Fucking Nonno. If it wasn't for Nonno, I wouldn't be here! I'm in Asscrack, Nebraska, just because of him! I don't even get why he sent me here, after all, I'm the one who does all the work around the house, with only Feliciano around, he's going to be helpless! And when all of our annoying loud neighbors are going to come around and bother him, and no one will be able to tell them to go away! Nonno being swamped in loud Italians is actually pretty funny to think about, and I resist the urge to laugh. I can't laugh right now, I have to explain my shitty situation, and wallow in my own self pity.

Feliciano! Its his fault I'm here! If he hadn't brought his dumb German boyfriend home, I wouldn't have gotten angry and gotten into a fight with that cocky bastard! Who even gets sent away because of a verbal fight? A verbal fight, for God's sake! Its not like I actually physically hurt anyone!

I think it was just because I embarrassed Nonno. I know I can get really angry and unreasonable sometimes, but still! I don't have anger issues, I just have a short temper! That's it! And besides, anger issues is no reason to be sent away from your home! And it is definitely no reason to be sent away to Nebraska, of all places! Why not just uptown New York? Its not like I had to fucking leave the state!

So, now I'm out of Brooklyn and in this little hellhole. There is literally nothing here! The closest town is an hour's drive away, and I'm surrounded by pasture and corn and soy bean fields. There's only one person near my age within a twenty mile radius, and there's no way he would ever cast me a second glance. My only friends while I'm here are going to be a couple of chickens.

I just want to be back home. I want to be with my family and my friends and my neighbors, and I do not want to deal with the fact that every two feet there's another pile of cow shit to step in. I want to get back home so I can protect my little brother, and so I can help my Nonno. I'm not needed around here, and that is the worse feeling ever, at least for me. I hate feeling like I'm not needed, its worse than feeling alone. Being alone can be fixed by calling someone or watching television. Not being needed can't be fixed, you can't make someone need you.

Most of the time I just lay around my uncle's house, doing nothing, just eating and maybe helping out with house chores. Its part of the reason why this place is so hellish. As much fun as doing nothing can be, I got pretty damn tired of it after a week. Of course, I could get a job, but I don't want to work on a farm, and I don't want to drive an hour to get to the nearest Walmart to get a job.

So, in the town of Grassteppe, Nebraska, there is no town hall, no library, no shops, no place to actually confirm that there is a town. Its just a name given to the few farms that are out here. Its a sad excuse for a rural town, almost none of the neighbors speak to each other, nothing to gossip about, just flat plains filled with corn and shit like that.

I'm staying at my aunt and uncle's house, their names are Roderich and Elizaveta Edelstein. I'm not blood related to either of them, but Nonno apparently knew Roderich when he was a child, and they didn't lose contact. Roderich was more than happy to take me in when Nonno sent me away.

They don't own a farm, Roderich is an English teacher in the next town over. Elizaveta has apple and pear trees in the backyard that she makes preserves from, and sells them whenever the county has a Farmer's Market. She also has an online shop where she sells clothes and quilts and things like that. Elizaveta is very crafty, which is a bad thing for me. She has me model her dresses sometimes. God forbid Nonno or Feliciano ever find her website. (Or rather, anyone back in Brooklyn.)

The people closest to Roderich and Elizaveta's house is the Fernandez-Carriedo family. Consisting of two, very loud middle aged Spanish-Americans, a couple cousins who live there to help out on the farm, and then there is their son. Antonio. Hear the name and weep bitterly because he will never ever like you back and you will die lonely with six cats.

Antonio is the only spot of sunshine in the lonely place of Grassteppe. (I'm really exaggerating, but you get the point. I really like Antonio.) But I can never be with him, I'm just the angry, douchey Italian that lives next door. Feliciano tries to convince me that I have a chance, but we both know that's a huge lie. Ugh.

I'm pulled from my self pity when I hear Elizaveta calling from the kitchen.

"Lovino! Your lunch is ready." (Lunch is a rather loose term, its actually four in the afternoon, I just woke up two hours ago. Its not like I have school to go to or anything, so why not sleep in? And why not lay around in sweatpants and a t-shirt all day?)

I'm in the living room right now, and I pull myself off the couch to make heavy, stomping steps across the room to get to the kitchen. I really do appreciate everything Elizaveta does for me, but its just best to keep up the asshole facade, it makes everything easier. She knows I don't mean it, so I don't feel as bad for doing it as I usually do.

Once I get into the kitchen, she hands me a green plate, and a glass of water. The plate has a turkey and cheese sandwich on it, and apple slices. We had a fuck ton of apples growing in the backyard, so Elizaveta found a way to incorporate them into every single meal we had. Its not like its a bad thing though, I really like apples. I sit down at the kitchen table and begin shoveling the food into my mouth.

As I finish my lunch, Elizaveta sits down at the kitchen table, across from me.

"So Lovino, I told Mr. Carriedo that you would help him out at the farm tomorrow."

I swallow the last of my sandwich,"That's fine as long as I don't have t-"

"You're going to be working the whole day with Antonio. You're watering the corn and soy beans, and then you're going to work with horses the rest of the day."

I groan,"I can't do that, Elizaveta, you know that!"

Elizaveta lets out a huff of air,"I don't understand why you think this is a bad thing! You're going to spend the day with the boy you like! There's nothing bad about that!"

"Everything is bad about that! I'm going to be blushing and stammering the whole time, you have no idea how I am around people that I like!"

Elizaveta sighs,"Well, you'll just have to deal with it. And I'll pay you if you do it."

I consider this option,"How much?"

"Five dollars an hour."

"That's only fifty dollars!"

"That's all I have right now!"

"Alright. I'll do it. And I'm blaming you when I embarrass myself."

Elizaveta shoos me out of the kitchen as she busies herself making dinner for Roderich when she gets home, telling me to go sit on the couch and watch the television.

For a couple minutes I listen to Elizaveta clatter around in the kitchen. I think she enjoys acting like a housewife, but cooking is her downfall. We have spaghetti and meatloaf a lot, I'm pretty sure its the only things she knows how to make.

I sigh and turn on the television, flipping through the guide to see what all is on. In case you didn't know, daytime television sucks.

After about two hours of watching Friends reruns, Roderich walks in the living room, back from work. He gives me a glare as he walks into the kitchen. He has all the reason to glare at me, I've been wearing the same clothes for a week straight. Next to his dark purple sports coat and ironed black dress pants, I look like I've been living on the streets.

"Lovino, come into the kitchen,"Roderich calls,"Time to grade papers."

I let out a groan,"I'm too dumb to do that!"

"Its Junior High English, get in here!"

Its Friday, and every Friday is paper grading day. Roderich is the only English teacher at the junior high in the next town over, so he teaches sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. Which means every Friday, he has a shit ton of papers to grade. So, we all get together in the kitchen and help him out with the grading. Its tedious work, but we get through it with a lot of talking and the promise of dinner afterwards.

I walk into the kitchen, where Roderich and Elizaveta are already seated. Papers are strewn all across the table, it looks like more than usual. Tonight was going to suck.

We use the colored pens that are laying out on the table, and check the papers, one by one. A constant chatter follows our work.

Our conversation sweeps between many topics. Taxes, mortgage, Elizaveta getting a goat, the asshole kids that Roderich has to deal with, etc., etc., etc.

Eventually the conversation brings up the Fernandez-Carriedos.

Elizaveta looks like she'd been waiting the whole evening to talk about this,"I told Mr. Carriedo that Lovino would help out on their farm tomorrow."

Roderich nods,"You really do need to get out of the house, Lovino. Don't get too wild with Antonio."

"Gross! Besides, he doesn't even like me."

Roderich nods,"Yeah I know. But its fun to torture you."

"I'm just glad that Lovino is making friends! It kills me to see you moping around all the time,"Elizaveta comments.

"Seriously though,"Roderich looks at Lovino pointedly,"Don't get too crazy. Roma would kill me if you got pregnant."

I groan and bury my head in my arms. The thingsI have to deal with around here!

After we finish the grading everything, and after dinner, I am pretty much done with social interactions for the day.

I tell Roderich and Elizaveta goodnight, and head to my room. I flop down on my bed and boot up my laptop.

It seems like a good time to catch up with my friends back home, and to blog.

As I scroll through pictures of coffee, food, and bleached blonde chicks, I hear the little noise that tells me I have a Facebook message.

I go into the tab where Facebook is pulled up and smile when I see that Feliciano has messaged me

•••••
: Lovi! I miss you!

: i miss you too, feli. tell nonno i say hello

: I will! How is Nebraska?

: like hell. how is brooklyn without me?

: A lot quieter!

: we both know thats a lie. the contadinos are still in the neighborhood, so its still as loud as always

: Hehe, you're right! :) But, Lovino, I need to go! Me and Ludwig are going out for dinner tonight

: tell ludwig i say fuck you

: Lovi, that's rude! :( I'll talk to you later, I love you!

: love you too

•••••

After a couple more hours of blogging, I'm ready to go to bed. I have farming and mass embarrassment to deal with tomorrow.

○○•••••

wow i moved onto another fic really quickly laughs

sorry i just had to get the spamano out of my system? tell me what you think! review please :-)