Two Months Later
Carlo and I had formed a close bond, perhaps the tightest of the entire group. Sofia and I had also become inseparable; she reveled in my utter lack of fashion sense and eagerly took charge of selecting my outfits. She often paired cute skirts with tennis shoes, occasionally introducing me to dresses that I surprisingly didn’t mind wearing.
In the month since I’d arrived, I had blossomed with newfound confidence. I exchanged jokes with Vito and Enrico and engaged in girl talk about boys with Sofia and Chiara. I often spent time with Carlo, who, contrary to Enrico's portrayal, was far from grumpy.
Yet, despite my progress, Leonardo lingered in my thoughts like a ghost. The first two weeks in this new town were a nightmare; I’d wake in the middle of the night, screams cla
