IN THE LABYRINTHS OF LOVE

Don David, Kurt and Leonard left the garden a few minutes ago, and a shocked Jeff continues behind the bush, brooding over everything he heard about himself and, especially, about Nick ... and his feelings for him.

Leaving behind the bush at last, Jeff strides into the middle of the garden in long strides, gesturing frantically and talking to himself even more troubled. "It can't be a joke ... the conversation was too serious. They obtained this information from Blaine ... they show themselves penalized with the boy, who seems to have reached the height of passion ... HE LOVES ME ! ... Why ? ... Well, it needs to be matched. I heard the criticisms about me: they said that I will be proud when I realize that he has love for me; they said more that he would rather die than let some of his true feelings be perceived. I never thought about getting married; I must not look proud. Happy are those who hear to list their defects and can, with this, correct themselves. They said he is a beautiful creature. Is right; I can testify to that. And virtuous; so it is, in fact; I cannot dispute it. And smart ... except for giving me love. Yes, because of my faith, this does not testify in favor of his wit, but it is also not a strong argument that he is crazy, because I am going to become horribly in love with him. It may happen that they send me hints and sarcasms, due to the fact that I was such a staunch opponent of marriage ... But don't the tastes change? As a child, we may like a delicacy that we will not be able to bear after we are old. Will sarcasms, and sentences, and paper bullets thrown by the brain have the power to divert us from the route traced by our temperament? No." With a cool tone of voice and a determined air, Jeff screams "The world needs love ..." and starts walking towards the house, but stops abruptly with a thought in his mind.

As if, wanting to put his own thoughts in order, Jeff continues his conversation with himself "When I said I wanted to die celibate, I didn't think I would live until I got married." ... and looking towards the house, he perceives movement through the flower corridor that leads to the garden "oh! ... Nick is coming ... By the sunlight, he is, in fact, an admirable creature! I notice some symptoms of love in him. "

Getting close to where Jeff was trying to disguise that he was watching his approach, Nick snorts in disgust, and says with some irritation, "Against my will, I was tasked with calling you to dinner." And he was just turning around to leave when he was interrupted by Jeff, who with a friendly tone replies "Dear Nick, I thank and apologize for the work you did"

Nick, surprised by the friendliness and delicacy in the young Jeff's speech, turns around with a confused expression on his face and says with an even more confused tone in his voice, "I didn't have any more work, to make myself worthy of those thanks, than you did for do them to me. If the assignment had been painful for me, I wouldn't have accepted it. "

Trying to have a civil conversation for the first time with Nick, Jeff continues in a pleasant tone and a small smile on his face "In that case, were you happy to accept it?" further confusing Nick, who replied, "As much pleasure as it gives you the tip of a dagger in your skin. But I see that you are without appetite, sir; be well. " And with a huff of irritation, Nick turns and leaves.

Left alone again, Jeff, confused but pleased with himself and with what had unfolded minutes ago in the presence of young Nick, gives a sigh and says to himself ... Ahhhh! "Against my will, I was asked to call you for dinner." The phrase is ambiguous. "I had no more work to make myself worthy of those thanks than you do to me." It is as if the handsome Nick said: all the work I do for you is as easy to bear as thanks. If I don't feel sorry for that boy, I'm a villain; if I don't love him, I'm a soulless "

Thinking about what he would do with such information, and looking for the best option to solve this situation, Jeff goes to the parapet of the lookout, and looking at the sunset on the horizon, he says hopefully in his voice "I need to try to get a picture of beautiful Nick! "

...

Meanwhile, Nick, who was returning home from the Garden corridor, hears the voices of Blaine and Sam, (who were already waiting for Nick's passage to put the prince's plan into practice) talking in one of the furthest flowerbeds, and he suddenly stops when he hears Sam speaking in a tone of surprise "Are you sure Mr. Jeff loves young Nick so much?"

Putting Don David's plan into practice, Blaine responds to Sam by pretending not to be aware of Nick's presence behind the flower wall "So the prince said and my fiance confirms it."

"And did they, by any chance, ask you to tell Nick about it?" asked Sam, who promptly received Blaine's reply "Yes, I was asked to reveal what is going on. But I replied that if they really loved Jeff as friends, they would convince him to fight against that feeling, never letting Nick know about it. "

As if surprised by the young man's response, Sam asked him again, "Why did you do that? Isn't Mr. Jeff worthy and worthy of having Nick in his arms? " By that time, Nick was already completely intrigued by the conversation, and he was sneaking through the bushes to better hear their conversation.

Blaine, waving his hands as if to calm Sam down, says "Oh god of love! I am quite sure that he deserves all that he can luckily fit into any man. But Nick is the most proud boy there is. Contempt and disdain shine and radiate from your eyes, which, where they land, despise. He values himself so much that for him, everything else is weakness ... Loving is not possible, he will not know how to give life to any affectionate feeling towards Mr. Jeff. It is better that he lives only for himself. " . Hearing such statements about himself, they began to touch the depths of his heart and soul. Nick was getting uncomfortable with this.

Nick's thoughts were interrupted by Sam's voice. "That's what I think, too. It seems to me that it is not advisable that we talk about Jeff's love, so that he does not become a reason for mockery and mockery. " And through Blaine's voice, completing "Exactly. For to this day I have not seen any man, no matter how sensible, noble, young, politely educated, that he did not misrepresent his concept. Of all, he has something terrible to say ... everyone he sees only inside out, only through the defective face. He does not know how to value anyone who shows any sign of romantic interest towards him. "

Continuing the conversation to stoke Nick's feelings, Sam states, "Such a genius is not recommended." And Blaine confirms, "No, you can't be so weird, so different from everyone else in everything, like Nick is; it's not recommended. But who would dare to tell you that? If I spoke to you, I wouldn't pay any attention. It is preferable that poor Jeff, consumes himself with so much sighing and internally will be devastated, than suffers from the contempt and sarcasm that, it is certain that Nick shows for the boy. "

Nick was more and more agonized by what he heard. He didn't know if what was bothering him the most was the fact that they thought he shouldn't have known about Jeff's feelings for him, or if it was Jeff himself being in love with him.

As if in a snap, Sam's voice made him pay attention to the conversation that was still going on: "But tell him and listen to his answer. Who knows ... "said Sam, but was interrupted by Blaine who said firmly" No! No way! It would be better if I ask Kurt to look for Jeff and, as a friend of his, advise him to fight that feeling. If necessary, I will invent any honest slander to undo that passion. Nobody can calculate the poisonous potency of a bad word in a passionate heart ".

With a tone of concern, Sam puts himself in defense of Nick, which draws a sigh of relief from the young man who heard everything "Oh! Don't do this to your cousin! We shouldn't judge him that badly! It is not possible that he is so arrogant and vile as to refuse a gentleman as rare and fine as Jeff. " Sam said. "Such a man is not found in all of Italy, with the exception of my dear Kurt." Blaine replied with pride in his voice and a wide smile on his face!

Sam, with the intention of further instigating the boy who was hiding listening to everything, added firmly in his voice, "Don't be angry with me, my dear Blaine, with what I will say ... but as for the form, spirit and courage, the Mr Jeff outperforms any gentleman in all of Italy. " Receiving a nod from his friend in confirmation, because then Sam continued "... but changing the subject, when are you getting married?" Sam asked and Blaine, now very excited responds to the top of his lungs by grabbing his friend's hands "Any day ... tomorrow !" getting a smile in response.

Knowing that Nick had already been caught up in the plot, and that there was nothing else to talk or do at that moment. Blaine turns to Sam and decides to end the conversation right there "Let's go! I need you to help me choose the best outfit for tomorrow's ceremony. "

Speaking almost as if in a whisper, Sam pointing to the bush where Nick was still hiding, and says "Surely Nick took the bait, I can assure you, my friend. We got him! " and celebrating together, Blaine says excitedly "If so, love will happen! Some cupids use arrows and other traps. "

After finishing the conversation, the two leave for the house, leaving behind a stunned Nick with so much information. He was shocked that Jeff was in love with him. He was, in a way, hurt by the vision they had of him. He was confused by his own feelings at the time. His thoughts flowed wildly in his head. He didn't know what to do.

After some time, Nick found himself alone, and somewhat stunned, he came out of hiding and started walking aimlessly through the garden, and talking to himself "Why are my ears burning? Is all this true? Should I be condemned for pride and disdain? ... no ... So, disdain, goodbye! Mine, pride, never again! ... No glory lives behind this! "

With a sigh of relief, like a resolution that came from the depths of his soul, Nick looks towards the sunset that appeared between the trees, and with a tone of voice that mixed fear and hope he professed "Jeff ... awakened the love ... I will repay your feelings by placing my wild heart in your loving hand. Oh Jeff ... If you love me, my affability will incite you to tie our love in a sacred bond. Everyone says you are worthy, so I ... in my humility I believe in the judgment they make of you. "