Letters to Italy

42. graduation

I had just received the good news that I passed every single exam. So I officially was going to graduate on the 29th of June. But without Gianluca because unfortunately he couldn't come. But still it was a very special moment,

not only I would have a diploma, I also was going to move to Italy very soon after the graduation. Just one week later. How excited.

My parents were waiting for me at the front door. Ready to go to university to get my diploma. I was nervous, hoping I didn't had to talk a lot. "Just give me that paper and I'll leave!" I thought. But I knew I had to stay there for a while, to talk to other students, who were not students anymore after that evening. Perhaps I even had to talk to the professors, which I hated. But even though I was not really fond of events like that and Gianluca was not coming, I would probably smile the whole evening. Just thinking about me moving to Italy, to Gianluca.

We arrived at university, a majestic building. No one really said 'hi' to me. Even though most of them knew me and had talked to me sometimes at university. What boring. Everything was boring without Gianluca. I wished he was there with me, to make every single second a special one.

We sat down in the big, big room to listen to some speeches. Boring. I only could think about that little paper, but more about Gianluca and how everything was going to be alright in the end. Gianluca really was right!

After the speeches, all the students were invited to go to the professors one by one to receive their diploma. "Finally!" I thought, but as soon as I was thinking that, the nerves came. "Oh no, don't stumble, don't stutter, keep calm and take that paper!" I said to myself to calm me down.

When I had the diploma finally in my hands, I had to wait because an applause followed, especially for me. I watched nervously at the people in the crowd. Then my heart stopped beating. At first I thought it must have been a stupid mistake from myself so I didn't react. But after seeing him smile and wave at me, I knew for sure Gianluca was standing in the back of the hall. Was it a dream? How was that even possible. I thought he had a concert to do with Il Volo in Italy. A very important one. I really wanted to run directly toward him but I had to behave of course so I waited until the applause for myself was over and then I ran straight toward him. Hugging him and kissing him. I didn't care everyone was watching us. Gianluca had come to Belgium especially for me. That needed a reward. And not just a 'thanks that you came'. After we greeted each other, we tried to behave ourselves and watch the other students receive their diplomas. Luckily it were not a lot of people anymore.

Afterwards we finally could talk out loudly because the previous minutes that was not really possible. Everyone stood up and formed little groups to talk with each other. The only one I wanted to talk with was Gianluca. "Why are you here? I mean, I'm so happy, but I thought you couldn't come. You had a concert!" I asked surprised but happy, very happy! "Well, actually, I still had a concert but I decided just in time to take a plane to Belgium. And here I am!"

"Oh no," I said shocked with my hand for my mouth, "so Il Volo is now a duo?"

"Yes," he said with a guilty look on his face, but still laughing. "You, daredevil." I laughed and then I embraced him to make sure he knew I appreciated this very beautiful, but risky, gesture. A gesture of his love. "You know the feeling when you love someone so much, nothing else matters anymore?" he suddenly asked. I nodded. "That's why I left Italy even though I had some important things to do there." He took my face with his both hands. "I am truly deeply in love with you, Aline De Smedt! I couldn't risk losing you again. I had to be here, for you! I don't want to make the same mistakes anymore. I wasn't there for you on your birthday, I couldn't go with you to the school ball and not to forget about Christmas. And after this you will be in Italy, it will all change. This is just one time. But one important time. I had to do it. I had to leave Italy for this."

At the end of his wonderful monologue I had tears in my eyes of happiness. But I wondered what the people who stayed in Italy would think about it. "But what about Piero and Ignazio? They are not Il Volo without you. What are they going to say? Or do?"
He laughed. "I admit, I have to come up with a pretty good explanation."

"Everything has a solution," I said, just like he said on our very first date, which was almost exactly three years ago now. Gianluca only responded by touching the medallion which was hanging around my neck. "I'm glad you still love it!" he said. His eyes never twinkled this much while looking into mine. And then I kissed him again, right before I realized we were still at university, at my graduation. I looked around and in almost every corner I saw people staring at us. Those people were, luckily for me, my classmates. My 'friends', the ones that never believed me when I said I was Gianluca's girlfriend. They all had jealous looks on their unfriendly faces. "HA!" was all I thought with a feeling of revenge and then I kissed him again.

Hand in hand we walked toward my parents. They were talking to some other parents. I didn't recognize them, never seen them before. Fake talks were filling the room so Gianluca and I decided to spend our time well and leave the room. "Let's get out of here!" he whispered in my ear and I obeyed immediately.

We walked to a bench in the small park right next to the entrance of the building. No one else was there so we could finally have our moment alone.

"You look gorgeous by the way!" Gianluca said, touching my dress. "I think I recognize your clothes. Of course I do, I will never forget the clothes you wore on that special night. The night we found each other again." The blue dress I wore at my brother's wedding was perfect for occasions like these. And I was very happy to wear it again of course. It would make me think everytime again and again about that special night as well. "Oh, and congratulations! You're now officially a restaurateur."

"Sounds very elegant when you say it." I laughed. Even after all this time, his Italian accent was very strong. But there was no reason to change that. It made him just a fraction more beautiful and special. "I think I'll find some nice job with that in Italy very easy!" I said content. Because I knew I had luck with the choice I made of what I wanted to study because of all the beautiful, old buildings in Italy. "Oh, how's your Italian actually?" he asked but I had to disappoint him about that. "Va bene but...the last two years I didn't study a single word Italian. So there's still a lot of work about that."

"I'll help you as much and as good as possible!" he said. "You'd better! It's all because of you I have to study again although I'm now officially not a student anymore" I laughed. "There's nothing better that I like to do than be with you all day, and help you study Italian. That must feel like I am in paradise." He smiled like he already was there, in paradise. "Or no, there's another thing I want to do better!" And then he gave me a long and passionate kiss on the lips. "Heaven!" I thought.