Author's Note:
All right, as you have read from the previous chapter, Amato can become pretty possessive... I thought that he needs a flaw in order to have a more realistic and believable personality. Cause not everyone has that passive and nice personality all the time. What do you guys think?
Chapter 14: Looking Out For Her
I was leaning against a wall. I can feel the cold-hard and stony surface brush against my cheeks as I pressed my face to get a closer look around the corner. Cold wind chill my body and goosebumps surfaced on my skin, but I didn't care. I wonder what was the public's reaction when they see what I was doing? No matter, I was too focused on one thing: What Johann and Gina were doing. I shifted my eyes to see them walking the path towards Downtown Venice, chatting away as if they were close friends.
"Tsk.." I gave out unconsciously as I was annoyed.
Why am I doing this? Questions flooded into my mind as reason and desire comes into a conflict. Deep down, I was also regretting the fact that I hadn't been working hard enough to get close to Gina. I think I can feel a few eyes on me now. A quick glance shows a couple of passer-bys looking at me with caution. Bah, no time for that now!
"Hah! I wondered what would be your reaction but I never expected this!" A familiar voice yells out from behind me. I was lucky that I followed Johann and Gina far away a distance that they couldn't hear the yell. I turned to see Sergio shaking his head with a grin on his face. "Stalking, huh? Desperate, much?" He enquires half-jokingly.
Hm, now that I think about it, I didn't see him in school today, I wonder why?
"Shut up." I gave out in response to his words, turning back to resume what I was doing. "I'm.. I'm not stalking.." I meekly gave out as I ran through the word in my mind more seriously. I could see that the pair, no, not a pair. Gina and that guy, entering the Music shop. "I'm.. just.. Looking out for her!" I declared, trying hard to sound as righteous as possible.
"Whatever you say, bro." Sergio knocks off my answer like it meant nothing. It's obvious that he's clearly not buying it.
"They've gone in!" I called out rather loudly as Gina went out of sight. "C'mon!" I cried out to Sergio before proceeding towards the shop myself.
"Wait a minute, you want me to follow my best friend and stalk my other friend?" Sergio analysed the situation rather calmly, and I could even hear a tone of sarcasm in his voice. I pulled his shirt with me without another word.
The door slid open and a wave of cold air was pushed against my face, the lights of the interior of the shop shine with a multitude of colors, changing them every few minutes. As one of the bigger Music shops in Venice, CDs fills my sight by the rows as I strolled in carefully, making sure Gina wouldn't be able to see me entering. Sergio had given up putting any for of resistance against what I'm doing and is now right behind me, following my steps, though he still has that look on his face that scoffs at how ridiculous this whole act is.
I don't care how stupid I look, I just don't want Gina to be hanging out with that guy! As I moved between the rows of CDs, crouching down and trying hard to maintain my sight on them while avoiding theirs, I could see how well the two of them are hitting off with each other.
"Hey, your favourite music genre's Classical?" Gina says so with a smile, looking surprised after hearing it from Johann. "I would've never pictured it!" Gina exclaimed, looking at Johann's track suit.
Yeah, I wouldn't either.
"Why is Gina so accepting of the guy?" I whispered under my own breath as my fingers fidget the CDs available, picking them up one at a time and pretending to be interested in them. Where we stand, we are about six meters away from the section Johann and Gina is standing.
"Regina has always been this nice..." Sergio answered as he browsed through the racks in front of us, scanning through for his favourite bands. He doesn't look half-interested in our little recon. The music coming from the boomboxes of the store was loud, and it was getting difficult for me to make out what they were talking about. All I could see was the two of them chatting and laughing as if they were made for each other. Deep inside, I was starting to feel less anger and irritation, and more fear.
But, I refuse to believe it until I see it with my own eyes!
"Hey, I didn't know this was out already!" Sergio suddenly gave out as his eyes caught sight of a newly released album from one of the bands he's following. That was when I saw Johann bought a CD and left through the entrance.
"All right, we're going." I announced, this time with much clearer tone. I'm not really sure why.
"What? Can't you at least let me buy this first?" Sergio called out as he picks up the CD he wanted and heads towards the counter. I pulled his shirt once again and heads towards the exit without another word. "He-hey!" Sergio called out as he struggled. "Come on! Where'd ya get this strength from?" He cries out as he tosses the disc at one of the many clerks staring at us as we head out the door, looking really upset that he couldn't buy it.
I think I'll apologize later but right now, this is more important.
"Man, I really wanted that album.." Sergio whined as we trotted to the park, his face showing slight disappointment. I only find myself concentrating my vision on where Johann and Gina is. They seemed to have stopped by a bench, resting perhaps. As I struggled to get a better vision through the bush, I find myself wondering why I'm doing this. Is it because I lack the confidence? That I'm afraid of what might happen if Gina falls for him?
The smell of the grass, so absent in the city of Venice, gives off a calm and soothing feeling even as I was crouching behind a bush. Occasionally, huge wind would blow and the leaves would sway as if pushed along for the journey started by the wind.
"Hey, I'll be back with some warm drinks, okay?" Johann calls out as he was already a few steps away, waving back to Gina as he heads towards the vending machine. I could see Gina looking at the scenery of the park, and she has this slightly regretful look on her face. Sometimes Gina would turn towards my direction like she knew I was here, only to look away as I hid back into the bush.
"Is something bothering her?" I asked out to Sergio, who was standing behind me, leaning against a tree. It seems he didn't need to look to know what's happening. Sergio gave no answer to my question, and silence fills the scene before Johann returned.
"Here. You wanted tea, right?" Johann asked out, his smile still as vibrant as ever, handing the can to Gina.
"Thanks." Gina replied softly. Somehow I can feel that she's less happy now than before, I wonder why? Then, I could see Johann slowly move his hand and try to put it on Gina's shoulder.
No time to think about whether I should or should not do it! In the hatse of my thoughts, I picked up a stone from the ground and held on to Fenris holstered behind my overshirt, With my senses sharpened, I tossed it in a swift, hard motion, aiming for his hand just before it touches Gina's shoulder.
"Hgh.." Johann gave out as his hand twitched back from the hit, immediately pulling it back to his side.
"Ha ha! You're not gonna get away with anything like that!" I exclaimed softly at my small success. He made it an effort to not show the hit or what he was trying to do before to Gina, which works better for me as well. When it seemed to be the end of this little get-together of theirs, Johann pulled another card up his sleeve.
"Hey, why don't we go see the new batting cages that was recently set-up near here?" As Gina agreed to go, they started moving out of the park.
"Time to move." I ordered, now more calm and confident as ever. Maybe it's because nothing much has happened today.
"You can be a little harsh, you know?" Sergio gave out as we followed Johann and Gina's fotsteps a distance away. I responded with a smile, that's not really a bad thing, right?
The sound of bats coming in contact with baseballs fills the air and overpowers what other sounds were present. The musty smells of bats and sweat is everywhere. Still, for a baseball fan, this place would be a great place to be. It was much easier to hide between the cages. I watched as Johann and Gina took turns trying to go against the machine.
Now I understood why they say he's talented. As each ball is pitched from the machine, I could see Johann's eyes furrow into ones of seriousness as it got close. With a switch from his casual stance and one swift swing, he knocked it with the strength that would hit the ball out of the field, should he have been playing in a real game. It almost looked inhuman.
Gina, not so much. She had trouble lifting the bat. I find no qualms with that, I never expected her to be the sporty type, she seemed calm and kind. What I find it hard to understand is why she agreed to come to this place.
"Here, I'll show you how.." Johann gave out suddenly, surprising me, Sergio and even Gina, as he got close to her and held her hands with his. One of the oldest trick in the book. His actions and looks can be interpreted as someone really trying to help, as it showed no other signs beside a genuine smile. Still, it's not something every girl would agree to, especially Gina. At his touch, Gina blushed as the color red fills her face.
"Um.. it's okay.. Johann.." I can see that Gina is feeling uncomfortable at the turn of event. But, I could also see that she had little strength to pull away from Johann. That creep!
No way I'm letting this continue! Even before those thoughts finished, my legs had already started moving. Sergio followed behind with quickened steps.
"Hey, what a coincidence meeting you guys here." I said so as naturally as possible, getting a grip on Johann's left wrist. That made him step back from what he was doing, which was a relief.
"Hey, Zanna, right?" He called back casually, as if we're old friends.
"Amato! What are you doing here?" Gina asked out in surprise after she collected herself from what happened.
"I was just in the neighborhood with Sergio." I gave a not-so-much-as-a-lie explanation.
"Yo." Sergio greeted Regina with a raise of his palm. Sergio can remain calm in the strangest times. Still, I needed to get Johann away from Gina.
"Hey, I bet I could score more than you can, Johann!" I issued my challenge hoping he'll buy it.
"You're on!" He gave his reply with fire in his eyes.
Soon, we were trying hard to beat each other's score by hitting as many balls as we could. Unknown to me, Sergio and Gina chatted up a bit behind us. With all that was happening, I couldn't make out the words. I'm sure it's nothing.
"It's strange how well their getting along with each other despite the little rivalry they had." Sergio declared as he continues to observe what we were doing.
"Yeah.." Gina replied meekly, her face still a bit flushed from what happened.
"You did all this just so you could get Amato to cut in?" Sergio questioned Gina with a rather worried tone as he turned to look at her. Gina replied back with a peace sign and a wink.
"Sometimes, you can be a little too cunning, you know?" Sergio replied with a shake of his head. Gina ignored what he said and turned back to look at Amato with a smile on her face. As Johann and I took our turns taking on the machine, smiles eventually grew on our faces as we competed with each other. It wasn't long before Sergio and Gina started cheering us on.
"Did you tell him about it already...?" Sergio asks out in-between cheers. Gina suddenly stood surprised, before hitting herself on the head.
"Oh no.. I forgot.." She gave out as if struck by realization.
As the day ended, the four of us went our seperate ways, deciding it's best to go home before it gets dark. As I walked towards the mansion, I could see Sergio walking with his eyes closed with a smile on his face. I wonder what's up?
"Oh boy, this is gonna be one heck of a Culture Festival..." Sergio gave out before he disappeared into the streets.
The end of another 'Extra' chapter! What's gonna happen during the Culture Festival? And what's gonna be in store for this little rivalry between Amato and Johann? Well, you're not gonna get those answers here from me today! As usual, praise, comment or criticize in your reviews!