[longer chapter warning]
{scroll to bottom for song if u can't see it up top! <3}
!if there are translations, they're at the end!

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{sure & showings}

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

❝i know i'll be sad tomorrow and you won't be here to hold me.❞
~ {sarah bahbah}

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┊ ┊ ☪︎⋆
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✯ ⋆ ┊ . ˚
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SELENE LAID IN her bed as cassandra sat cross legged on it and brigetta laid across it on her stomach, feet up in the air and head in her hands.

"so, he said he loved you." brigetta said going over what selene had just told her and cassandra as selene hummed in response.

"and what did you say now?" cassandra said still in shock.

"i said i couldn't love him. because we couldn't have hope we would amount to something bigger than this." selene said tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth.

the two girls turned to face her as if they were waiting for something else. but that something else didn't feel like it was coming until selene took a deep breath.

"but then he looked at me. i'm in that moment and in that look i saw my future. for the first time i saw a person i loved. and a person who loved me too and wouldn't hurt me. because he saw the scares my heart had and instead of cutting deeper,...he wanted to heal them." selene started.

brigetta's face fell into her hands as she listened to the girl in astonishment. cassandra smiles sweetly.

"and he said. 'i'd rather have hope than let us turn to dust.' so i kissed him. and i told him- i told him i loved him too. and i'm damn sure glad i did." selene said a smile on her face a mix of proud and happinesses.

"aweee la mia piccola !!" brigetta exclaims tackling selene in a hug.

"you two are so sweet i might shed a tear!" cassandra say joining in on the hug.

"group hug!!" nicolas shouts as he runs into the dark haired girls room and joins in on the hug.

"alright my dress is gonna wrinkle!!" selene says moving her arms around wildly in attempt to get her three friends off of her.

"yea this suit is expensive. you wrinkle, it you buy it." nicolas says standing up and brushing his suit.

the three girls laugh and stand as they brush and fix their dresses too. a knock is soon heard at the door and brigetta makes her way to get it as the other three follow behind her to the living room.

the blonde girl opens the door and sebastian, alexander, and timothée walk in.

"ayooo party people!" sebastian says throwing his hands in the air.

"he had one tequila shot. i'm sorry in advance." alexander says going to the mirror to fix his chain and dress pants.

"hello amore mio" timothée says walking up to selene and placing a kiss on her lips.

"you've been picking up on your italian eh?" selene says sending the boy a sly grin.

"for you pomodoro." timothée says giving the girl a smile.

"that means tomato curly sue." brigetta says patting the boys shoulder.

"at least you tried honey." selene says pecking the curly haired boys nose.

"oh! it's almost time we have to get this show on the road!" cassandra shouts looking at the clock.

multiple "oh!"'s and "yea!"'s are heard as the group gets their coats and belongings and make their way out the door. they file down the steps and began making their way through town laughing at random things and taking in the sights.

the sun is starting to set and it cast a soft glow over the streets of the city. it's a bit more quiet as it's getting later in time and darker in light. however the clatters of glasses and noise from pubs and bars are heard every so often down certain roads. along with faint music leaving houses and restaurants. the air was comforting.

the groups laughter comes to a halt as they arrive at their location. a large stage is set up with rows of chairs leading up to it. people mingle about and some sit in chairs as they get ready to start the showing.

"eee good luck you four!!" brigetta says smiling at the four film students.

"good luck kiddos." nicolas says patting sebastian and timothée on their back.

"you're all gonna kill it!" selene says pulling cassandra and alexander into side hugs as they're stood next to her before going to peck timothée on the lips and giving him a smile.

the italian trio make their way to the most decent seats they could as the four film students make their way to the stage and locate their friends in the crowd.

once everyone is seated a presenter walks onto the stage and taps the mic twice.

"welcome! welcome to the 1st destination SCA film presentations!" the presenter states and the audience applauds.

"each of our students will present the movies they have created over the course of these past months for you to enjoy! without farther a due heres our first student, alexander abramcini!" the present announces.

nicolas, brigetta, and selene shoot up and clap loudly while shouting cheers.

"sorry they're heavily italian." sebastian whispers to timothée, mocking a term nico has said before making the pair burst into quiet laughter.

-
alexander presents his movie and it's titled "my love" . the movie is filmed in a vlog type style with a few still shots and it shows alexander's day to day life. some shots even featuring his italian friends. most of not all shots full of happiness and bright. however, it then begins to show previous shots but some zoomed in on people giving the boy judgmental glares due to his extravagant style. it features brigetta playing a person who speaks rudely to the boy. it ends with him walking and a voice over speaking about how no matter what he is still a person. he can not control who his heart desires and he can not ignore it either. it will not be a one time thing that just passes like a phase because love can't do that.

"when you love someone you may break up with them, or say you hate them, or even refuse to speak to them ever again. yet deep down the love you hold for them is still there. and no matter how much you may ignore that persons existence, you know they're out there somewhere. and you knowing that is the love you still have for them. love doesn't go away. my love isn't a phase."
-

the crowd erupts in applause when the film comes to an end. selene wipes her eyes and she clings onto brigetta's arm and nicolas smiles like a proud father. alexander smiles and bows for the audience as brigetta sends s whistle his way making him chuckle as he heads back to his seat.

cassandra's film is next and hers is titled, "margheritina". the film opens with cassandra in a flower field. a shot filmed by selene when cassandra was teaching her how to use a camera.

-
"i am a woman of color. and there are many times i feel put to shame because i look different. yet i still can't seem to understand why. why am i different than you? or her? or him? or them? why does the color of my skin make me different in your eyes. am i scary? because if you got to know me you'd know i find intense joy in hugs and ice cream sundaes. am i better? if you got to know me you'd know sometimes i don't feel to good about my self." the voiceover plays over clips of cassandra going about her own.

"if you saw two rooms but one was blue and one was pink, would you only go into the blue room? why not go into the pink room? they're just rooms. so why hate people because of their color? they're just people." this voiceover is heard behind the clip of cassandra shopping with selene and brigetta and an older woman looking at her weirdly.

"i am woman of color and i'm proud. i love myself and i know why. you hate me and you don't know why. therefore why can't you love me too?" this clip is played over a clip of cassandra looking straight into the lenses of the camera as if she was staring at the viewer themselves.
-

the trio among with the audience stand and applaud the film. alexander walks over to his sister and wraps her into a hug as she wipes her eyes.

"you're so great baby." selene mouths to the curly haired girl.

cassandra sends her a thankful smile back filled with so much emotion she doesn't have to say a word for selene to understand her.

after a few students films sebastian stands to go. his film is titled, "pickup lessons: with jack hotass". the title makes the crowd let out multiple giggles and snickers.

the film opens with sebastian in a ridiculous coustume. he wears a fake mustache and has fake sideburns on. the pants and shirt he wears is way to tight for his own good and he holds a fake cigar in his hand as he begins to talk.

-
"how ya doin'. the names jack hotass and i'm gonna teach you lame-o's how to finally get a girl. first find ya self a cutie batootie." he says as he walks over to selene who was a character in his short movie.

the boy wore a very well put together suit and a terrible fake mustache that brigetta had to hold to his face for multiple minutes so it could stick.

"hey tots. ya good? good. how would you like to take a ride on this hot slide eh? eh? eh? ...eh?" sebastian says in character as he sways his hips.

"awe at least you tried. never try again." selene says walking away.

"tough cookie. let's find someone else. eh?" sebastian says walking over to cassandra who was in character as well.

before he could even open his mouth she beat him to it.

"no." she said simply before walking away.

"well. since you're here let me teach you another lesson fellas. women are human. not toys so don't play with them and don't break them and expect to just get a new one. have respect for them and then maybe they'll have some for you. once you do that, then you can pickup girls ya sleepy. i'm jack hotass and i'm out sucka's" sebastian says before snapping and dancing out of frame.
-

the crowd laughs but stands and cheers.

"i didn't know you act." nicolas whispers to selene.

"yeah. that was one of forty takes." selene replies sending him a smirk.

soon it's timothée's turn and he makes his was to the stage. the trio in the crowd claps along with others and selene blows him a quick kiss. his movie is titled, "her.".

-
the movie opens with timothée setting up the camera at a desk and beginning to speak.

"you ever get that feeling when you meet a person and though you don't even know them at all you feel like you do?" he speaks looking into the camera.

"and the first time all they do is smile and you take that smile and let your thoughts run wild. like 'do they like me?!' or 'nah they were just being nice.' but the second time they speak to you and you just feel...content with everything at that moment? yea that's how i felt when i met her." the boys says his eyes looking into the camera.

the film then cuts to a black screen. and a faint laugh is heard. a female laugh. a laugh that perks the ears of the friends since they know that laugh well. a laugh that selene knows is, hers.

footage reappears on the screen and this time it's selene and timothée walking around the streets of italy and then in the flower field.

"selene." the boys voice says as a close up of the girl making a silly face at the camera shows.

- selene sits in astonishment with her mouth slightly parted and glossy eyes -

"the first time she told me her name it wouldn't leave my mind so i searched it up. it means moon. she's my little moon. and i would say sun but it's different. she's the light in the darkest of times. just like how the moon gives the sky light when it's in its darkest stage." timothée's plays over clips of a selene sleepy selene and selene filming timothée eating ice cream but miserably failing at using the camera.

"she's the girl who waking up and being excited to see never gets old. she's an adventurer and is never not discovering something new. she cares and she'll never stop. she cares to much sometimes. like when she made me stop riding my bike because i scraped my knee when the wheel hit a rock." the voiceover plays as videos of timothée and selene by the lake play and them riding their bikes.

- tears slip out from selene's eyes as she watches the movie play in front of her. -

"she's beautiful and she grows to be it more and more everyday. she sings and oh boy does she sing with her heart. i could never get tired of hearing her soft voice serenade me." this voiceover plays as selene singing to timothée is slightly heard in the background.

- "don't stay awake for too long
don't go to bed
i'll make a cup of coffee for your head
i'll get you up and going out of bed
and i promise that one day i'll feel fine and i promise that one day i'll feel alright" selene sings softly along with the video -

"and i love her. the girl i have only known for so long yet she's managed to capture my heart with a glance. selene. her. my little moon. sincerely, your american boy timmy." the last voiceover plays as a video of selene singing at the restaurant plays.

"my baby lives in shades of blue, blue eyes and jazz and attitude..."
-

the crowd stands and claps wildly. brigetta and nicolas stand automatically and clap. selene stands slowly and doesn't even bother to wipe her tears as she claps and sends him a smile that had became reserved for him. a smile only he knew the meaning to. and he sent the same one right back to her.

A BIT LATER the group of friends found themselves in the restaurant waiting for selene to grace them with her singing once again.

she made her way on stage and grabbed a hold of the microphone.

"i've been working on this song for a minute and have completed it thanks to the help of someone special. here's "hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have." hope you enjoy." the girl gave a smile to the crowd.

"i was reading slim aarons and i got to thinking that i thought. maybe i'd get less stressed if i was tested less like all of these debutantes. smiling for miles in pink dresses and high heels on white yachts. but i'm not, baby, i'm not. no, i'm not, that, i'm not." selene songs her eyes closed gently yet a pair of eyes never left her. timothée's.

"i've been tearing around in my fucking nightgown, 24/7 sylvia plath. writing in blood on my walls, 'cause the ink in my pen don't work in my notepad. don't ask if i'm happy, you know that i'm not. but at best, i can say i'm not sad." the six friends look up the girl captivated in a way.

" 'cause hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have." selene sing her eyes opening and meeting timothée's who dipped on his drink lightly.

"i had 15-year dances, church basement romances, yeah, i've cried. spilling my guts with the bowery bums, is the only love i've ever known. except for the stage, which i also call home, when i'm not. servin' up god in a burnt coffee pot for the triad. hello, it's the most famous woman you know on the ipad" the room is deathly silent as not only the six friends but everyone in the audience take in the lyrics the brunette girl sings.

"calling from beyond the grave, i just wanna say, 'hi, dad' " tears brim in selene's eyes as they lyric leaves her mouth and the friends face soften.

"i've been tearing up town in my fucking white gown, like a goddamn near sociopath. shaking my ass is the only thing that's got this black narcissist off my back. she couldn't care less, and i never cared more. so there's no more to say about that. except hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman with my past." selene sings with her entire heart. this song was the most personal she she had ever written. this song was her.

a body of work she had been working on throughout the entire summer had finally been complete and she couldn't feel happier.

"there's a new revolution, a loud evolution that i saw. born of confusion and quiet collusion of which mostly i've known. a modern day woman with a weak constitution, 'cause i've got, monsters still under my bed that i could never fight off. a gatekeeper carelessly dropping the keys on my nights off" brigetta grasp onto nicolas' arm as he rubs her shoulder, cassandra leans her head on alexander's shoulder, sebastian rest is head in his hands as he stares up at the girl, and timothée gazed at the girl mind full of questions but heart full of love.

"i've been tearing around in my fucking nightgown, 24/7 Sylvia Plath. writing in blood on your walls, 'cause the ink in my pen don't look good in my pad. they write that i'm happy, they know that i'm not. but at best, you can see i'm not sad. but hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have. hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have." selene's eyes wander around the room and she eventually closes them releasing tears that's fall down gently.

"hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have" she opens her eyes looking for one pair only.

"but i have it" selene mets timothée's gaze and he smiles at her.

"yeah, i have it" she smiles back at him but under her smile is a realization that's been eating her up.

"yeah, i have it" he presented his final project today meaning his goal for the trip was complete. and that being complete meant-...

"i have" his stay in italy had come to an end.

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．
:song of the chapter:

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

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alexander's polaroid dump
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sincerely, jack hotass

supermodel sista

premiere :)

god is a woman #girlboss

b+n = undercover lovers ;)

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selene's polaroid dump
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tim-tim <3

sel and zander figure out how to play pool (taken by seb!)

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timothée's polaroid dump
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the water dancer <3

super cool kid

button nosed beauty xx

brigetta + flowers (a series) ;)

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brigetta's polaroid dump
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director man ;)

literal art (oh and some cool portraits too lol)

home <3

an italian girl and american boy (a saga) hehe

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

AUTHORS NOTE:
~ besties i have tears lowk lol. this book is nearing an end and i just wanna thank you for all the love in it so far. i'm so glad you're all enjoying it! i'll try to keep this short but just know it means so much to me that you guys find a sense of comfort in my work! (luv y'all sm literally.) also idk if u guys know but i never clarified that the words under the photos in the photo dump are supposed to be like the writing under a polaroid lololol. n e wayz,...stay safe, hydrated , and healthy. try to eat a little something and find something to laugh abt! sending much love! xx
- <3