Chapter 89 - the girl from the shadows

the girl from the shadows

What in the world is going on right now?

"Bianca?", I call her name in a whisper and she turns to look at me with so much horror that it scares me a bit.

I mean is there something she knows that we don't?

I turn to look at Laura and her facial expression mirrors how I feel.

I guess we have the same thing on our minds right now.

"Oh my goodness, I had totally forgotten", Bianca says and her eyes widen even more.

The horror is more than evident in the two beautiful brown orbs she uses as her eyes.

"What in the world is going on, are you trying to act out a scene in a horror movie?", Laura asks and Bianca shakes her head sideways.

"No, I am truly horrified", Bianca says and I bring my hand to her back to give her a gentle pat.

"First, take a short breath in, then out", I tell her and she does just that.

We repeat the process about thrice until she looks calm enough.

"Are you all good now?", Laura asks and she nods back at her.

"Yes, thank you Ashley", she says with a small smile, but Laura doesn't seem to be interested in any of that.

She just wants answers and answers she will get even though she has to interrupt our little appreciation conversation going on.

"So why are you like this and why will they not stop staring. Are we in the wrong place? We can always turn back and enter the right room, except I don't think so, so what exactly is going on?", Laura asks

No, rather she demands.

She has the look that says she will get her answer no matter what and right at that instant.

So she is literally glaring at Bianca.

Bianca is however hesitating a bit as her gaze is still flickering between the crowd and us.

"Come on, say something. You should understand that you are the reason why we are still being stared at and answer my questions one at a time, you don't have to answer it all at once. We need to know something to survive this place if it is going to be an hell hole or not", Laura says, breaking down what she thinks so as to drive some bravery into bianca.

I can see the uncertainty in Laura's eyes though.

But at least we don't look like we are about to bolt out the door or we are fearful of them.

Our backs are straight and our heads held high even though it is quite muddled up inside.

The onlookers are beginning to find other things worth staring at, like their food for a start, but there are still the ones looking and literally watching even the most minute of our moves.

Like can't they just refocus or are we interrupting anything?

I look around and try to find a podium around, in case there was someone giving a speech or if there was some performance that we had interrupted with our coming in, but I find none.

Or is this just how things are done here in Italy?

"Let's go out first and I will tell you everything", Bianca finally managed to talk and the first thing she says just deeply upsets me because it sounds like cowardice.

I mean where is the girl that had taken her stage and not allowed herself to be shut up.

This display of cowardice is so upsetting and I turn to look at Laura if she feels the same way.

Her face tells it all.

The irritation she feels from the words Bianca had just spoken.

"Well I guess we will have to figure things out ourselves. But first, Ashley is still paying for lunch, right?" Laura asks as she adjusts her clothes in the side and changes her demeanor.

She looks at me and I reach out for one of the cards in my purse.

"Yes", I say and flash the black card in my hand at them both.

"Send your bills to my table, young misses", I say lightening the mood but Bianca doesn't look like she can laugh yet.

At least herfaciak expressions have softened.

"We will rejoin after lunch then, I want to share my way of having fun with you girls", Laura says and Bianca and I share a look.

An amused one in fact.

"Okay then, eat to your fill", I tell Laura and notice Bianca's slight discomfort again.

What I'm the world is going through her little head?

I cannot help but wonder.

Laura winks and walks away while I turn back to Bianca.

"It is going to be okay, perfectly okay, you've got me and yourself. You believe in you, right?", I ask her and she gives me a slight nod.

"Now that is my girl", I say and pat her shoulder gently.

"Now let's go eat to our fill", I say as I look around the restaurant hoping I find where Laura is sitting.

And after a few seconds is scanning and going back and forth the side walls of the restaurant with my eyes, I find her.

She winks at me and I wink back.

Oh my goodness, this is fun.

I think to myself as I look back at Bianca and wink, as if to say let's go have fun with our food.

This is not the first time I am eating out since I arrived Italy, I mean after all Simon made sure to be as romantic as romance itself by taking me out to grand dinners and suits and sight seeing together as he had promised.

The only difference between this and those times is that those were all exclusive restaurants.

I had VIP treatment and all because if course I was with Simon Rodriguez.

But being with these people who were only strangers a few hours ago, yet within those few hours that we have known each other, we have warded off the enemies, discussed likes and dislikes and thought of ourselves as friends.

And again, there is Laura's surprise for us after lunch.

I really can't wait to explore all of Italy with them.

Or at least, as many places as we can cover during my months here.

One month will not do, I am looking forward to a two month stay here so at least I get to spend another four weeks with them here.

I need to get strength for all of that though, so I turn to Bianca who must be famished from all of that talk about painting and all.

"You have been here before, right? Let's go enjoy some Italian meal. We will have your favorite", I tell Bianca as I ask her to lead the way, but she wouldn't move.

So I scan the place and search out empty tables. I soon find one and head there, holding Bianca's wrist in have.

She doesn't look like she has anything much to say for now.

Well, maybe I will get her.

We soon teach a table and a waitress approaches us soon enough.

She says a greeting in Italian and lucky me who read a few Italian books and binge watched Italian movies every night since the week we got here.

I return the greeting with a smile.

Bianca stifles a laugh at the awkwardness of my intonation.

But whatever.

At least the mood is lighter.