~Please tell me what you think of this chapter. Any comments are encouraged. * Inspired by the Goo Goo Dolls, Here is Gone* ~

3

All good things come to an end, but I was still surprised when this ended, and surprised by the way that it ended.

Davide unwrapped my arms from around his neck and looked at me sheepishly. He tousled his hair nervously and kept his stare focused on the floor as he spoke, " I think... Um... It would be best if that didn't happen again..." he said looking at the ground like a guilty puppy that was about to be scolded.

I cringed. All that comfort and reassurance that had filled my heart began to spill out and disappear. " What do you mean Davide?" I asked shakily. His gaze stayed on the ground as if I hadn't said anything at all. " Davide!" I screeched, " for Christs sake would you look at me?!" I demanded as my voice rumbled and ricocheted off the walls of his apartment.

He slowly looked up at me.

" Davide," I said my voice softening, "what do you mean?" I asked, the gnarled tangle of pain in my throat choking me.

He was quiet. " Just what I said Lucia." He said staring at his shoes as if they were suddenly the most interesting thing in the room. " I.. I am seeing someone... I... Think it'd be best if we just... Moved on..." His voice was soft and barely audible, but that didn't change the impact of his words.

My heart was wrenched out of me stomped on and put in a paper shredder. I tried to swallow the excessively large knot that was growing in my throat. There was no point in trying to stop it. Tears poured down my face as though they were rain drops falling from rain clouds. " You mean, you think I should move on, because you never really loved me, everything you did, everything you said was a lie. You were just telling me what I wanted to hear... I thought I lost you, but I don't think you were ever here at all... I thought I felt something, but I guess all of it was nothing, because it all amounted to nothing to you..." I said as I walked as fast as I could to the door.

" Lucia, let me walk you home, it's not safe out there." Davide said hurrying over to where I was.

" No, Davide, it's more dangerous in here than it is out there. I'll walk myself home." I said closing the door behind me.

I rushed down the Italian streets of Venice, as fast as my legs could carry me. The sky bellowed hungrily as rain began to fall out of the ash colored clouds in sheets. I could smell the cozy little Italian restaurants making their fresh coffee and hot bread for the day to come. I walked hastily past the shops ignoring the growling in my stomach.

My tears blinded me as I walked over the bridge that hung over the canal.

God, what time is it? I wondered as I began rubbing my eyes, smearing the charcoal make up the covered my eyes. Rain poured down harder, soaking me to the bone. My knees felt like spaghetti by the time I reached my apartment building.

I clicked the buzzer. No answer. I clicked it again and again until Gladdis, the apartment owner, answered grumpily, " What?" The haggard voice demanded.

" It's Lucia, could you unlock the door?" I pleaded as the thunder rumbled overhead.

She sighed as I heard the clicking of locks. " Come on in, next time don't come home so late." She said through the innercome disgruntledly.

I opened the door and hurried up the stairs. I rushed down the hallway silently, until I reached door number 6. I turned the knob. " Crap." I murmured. I forgot my key inside. I was in such a hurry to leave I must've forgotten my key.

I sighed and slid down the wall. " I'm so stupid!" I whispered fiercly to myself not just talking about my key. I put a hand through my sopping hair and began to sob. " Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I said angrily putting my head on my knees. How could I thought he loved me? I was never good enough for him. He was something unique, and special. I was just a girl, but now I'm... I touched my neck feeling for the bite marks, but found none... He told me forever. I thought gloomily. Why did I believe what he said?

" Long night?" A woman asked. I looked up to see Ms. Volturi standing in front of me with her coke bottle glasses and multi colored curlers in her hair.

She looked like an old owl.

I nodded inattentively.

She laughed, which was an odd noise that sounded like she was choking on bread. " I had a lot of those when I was your age, myself." She smiled knowingly, which made me smile. I couldn't imagine the elderly woman in the beige nightgown having a night like I had.

" Come on. If you want you can stay with me tonight." She said turning and heading back into her apartment.

I stood and followed her inside. " Thank you." I said gratefully.

She waved a hand dismissing the gratitude. " Girl it's nothing, but I'm afraid you'll have to sleep on the couch."

I smiled. " That's fine with me, I fall asleep on the couch all the time." I replied instantly remembering the nights I had slept on the couch with Davide. Grimly, I tried to forget about all the memories I had with Davide.

Ms. Volturi came out of her room carrying another nightgown. I hadn't even noticed her leave the room. " I'm afraid this is all I can give you to wear." The old woman frowned at it.

" Thank you, that's perfect." I managed to say sincerely with a smile.

The frail lady handed me the gown and waddled off to her room. " What did I tell you about saying 'Thank you'? I'm going to get some sleep and I think you should do the same. Goodnight Lucia." She said closing her door.

I walked behind the couch and slithered out of my dress self consciously, and slid into the nightgown.

That was nice of her, I thought as I folded my dress putting it onto my worn out heels, making sure the floor didn't get wet. I walked over to the couch and collapsed. I reached for the TV remote and turned it on to some old Italian soap opera I had never seen before.

" No, No!" screeched the woman as a man shot another guy who was her husband. The lady ran over to her bleeding husband screaming. " No, No! Festa non estinguersi! Per cortesìa festa non andàrsene io." She started shaking her husband as my eyelids began to grow heavy. " Aiuto aiuto! Per cortesìa qualcheuno aiuto io!" The TVs voices grew softer and softer as I snuggled into the old womans couch and nodded off to sleep.