UPSIDE DOWN

~ 5 ~

Sylvie

Matteo and I have been in the park for about an hour now, not many people are here right now. 

I can't help but notice the two men following us from a distance, that's probably because the guys are billionaires. I shrug off the weird feeling and continue looking at the view in front of me. 

We came here just in time for the sun rise and he jogged around for a while before finally deciding to sit on one of the benches. 

We didn't talk much, but I found out that he and Luca own a tattoo shop and a few of Andrea's and Aurelio's tattoo are done by him. He also told me how his friends and him had planned on cheating in their finals, so they got held back a year in school even though they had to graduate last year. 

It's nice talking to someone after soo long, but it's also exhausting since I don't really know what to talk about. We keep falling into awkward silences when I have nothing to say, but he always comes up with something to talk about.

"I have a question" for once I speak up during the awkward silence. "Shoot" he says kicking a rock with his feet. 

"Can I try walking for a few steps, the weather really seems nice" I haven't really tried walking outside my house and I really want to feel the grass beneath my legs. 

"How about you try that when we go to the beach, you can even try putting your feet in the water" He suggests, a wide grin makes it's way onto my lips. "I'd love that" I finish. 

A silence falls between us again, but this time it's not as awkward as before. We just enjoy the comfortable silence until we reach the beach. 

I don't see a lot of people here, even though it's the weekend. I had expected more people to be here for the sun rise at the beach. 

"Do you come here everyday?" I ask as he takes off his shoes and socks, "I go to the park everyday, but the beach is only for the weekends" He replies, squinting his eyes as he looks towards the sky. 

"Leave the wheelchair here, I'll carry you till the water and then you can try walking, otherwise you'll get sand stuck in the wheels." He did have a point, I try to slowly get up and try to atleast take a step forward. 

He pauses for a moment, looking in my eyes for permission to carry me, I nod my head and he swoops me into his arms. He does have a leaner body type compared to the others, and thinner arms, but he sure is strong. 

Once we reach the water, he sets me down on the sand, oh my god, I've missed standing like this. I take a moment to feel the wet sand beneath my toes and soak in the warmth of the morning sun. 

I feel alive, after very very long time. 

"Ok now turn towards me and hold onto both my hands" He instructs me, I blindly follow since I don't know what I'm doing. 

"Now try to take a few steps forward towards me, slowly" He explains, I give his hands a squeeze and take a deep breath before shakily placing my right foot forward. "Good, just like that, now with your left leg" He encourages me.

A smile forms on my face as I place my other foot forward, and slowly take two more steps towards him. I look up from my feet to see him grin like a little kid. I feel like a baby taking it's first steps. 

I take two more steps and before I can place another foot forward, my legs give up on me and I feel myself falling to the ground. Before I could touch the sand Matteo's arms wrap around my torso catching me before I fall. 

He lifts my body up and spins me around like a child. Fits of giggles fill the air along with the sound of the ocean. This is the happiest I've been in a while, and I'm soo grateful to Matteo for that.