The latest stage of my denial became practically living off of lasagna and moping in my room, avoiding Crystal, Trace and Diamond and waking up at 2pm, only to go back to bed at 10. I was sure of two things: I had gained at least five pounds since staying in Venice, and Trace and Diamond's patience with me was wearing thin.

It made sense, then, that when Diamond was called to Rome on Wednesday morning for an emergency job, they decided to take me with them.

"Xav!" A voice that was unmistakably Trace's pierced the darkness in my room. I groaned, pulling the covers over my head in a half-asleep attempt to block him out so I could avoid waking up fully, but it was no use as he called me again. Deciding he was my new least favourite brother, I glanced at the clock and swore. It was 4:30am. What the hell did he want?

"This had better be important, Trace," I warned, "as I was just having a very nice dream about a very attractive girl who just so happened to be wearing very little clothing." I left out the part where the girl looked strangely similar to Crystal.

Trace laughed. "We're going to Rome. Now. We were wondering if you wanted to come?"

"Who's we?" I frowned, partly hoping that Crystal was coming, and partly hoping that she wasn't.

"Just Di and myself."

"As much as I'd love to join you, it is sinfully early and I'd quite like to revisit that dream I was enjoying so much." I was only half joking.

Trace was having none of it. "I don't know what's going on with you at the moment, but it needs to stop. You can't sleep all day. Get dressed - we're leaving in ten minutes."

"OK, Dad."

He shut my door and I heard his and Diamond's voices in the kitchen. I had no doubt they were discussing me. Groaning for what was probably already the fiftieth time since waking up, I dragged myself out of bed. Goose bumps rose on my arms and chest. It was definitely too early for this.

I crossed the room in my boxers and found some dark grey jeans, pulling them on and searching for a shirt. I could hear light drizzle tapping against my window and decided Timberlands and a black t-shirt, underneath a jacket, were the best options for the weather.

Feeling a little more awake, I went to brush my teeth and sort my hair out, studying my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I had been sleeping pretty much all day for the last few days, but I still looked drained. There were slight bags under my eyes that hadn't even been there after long nights at college parties and with girls whose names I couldn't even remember anymore. Part of me longed to go to Rome and get away from all this for a few hours, but the other part of me wanted to stay right here, with her.

Having managed to wrestle my hair into a somewhat acceptable style, I met Trace and Diamond, who were waiting to go, in the kitchen. Diamond handed me black coffee in a travel cup. "For our tired little traveller," she said with a smile.

"Thanks, Di." A cup of coffee certainly strengthened my resolve to escape to Rome for the day. However, there was still a tiny nagging feeling that I couldn't seem to get rid of, that wanted to be wherever Crystal was, and that happened to be here in Venice.

Why was I feeling like this? I'd never had such strong feelings for a girl before, not even for one of my previous girlfriends, and Crystal could only be described as a friend at best. We weren't romantically together, nor was there any sign that we might be in the future. Half of the time, we didn't even get along, yet here I was, head-over-heels after an on-screen kiss. The worst part was that I couldn't even tell her. I was resigned to squashing everything down and pretending that I saw her merely as my brother's wife's sister.

The journey to Rome took just under 4 hours, and, as much as I wanted to sleep, I forced myself to stay awake to admire the stunning views we passed. Our train snaked through valleys in mountainous terrain and I was reminded of the slopes at home, and how it felt like an eternity since the last time I went skiing. We even stopped at the beautiful cities of Bologna and Florence to collect more passengers, and caught views of the Renaissance architecture as we approached and drew away from the stations.

"Our little Shakespeare here used to be obsessed with these places," I heard Trace say to Diamond, pointing at me.

I laughed, remembering it well. Twelve-year-old Xav had studied 'Romeo and Juliet' at middle school and had been oddly fascinated by the old Italian cities and kingdoms in which Shakespeare set many of his plays. I had enjoyed it so much that I persuaded our English teacher to also read 'Othello' to us, which was coincidentally set in Venice. It was definitely a sure fire way to damage your popularity and 'cool' status.

"He actually always used to insist that if he ever found his soulfinder, he'd take her to Verona," Trace continued.

I smiled weakly, finding this part less funny. My innocent, childlike optimism that I'd once felt had disappeared a few years ago, and, at nineteen, I had now almost completely resigned myself to the fact that I was never going to find her.

"Maybe one day," I said, not sounding very hopeful.

"You'll find her," Trace promised. "And in the meantime, you have Crystal to keep you company."

I am 100% certain that, at that moment, something happened that almost never happens. Xavier Benedict went red. The nonchalant facade dropped momentarily as my cheeks flushed scarlet in the greatest betrayal known to man.

"Are you blushing, Xav?" Trace smirked.

It was like I was thirteen again, and being teased by my brothers about my first crush.

"Maybe?" I conceded, smiling a little. Diamond looked surprised.

Trace however, seemingly satisfied with the tiny bit of information he had received, and to my immense relief, dropped the subject for the rest of the journey.

We arrived in Rome just before midday and I was again floored by the amazingness of it all. The beauty of Italy never failed to surprise me. It was a strangely romantic place and I was secretly, though I'd never admit it to my brothers, a hopeless romantic. Trace went with Diamond to visit the family she'd been called to pacify, and I decided to take the time to explore more of Rome, rather than going along with them.

I got myself lunch at a small, locally owned pizzeria and decided it was the best food I'd ever eaten in my whole life. I bought myself a second pizza and had them put it in a box so I could take it back to Venice with me for lunch tomorrow, as one meal from that place just wasn't enough. I also stopped by the Colosseum and a few other important landmarks. I even went into a small souvenir shop and couldn't stop myself from buying Crystal a small gift, though I was sure she'd been to Rome herself already, before meeting up with Trace and Di after a few hours. We went to a few more of the main attractions together and got dinner at another small restaurant near Vatican City. I enjoyed spending time with them, especially as Trace was always busy with work at home and I didn't get to see him much, but seeing them enjoying the sights together was also a constant and painful reminder that I didn't have a soulfinder to share this place with me. As we boarded the train home in the evening, my feeling of eagerness to escape and be back in Venice returned, exhausted after a long day of being by myself.

I slept for the entire journey and was relieved when we finally got back to the apartment at around 11pm. Diamond went to say hi to Crystal and I poked my head around the door to see her as well. I'd missed her much more than I should have, more than I cared to admit.

"Hey, cupcake." She was lying in bed in her pyjamas. She looked so cute, yet beautiful and attractive at the same time. A very large part of me wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with her and fall asleep.

"Hi. Did you enjoy Rome?" she asked, tucking her laptop under her sheets.

"Fantastic - could have spent a week there," I lied. As beautiful as it was, all I wanted was to be in Venice with her. "How was your day?"

"Um." She hesitated, looking uncomfortable, before adding quickly, "It was fine."

"Great. See you in the morning," I smiled.

She still looked a little anxious, distracted even. "Yeah. Sleep well."

I closed her door softly and crossed the hall back to my own room, squashing down the feeling that wanted to go back to her. I couldn't get rid of it - it was relentless. What was happening to me?

Author's note: Hi! I know I haven't updated this story for forever. I've now finished school for summer and something about having so much free time reminded me of this fanfic I never finished and neglected for so long. I really want to finish it before I go back to school so I'll try my best. I doubt many of you are still reading but thank you and apologies for the massive delay if you are!