slipped her soft hand into his calloused one. The unexpected gesture made Alberto freeze, his emerald green eyes darting down to their hands before meeting her gaze. Serena gave him a warm, reassuring smile. For a moment, Alberto just stared, but then a small smile crept onto his face.

Chapter Text

“Ok we’ve got two months to train,” Giulia reminded the group, her voice sharp with determination. She held up her trusty pocket watch as if to emphasise the urgency. “There isn’t any time to waste!”

The four friends were making their way up the winding trails of Mount Portorosso, the late afternoon sun casting golden light on the cobblestones. Giulia had tasked Luca with riding her bike up the hill, timing his progress with the stopwatch clasped in her hand. He was the one set to tackle the biking portion of the race, and every second counted in their preparations.

Luca, however, was still new to the world of bicycles. While still being new to the surface as well. Just the day before, he had wobbled his way through his first successful attempt at riding a bike. Now, with shaky legs and sweat pouring down his face, he struggled to push the pedals uphill under the relentless Italian sun. His balance was unsteady, and his pace was slow — far slower than average.

“Well…maybe a little bit of time,” Alberto quipped, strolling alongside Luca with the casual ease of someone without a care in the world. He kicked a loose pebble down the path, his pace unhurried.

Serena, walking on the other side, nodded in agreement. “Alberto’s right, Giulia. We have two months to train. Pushing ourselves too hard too fast won’t help.”

While Giulia and Serena debated the best approach to their training regimen, Luca’s thoughts were elsewhere. He hadn’t dared to glance behind him, too focused on staying upright and keeping the bike moving. How big was this hill? He felt like he’d been pedaling for hours, the incline endless. His legs burned, his breath came in ragged gasps, and his heart pounded like a drum. Surely, he’d been at this for hours. In reality, it had probably been only a few minutes — though it felt like an eternity.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, they all reached the top of the hill. Luca trailed behind the others, his chest heaving as he slowed to a stop. He planted his feet on the ground and leaned heavily on the bike, desperate to catch his breath. “How’d I do?” he panted, looking up at Giulia with a hopeful grin.

Giulia glanced at her pocket watch, her expression faltering slightly. “Let’s just say…we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Luca’s shoulders slumped in defeat, but Serena gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “Don’t worry, Luca,” she said with a smile. “We’ve still got time, remember? You’ll get better before you know it.”

Luca nodded, determination flickering in his tired eyes. They had time to improve, and he was ready to face it — one pedal stroke at a time.

“You’ve completed the hard part. Riding downhill is the easiest part of the whole race!” Giulia said with a confident grin.

Luca, full of determination, turned his gaze toward the horizon. From this vantage point, he could see all of Portorosso, its terracotta rooftops glowing warmly in the sunlight. Even Alberto’s tower stood tall in the distance, a tiny speck against the blue sky. But when his eyes drifted downward, his confidence crumbled. The slope was impossibly steep, a dizzying descent that made his stomach lurch.

“Holy carp. No. I can’t,” Luca stammered, his voice trembling with panic.

“Forza!” Giulia called out enthusiastically, “Luca, you can do this!”

Luca closed his eyes, trying to block out his fear. He drew in a deep breath, whispering the words that had become his mantra. “Silenzio, Bruno. Here we go.”

He pushed off, his bicycle wobbling slightly before picking up speed. For a moment, exhilaration filled him — he was doing it! The wind whipped past his face, and the world blurred past him. But then Bruno’s voice crept back into his head, filling him with doubt. The bike was going too fast, the slope too steep. Panic surged as he realised he wasn’t in control.

“I can’t!” he screamed, his voice cracking.

Instinctively, he slammed on the brakes. The front wheel locked up, and before he could react, he was airborne. Time seemed to slow as he flipped over the handlebars, the ground rushing up to meet him.

Serena, Giulia and Alberto were already sprinting down the hill, their faces twisted in alarm as they braced for Luca’s inevitable impact. The bicycle skidded and clattered to the ground, but Luca wasn’t as lucky. He slammed into a cobblestone wall with a loud thud, crumpling in a heap.

They reached him in moments, their voices a mix of concern and relief. Luca sat up groggily, his head spinning so badly that, for a moment, he swore he was seeing fish swimming around him instead of stars.

“Maybe that’s enough training for today,” Serena said gently, glancing at Giulia, who nodded in agreement.

🐚 .° ｡

Back at the Marcovaldo residence, the group decided it was time to shift gears and tackle a challenge that was less physically demanding — Alberto's segment of the race: eating. Alberto was confident about this one; eating was his domain. He could eat all day without tiring, and it seemed like the perfect challenge for him.

Giulia set a large bowl of rigatoni in front of him with a grin. "Okay, the goal here is simple — eat the pasta in record time!" she explained, "But don't rush too much, or you'll end up with a tummy ache."

She then raised a rolled-up magazine, using it as a makeshift microphone, and spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm, "Pronti, ai posti, via!"

Alberto, unimpressed by her theatrics, shot her a look of annoyance and, with a roll of his eyes, casually shoved the magazine away from his ear. "I got this," he muttered with a cocky grin, eyeing the pasta.

But just as he was about to dive in, Luca appeared from the kitchen, balancing a multitude of plates — one on his right arm, two on his left, and another one perched on his head. Serena followed, carrying two bowls of pasta in each arm. Alberto blinked, taken aback.

"Wait, what!?" he exclaimed in confusion, staring at the surprising display.

"Every year they change the pasta," Giulia explained, "You have to be ready for anything! It could be cannelloni, penne, fusilli, even lasagne!"

Alberto shrugged, trying to play it cool, but the sudden change threw him off. He was about to grab a handful of rigatoni when Giulia rapped his knuckles with a fork, holding it out towards him with a teasing smile.

"Aaaaand you have to use a forchetta," she sang, her voice lilting with amusement, "It's the rule."

Alberto scowled, frustration flickering across his face. "Rules are for —" he grumbled, his fingers fumbling with the fork as the pasta kept sliding off. "— rule people!"

It was clear that Alberto wasn’t a fan of rules. In his world, things operated according to his terms, not anyone else’s.

🐚 .° ｡

After watching Alberto’s complete and utter inability to use a fork correctly, they moved onto Giulia. It was late afternoon and it was the perfect time for a swim. Giulia had asked permission to use her father’s boat for a little while and Massimo agreed without protest.

Giulia came out in her one piece turquoise bathing suit, holding her pink water goggles in her hands.

In order to not look suspicious, Alberto encouraged Luca to join Giuila on the boat.

“Giulia emerged from the house wearing a turquoise one-piece swimsuit, her pink water goggles dangling from her fingers. Not wanting to seem out of place or suspicious, Alberto gave Luca a nudge, encouraging him to join Giulia on the boat.

Luca turned to Serena, his doe eyes bright with excitement. “Are you coming, Serena?” he asked, motioning toward the small boat that rocked gently by the dock.

Giulia leaned in close to Serena, lowering her voice with concern. “Are you sure about this, Serena? What about your fear of water?”

Serena felt a rush of gratitude. Giulia hadn’t outed her fear to the boys. She had protected her.

“I—I’ll be fine,” Serena said quickly, trying to keep her voice steady. “I want to watch you swim. Besides… everyone else is trying something new today.”

But the moment she stepped onto the boat, Serena knew she had made a terrible mistake. The vessel wobbled beneath her feet, and a surge of panic rose in her chest. She caught a glimpse of Alberto’s face — he looked confused, maybe even a little worried — as she visibly tensed up, frozen in place.

“Close your eyes and let me guide you,” Giulia said softly, extending her hand.

Serena’s heart pounded like a drum inside her chest. She stared at the endless stretch of water ahead. It was terrifying… but she also knew something else: Giulia would never let anything happen to her.

“I can do this,” Serena whispered to herself.

She couldn’t look like a fool — not today, not in front of everyone. So, with a deep breath, in and out, she reached for Giulia’s hand. Giulia gripped it firmly and led her gently onto the boat, helping her climb inside with the care of someone who truly understood.

Serena kept her eyes shut the entire time they rowed out into open water. The rocking of the boat beneath her, once unbearable, began to feel like part of the rhythm of this moment.

This was a big step for Serena. A huge one.

If only her family could see her now.

🐚 .° ｡

A little while later, the four friends made their way out in the middle of the ocean away from any boats so that Giulia could practice the swimming portion of the race. Giulia had already leapt from the boat, cutting through the water. Luca and Alberto sat in the rowboat, both keeping their eyes on Giulia as she made her way toward a buoy in the distance.

"I guess that's how humans swim," Luca commented hesitantly, watching the redheads uneven strokes.

“Ugh, that’s embarrassing,” Alberto scoffed, wrinkling his nose.

Serena sat quietly in the middle of the boat, eyes closed, listening to their conversation. The way they kept referring to people as "humans" struck her as odd — a strange little quirk she still hadn’t figured out. But her mind wasn't focused on that for too long.

Serena cracked one eye open, peering over the edge. She wanted to cheer her friend on, but anxiety clutched her chest like a vice. Giulia made swimming look effortless — while she was not so graceful, she looked fearless and determined. Serena almost felt envious.

As Giulia made her lap around the buoy, Giulia suddenly froze in the water, her eyes locking onto a red motorboat speeding toward them. The word ‘Focaccia’ was engraved along the side. Her heart dropped, it was coming straight for them!

"Oh no! It’s Ercole! Go, go!" she yelled.

Alberto snapped his head to the side, spotting the fast approaching motorboat. Panic surged through the group. Luca frantically began rowing, his strokes chaotic, while Alberto grabbed the other oar and paddled just as wildly — but in the opposite direction. The boat spun in frantic, useless circles.

“Luca! Faster, faster!” Alberto shouted.

“Why aren’t we moving?!” Luca squeaked in confusion.

Meanwhile, Serena had begun to spiral. Her breathing quickened, and her body coiled into itself as memories surged, uninvited and vivid. The roar of the boat’s engine, the slap shed on water on her skin, the rocking of the waves — it was all too much. She clutched the edge of the boat, her legs trembling beneath her, eyes fixed downward to avoid the horizon. The past slammed into her all at once, paralysing her with dread.

“I’ve gotta get out of here, take me back to shore!” she screamed, her voice ragged as panic consumed her completely.

“Whoa!” Alberto gasped, alarmed. “W-What’s happening to her!?”

“I think she’s having a panic attack!” Giulia’s voice cracked with urgency. “Quick — we’ve gotta get her back to land, now. She has a fear of water!”

Alberto turned on Giulia, frustration spilling out. “And you really thought bringing her on a boat was a good idea!?”

“It was her choice!” Giulia snapped. “She didn’t want to feel left out!”

While the two argued, Luca was crouched beside Serena, doing his best to comfort her without tipping the boat or getting soaked himself. He gently whispered to her, trying to ground her in the moment, his voice soft against the rising tide of panic.

“Guys! This isn’t the best time to be fighting!” he squeaked, glancing between them as the chaos swirled around them.

Meanwhile, Ercole had found a new target. Something — or rather, someone — far more tantalising than any meagre sea monster. His eyes had locked onto Giulia and the two boys she’d been with the day before. But it wasn’t Giulia he was focused on. No, Ercole had set his sights on the taller of the two boys. The one Serena couldn’t seem to keep her eyes — or hands — off of. That alone was enough to make Ercole’s blood boil.

Serena had never stood up to him the way she did yesterday. Never once had she looked at him with the same softness, the same warmth that she gave to that boy — Alberto, was it? For a moment, Ercole forgot his name, but it came back to him, much to his disgust. The way Serena looked at Alberto was different to the way she looked at him. It was real. Genuine. It was a look filled with care, and it infuriated Ercole.

Who did this guy think he was? Hanging around Serena. He wasn’t good enough for her. Ercole’s jealousy twisted into something darker, something vindictive. He wanted revenge — and he was about to get it. A grin curled across his face, wild and gleaming with malice. So blinded by his jealousy and rage, he failed to notice one crucial detail: Serena was in that boat.

It was Guido, at the very last second, who realised what Ercole was about to do — and who he was about to crash into. His cousin. Without thinking, Guido lunged for the rudder and yanked it hard, jerking the motorboat away from a direct collision. The sharp turn came just in time, narrowly avoiding Giulia’s boat.

But the damage had already been done. The wave from Ercole’s motorboat sent a towering wave crashing into the side of the Underdogs’ rowboat. It tipped violently, teetering past the point of balance — and before Alberto or Luca could react, Serena had fallen into the ocean.

Without thinking, Alberto plunged into the ocean after Serena. A sharp gasp escaped Luca, who panicked but did his best to stay hidden, quickly drying the sea water from his body. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Giulia furiously doggy-paddling toward Ercole, whose boat was now floating on the water, her arms thrashing through the water.

Giulia grabbed hold of the boat’s side, rocking it as she hoisted herself up just enough to scream at him. “Ercole! Che cavolo stavi pensando, eh?!”

Startled, Ercole fumbled as his prized wool sweater slipped from his shoulders and into the sea. “Sei matta, Giulia! It is wool! It can never get wet!” He turned frantically to his companion. “Ciccio, make it dry. Subito!”

But Ercole was too distracted to notice what really mattered. Alberto broke the surface, cradling an unconscious Serena in his arms. Luca scrambled forward, reaching down to help pull her into the boat. Alberto heaved himself out after her, soaking wet and breathless. He dried himself immediately and began checking Serena over with frantic hands.

“I don’t care!” Giulia snapped, still glaring at Ercole. “You could’ve killed someone!”

Suddenly, her tone shifted. Her eyes locked onto her father’s boat. She remembered that her best friend was in the boat. “Serena…” she whispered, the fear creeping in. Then, with a gasp, she turned and started swimming urgently back toward the boat. “Serena! Is she okay?!”

Luca shook his head, his expression grim and his voice was low with worry. “She’s out cold.”

Panic surged in Alberto’s voice. “What do we do?!”

Just then, the distant hum of another motorboat grew louder. It was Serena’s zio and nonno, rushing in after witnessing the commotion while they were fishing nearby — though, thankfully, not Alberto’s true form. Without hesitation, they pulled up beside the group, and with careful hands, they lifted Serena onto their boat. The engine roared back to life, and the vessel tore through the waves, heading straight for the marina.

The others quickly followed, hearts pounding in a frantic chase back to the piazza. By the time they arrived, a crowd had already gathered, voices low and uncertain, eyes darting between the boats and the dock, murmuring amongst themselves.

Serena was back on dry land, but the ordeal had clearly taken its toll. Though she was awake now, she was soaked, shivering, and visibly shaken. Her usual vibrant energy was replaced with a distant, hollow look. Her family didn’t waste a second — they rushed her home to get her warm, with Guido close behind, looking just as rattled.

That was the last anyone saw of Serena for the rest of the day.

Chapter Text

It had been nearly a week since the boat accident, and Serena hadn’t set a single foot outside. Though the doctor had advised at least two days of bed rest, she found herself lingering in the quiet comfort of her bedroom, not yet ready to face the world beyond her bedroom walls. Nestled among pillows and warm blankets, she passed the time with the many books she had long promised herself she’d read, finding solace in the familiar weight of their pages.

Her windows and balcony door remained firmly shut, curtains drawn tight to keep the world at bay. Yet, despite the quiet sanctuary she tried to create, the relentless crash of waves against the rocky coast below pierced through the stillness. It wasn’t comforting — it was haunting. The sound stirred something deep inside her, a pressure in her chest that mimicked the one she'd felt underwater. The cold. The panic. The helplessness. Her head throbbed with the memory, threatening to bring back the ache that had barely faded.

Serena shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as if she could push the memories away. She didn’t want to remember what had happened a few days ago — nor the events from years past that still cast long shadows over her. But the reminders came anyway.

It was only after she had begun to feel a bit more like herself that her family gently told her the truth: it had been Alberto who had pulled her from the water. The revelation settled heavily on her heart. He had risked his own life to save hers. She couldn’t stop thinking about it — the weight of that moment pressing into her chest, equal parts gratitude and something more complicated, something unspoken.

While Serena remained upstairs, resting peacefully, she was unaware of the warmth and excitement bubbling through the Cavalluccio household below.

In the cozy living room, Giulia, Alberto, Luca, and the rest of the Cavalluccio family had gathered, their voices rising in a cheerful flurry of gratitude and praise. The past few days had passed in a haze of worry and sleepless waiting, but now, at last, hope was beginning to bloom again — gently weaving itself back into the fabric of their lives.

“Thank you for saving our dear niece — we can’t thank you enough for your bravery,” Mrs. Cavalluccio said, her voice thick with emotion.

Alberto’s cheeks flushed with warmth, humbled by the gratitude surrounding him. He glanced at Luca, who stood slightly behind him, his fingers nervously tugging at the hem of his shirt.

“I hope this isn’t a bad time to visit,” Luca said shyly, his voice soft but sincere.

“She would be delighted to see you all,” came Mr. Cavalluccio’s reassuring reply, his smile warm as the household basked in the glow of relief and reunion.

Together, the three friends were led upstairs, toward the attic where Serena’s bedroom awaited. At the door, there was a soft knock. Serena looked up from her book, blinking as she registered the sound.

Then came Giulia’s voice, piercing through the quiet like sunlight breaking through clouds.

“Serena, you’re okay! We were so worried!” she cried, bursting into the room and flinging her arms around her best friend without hesitation. Her embrace was tight — a fierce blend of relief, fear, and concern.

Luca followed in and stood next to Serena’s bedside, smiling brightly. Alberto lingered near the doorway, saying nothing. His gaze remained fixed on Serena, his heart still quietly catching up to everything that had happened.

“I’m fine, Giulia,” Serena murmured, her voice too calm to be convincing. “Still…a little shaken up.”

Giulia’s face crumpled. “I’m so sorry this happened. I promised nothing would happen to you…and it did.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Giulia,” Serena said gently, however the fear still lingered behind her eyes, like a storm cloud that hadn’t quite passed.

Giulia sat on the edge of Serena’s bed, fiddling with her hands. “I want to help,” she said gently, “What happened…it doesn’t have to control you. Let us teach you to swim. To not be afraid anymore!”

Giulia exchanged a glance with Alberto, encouraging him to step forward into the room.

“We want to help you,” Alberto spoke up for the first time since arriving. He didn’t quite know what to say, he too was affected by the events that took place days ago.

“We’re not just here to check on you — though we were really worried,” Luca added quickly, offering a warm smile, “We want to be here for you.”

Serena let out a long sigh, sinking deeper into the warmth of her blanket. “I was sent here to do just that by my therapist and my parents,” she murmured. She hesitated, the weight of her thoughts pressing heavily on her chest. “Remember when I said I was only staying a little while? I was planning on leaving forever. I almost called my parents to come get me.”

“What? You want to leave?!” Giulia burst out, her voice rising with panic. “Before the race? How are we gonna find a fourth person?”

The red head began to freak out, pacing the room with wild energy. Alberto and Luca exchanged helpless glances, unsure of how to calm her down.

Serena’s gaze fell on Giulia, and in that moment, she saw the heartbreak etched across her face. That was when it hit her — just how deeply she had come to care for her friends. It had already been two weeks since she’d arrived in Portorosso, and somehow, she had completely forgotten about her original plan to call her parents and go home. After what had just happened, this could’ve been her perfect excuse to leave.

But a quiet voice inside told her to stay.

She couldn’t leave now. Not when she had found something real here — friendship. Something she had almost given up on. They needed her...and maybe, just maybe, she needed them too.

“That was before,” Serena said softly.

Giulia’s frantic energy slowed as she looked back at her, the flicker of hope returning to her eyes. Relief spread across her face.

“My therapist wanted me to try exposure therapy,” Serena continued. “It means facing my fears head on. It’s the only thing I haven’t tried yet...I didn’t really have a choice.”

Serena paused, her voice thick with emotion. “But now, I realise I don’t want to leave. I never thought I’d actually make any friends here — until you three came along. And I don’t want to give up on that. I want to get over my fear...for me. For all of us.”

Giulia nodded, her expression soft with understanding. “We’ll go slow,” she promised gently. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. We just want you to feel safe and protected.”

Serena gave a small, tentative smile. “Thanks, you guys. It’s going to take some time,” she said quietly.

“Then we’ll take all the time you need,” Luca added, his smile full of quiet reassurance.

“We’ll be with you every step of the way,” Alberto declared, a fiery determination sparking in his green eyes.

Serena hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting between the three of them. And then she believed them. She was still afraid — still unsure — but for the first time in her life, she wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.

The hours passed by in a blur. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm amber glow through the open windows, the Underdogs remained nestled together on Serena’s bed. Laughter echoed softly through the room as they swapped stories — ridiculous memories, training updates, light-hearted jabs that left them in fits of giggles. For the first time in what felt like forever, Serena found herself truly smiling. The weight on her chest began to lift, warmth seeping back into her heart in soft, steady waves.

Eventually, it was time for them to go.

As the group rose to leave, their chatter quieted into affectionate goodbyes. Giulia and Luca lingered in the doorway, still talking animatedly as they headed toward the stairs. Alberto trailed behind them, but just as he turned to leave, Serena reached out and gently caught his arm.

“Could you…stay a minute?” she asked, cheeks burned, and she couldn’t quite meet his eyes.

Alberto blinked, surprised. He glanced back toward the door, then to Serena again. “Sure,” he said, slowly.

Once she was certain that Giulia and Luca were gone, Serena slowly lifted her gaze. Her eyes met Alberto’s, tentative and full of emotion she hadn’t yet found the words for. When she finally spoke, her voice came out soft and fragile. “Thank you,” she said. “For saving me. For risking your safety. You didn’t have to jump in after me…”

Alberto shifted on his feet, visibly uncomfortable, as if unsure what to do with himself now that the danger had passed. His hands slid awkwardly into his pockets, his gaze flickering away before settling on her again. “I couldn’t let you drown,” he blurted, the words spilling out too fast, almost defensively. But then, just for a second, his voice cracked — the edge of bravado melting away. “I didn’t even have time to think,” he admitted, quieter now. “I just…panicked.”

The confession hung in the air between them, unvarnished and vulnerable. There were no grand speeches or perfect words — just the aching honesty of someone who had acted on instinct, not logic. For a heartbeat, that was enough. Two people standing in the hushed aftermath of fear, letting the silence carry what words couldn’t.

Serena moved before she could second-guess herself. Rising slowly from the bed — her first time in what felt like forever — she stepped forward, tentative but sure. Then she wrapped her arms around him.

Alberto froze, every muscle tense. His cheeks flushed a bright — embarrassed red — affection was foreign territory he hadn’t quite mapped out. He couldn't even remember the last time someone had hugged him. The warmth of her arms around him struck him harder than the cold of the water ever could.

It took him a moment, but eventually, he returned the embrace — hesitant at first, then fully. Serena felt him melt against her, piece by piece, like waves smoothing into sand. He smelled like the sea — like sun-warmed salt and wild waves — and to her surprise, she didn’t recoil. The scent clung to his clothes the same way the tide clings to the shore. She had expected it to trigger panic…but it didn’t. Not this time.

As he held her, Serena pressed her face gently into his shoulder. Her voice came softly, nearly lost in the fabric of his shirt. “Thank you,” she whispered again, more tenderly now. “For everything.”

Alberto didn’t answer at first, just gave a quiet nod, still flushed and a little dazed. They pulled apart slowly, but something lingered in the space between them — a closeness that hadn’t been there before. Their eyes stayed locked.

Alberto found himself staring into her ocean-blue eyes — the first thing he’d noticed about her two weeks ago. They shimmered with sunlit warmth now, not cold or guarded. They reminded him of home — not the one on land he had grown to love, but the one beneath the waves, his true home. It struck him all over again why he had called her “ocean eyes” when they first met. He hadn’t even known her name then. He just knew what her gaze reminded him of.

Realising how long he’d been staring, he coughed awkwardly and took a step back. Serena also took a step back, still blushing furiously.

“So…” he started, the word hung uncertainly between them. “Were you…conscious, when you fell into the water?”

Serena shook her head. “No. I was completely out of it. I didn’t wake up until I was on the boat. Everyone was shouting and fussing over me. I didn’t know what was really going on.”

Alberto let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Relieved that she hasn’t seen his true form. His secret — for now — was still safe. But even as that comfort settled in, unease tugged at the edges of his thoughts. How long would it stay that way? How long until she found out what he really was?

If she ever saw his true form…would she panic? Would she run? Alberto didn’t know why he cared. That moment hadn’t come yet.

He offered a small, crooked smile—one that didn’t quite mask the nervous energy buzzing beneath the surface. “Well… now that you’re feeling better,” he began, voice light with a feigned casualness, “we were kinda hoping you’d come hang out with us tomorrow? Giulio is freaking out about how much training you have missed out on.”

Though he tried to sound offhand, the way his eyes lingered on her — hopeful, hesitant—betrayed how much he meant it. It wasn’t just an invitation. It was a quiet offering, a gentle reminder that she mattered, that she was missed.

Serena smiled brightly and nodded.

🐚 .° ｡

That night, for the first time in days, Serena found the strength to return to the restaurant. The instant she stepped through the swinging doors, the rush of familiar sounds engulfed her — the rhythmic clatter of dishes, the sharp hiss of oil meeting a hot pan, and the constant murmur of voices blending into a kind of chaotic symphony. A strange comfort settled over her. The noise, the bustle — it was chaotic, but it reminded her of her childhood before she moved far away. Her family, overwhelmed by the dinner rush, welcomed her return with hurried gratitude and sent her out front to take orders.

The place was packed, every table filled with chattering tourists from all corners of the world we’re soaking up the golden afternoon glow of an Italian summer, mingling with a few familiar locals who knew to come early or not at all. The air was thick with the scent of garlic and fresh basil, wine glasses clinking beneath bursts of laughter.

Serving wasn’t easy — weaving between tables, scribbling orders, smiling through exhaustion — but it gave her hands and her mind something to do. But no matter how many plates she balanced or how many smiles she offered, her thoughts remained untethered — floating somewhere between the scent of basil and the boy who had leapt into the sea without hesitation. Who had pulled her back to the surface when she thought she might drown for good.

Alberto. Just the thought of him made her stomach do strange somersaults. She tried to shake it off, brushing a stray curl from her cheek as she reached for her notepad.

“Ah, it’s wonderful to see you up and about, mia cara,” Zia Francesca’s warm voice cut through Serena’s daze, drawing Serena back to the present. The older woman beamed at her from the kitchen doorway, hands still dusted with flour. “Having your friends over today seemed to have done wonders. You’re glowing.”

Serena smiled faintly, a private little curve of her lips. “I missed them more than I realised. It was really good to see them again.”

“They were all asking for you — especially that Alberto,” Zia Francesca added with a teasing glint in her eye. “He asked about you every single day. Such a sweet boy.”

Serena blinked, her cheeks starting to burn. “Oh, really?”

“Yes! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that boy has a little crush on you.”

Serena nearly dropped her pen. “Zia, don’t be silly,” she said quickly, her cheeks blazing hot like the pans in the kitchen. “Alberto’s just…a good friend. And anyway, he only did what anyone would do — he saved my life.”

Zia Francesca only rolled her eyes, smiling with the kind of knowing that made Serena feel like her thoughts were being read. Without another word, Serena turned sharply and slipped out onto the floor of the restaurant, her face still burning.

A crush? No way! They had just met a few days ago. It was way too soon for them to be anything but friends. They were just friends. That was all she told herself firmly, again and again.

Serena made her way towards the newly seated table that had just been sat down a few minutes ago and her stomach dropped.

Ercole Visconti — lounging like a prince among his entourage of sneering, well-dressed friends, a glass of sparkling water cradled in his hand. They were seated at the best table in the house — the one by the open balcony with the best view of the glittering sea, a table her zio only gave to honored guests.

Of course, Ercole wasn’t one but being the mayor’s son didn’t make him royalty. However, Ercole always managed to wrap people around his finger — charm laced with entitlement, always just enough to get his way.

Serena scoffed but she forced her feet forward, spine straightening as she approached the table.

“Benvenuti al Ristorante Cavalluccio. What can I get you?” she asked, her voice level, her eyes fixed firmly on the notepad in her hand.

As she neared, the eyes of Ercole’s friends flicked toward her with disdainful amusement, like she was something stuck to the bottom of their shoes. Ercole, for his part, looked genuinely surprised — as if he hadn’t considered she might actually be working tonight. Which was ridiculous, considering he knew that her family owned the restaurant.

One of the boys made a snide remark under his breath — too soft to hear, but the curl of his lip said enough. Each boy gave his order slowly, lazily, with exaggerated details — expensive dishes, difficult preparations, all designed to irritate.

Serena scrawled their orders with quick, mechanical strokes and turned to walk away.

She then heard the scrape of a chair and familiar footsteps chasing after her.

“Serena, wait!”

She didn’t stop. She kept moving, slipping between tables with the practiced grace of someone who’d done this a hundred times, each step faster than the last. But she felt him behind her — his presence like a shadow clinging to her heels, his gaze pressing against her back.

“Serena! Just stop and listen to me!”

She didn’t want to. Didn’t want to hear his excuses. But Ercole was persistent, and soon enough, he caught up with her near the edge of the restaurant. It was a remote and intimate balcony, one overlooking the sea.

His hand reached out, catching her arm — but she spun sharply, wrenching away from his touch.

“Don’t touch me!” she hissed, her voice sharper than she meant it to be.

Ercole flinched at the sharpness in her voice.

The way she recoiled from his touch was like a slap — not to his face, but somewhere deeper.

“I was trying to —” he began, but the glare she gave him stole the rest of the sentence right from his throat.

Her eyes, usually so calm and guarded, were blazing now. Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, anger simmering just beneath the surface — but hurt, too. He could see it. The way she refused to look directly at him. The way her hands trembled slightly, even as they clenched at her sides. She looked like she’d rather be anywhere else than standing in front of him.

“I just wanted to talk,” he said, his voice dropping. Softer. Less like the showy prince his friends expected and more like a boy who didn’t quite know how to fix what he’d broken.

Serena shook her head. “You had your chance to talk.”

He stepped forward, lowering his voice further, careful now, like any wrong movement might shatter her completely.

“Serena… I didn’t even think you’d be on the boat. I know I’ve messed up. But I—”

“Save it,” she cut in, her voice low but scathing. “You don’t get to play the victim in this. Not here. Not now.”

He fell silent, struck dumb by the finality in her tone. For once, he had no comeback. No clever excuse. No smirk to hide behind. Just the dull ache of her slipping further out of his reach.

The salty breeze from the sea swirled through the air, and it was starting to irritate her nose and eyes.

“You didn’t come to see me after the accident,” she snapped, tears brimming in her eyes. “You didn’t even come to apologise!”

“I know,” he looked somewhat stricken. “That’s why I want to make it up to you. Please. Let me try. Tomorrow night?”

Her jaw tightened. Their relationship had never been deep — it was surface-level, now, it hung by a thread.

There was a long pause. Then, she gave a reluctant nod. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Serena turned before he could speak again, her hair whipping over her shoulder as she strode back toward the kitchen, away from him.

Ercole stood there for a moment longer and for the first time in a long while, he felt completely — and utterly — powerless.

🐚 .° ｡

As the final plates were cleared and the last guests trickled out into the cooling night, the frenzied hum of the dinner rush finally faded into a soft lull. The restaurant was winding down, chairs turned upside down on tables, the scent of garlic and basil lingering in the air.

Serena wiped her hands on her apron, the ache in her feet dulled by the promise of rest. She was just about to ascend the stairs to her room — her sanctuary — where her half-finished book and the quiet comfort of solitude waited.

But before she could take a step, Zia Francesca burst around the corner, her apron stained and hair hastily pinned back, a rotary phone clutched tightly in one hand. The long, curling cord dragged behind her like a lifeline stretched too thin.

“Serena, your parents are on the phone! They want to speak to you,” she called, already pivoting back toward the kitchen, her free hand thrusting the receiver forward.

Serena hesitated for a breath before accepting the phone, the smooth plastic already warm from her aunt’s grip. The bustling sounds of the kitchen faded behind her as she lifted it to her ear.

Her parents’ voices flowed through the line, heavy with worry and tender affection, from miles away.

“We just heard the news, cara mia. Are you alright?”

Serena parted her lips to answer, to offer the reflexive lie — I’m fine, everything’s okay — but the words faltered, caught somewhere between her heart and throat. Her grip on the receiver tightened as the silence stretched.

“I—I’m not,” she finally choked out, her voice trembling like a cracked glass. “I’m really not okay.”

The tears came fast, streaking down her cheeks. She curled around the phone as if the sound of their distant voices could hold her together. As if love alone could patch what the sea had broken.

She sank to the floor, knees folding beneath her, the cold tiles pressing through her clothes. And there, surrounded by the dim glow of closing time and the faint clatter of pans in the distance, she wept — softly, deeply, as the storm she’d been carrying finally broke free.

🐚 .° ｡