Chapter One: Lovi and The Awesome Kick
Hello! I'm back again. And I have some young Spamano for you. Have fun reading, and leave comments and stuff!
Thwack!
"Holy crap dude! That was an awesome kick!"
Leon yells to me, and it's true, we're playing soccer this afternoon-Leon, his sister Mei and I-and I somehow manage to land a really nice kick that sends the ball flying all the way over to the Catholic school just down the street from our houses. After a quick nose-goes, I have tor run over and get it, and as I lean to pick it up there's this cute Italian boy sitting there. He has this sort of dark brown hair, that's glowing with bronze highlights in the sun and I just have to talk to him. I don't know why, I just have to.
"Ah.. Hello," the cute Italian boy glares up at me, and his eyes are this pretty hazel-green color, "So, ah, do you go here?"
"What does it look like? Of course we go here. You're very rude. You must always excuse yourself if you are going to interupt someone else's conversation. Try again."
"Oh... Excuse me, but could you give me your name?" I use the most polite voice I have, using the nice accent Mama taught me for when you have to be formal.
"I am Lovino, and this is my brother Feliciano." His voice is a little deeper than it should be for a boy his age, but still lovely with a very pretty Italian accent. "Now, what is your name?"
"Lovino... Such a nice name. I am Antonio, I live just down the street. My neighbours and I were playing football you see, and the ball came all the way over here. I came to get it, and now I have met the most handsome boy I have ever laid eyes on."
Lovino-ah such a pretty Italian name-rolls his eyes and seems indifferent to my flirting, but the other one, Feliciano practically glows and starts speaking in an excited mannered Italian that I can't quite make out all the words too. Papa taught me a little Italian, just enough to have a polite conversation but not enough to be able to say I speak it as fluently as I do Spanish. Before anything else, Papa taught me Spanish. He said it was important.
I hear a word that sounds like my word for idiot come up very often when the two are speaking to each other and I seem to have been forgotten about entirely. I excuse myself again, this time in Italian which the two both raise an eyebrow at and say goodbye adding at the end that I hope we will meet again. I don't pay much attention to Mama's lessons for the rest of the day, opting more for glancing out the window to look at the school just down the road from me. I must see him again, I have to. I think, this is one of those love at first sight things you see in soap operas all the time. The only difference is that my compliment did not get me a date.
I stare out the window before I go to sleep, wondering where those two live, and making a pact to myself that I will see him again, and one way or another I will have him in my life forever.
Morning lessons and chores seem to take forever before I get to go outside and play during the afternoon before my evening lessons. I like my morning lessons, I convinced Papa to teach me more Italian, he said he doesn't know a lot but will teach me everything he knows. When he asked why, I was very honest with him. Telling him about Lovino and how I wanted to become friends with him. I don't mention the cute part, because I am not so sure myself what that part is about anyways. Are boys supposed to think other boys are cute?
Maybe Mei knows, she lives next door with Wang Yao and his mixed up family. I'm not sure whether or not they are all related, because their last names are all different. There are a lot of them, there are seven all together but the oldest went to college last year and hasn't come back yet. I think he went to study in Thailand or something. Wang Yao has a boy my age, Honda but unlike Mei and the others he goes to the Catholic school. Which is strange, because I remember Mei telling me once about them and I think it was Taoism? I don't really remember all of it, all I know is that it was nowhere near related to Catholicism.
I spend a good portion of the afternoon sitting as close to the playground as I can without being on the school's property, waiting. Waiting for a recess or gym class or something like that. Did I miss their lunch time? I don't think so, this was about the same time the ball came over yesterday. Mei came and sat with me for a little while and I asked her about the boys thinking other boys are cute thing. She said that she had read in a book once that was called homosexuality, where boys like other boys in the same way that boys and girls like each other. She stressed it being like like each other and that she saw no problem with it at all, also that if I like like boys that's okay by her and that she wouldn't understand anyone else having a problem with it.
Would Mama and Papa have a problem with it? They always tell me that they will love me no matter what, does like liking boys fall under no matter what? I really wish I had brought something to eat with me other than a lollipop I found in my pocket from when we went to the bank the other day. A bell goes off somewhere, and within a matter of minutes both boys and girls come pouring out of the door ways, including Lovino and his brother.
I sit and watch them for a few minutes, they go over to where they were yesterday and it looks like they're trying not to be noticed. I've spaced out a little, daydreaming about the stew Mama's going to make for dinner tonight, when I hear a Chigigi! sound and "Put fratello down! Please!" I look up, and two bigger boys and a girl are standing in front of them. One boy is holding Lovino's arms down and the girl is pulling on this strand of hair that sticks out into a curl that both brothers have, while the other boy is holding Feliciano by his wrists.
I can't make out what they're saying exactly but it looks like Lovino is swearing and Feliciano is crying, now the girl is pulling on both Lovino and Feliciano's strands of hair that stick out into a curl. All I know is that there is this feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me I should help Lovino and Feliciano. I wonder if they will let me call them Lovi and Feli?
I push myself up off the grass, and walk over to them, quickly but in a dignified sort of way, as though I am better than petty fighting and being mean to innocent boys. The girl notices me first, and asks me what I want. The first thing I am tempted to do is look her in the eye and say: "Let my people go." like Moses does in the Bible. Instead I tell her to put them down, because they have done nothing to her and that she should be better than teasing boys who are younger than her.
She laughs at me.
The girl motions her head towards the boy holding Feliciano, who then drops him into a crumpled crying form on the ground and you can hear the muffled sound of a prayer being murmured over and over in Italian. The boy comes towards me, I can vaguely hear Lovino telling me to run away and that this is none of my concern but I am not going to sit and watch as someone beats up innocent people. As the boy moves closer it becomes blatantly obvious that this boy is a lot bigger than I am.
Not too long ago, Leon was talking to me about fighting and showed me various kung fu moves but also explained about punching. Something or other about throwing your weight into it and having a proper stance. I stop moving backwards six paces outside of the concrete that makes up the end of the school grounds, making sure that he doesn't notice. As long as we're not technically on the school's property I don't think I'll get in too much trouble for fighting. Mama will tell me that while fighting is bad I was doing a good thing by protecting Lovino and Feliciano, and Papa will praise me for standing up for innocent people. They have told me many times to protect people who need protecting.
The boy swings at me first, and misses. He tries again and hits my shoulder. It hurts, but if I didn't hit him first that means I didn't start a fight, and it gives me permission to finish it. I hit him back as hard as I possibly can, it looks like it hurts but, for the most part he just stumbles back a few paces and gives me a funny look. I've been told that I'm really strong for someone as leanly built as I am. He swings at me again, and hits my face which will leave bad bruise later and now I will have to explain the whole fight thing to Mama and Papa.
I put all of the weight as I possibly can into this punch, and hit him square in the nose. A funny crunching noise comes out, along with a groan, and my hand really hurts. The boy turns around and runs away, holding his hands over his nose. Dropping Lovino roughly on the ground, the boy and girl follow him. Feliciano is still crying, and Lovino gets up and runs over to him, cooing in Italian that I can hardly make out from this far away. I walk over to them, and mumble something about them being okay.
Feliciano nods, and Lovino just stares at me with an amazed face.
"You fought for us."
"Yes, so?" I don't see why he's so surprised, aren't you supposed to help people who are in trouble?
"Why?" Feliciano looks up with this question, and there are tears running down from the corner of his eyes to his chin that drop down into his lap.
I'm not sure how to justify the feeling that made me stand up. I look over back where my house is, coughing a little and murmur something incoherently about liking him, friendship, and it seeming like the right thing to do. Those hazel-green eyes just stare up at me with a mix of confusion and appreciation floating beneath the surface, he thanks me, and my stomach growls really loudly. Loudly as in everyone within a three-mile radius can hear it loudly. He says that a proper thanks would be to share lunch with me and that there was no refusing the offer.
Sharing a lunch with them was the best thing that has happened in my life so far. Feliciano is very funny, and Lovino can be very nice. Both have agreed to let me call them Lovi and Feli, and it just feels sort of right to call Lovino "my lovely Lovi~". He doesn't seem to mind at all, although the first time I said it, it sort of slipped out and a dark flush the color of a tomato spread across his face.
School officials came out not too long after we had finished, followed by the two boys and that girl. It was at that point that I decided it was time for me to go. I left saying good-bye and asking if they like tomatoes. Lovino said that he loves them very much, I promised to come tomorrow with some that we grow in our back yard, then ran home.
The rest of the day went by quickly, Mama had to rap a ruler across my knuckles a few times, asking me what exactly had been making me daydream during lessons. I told her that it was an Italian boy who had come to be my new best friend, Mama smiled at me and said to be careful with my heart. Maybe this feeling is what they call love.
For the next few days I ate lunch with them every afternoon at the same time. I've learned quite a bit about them, like the names of the other boys in their classes, and that they're living with their Grandpa while he's over here on business. Also, they are very very Catholic. Which, from what I can tell does not accept any form of the homosexuality that Mei was telling me about. I still see him anyways, and I know where his classroom is now!
I got pretty lucky on this one too! He sits right next to a window, and every now and again he'll look over at me waiting just outside the playground and stick his tongue out. Leon says that's what grown ups call "feisty". I'm not sure what it means but he says that grown up boys think it's a good thing in a girl. There's a bed involved somehow. I think the phrase was "feisty in bed." I don't really get it, does that mean the other person moves about while they sleep?
I asked Leon and he said he didn't get it either. I wrote it down on the list of things to ask Papa about when I'm older. Right now, the list is very small, and I didn't put down the like liking other boys thing. I think Papa would understand what I mean but he married Mama and had me so, that means he like likes girls not boys.
Love is very confusing.
I'm not saying that love isn't a good thing, everyone deserves at least a little love. It's just very confusing. Mei, Leon and I were talking yesterday before I left to eat lunch with Lovi and Feli about this homosexuality thing. Mei and Leon brought out this big book that had all sorts of interesting things in it, and the book said that there a people that like like not only other boys but girls too. That one was called bisexuality. Then, there was another one, about girls like liking other girls, the book said that it's also called homosexuality but most people called girls that like like other girls "lesbians." There were lots of other funny-looking words in there too with -sexuality added to the back.
The pansexuality one is the most confusing. Does that mean people love pans? No, that doesn't sound quite right... Other than that the big book had all sorts of things inside, things about science, and math. Cooking too! There was also lots of information about Italy, and España where Mama and Papa are from. Mama always tells me to be very proud of being second-generation Spanish and not to let anyone confuse España with Mexico. Which is another thing I don't understand, how could someone get the two mixed up?
As the days go by Lovino looks out the window at me more and more now. And, he gets a big smile on his face when I first settle down on the grass to wait for him. I started to bring my own lunch though, because Mama said that I wasn't eating enough when I went to eat lunch with my "little Italian lover". I wouldn't say that I love Lovi just yet though, Papa laughs whenever she says it and says something to her that I can't really make out. Big fancy words.
She always replies back that she's just teasing me, and that she hopes I'll find a lovely girl one day. But... I still wonder if I'll come home with a boy instead of a girl. Maybe... This will make more sense when I'm older. Lovi seems to like me more and more, asking about where exactly I live and if he could come over to play sometime. Feli insisted on coming too, and I had to apologize for not having younger siblings for him to play with. I did however say I could introduce him to Wang Yao's son Honda, who's about Feli's age. Also, that there's another boy there that's just a little older than them, Im Yong Soo. He's very nice and I've only met him the few times that he came to get Mei and Leon for lunch.
Feli was very happy about it, and said that they would be at my house tomorrow. Which is Saturday. Then... When Lovi left because the bell had rung he kissed me. He kissed my cheek and mumbled something to me in Italian. Something about 'ciao' 'bella' and 'amore'.
Bye. Beautiful. Love.
Does this mean... He loves me?
I tell Mama and Papa about Lovi and Feli inviting themselves over to play tomorrow during supper. Mama is delighted saying that she'll love to meet the boys I've told her so much about and that it will be nice for me to have some new friends over. She says that she'll make up some churros fresh tomorrow before they get here, and that I'll have to wake up a little earlier than usual to do my chores and things. Papa doesn't object to it, he just says that he wants to meet their Grandpa and get a "read on him". Whatever that means.
It takes me a long time to fall asleep, so long that I drift off into a nice dreamless sleep after counting stars. I wake up an hour early and get my chores done in record time, even going as far as cleaning my room. Straightening the assorted papers, drawings and coloring things on my desk, taking out the trash, and putting all my clothes in a hamper, then taking them down to the wash. I can barely concentrate through my science lessons, and run when there's a light rap rap rapping on the front door. I open it sort of slowly at first, until I see those hazel-green eyes. Then I throw open the door yelling, "Ah! My lovely Lovi!~"
Lovino blushes and looks up at a tall older looking man who has a very disapproving look on his face. Feli bubbles in and immediately into kitchen over to Mama, who had just started making the churros. I can hear him in the background, asking what she's making and if he can help her. The older man just stares down at me with that look of disapproval while I clutch the doorknob sort of helplessly. Papa comes up and clears his throat, taking the man's gaze off of me and gives me the opportunity to take Lovi in the house and up to my bedroom.
"Your room is very clean."
I smile at him, and say, "I got up early and cleaned it. I even got my laundry done."
Lovi wanders over to my bed and sits a little awkwardly, and has a look that says he wants to say something but isn't sure how to go about saying it. I'm tempted to ask him about the kiss and words from yesterday. I still don't understand the meaning of it.
Bye. Beautiful. Love.
Was he trying to say that he loves me and that I'm beautiful? Or is it that the love he has for me is beautiful? Then there's that kiss too. My aunties kiss me on the cheek but they're family, so, what does a kiss from a friend mean?
"Ah, Lovi-"
"I like you."
"What?" Did he just... He said he likes me. He likes me!
"I said, I like you. You saved me and Feli, and you're funny and have nice eyes."
"Oh," I'm not sure what to say, Lovi's face is going from a light pink to the color of a tomato. "I like you too, my lovely Lovi."
I think that this is the part where you kiss someone. So, I do, I lean over to kiss his cheek and find myself giving him a kiss on the mouth. The kiss is soft, and sweet even if it doesn't last long. I like kisses, mouth kisses I mean.
I think that I like like Lovino Vargas.