Meanwhile three weeks had passed, since Alaude moved into the flat in Palermo, but until now Giotto had rarely seen him. If he was right Alaude left early at the morning, between half past five and six and came when Giotto came back at the evening Alaude had already eaten and was studying in his room or went out to do some stuff. One time he even went to the university at the evening to work on a project. Even though he was an exchange student he seemed to own a car, but Giotto didn´t know what car it was, because he had never actually seen it. Either way, he was wondering about that. Alaude was here for one semester and he wouldn´t really need at car.
The few times he had met with Alaude, they hadn´t talked much. Most times one of them had been about to leave or Giotto run out of topics to talk about. That one time he had been embarrassed about it and quickly left. Giotto couldn´t really explain it, because usually it was easy for him to talk to other people, but it was different with Alaude. Maybe it was because Alaude was so different from him. Giotto didn´t have an aim towards he was working and Alaude was such a mature and serious. He seemed to know exactly what he was doing, whilst Giotto didn´t even knew what kind of job he wanted to do afterwards. At first he would have to get past the tests he had during this year. It was luck that his grandfather paid for his studies and so he didn´t have to search for a job.
Giotto sighed lowly. Even though Alaude lived in the same flat now, he hadn´t been able to gather much information. It seemed as if Alaude was working part-time, didn´t have to worry about money and frequently made calls. Since he was talking in French, Giotto couldn´t even get something out of those snippets of conversation he had overheard. But he assumed that he was talking to his parents. After all he would talk a lot to his grandparents if he went abroad.

Suddenly someone knocked at his door and without waiting for response it was opened. Giotto looked up. He was already used to everyone just running into his room without discretion and therefore he wasn´t mad. It was Knuckle and had a wide grin on his face as he entered the room.
"Hey Giotto. Do you want to go to a party this evening? I was invited by a friend and he told me to bring along some friends. I think you have to go only on the afternoon tomorrow, so you could sleep longer."
Giotto hesitated. He was rather tired and preferred to stay in his room and rest, but the happy face of his friend convinced him. He didn´t want Knuckle to be disappointed and after all he was right. He sighed lowly and nodded.
"Okay. I´m in."
Knuckle seemed to be even happier to hear that. „That´s cool! I already got some stuff to take with us and Asari is coming too. G wanted to come once he finished whatever he is doing."
"When will we leave?" Giotto asked and looked onto his watch. Half past three.
"Around eight, so you´ll have enough time." He replied and walked over to the door, then he stopped. "Do you think he´d come along?" Even though he didn´t use a name, Giotto immediately knew who 'he' was.
"If you want to, I could ask him." Giotto said and looked down the corridor. He wasn´t sure if this was a good idea, but he would be happy if Alaude came with them. It would be a chance.
"Okay." Knuckle replied. „Just tell me once you know."
Giotto nodded. „I will."

A few seconds later Knuckle had disappeared and Giotto noticed a queasy feel. Suddenly he had a feeling that this hadn´t been a good idea and asked himself about what he thought. But since he promised, he walked down the floor and knocked onto the door. For a moment he hoped that Alaude was at the library and wouldn´t even answer, but his hopes were shattered. Alaude opened the door and gave him a questioning look.
"H-Hey." Giotto mumbled and nervously intertwined his fingers, trying to cool down.
"Hello Giotto." Alaude replied calmly. „Can I help you?"
It was obvious that he had disturbed Alaude while he was working and it was just normal that he wanted to know what happened.
"Uhm …" Giotto began with hestitation. "We were invited to a party this evening and … I wanted to ask if you would like to come with us?"
Giotto didn´t need to bring this sentence to an end, to know that Alaude would decline and so his voice grew lower with every word and instead he decided to just look at Alaude with hope.
"During the week?" Alaude asked and watched Giotto carefully, as if he wasn´t sure that he had heard this right.
"Um … well … I think." Giotto replied confused. Was his question that stupid?
Alaude stayed silent for a moment, then he replied. "I don´t think that I´ll do that."
Giotto nodded quickly and suddenly he felt ill. He had thought about that, no, he actually knew it. He couldn´t explain it, but he wanted to spend more time with Alaude and it hurt him that Alaude declined that quickly.
"Maybe … an other?" Giotto asked and suddenly he had his hopes up again.
"I don´t think I like partys."
"Then maybe something different? We go tot he sea from time to time and…"
Giotto was interrupted.
„I am sorry, Giotto, but I don´t think so."
Giotto looked at him with a depressed look and tried to smile, which made him look even more unhappy.
"Okay." He then replied lowly. "If … you change your mind … maybe … you could tell me."
Alaude nodded. "I will."
„Have a nice evening, Alaude."
„You too, Giotto."
Giotto hesitated, hoping for Alaude to change his mind again, but since he didn´t reply anything, Giotto went back to his room silently. He didn´t even realize that Alaude closed his door, but as soon as he arrived at his room, he shut it. Then he sat down onto his bed. He couldn´t explain it, but at the moment he wanted to cry. Alaude hadn´t been mad, but Giotto was embarrassed and it hurt like hell.