Gianluca Ginoble and I

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

          I climbed out of the car and pulled my schoolbag out the front seat. I smiled, stretched, and breathed in the summer air.

          School’s done! For days I’d been cooped up inside, studying with no time to go outside.

 Now I had the whole summer to play and explore! An excited smiled spread across my face, and I hurried to unlock the front door. I went inside, dropping my bag on the counter, then ran out the back door and into the garden.

          A baby bunny bounded up to greet me.

          I laughed and bent down.

          “Hey, precious!” I said. “I’m done with my finals!”

          I made a kissing sound with my mouth and laughed when it looked up at me in surprise.

          “Ah, Naomi!” someone called.

          I stood and turned, looking past the bushes and the fence into Gianluca’s backyard.

          He was sitting in the grass with two other boys.

          The other Il Volo boys! I jumped up and the bunny scampered off. I went over to the fence.

          “Hey Gianluca!” I said cheerfully.

          “Well, you seem happy,” he observed, coming to open the gate.

          “How could I not be!? I’m done with finals!”

          “Great!” he said, letting me into the yard.

          The two boys stood.

          One had long, soft-looking hair pointed upward, and was wearing large red glasses framing his sweet brown eyes. He half-smiled, spreading his full lips across cutely somewhat-crooked teeth.      The other had very thick hair and eyebrows, with bright eyes and a beautiful smile that revealed dimples. He had broad shoulders and was very happy-looking.

          Gianluca motioned to them. “This is…”

          “Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto,” I filled in.

          “Hey!” Gianluca said, teasingly turning to me. “You can remember their names but not mine!?”

          “Yours is harder!” I said indignantly. “And also, I searched Il Volo after you left. It’s not everyday you meet a pop-opera singer!”

          The boys laughed, and Piero and Ignazio each took one of my hands, kissing it like Gianluca had and making me blush.

          “You look surprised that we kiss your hands,” Ignazio observed.

          “It’s just that…usually American boys don’t…”

          “Should we not do it, then?” Piero asked.

          I shook my head vigorously.

          “Oh, no! Trust me, girls will love it!”

          Piero smiled widely.

          “It’s only respectful,” Gianluca said, shrugging.

I nodded, smiling.

“I’m Naomi Kendall, by the way…” I said to Piero and Ignazio.

“So,” Gianluca said to me. “Now that exams are over, what are you going to do with your free time?”