"A what trip? What's a can of ping?" Alberto, Massimo, and Machiavelli all sat around (or on) the table one night eating dinner—pasta, of course. Massimo had just asked if Alberto wanted to go on a "bonding" trip with him.

Signor Massimo chuckled deeply. "Camping. You live outside and away from others for a day or two. I would like to spend some time together, just the two of us ragazzi, before Luca and Giulietta return. What do you say?"

"Sounds like the perfect opportunity for Alberto Scorfano to prove to you he's got the guts to make it anywhere!" Alberto grinned and Massimo laughed.

"I have no doubt. We shall leave tomorrow morning." They cleaned up their dinner and each packed a small bag to take on the trip.

~

True to his word, the next morning the pair (minus their cat) left on their boat to an island not far away from Portorosso. Massimo told Alberto that when he was young, his group of ragazzi would come to this island and pretend to be stranded here to see how long they could "survive". He never thought he'd be back with an adopted son.

The first day went well. Massimo showed Alberto how to set up a tent, start a fire, and operate a sleeping bag. Alberto made sure they had dinner by catching fish for Massimo and some sea plants for himself.

As night fell, Alberto couldn't fall asleep. Not only were these sleepy human bags very uncomfortable but he couldn't even see the fis- the stars from inside this "tent". He grabbed his backpack and crawled out to sit next to the small fire. He gently fanned it back up like Massimo had shown him and searched through his bag for something.

One by one, he pulled out pieces of paper. They all started with the same thing.

"Ciao Berto, it's Luca," he whispered aloud. He read aloud quietly to the rest of that letter, then continued with the next one. He had read them so many times, he could've recited them with his eyes closed. Reading the handwritten letters always comforted him somehow. Especially when they ended with "Caro, Luca" {Love, Luca} every time...

Eventually, Alberto's vision started to blur from reading for so long. He reluctantly but carefully put the letters away with a yawn. He continued to sit by the fire for its warmth and light, though. He absently drew lines in the sand next to him while he thought about any number of things.

He wondered if Luca were here, what they would be doing. Perhaps exploring the hills with Luca explaining how every plant and ecosystem (that's a word Luca used in a letter he wrote) worked while they walked. Maybe they would be swimming in the reefs while the sun came up, with Luca's blue and green scales shimmering brilliantly in the early morning rays of sunlight. Maybe they would even be telling adventuring stories quietly by the campfire so as to not wake Massimo before breakfast. Luca had the best imagination when telling stories about, well...anything.

Alberto's smile faded when he remembered why he was on this island without Luca in the first place. Not his old island, at least, thank goodness. Luca was pursuing his dream and Alberto would wait here for him to return.

If he even wanted to return at all...

"Silenzio Bruno." He whispered harshly. Luca would return. He wouldn't abandon him. Alberto pulled his knees to his chest and put his chin atop them.

Alberto's finger again absently traced a pattern in the dirt beside him, on the ocean side. Before he could stop himself, he was drawing Luca's name. The letters were a bit lopsided but it made him smile nonetheless. Luca wrote a little lopsided too. The soft ocean waves and pale moonlight gave him a sense of comfort as he kept drawing.

Below Luca's name, he drew his face. He slowly uncurled and bent closer to the dirt so he could get the details correct. Big brown eyes, a light sprinkling of freckles, a slightly crooked smile, curls that framed his baby-like face...

He sat back on his knees and grinned when he was finished. It wasn't exactly like Luca, but it was pretty close. Now, what was missing...? Oh!

Alberto scribbled his name in the dirt next to Luca's, then drew his own face below it. It was quicker and less detailed than Luca's, but it was a close enough resemblance. By now, the sky was starting to light up on the edge of the ocean. Alberto yawned and put his head back on his knees. He would move inside the tent again in a minute...

~

A few hours later, Massimo woke up. He had risen earlier than usual. He decided if Alberto was still asleep, he would go fish on the shore until the boy awoke. He exited his tent and chuckled softly at the sight before him. Alberto was asleep next to the embers of the campfire and some sort of markings in the dirt.

Massimo knelt down next to the sleeping boy to see what the markings were. They were a little smudged due to animals and wind and whatnot but it was clear what they were supposed to be: Luca and Alberto.

It was no secret to anyone with half a brain cell that Luca and Alberto were closer than best friends. A small smile grew on Massimo's face and he picked up his fishing rod to continue to the ocean shore for fishing. They would have to return to their home that afternoon for their weekly phone call with Luca and Giulia. He knew Alberto wouldn't miss it for the world. Neither would he.

~

"Ready to send these letters off? They should reach Portorosso in a few days!" Giulia asked Luca excitedly while they were at the post office a few days later. She seemed unusually excited today, Luca noted.

"Yep, sure am!" He smiled widely and went to take their letters inside like usual. Except Giulia stepped in front of him, blocking the door. He stepped back, confused. "Wh-"

"Heyyyy, you know what? I'll take them in. You can stay out here at the fountain or browse around inside the shop over there if you'd like. I know you don't do well in the cold and, uh...the air conditioner is on full blast, like, 24/7 in here. So just go ahead inside that shop and I'll take these-" Giulia took Luca's letters from his hands, "-and go mail them. Okay? Ciao!" Luca didn't have time to react before the door swung shut in front of him with Giulia and his letters gone.

Something was up with Giulia but Luca couldn't figure out what. He decided he might as well go walk around inside the art shop across the street. Maybe he could find inspiration for his next sketch or even buy a new lead pencil to draw with.

Oh! He had a sketch of Berto in his pocket he could compare the pencil to, if he could reach it. He dug around in his coat pocket...it wasn't there. No, no, no...he couldn't lose that sketch! It was the best one he'd done so far and he was planning on giving it to Berto when they returned.

Starting to panic, he rushed to the door, where Giulia ran into him. Literally. "Ay, watch wher- Luca! I mailed the letters so let's go back, yeah? Yeah, I think we should. I think school is gonna have pas-" Giulia gently grabbed Luca's wrist and tugged on him.

"Giulia, no! I can't! My- my sketch, it's gone! It vanished! I was going to give it to Berto as a gift when we went home and now I can't and-"

"Woah, calm down. I know where your sketch is."

"You do? Where is it? I need it back!"

"It's in the mail." Giulia grinned teasingly. "On its way to Berto right now. It fell on the floor at home before we left and I decided to surprise you. Don't worry, you can thank me later!" She started to giggle when Luca's eyes went wide and he froze. "Oh, Luca. It'll be alright, you'll see. Alberto loves your art and so do I!"

"No Giulia, you- you don't understand! That sketch wasn't meant for him to see yet! I was making a book of them and if that one is missing, then-"

"Luca! Trust me. It'll be alright. Let's go back home, alright? I'm sure you'll forget about it soon and then when Alberto writes back, his letter will be full of praises!" Giulia continued to chatter about the letter she sent back to her papá while Luca hid his face in his hands. That sketch wasn't meant for Berto to see yet and for good reason...

~

{What do you think the reason Luca wasn't ready for him to see it yet was? I don't have anything written for that scene so I'd like to know what y'all think! And no, it was not a gutter reason so get your head out of it, before anyone comes at me with that-

A longer chapter will be coming Saturday! We're halfway through with the story, actually : ) }