Confused Hearts

By Claudia Piano

This novel is not a fantasy and doesn’t belong to the saga of “Armonia”.

It is located in Liguria between Alassio and Genoa but we’ll make a trip also to London and…a bit around the world.

It is a light and romantic story which begins during an afternoon of early Summer.

What is it about? Love, intese feelings, sometimes confused, overwhelmed by emotions.

The protagonists are a young man and a young woman, friends since ever, engaged in their lives, absorbed by their passions, intent on building their future and dealing with their feelings, but…

Let the characters present themselves…

“Hello, I am Elisa, I am twenty-five, my friends call me Eli, I am Lili only for him…Fabri, that is, Fabrizio, my friend since ever…

“Lili, my Pulcino, let me speak…if we must convince some sweet and adorable girls to read our story I think I am the best suited for this task”.

“Sure, sure…how presumptuous he is…”

“What? Excuse me?”

“Nothing, go on”.

“So…what can I tell you? Lili is a wonderful angel, I adore her but she has a very bad taste as regards men or, perhaps, she is a bit unlucky”.

“Maybe…”

“And what can I say of me? I sing and play in a band in London, girls lose their heads for me. Pay attention not to lose yours too…”

“…”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, nothing…you know I adore you”

The plot

Elisa and Fabrizio are friends since ever, there has always been a deep and intense feeling but while growing up they have taken a step back.

Each of them has followed its own path. Now Elisa is engaged, has got a bookshop at Alassio together with Elena, her best friend, and the role of second bassoon in Carlo Felice orchestra in Genova while Fabrizio works in a multinational in London and plays in a rock band.

They have always been best friends and continue to meet because they can’t stay away from each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Mar 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781507185032

Book preview

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This novel is a fruit of my imagination, that is, every ereference to people or real events is considered to be completely random.

Claudia Piano

The plot

Elisa and Fabrizio are friends since ever, there has always been a deep and intense feeling but while growing up they have taken a step back.

Each of them has followed its own path. Now Elisa is engaged, has got a bookshop at Alassio together with Elena, her best friend, and the role of second bassoon in Carlo Felice orchestra in Genova while Fabrizio works in a multinational in London and plays in a rock band.

They have always been best friends and continue to meet because they can’t stay away from each other.

This novel is not a fantasy and doesn’t belong to the saga of Armonia.

It is located in Liguria between Alassio and Genoa but we’ll make a trip also to London and...a bit around the world.

It is a light and romantic story which begins during an afternoon of early Summer.

What is it about? Love, intese feelings, sometimes confused, overwhelmed by emotions.

The protagonists are a young man and a young woman, friends since ever, engaged in their lives, absorbed by their passions, intent on building their future and dealing with their feelings, but...

Let the characters present themselves...

––––––––

"Hello, I am Elisa, I am twenty-five, my friends call me Eli, I am Lili only for him...Fabri, that is, Fabrizio, my friend since ever...

"Lili, my Pulcino, let me speak...if we must convince some sweet and adorable girls to read our story I think I am the best suited for this task".

Sure, sure...how presumptuous he is...

What? Excuse me?

Nothing, go on.

So...what can I tell you? Lili is a wonderful angel, I adore her but she has a very bad taste as regards men or, perhaps, she is a bit unlucky.

Maybe...

And what can I say of me? I sing and play in a band in London, girls lose their heads for me. Pay attention not to lose yours too...

...

Why are you laughing?

Oh, nothing...you know I adore you

Chapter 1

Elisa

Two boxes full of books have arrived. I smile to the courier as if he were Santa Claus. I am always happy when I open the boxes with the new arrivals. I take them out, I look at them, I smell them...a childish and irrational joy propagates in my reader soul.

Okay, now I become the efficient and scrupolous librarian. I check the delivery note, the list of order and then I charge them in the computer.

I adore my job, it has been the realization of one of my dreams and I have done it together with Elena, my best friend.

My mobile phone is ringing, a message.

-  I am at the beach, the sky is red as you like it. I am playing my guitar and two elder ladies have given me 5 euros! I am waiting for you! B

I read and smile thinking of his face while the two women are giving alms to him. What type he is!

-  Fabri? - Elena is looking at me - Has he arrived?

I nod

-  He is playing at the beach.

I show his message to her.

Elena shakes her hand with a smile.

-  Go to him, I will close the bookshop.

I look around me, the bookshop is quite in order, I am not leaving her in trouble.

-  At what time is Luca going to pick you up?

Elena smiles at me radiant and her big brown eyes illuminate, I know that she is foretasting her weekend in a boat. Her boyfriend Luca has rented a sail boat and takes her to Portofino for their anniversary. How sweet he is!

-  He is arriving at eight at the small harbour, I am going there by bicycle, my bag is already ready.

She runs a hand on her short crew cut.

I approach and embrace her

-  Enjoy yourselves - I recommend but there is no need to do it: they are a fantastic couple, they have been together for six years. They have met for the first time when Elena was doing her first stage at Genova aquarium, he is a marine biologist.

Elena walks away a bit and looks at me poutingly

-  I am sorry not to be here tomorrow, I will miss your solo.

Tomorrow evening I will play, it is the first concert of the Summer season of Carlo Felice orchestra, the most important theatre in Genoa. The conductor has decided to reward me for my commitment: I haven’t missed any rehearsal in three years!

We’ll play Mozart’s Concert for bassoon K191. It is wonderful but difficult, I am very excited even if I will play the solo with Carlo. To be honest he is the first bassoon but during the execution we’ll alternate.

My mobile phone is ringing again.

-  Are you coming? Or have I to look for another girl to take out to dinner? I have made a reservation at your favourite restaurant!

I smile and answer him that I am arriving.

I take my bag and go out in the alley, there is still a lot of movement even if it is quite late. The smell of the sea enfolds me, the narrow street crowded with shops is the most loved area of Alassio, either by the inhabitants or by the tourists. The thousand shops, bars, restaurants, the glimpses of the sea...and who can resist shopping?

I adore this place.

I turn to my right, the alley opens directly on the beach, I crouch to take off my shoes. The sea is calm, a dark blue, nearly grey, table, the sun has alread dropped so the air is fresh and the sand too.

Ah, the fresh sand of the evening...

This is the moment of the day which I prefer, when it is no longer day and night is not yet.

Before seeing him I have already heard his voice.

He is singing De Andre’s "Crêusa de mä"!

I fly to him with a smile going from one ear to the other one, I should not be so happy to see him.

He is sitting, has his eyes closed and a dreamy air. His dark eyelashes, as long as his hair, touch his tanned face with bold strokes and his lips, so ready to smile, so soft...

I hold my breath...Yes, I adore him too!

I would like to hug him at once but, for the moment, I prefer to listen to him while playing, I will have time for that later.

A group of people is listening to him enchanted. Sure that, in this moment, he doesn’t look look like the beast at all. The beasts is the name of his rock group and he is the leader singer. They play a kind of music politically engaged, against abuses and injustices. They are good but they disturb a lot. No record company will ever make a contract to a group so fierce but they go on playing in the squares, put their videos on line and have a lot of fans!

He is fantastic. His voice is wonderful, if I had to compare it to a musical instrument I would say...a tenor sax. It is warm and very sensual.

I sigh satisfied, I slowly approach and kneel behind him, I can’t help but join the chorus with a second voice.

He turns and opens his sweet dark eyes, his glance lights up and he smiles at me.

I wrap my arms around his neck and I approach my face to his one, I breath his familiar smell of leather and pine. We have been singing since ever and every time it moves me.

When the song ends, heedless of the public who is applauding him, he puts his guitar down, turns to me and grabs me by my hips. He takes me in his arms, clings me to him and sinks his face in my neck, in my hair.

-  Lili- he whispers.

My name, indeed, my nickname, sounds sweet and caressing on his lips.

I feel in turmoil and I shouldn’t but I can’t help it, I walk away just a bit to put the right distance between us. I see, at once, the shadow of the disappointment which appears in his glance, I don’t want to hurt him and so I approach him again to give him a kiss on his cheek.

He smiles but as soon as I put my lips he turns, holds my face in his hands and steals a sweet, quick but deep kiss.

He goes away and smiles at me satisfied.

-  Bi! - I scold him but without much conviction.

He shakes his head

-  Stop, please. You know that we have a pact! - he reminds me.

I smile.

It happened when we were thirteen years old and he kissed me for the first time.

I was delighted, I liked it and I wished that he kissed me forever so we exhanged a solemn promise: Whenever you wish a kiss I will give it to you I said and so did he.

I have tried many times to convince him that we were only two teenagers but he has never wanted to be aware of this. And probably I too like this thing.

We chat a bit about our week and then of the tomorrow concert, he lets me speak, confide and wants to know all that goes through my head...and my heart.

-  You will be very good – he tells me sweetly – and I will be there to applaude you.

I know it, he has always come and has never missed my concerts since when I started to attend the music conservatory, even when he dropped everything and moved to London.

Then he looks at me and makes a face full of disgust

-  Will there be also him?"

He is referring to my actual boyfriend, I sigh exasperated.

-  Aren’t you curious to know him?" I tease him.

He opens his eyes wide with a frightened air.

I smile, he is always the same.

-  Six months have already passed – he says resigned – I think that I should make up my mind.

-  Will you give me your blessing? I ask him amused.

He looks at me shocked

-  Don’t run, Pulcino.

He reproaches me as if he were my father or my elder brother. He calls me even with the same nickname used by my parents when I was younger.

-  Firstly I will have to know him carefully, you know that you are never objective enough.

It has always been in this way with him, every time I am in love with someone he is jealous and becomes protective.

If only he were a bit more...

I shake my head, we have had this same conversation thousand of times, we are only friends and that’s all, we’ll be friends forever. Nothing more. We look at things in a very different way. He doesn’t want to engage in a relationship, on the contrary I want it, I wish to pursue my dreams and among them there is also finding a boyfriend, marry him and having children. Once he told me that when he would find the right girl he would change.

I feel bad, I would have liked to be that right person but it is evident that I am not special enough to convince him to settle.

I sigh and my heart suffers...

-  I am hungry – I change the theme because it is useless to brood.

-  I bring my guitar to the bookshop – he says while picking up his things.

He takes my hand and we go.

After dinner we go to the beach again, the moon has risen from the sea. What a vision!

On our right the tower is upon us with its imposing shadow while on our left many small lights outline the coast in the darkness. I adore the sea at night.

We fall sitting while laughing like stupid persons. With him it’s always the same: I laugh until I feel bad.

I drink a sip of beer then he looks at me, he seems sad.

-  I will go to New York.

He sighs and looks down.

What? To New York? So far away? And does he tell it to me only now? Luckily I am sitting otherwise I would have fallen, the smile dies on my lips.

I feel bad, I have a void in my stomach.

Why? When? I would like to bombard him with questions but I keep being silent.

He looks at me leeringly then stares at me worried

-  Ehi, Pulcino...

He approaches, envelopes my face in his warm hands and dries my tears.

Tears? Am I crying?

-  I...sorry...

I babble, I don’t know how to justify, I can’t tell him that I want him to stay with me.

He hugs me, puts one hand behind my neck and clings me to his chest.

-  Be quiet, you know that you will never get rid of me.

He knows that I don’t want to lose him. Am I pathetic? I feel pathetic and...desperate.

-  I have been offered a good occasion at TecnoDreams, I will finally do the work I wished to – he explains me; in the meanwhile he lulls me like a baby – I will plan, stop with codes and numbers.

I should be happy.

-  At last they will listen to my ideas – he seems excited.

I try to be happy for him but...in New York!

-  I don’t go there alone.

Luckily, I say to myself.

-  Do you remember