I sat at the window, tapping my nails against the glass. Kiku had gone out, I didn't know where.
The city was lit up so brightly it looked magical. Almost as if a photograph and been glued to the glass and this was not the Verona which I had walked out of the train into this morning, but Verona in a fairytale universe where all was perfect and quiet. I sighed happily.

After a few minutes more, boredom washed over me, so I grabbed my jacket and made for the door.
I stopped in my tracks and checked my watch. It was only seven PM, so I would be fine for the next few hours.

The journey to the exit of the building seemed longer than it was, with people watching me as I walked past, mumbling 'excuse me' to guys much bigger than me who blocked the corridor.
Once I finally got to the foyer, I walked over to the desk where the lady smiled at me and asked for my name and room number.
"Feliciano Vargas, C54." I told her with a polite smile.
"Alright honey." She scribbled my name down on a sheet of lined paper. "Enjoy your time out and be sure to let me know when you come back !"
"Thanks." I turned away and walked towards the door, pausing when she spoke again.
"Oh, and you wouldn't happen to be related to a Lovino Vargas, would you?"
I muttered all the names of my cousins and second cousins who shared my surname before shaking my head. "Nope."
"Ah, I was just wondering because a young man left just before you by that name."
"Common surname, I guess." I grunted before turning from her and leaving the building.

Verona looked so different in the darkness. It was so much more vibrant and so much louder. There was music pouring out of clubs and large groups of people chatting loudly. I felt out of place, but there was no point in going back. I had to get used to it al eventually anyway.

I strolled down the path with my hands in my pockets and leaned up against a wall, looking up at the sky. As soon as my back made contact with the plaster there was a loud squelch. I cringed and pulled my hoodie over my head and just as I had thought, there was white paint all over it. I let out an irritated sigh. That was all I needed.

"Careful, that paint's wet." A heard somebody say sarcastically I looked up to see Rosa smirking at me.
"Yeah, I figured." I growled.
"T'was but a joke, friend. Besides I already made that mistake myself." She turned to reveal a white smudge down the back of her black coat.
I laughed. "I feel better now, thanks."
"I should be thanking you. I don't feel so stupid anymore." She muttered.
"I don't know how to take that."
"You should probably be insulted."
"Well then thanks very much."
"You're very welcome."

Rosa started making her way down the street and I was unsure whether or not to follow, so I stayed put.
She glanced back and me and furrowed her eyebrows. "Aren't you coming?"
I shrugged.
"Aw, come on friend, I've been alone all night!" she whined.
I chuckled and caught up with her.

"Where are we going anyway?" I ask after a few minutes of walking.
"Well, I was going to go back to my room and watch the movie adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet but if that's not your idea of a fun night we could do whatever." She lamented.
"Shakespeare, huh?" I chuckled.
"I can dig Shakespeare."
"'Dig him'? That sounds a bit disrespectful and also extremely illegal."
I burst into laughter as she said this. "
She folded her arms in front of her chest and glared at me before looking kind of sad.
"I'm sorry Rosa. It's an English expression, that's all." I explain.
"An English expression meaning what? Do the English go around vandalising the graves of famous dead writers or something? I lived in England and nobody ever did anything like that or even said such a thing!"
It was difficult to hold back my laughter.
"Okay, okay it's probably more of an American English expression then. It's not really used much these days anyway, I don't think."
"Can we please just get to the part where you tell me what it means?" He whined.
"To dig something means to like something." I stated.
"Dig..." She mused. "Like, I 'dig' pizza?"
"Yeah, that's basically it."
"I 'dig' kittens." She continued. "And I dig snow, and candles, and puppies, and books and I especially 'dig wearing my eyeliner so sharp it could kill a man-."
"I think it's time to stop Rosa."
"Okay."
"Let's just keep going." I suggested.
"I 'dig' that idea."
I groaned in exasperation and she laughed. "Sorry. I won't do it again."

We started off down the street again.
"So I'm not much of a Shakespeare man." I told her.
"I can tell." She said.
"Well, educate me then."
"Okay, so I'll start off with the well-known tale of Romeo and Juliet." She mused. "Many say that this particular play is overdone and over rated and you know what? Fuck those people. Then there are those who crush the romance aspect of the play because 'Juliet was only 13' and 'they only knew each other for three days'. Number one; back in Shakespeare's day it was not uncommon for young girls to marry older guys. Two; Three days in teenage relationships can feel like three months.
The real problem is; why the hell did Benvolio and Mercutio not end up together?"
"Wait, what?" I spluttered.
"You heard me, friend. I will go DOWN with that ship!"

-

She babbled on some more about Romeo and Juliet before telling me the basic story of Hamlet which we were going to watch, and then we were at the university.

"Rosa Villa, room G19." She told the lady at the desk who then crossed out her name on the list.
"Feliciano Vargas, C54." I then said and she did the same to mine.

Rosa and I walked to the stairway and I followed where she went.
"So your name is 'Feliciano Vargas', huh friend?" She queried.
"Mm hm." I mumbled, already getting tired. "Why didn't we just take the elevator?"
"Because that's lazy! NOW GET UP THE FUCKING STAIRS VARGAS!" She sounded like one of those scary instructors from those fitness camp TV shows, but still I just slowly pulled myself up the stairs by the hand rail.

When I got to the floor we were supposed to be on, Rosa was standing waiting.
"What took you so long Feleeshiahnoo?" She teased and I rolled my eyes.
"Your room better not be far down this corridor, I swear to God."
"Don't worry, friend. It's right here."

She took out her key then unlocked the door. "My roommate is still out." She commented before switching on the light. "She seems nice but we haven't talked much."
"My roommate is pretty cool. I'll have to introduce you guys."

I looked around the room and noticed one side had a few posters here and there and the wall on the other side was bare and the bedding was half put on with a purple stuffed bear sitting on top.

"Yeah... I'm not so great at unpacking." Rosa shot me an awkward grin. "Got the TV wired up though."
She gestured to a small TV at the foot of her bed and I gasped. "I didn't think you were allowed to bring a TV!"
"I was never told that I couldn't bring a TV, so I did." She shrugged.
"Seems logical enough to me."

Rosa turned on the TV and put in a DVD of Hamlet before going and sitting on her bed where I followed and sat beside her.

The movie started and she pointed out to me who was who and told me what was going on since I wasn't so good at progressing Shakespeare although I spoke English more fluently than Rosa did.

"That's Hamlet's boyfriend- I mean BEST friend, Horatio." She whispered, before adding in an even quieter voice, "Hamatio forever, losers."

Her commentary continued throughout the movie. If it had been a movie in Italian or in modern day English then Rosa's constant chatter would have been annoying, but without her comments on what was going on then I really would not have had a clue.
I also, rather unexpectedly, ended up shipping Hamatio by the end of it which excited Rosa to no end.

As I was getting up to leave for the night, Rosa said in a quiet voice, "I 'dig' you Feli. Platonically."
"Well I 'dig' you too Rosa." I giggled. "Also platonically."
"Even if I liked you more than platonically, it wouldn't matter because you're gay anyway."
I looked up at her with wide eyes. "Wh-what makes you say that? I n-never t-told you that."
"You didn't need to tell me. I can see it in your aura." She drew circles around me with her I index finger as she said this.
"You believe in all that stuff?" I questioned.
"No! I just wanted to freak you out." She grinned childishly.
"So you don't think I'm gay?"
"No, silly! I don't think you're gay!"
I sighed in relief.
"I KNOW you're gay!" She exclaimed. "And don't ask me how I know. I just know okay."
"But you must have found out somehow!"
"'Found out'? So you're admitting it now?"
"I'm not admitting anything but I'm not telling you you're wrong either because if I said that then you probably wouldn't tell me anything!"
"Fine, fine, Feli." She sighed, slinking under her sheets with a heavy sigh. "All will be revealed in the morning, just let me sleep now."
"Fine." I said, walking to the door and turning off the light so she could sleep. "Goodnight Rosa, you mad woman."
"Goodnight, Feliciano Vargas." Her soft voice rang out in the darkness. "Have gay rainbow dreams, friend."

And those were the last words we said to one another until the next morning.