Beyond

September

Anna came back from her training at sunset. The next day the school started and she felt a bit nervous; a run into the woods with her beloved dog would have helped her to relax. So it was.

She thought also to Thomas and to his Italian debut, a smile came.

Lost in her considerations, once at home she saw on the phone a lost call and a message. She watched before the second:

I owe you a cappuccino

Tomorrow morning at 8, school cafeteria?

Ciao, Thomas

Anna was surprised.

'He still remembers who I am' she commented on her own; then she watched the call, again him.

She decided to answer without exaggerating:

Ok, see you tomorrow morning

PS: where did you lose your Italian?

Anna

After dinner she finished to organize the restart: the schoolbag, the bike, and the clothes? She would have chosen them the next morning, nobody would have noticed her look, everyone would have watched someone else.

She tried to put order also in her thoughts, then she went to bed.

The sleep which followed wasn't calm.

*****

The following day Anna woke up early, exited by the beginning of the school, but also by that unexpected invitation.

While she was parking her bike inside the school, she heard a voice behind her shoulders:

"Good morning Anna."

Then she turned and saw him in all his splendour.

"Ciao Thomas, happy to see you again. Is all ok?"

"Yes, thanks."

Then he added:

"Here I am."

Then he finished to smoke his cigarette without saying more.

Anna quickly read his thoughts: he would have given everything to be elsewhere, possibly near London.

They moved towards the cafeteria, Anna served him again with cappuccino and brioche, the ritual of the broken sweet was repeated; they didn't speak a lot, the mutual presence and that warm drink were enough to keep them company.

Once finished the cappuccino, Thomas put his schoolbag on the table and extracted a small box, pushing it towards Anna.

"That's a gift for you, I hope you like it."

She remained open mouth; it was an iPod nano, perfect for her jogging, colour shining fuchsia. She tried to stay calm:

"Thanks. It's fantastic. You shouldn't..." were the only boring words she succeeded to pronounce.

"Come on. With all you did for me. It's the minimum."

Anna put the gift inside her schoolbag; curious eyes were crowding the cafeteria, for them it was time to leave.

"What if we go? I'd like to introduce you to your new schoolmates."

He was waiting exactly that, his look however was a bit nervous. They took their things and disappeared soon.