Rise Up

Chapter 58: Never Settle

"Time flies when you're having fun" they say. But also when you're trying to graduate at university while traveling all around the world to drive a sport car, isn't a joke.

In the cosiness of my small living room in Florence, Lando was patiently listening to me, while I was repeating tons of pages from the material for my next- and also last-exam of the year.

"...And that's the main reason why sport cars and every other type of vehicles need to be tested in a wind tunnel. Oh oh, fun fact: the first wind tunnel was built in Turin! Can you believe it?"

The leak of attention after days of studying and more studying was clearly evident at this point, as keeping my focus fully on the target for more than twenty minutes was quite difficult.

"It's great but not an actual surprise. I mean, you Italians are basically everywhere, above all when speaking of motors." Lando replied, taking a big amount of chips from the bowl on the table in front of him. Instead I was sitting on the soft carpet, with my legs spread under the low table, in the middle of a huge mess of papers and books, all plastered on the floor and around the room.

"So returning to the main topic. I was speaking of... ah, yes! The importance of aerodynamics. Ready? Well, as I was saying a while before, in a sport car is very important to get functional side pods to help the airflow to pass under and over the automobile and also the floor-" My short "lesson" was soon interrupted by the other driver aka study-buddy in front of me.

"Babe, this must be the tenth time you're repeating this part. Why don't we take a short break? I need a minute to relax, otherwise my brain will explode." He was exhausted, even more than me after listening to the same sentences and topics over and over again.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know you're right but I'm so nervous, Lan. This will be my last exam of the session and also with the professor who's editing and checking my thesis. Tomorrow he will tell me if I'll be able to graduate the next month and honestly, I'm on the edge of getting a nerves crisis." My glasses were slowly sliding down from the bridge of my nose, making me even more nervous after the hundred times I tried to keep them in place.

"Exactly my point then. I've never been the first student in my class and it's also been a while I don't attend a lesson, but one thing that I remember is: nobody studies the day before the exam. You need to get distracted, come on." He stood up from the sofa, fixing his clothes and roaming around the room, to catch his phone, wallet and a cap.

"What- where are you going?" I moved a few papers away, sitting better still on the floor.

"We are going for a walk in the centre of your beautiful city. And if you promise me you will close all of this terrible nerdy books, I'll also buy you the biggest ice cream you can ever imagine. Come on." He pushed his hands in front of me, before pulling me up, pressing me against his warm body and encaged in his arms.

"Are you really going to buy me the biggest cone in the Gelateria?" I asked probably sounding like a little kid but not caring neither a bit, as the need for a distraction was devouring me from the inside.

"Oh I will for sure because I want one too." His usual grin reappeared on his tired face.

"Then give me a minute to get ready."

It was unbelievable how fast he always manages to make a big smile get printed on my face, lifting my humor in such a unique way, almost as if he had some kind of super powers over me.

"One minute, nor a second more!" He said, leaving a sweet peck on my lips and then gently pushing me towards my bedroom, in order to get changed in normal clothes, and not in my old pjs, that basically became my past days usual outfit.