8. Welcome to Sorrento

Sophia wished she had brought a two-piece bathing suit. Because so far she had seen about 300 hot guys, and the water of Sorrento was beautiful. She couldn't help but stare out the window at the glistening cliffs of the beautiful Italian city. Soph had arrived yesterday, and her first art class had been that night. Jetlag overwhelmed her, and she fell asleep. The art teacher, Madam Massimo, already didn't like her. Sophia could barely understand her, either, since her Italian accent was so strong.

"Miss Paoli, what are you doing?" Madam Massimo's shrill voice brought Sophia out of her daydreaming.

"Whoa," Sophia said shakily after getting a good rap on the head from the art teacher. "I'm, uh, drawing."

"You are not drawing, Miss Paoli, you are daydreaming. Daydreaming is for silly girls. What do you get out of daydreaming? Hmm?"

Soph could feel her whole face getting red, and all the art students staring at her. "I don't know."

"Tell me, Miss Paoli!"

"I don't know," Sophia said louder. Madam Massimo stared down hard, casting Sophia's eyes away.

"You get nothing out of daydreaming, girl. Nothing. That is why we live in reality. You were sleeping through my class last night, you don't pay no attention today! If it were my decision I would have kicked you out then, but since it isn't, you stay." She tried to smack Sophia again, but she dodged. "Understand me?"

"Yes, Madam," Sophia said, not making eye contact. She looked down at her still life of a model of a cliff in Sorrento. It wasn't beautiful. It wasn't good. These next couple of weeks were going to suck.

Sophia collected her art supplies and sped out of the class as soon as it was over. She dodged people in the hallway, trying to run away, but a strong hand on her shoulder caused her to turn around halfway out the door. She stared into the eyes of a gorgeous boy—no, definitely not a boy—a man. His eyes were deep and blue, his nose long, his lips curved into a smile. His hair hung above his eyebrows, a mix of brown and blonde.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," he said. His accent was Italian. Great. "I just couldn't keep up with you after class."

Sophia looked at him. "You're in my art class?" she asked dumbly. "I've never noticed you."

He chuckled. "Maybe it was because you fell asleep," he joked. But Soph didn't find it funny, and spun off in the other direction. "No, wait!" he called after her, and spun her around again. Her eyes were flaring. "I'm sorry. I was just making a joke."

"Well don't," she said, looking him up and down.

"My name is Roberto," he said. "Roberta Feluccia."

"Sophia Paoli," she replied. I'll talk to him, there is no one else, she thought. But boy, is he cute.

"Paoli? Are you Italian?"

Sophia nodded. "Italian and Greek. My mother is half Greek, and my father is full Italian."

Roberto smiled. "No wonder why you are so beautiful," he remarked. "Come take a walk on the shore with me," he insisted.

Sophia looked down at her peasant skirt, flip flops, and matching tunic top. Her art supplies were in her arms. "Oh, Roberto, I'm not dressed, and I have my things from class. And the only reason you want to walk with me is because I am 'beautiful', as you say. You don't even know me."

"Well, I would like to get to know you," Roberto said. "It's beautiful out. The sun is shining, the sea is calm and clear..."

"All right," Sophia agreed. "But not very long. I have something important to due later on." The Sisterhood of the Journal had decided to give the journal to Sophie first, since in the original sisterhood, Lena had gotten it first.

They walked out of the La Belle Art Institution courtyard, where they had been standing the whole time, and out onto a dirt road, leading out of the estate. Vineyards and orchards were on either side of them, the sea breeze flowing through Sophia's hair.

"So, Sophia Paoli, what is your favorite color?" Roberto asked.

"What is this, a trivia game?" Sophia asked, but she was smiling.

"I'm trying to get to know you better."

"Ah. Well then, it would have to be white."

Roberto looked at her curiously. "Why white?"

"Well, because. You can make any color out of white. It's like a wild card of the colors."

"Are you like a wild card?" Roberto asked.

Sophia smiled. "No, that's my friend, Carson. She's definitely a wild card."

"What color is she?" Roberto asked. "You say you are white, so what is she?"

Weird conversation, Sophia thought, but answered. "Carson is everything. She's a wild card. Jules is probably orange, very bright." Roberto laughed. "And Ana is...ah, I'm not sure. I guess she's a dark blue. She's deep."

Roberto nodded. "A deep color for a deep person."

It was nearly nightfall before the pair returned to the courtyards of their art school.

"I had a great time today getting to know you, Bella," Roberto said, smiling.

Sophia pointed at the door. "You aren't staying here at the dorms?"

Roberto shook his head. "No, my home isn't too far from here."

"Oh. Well, goodnight. And thank you for showing me around today," Sophia said, "it was beautiful."

"Just like you," Roberto said softly. "Ciao, Bella." He turned to leave, and as Sophia smiled after him, he turned around and shouted, "And welcome to Sorrento!"

Maybe this wasn't turning out to be a sucky summer after all.