I have caught myself staring at the world outside yet again.

In the midst of all this crowd, it is a good thing that no one can specify what I'm looking at. It could be the huge posters advertising my exhibition or could be the entrance door so one can say that I'm just anticipating visitors or just simply looking at the visitors present at moment. The gallery that has chosen me to let me showcase this time has been the one biggest in size up to date. The advantage allows me to just let my eyes wander and have no one question a thing.

But in actuality, only I know what I've been feeling. How my eyes wander from time to time outside the huge display windows to see if the sun has set yet. Is it still light outside or is it getting dark?

My mind, I find, is the first time in my career, not fully present on the task at hand. I keep wandering and silently waiting for the time to pass by.

I'm attending to the people interested in buying my art and satisfying their questions to the fullest. I'm not slacking off in not doing my part or hiding away just because my mind is elsewhere. I'm doing good justice to myself and my art. But in the back of my mind is something that I'm waiting for.

I'm waiting for the clock to hit 10 P.M.

Present now in Madrid after my last exhibition in Paris. And alongside me, is also Harry.

Just as we promised to see each other after we are each done with our thing, I am now impatiently waiting for the night to fall. I suppose he chose the night time so he can be safe and no one recognizes him even though his show ends a bit earlier today.

I don't mind because that is also the only time that I have that I can give to him. I guess I'm starting to like this arrangement. After a long day of us tending to our own lives, there is a time that we can see each other. I think this is what friendship means, as he put it. To still take out time for ourselves even when we lead busy lives. To show in action that the words are not empty.

I look outside one last time, hiding my restlessness and try to see if anyone is looking for me or if the spectators are enjoying their time. I got Harry's text earlier that he'll come pick me up so I sent him the location. I don't have to leave by myself today so I can take my time wrapping up things well too.

Although taking my time in things is just making me grow more fretful. The longer I take the time to do things, the more I feel the tick of every second and the harder it is for the time to pass by.

Thankfully, there isn't much of it left now. I'm just waiting for the last customer to finish up before we can put the 'Closed' sign on the door.

They seem to be done so I get ahead and start on concluding things. The bell at the entrance clinks when the last customer of the day leaves and my team starts helping me put everything away.

Soon after the set up is taken down and the chairs and tables taken to the backroom, I finally step outside of the gallery. The clock reads 10:01 on my phone.

I can't believe the part of the timeline the universe has chosen me to be a part of. Usually, I would rush to the hotel to get a good night's sleep and take an early flight to my next destination. Not keeping in mind that there's still weeks to go and doing it anyway.

But here I stand, outside the gallery, and wait for Harry to come pick me up at the gallery that I just exhibited at. I feel an eerie sense of disbelief.

I see his smile before I see him. He's wearing the same coat as the last time we met but with pale pink plaid trousers.

"You're late," I remarked.

"I believe the right words are 'Hi, how are you Harry? I haven't seen you in a week."' He answers with a smirk on his face. I just stare at him, smiling, happy to see him. So does he.

"Hi," I say, after a short while of basking him in.

"Hello," He replies, matching my tone and feeling.

"So," I say and begin walking. "How have you been?"

He walks with his hand in his pockets. "I've been good. Just busy with the shows."

"How did that go today?" I ask.

"I don't know. You should ask the audience." He says cheekily. "I believe I did an alright job."

I laugh a bit. "Everyone should have the same humbleness as you." We keep walking while talking to each other. I realize we haven't picked a spot this time. We just naturally started walking, taking the route from the gallery and wherever the sidewalk takes us.

"I'm sure you blew minds. As you always do." I genuinely compliment him. He needs to know the effects he has on people.

"My fans are too kind." He smiles, shyly accepting. "And what about you?"

"I'm okay too. Exhibition after exhibition."

"Show after show."

I snicker. "We are busy people."

He nods. "Is this your first exhibition here? How long have you been doing this?"

"My first was in Italy where Alessandro met me. And the rest followed soon after that." I was lucky enough for my first exhibition to go so well that it not only landed me Gucci but a chance to go all over the world. That time in my life somehow also seems ages ago.

Being here with Harry makes me feel like that was an entirely different life.

"Do you have plans on owning your own gallery someday?"

His question throws me off guard. "I think," I actually try to think. "I've never thought about that before."

He waits for me to form a response. "Only now have I started to do my own thing. Before that, it was studying, then taking on jobs to assist other people. Owning my own gallery seems too far away in the future. Or even if."

"Why not?" He seriously asks. "You can definitely do it."

"You haven't even seen my work. How can you be that sure?" I say, masking shyness at him being so supportive and sure of my ability.

"I've seen some, if not a lot. But in any case, I think you're brilliant enough to do whatever you set your mind to."

His honest answers make me take a breath of appreciation. "I would also have to be settled enough anywhere to do that. I would need a place I can call home."

I say out loud, that possibility being more non existent as me owning something of my own.

"As someone who also travels a lot," He starts. "Being on the road is an adventure but it's nicer to have a home."

I sigh. "Maybe someday I'll find it."

He looks at me a brief second, wanting to know more. But I look around us and see that we have walked a lot already. Surprisingly, I start to feel a little tired. It might be the lack of dinner catching up to me.

Harry sees me pause just as he remembers something he forgot. "There is something I have to show you."

He takes me by my arm and we start walking. Curious, I follow where he's going until we reach a small park, or rather a place designed for rest for passing by people. It's not a garden or a park per se, but a very small space surrounded by some benches and a monument for recreational purposes. The lights are shining on the monument, giving illumination to the edge of its wall. Where I notice is a big woven wicker basket and a few drinks beside it.

"I present to you this," Harry says, as he leads the way and stands with his arms wide to show the basket and the space. I walk forward until I reach him. "Thought you might be hungry."

I look at the basket and there is all kinds of food inside. Some sandwiches, small pizzas, buns, etc. There are a variety of sweet snacks. One cold apple juice, some cans of sodas and water bottles.

I gape at him. "You did all this?"

He gives me a broad smile. "It's nothing." He doesn't give me time to think. "I'm so hungry. Let's eat."

We take a seat with a basket as a barrier between us, both talking about how good the food is. I take a sip of the apple juice, the fact not lost on me that he remembered what I ordered only one time with him back at the bar in Rome.

"You might be the first person to not bring alcohol with food." I say. "Or remember that I don't drink."

"I didn't think it was right for me to get drunk. And why wouldn't I?" He says, drinking his soda. "I hope you still like apple juice."

I just smile. "I love everything you did, Harry."

He smiles back, satisfied. Then, takes another sip of his soda, enjoying the view and contemplating. "Why do you think people lie?"

"Like in what context?"

"Like," He pauses to take another sip. "In general. Someone lies to protect something or someone. Or little white lies."

"Could be many reasons." We drink back and forth, looking at the view ahead of us, the light from the monument reflecting our faces. "Maybe they are protecting someone. Or themselves sometimes."

"There is always a way to avoid it though, don't you think?"

"I do think that actually." I put my drink down, the bottle now empty. "I always see that in movies. But I really think if you try hard enough you can avoid that. There is always a way to not hurt someone and to preserve yourself too."

"It might come down to the fact that you might lose everything you have but it's better than living in a world which was built on lies. Who would want to live in such a world anyway?"

He nods in agreement. I shake my head. He makes conversations so easy.

After a while of similar topics and sharing opinions, our second night also comes to an end. We finish the food and our drinks and make our way back slowly to our hotels. I feel a warmth in my chest after seeing him again. The ball of golden light in my heart grows each time we meet and spend time together. "Till Amalfi." he said. Till Amalfi, I repeat softly to myself.