A month went by. Everyone was gathered around Hornet, who was reading to them another chapter of the Lord of the Rings. Mia was resting her head on Scipio's shoulder, embracing the words Hornet was reading. Suddenly, loud bangs were heard from outside the Stella.
"What's that?" Bo asked.
Riccio looked up. "It sounds like gun fire."
Mia shook her head. "It sounds like fireworks."
"Fireworks?" Bo asked excitedly. He grabbed Prosper's hand and began pulling him towards the door. Come on, let's get a look!"
The group followed the brothers outside. Outside, the night sky was exploding with colour. Blues and reds and yellows and pinks were bursting in the air. Bo was staring up at the sky, star-struck. Mosca put Bo on his shoulders. "How about we move closer, eh?" Mosca asked him.
"Yeah!" Bo answered excitedly.
Scipio held his hand out to Mia. "Shall we?"
Mia giggled, took his hand, and the two of them followed the group down the alley towards St. Mark's Square. "So Mia," Riccio said, "it's been over a month since you tried to kill me. I'm guessing that means we're square?"
Mia laughed. "Yeah, we're square." Though at first Riccio and Mia were uneasy round each other, the past month allowed them to open up around each other. Though not friends, they did not feel the need to kill each other every moment.
"Mia, have you seen fireworks before?" Bo asked sweetly, still looking up at the sky. It was clear he had never seen them before.
"Yeah," Mia replied. "Before I moved to Venice, every July forth my family would go see fireworks on the beach."
"Why?" Bo asked.
"Independence Day," Mia replied. "We celebrate when won our freedom from the British."
"Why?" Bo asked again.
"Oh, it's this whole song and dance," Mia replied. "A long story."
"Can you tell it?" Bo asked.
"You want me to tell you the story of the American Revolution?" Mia asked, a bemused smile on her face.
"Yeah!" Bo exclaimed.
Mia looked to Scipio. He just smiled and shook his head in amusement. "Okay," Mia said, laughing. "Here's the story of the American Revolution."
And that's the story that Mia told the group on the way to St. Mark's Square.
When they were about two blocks away from St. Mark's Square, the group could see a crowd of people. "Wow!" Bo exclaimed. Up close, the fireworks were much brighter and seemed a lot bigger.
"You guys go on ahead," Scipio called to the others. "I need to talk to Mia alone."
"Talk?" Mosca asked. "More like snog."
Mia and Scipio glared at him as the others walked away laughing. "That was a mood killer," Mia said. "You want to talk to me? About what?"
"Mia," Scipio said, "I know we've only known each other for about a month, and we've been dating each other for less than that, but. . ."
"What?" Mia asked quietly.
"But . . . ever since I first saw you, I could stop thinking about you. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I . . . I love you."
Mia's eyes lit up when she heard that statement. "You love me?"
Scipio closed his eyes and sighed. "And you don't love me back. God, I've made such a fool out of myself. God, Mia, I'm sorry. I really am. I am so, so, so-"
Mia kissed Scipio with more passion than she had ever kissed him before. It took Scipio by surprise. "I love you too," she whispered.
Scipio looked up at her with a look of surprise. "Really?" he asked.
Mia laughed quietly. "Why are you so arrogant with everyone but me?"
Scipio smiled. "Come on," he said. "We better catch up with the others."
Mia returned his smile, but just as she was about to hold his hand, something grabbed Mia from behind. Mia screamed, but a hand covered her mouth.
"Quiet you little bitch!" a voice yelled at Mia.
No . . . Scipio thought. It can't be. . .
Mia's father tried pulling Mia away from Scipio and the rest of the crowd. But Mia, ever the fighter, tried elbowing her father in the stomach, biting his hand, and attempted kicking him in the groin; however, nothing worked. Scipio came racing towards Mia's father. Mia's father, however, used his daughter as both a shield and a sword, thrusting her at Scipio whenever he got too close. At one point, Mia's father managed to hit him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, causing Scipio to keel over. By the time Scipio could get up, Mia was gone.