"I can't thank you enough for helping me, Marco," Luca said. "What I said that day, forget all of it."

"I'm not doing this because we're friends," Marco said. "You said it yourself. I screwed up and became a toxic person in your life. Don't think that we could ever start again."

"But Marco, other than Giulia, you're the smartest person I know!" Luca said. "Now that I know that this was all some big mistake, I thought that we'd have a brand new start."

"I will never forgive myself for what I've done to you and the other boys in this school," Marco said. "At the end of the day, I'm just some gay player boy who is looked down upon by society."

"Even if that's true, I believe anybody can change their lifestyle if they try hard enough!" Luca said. He held out his hand. "Amici?"

Marco shooed Luca's hand away. "Sorry, Luca. But I just can't."

"Sure you can!" Luca said. "The boy you're trying to help me talk to, Alberto Scorfano, he once taught me that there's this thing called a Bruno. That means a voice in your head that tells you aren't good enough or can't do anything. I think you have one right now, Marco. And it's about damn time you let it out."

"Well, if there is a Bruno inside my head, what do I say to get him to leave me alone?" Marco asked.

"Just repeat after me," Luca said. "Silenzio, Bruno!"

"Silenzio, Bruno?" Marco said, confused.

"Yeah," Luca said. "Just say it a few more times and you'll get the hang of it."

Marco D'Angelo took a deep breath. "Silenzio, Bruno!" he ejaculated with confidence. "You're not bothering me today, figlio di puttana!"

"Alright!" both friends cheered, giving each other a high five.

"That felt nice," Marco said. "And from now on, I promise to be wholesome and stick by any boy to the end. The thing is, Luca, I think I like you. But I know you like Alberto."

"Sure thing, ragazzo giocatore," Luca said, jokingly. "But you're right. I do like Alberto. All I ever want is Alberto. He's so stupid, which makes him, well, hella hot."

Luca blushed after saying that, not being able to face his roommate. "D-did I just say hot? Well, uh, I guess I'm outta here. Grazie mille!"

He started to leave, but Marco caught his arm. "I don't care if you're a gay disaster. If you want my help talking to this Alberto Scorfano, then fucking work with me. Trust me, I know what I'm doing, Luca." He smiled. "They don't call me the romantic expert for nothing."

Luca rolled his eyes. "Not this cazzate again," he said. "Last time you said that, you ran your dirty fingers up my shirt and touched my nipples!"

"Says the one who believes in second chances," Marco remarked. "Yet you still hold grudges. Ah, una tale fottuta vergogna."

"Maledetto!" Luca shouted, lunging for Marco.

"Hey, hey. Chill out. I'm just messin' with ya," Marco said. "So what's this boy's contact?"

Luca gulped, his face blushing like crazy. But he remembered what Marco said about running off in a gay panic, so Luca tried to hold it in despite how difficult it was.

"His mobile number is...," Luca started to say. "H-his m-mobile... I mean, his phone number is..."

Luca gulped again, trying to resist the urge to avoid things and go into a gay panic. "359-555-7781," Luca blurted out quickly.

"Can you repeat that?" Marco asked. "Slower, please."

Blushing, Luca smiled nervously. "Y-yeah, s-sure thing," he replied. So Luca took a deep breath and closed his eyes as to rid his focus on the topic.

"359-555-7781," he said in a normal pace.

"Thanks, Luca," Marco said. "Now that I've entered it into my phone, don't be afraid to answer."

"B-but I am," Luca said. "I can't face him!"

"Remember what you taught me," Marco said. "Silenzio, Bruno."

"Silenzio, Bruno," Luca said.

"Good job," said Marco. "I know you had it in you."

"Say, Marco?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Is your phone on what they call speaker?" Luca asked.

"If you want it to be, then sure," Marco said. He took his phone and pressed the speaker button.

As the phone rang, Luca's teeth chattered as he bit at his fingernails. Red covered his face as sweat trickled down his head and hands.

"Ciao. Alberto Scorfano," Alberto answered. "I think I've got the wrong number, but what the hell?"

"Alberto, don't hang up!" Luca said.

"Luca?" Alberto said. "You have your own phone. Why are you using a friend's?"

"That's not important right now," Luca said. "But if you must know, he's helping me. Since I'm a gay mess and all."

"Don't worry," Alberto said. "Me too." He smiled on the other side of the line. "So, is a gay panic why you hung up in the first place?"

Luca blushed. "Uh, uh, that?" he said. "S-si, I-I guess you could say that." Luca let out a nervous chuckle. "So, uh, about that... I was wondering if, well, you know, we could meet up sometime. Fall Break is in just a couple of weeks and maybe we could..."

"Do what?" Alberto asked.

Luca turned to Marco for guidance.

"Tell Alberto that you love him," Marco whispered. "Repeat after me, 'I think I like you back. Do you mind if I ask you to be my boyfriend?'."

"I-I can't do that!" Luca cried. "Are you out of your goddamn mind?"

"Just say it," Marco said. "It really isn't that hard."

"Alberto, I-I think I like you back, but definitely not in that sort of way. I mean, we're just really close friends that just happen to blush and go into panics whenever any of us do something," Luca said.

"Luca, we're more than that, stupido," Alberto said. "If I were there right now, I'd put my hand on your shoulder and tell you not to listen to anything that motherfucking bitch Bruno says!" He continued, "Listen to me when I tell you this, Luca. I feel the exact same way. I don't see eye to eye and try to convince myself that we're just friends when there's definitely more there. I know I feel it and you feel it too. So let it out. I'm listening."

"Alberto, this would be better to confess in person," Luca said. "I'm just glad to know that you understand. And instead of Fall Break, I'd like to wait until two years later when I finally graduate high school. Then, it'll be a surprise."

"OK," Alberto said. "I'll be waiting. Lonely as fuck, but still waiting," He blew a kiss through the phone. "Ti amo, babe."

"I love you too," Luca said, blushing as he eventually hung up the phone.

"So, how'd it go?" Marco asked.

"Honestly, not as bad as I thought it'd be," Luca replied. "Thank you so much, Marco!"

Marco smiled. "Anytime, Luca. I'm always here to help if you need me."