Birds Of a Feather

1. Now we meet again, after almost five years

"The Italian Neorealism is a national film movement which took place from 1944 to 1952 and is focused on telling the conditions of poor and humble people and showing the destruction caused by World War II... The most important directors are De Sica, Fellini, Rossellini, Visconti and Zavat-"
The doorbell rang for the fiftieth time, making the girl definitely pissed off: she was trying to study for an important test but some asshole was making it even harder than it already was.
"YOU FAG, OPEN THIS FUCKIN' DOOR, I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK!"
The last scream was the straw that broke the camel's back: she threw the book on the bed and ran outside her loft in order to attempt – both verbally and physically – on the pain in the ass' life.
The surprise was big when she discovered that the asshole was an old acquaintance.
"... Stone Carpenter Gossard in my-my same building?!"
"Well well well, if it isn't ol' Sara Fancini! That's really you, right?" he said surprised, leaning a big box on the floor and giving her a smirk with the relaxed attitude she had came to know five years before.
"Yeah, more or less... But don't tell me you're my new neighbor!" after some hesitation she replied in a very harsh way, but the guy didn't seem to care.
"Well, in fact I'm no-" Stone was explaining himself, when the door of the other loft was suddenly opened and another guy made his appearance.
"You asshole, I told you I was trying to make that old fuckin' boiler work! Are you deaf?" he shouted back to his friend, then he noticed the girl in front of him and made a surprised face.
"Holy John Belushi, don't tell me... don't tell me that my new neighbor is him..." the girl muttered, her face turned white as she had just seen a ghost.
"... I'm glad to see you too, Sara"
"I'm not, Ament: now I'm gonna go back to my loft and everything will disappear... This is a nightmare, it can't be possible" she added and, still muttering, disappeared into her house.

For the next two hours Sara tried to study again, but by now all her good will was gone and all she could do was phoning her best friend in order to vent a bit.
<Sara, is everything ok? Any problems?>
"Yeah, Layla, a fuckin' big, enormous, gigantic one! Do you know that asshole that I hate with all my cells?? Well, guess who's going to be my new neighbor!"

♣♦♣

"Planet Earth to Mr. Montana, planet Earth to Mr. Montana!"
Jeff finally jumped and resumed to pay attention to his friend.
"Yeah, I'm here"
"I'm not totally sure about it, man" Stone grinned and passed him some LPs and, while putting them back, the bassist turned to face his friend.
"Stone, I was thinking... do you believe in fate? Like, some things happen for a reason while others don't..."
"... why did I say that"
"C'mon, answer me... and try not to be a dick while you're at it"
The guitarist rolled his eyes and snorted.
"Nope, I don't believe in this kind of bullshit" he then gave the bassist a smirk "... Of course this sudden bout of existential thoughts has got nothing to do with the cute girl that came out of thin air and that you saw after five years, right?"
"Right, it has nothing to do with that particular cute girl-"
"HA! You said 'cute'! I knew that all that womanizer behavior was just an act, admit it"
"... just fuck off" the bass player gave his friend a strong push that almost made him fall on the floor "Anyway, she's a bitch, I don't have to waste my time by sparing even a single thought for her"
"... as you say, Ames; I hope this attitude of yours will do you some good" Stone patted his arm and resumed to grab a handful of LPs to stash away.
Jeff nodded but his gaze, inevitably, went to the loft in front of his own one.

{ title credits: translated lyrics of La Descrizione di un Attimo by Tiromancino }