Dancing To Happiness. Marisa Santi
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find myself trying to get that wonderful vision out of my head and to take my stupid smile off my face. I start even to feel guilty towards Max. What would he think of his girlfriend dazed at the sight of another man?
The morning drags on heavily between long or boring lessons. Time seems not to pass and my clock is there to remind me that every time I watch it. Luckily it’s time to take our lunch break.
<<Planet Earth calls Isabel... So, do you want to make me part of your today’s bewilderment or you want to keep it all for you?>> Roberta asks, intrigued by my attitude of teenager with the head in the clouds.
<<Not a big deal, Robbie. This morning while I was coming here I bumped into a not emotionless vision. I feel like Cinderella after seeing for the first time her prince.>>
<<Where have you seen him?>> she asks with curiosity.
<<He was standing at the traffic light. Now that I mention it he had a road map in his hands. Who knows where he was going! Maybe he is not even Italian, from the aspect he could come from Northern Europe...>>
<<Why don’t I ever have these meetings?>> Robbie snorts. <<And don’t you think of your Max? Don’t you think about how he would be hurt if he knows that you remained in a daze thinking of a stranger? Anyway, if you happen to see him again, think that I’m still single!!>> we both laugh.
The first part of my day is over. Now I have to run home to help my mother and then dedicate myself to dance. Sunday I’m going to have a dance recital and bad impressions aren’t allowed. <<Strength and courage, Isabel! Get a move on!>> I say to myself aloud.
<<Isabel!>> my mother screams.
<<Tell me!>> I answer, caught unawares by her agitated tone and diverted in an impetuous way from my thoughts.
<<Listen, I need you to give me an hand to settle the guest bedroom. A new tenant is coming and he will have to stay here with us for some time. I haven’t had much time this morning to get organized and I knew of his arrival only few minutes ago. I didn’t know he arrived today.>>
<<Is he a student?>> I ask with curiosity.
<<He isn’t. Don’t make questions now but help me before he arrives!>>
Sometimes I think my parents have really a lot of work with this huge three-story house. The ground floor consists of a hall, a very large dining room, a living room with a fireplace where we usually gather to watch TV or to converse and receive guests, a large American-style kitchen and then my favourite room: the gym where my parents placed a huge mirror all over the wall and a sound system. On the first floor there are the six rooms with bathroom that we rent and my father’s office. Instead, on the second floor there’s my bedroom with external bathroom, my parent’s bedroom with service and finally the guest room. On the top floor there’s a very large terrace where in summer we go to sunbathe and sometimes to eat with friends. Fortunately we have a housekeeper who helps us. My mother is a tireless woman, she takes care of everything, even to prepare meals for the kids. Maybe she would also need to go on vacation and take some rest.
We changed the sheets and cooled the room. Now we just have to wait for the guest.
<<Do you still need me?>> I ask my mother with the hope that I can duck out.
<<No, my dear. Go back to your workouts. Thanks for giving me a hand.>> she says mildly. Finally she relaxed.
<<You’re welcome.>> I go away giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Before going down I go in my bedroom to wear a black jumpsuit. I go to the kitchen to get some water and then I run to the gym. “From this moment on no more distractions, Isabel!” I turn on the stereo and begin to warm-up.
Heaven Out of Hell by Elisa fills the room and finally the song and I are one. There’s nothing more exciting than getting carried away by music. It makes me feel free, happy and able to fly. I will never stop dancing. It’s the thing that makes me happy the most.
While I’m vaulting I feel observed. I stop and see a silhouette reflected in the mirror. It’s behind me leaning against the door. I can’t believe my eyes! I’m a heap of conflicting emotions. That look overawes me! How is it possible? Usually no one affects me this way. I’m paralysed, unable to utter a single word in amazement. Ironically that wonderful Greek God that I met this morning at the traffic light is here, in my gym, and he’s looking at me with a beautiful smile! I’m going to melt like snow in the sun. He has tousled hair that gives him a very sexy air, wears a grey cotton long-sleeved shirt and black jeans and holds a black leather jacket. He could easily be a model. He has a well formed and lean body. I’m practically making him the X-rays! I don’t know how long he is there staring at me. I continue observing that wonder in front of me for I don’t know how long. It seems as endless moments have passed and I feel rather embarrassed. Luckily my parents come to save me.
<<Isabel, this is Matthias. He is the new tenant I told you about>> my mother says, noticing my discomfort.
<<Nice to meet you!>> I say almost stammering. Luckily I can pretend that it’s shortness of breath due to the physical activity from which I have been interrupted.
<<Nice to meet you too, Isabel! From what I’ve seen you should be a dancer and, I dare say, even pretty good!>> Matthias says to dampen the formality of introductions but without taking his eyes from mine.
<<Thank you. I dance since I was a baby... If I wasn’t good I would be worried a little>> I answer with an ironic and perhaps slightly hateful tone: as far as he makes me happy about the fact that, unconsciously, with that sentence he helped me overcame the initial frost or paralysis in which I had fallen. I don’t want him to realize how much he affects me.
Mentally I thank my parents who invite him to visit the rest of the house and soon I take advantage of this to take the reins of my self control back and to metabolise what happened. I turn off the stereo, wipe the sweat from my forehead and head for the hall to reach the stairs and go to take a shower. I don’t know if I’d like to freshen up for the sweat in the gym or if I need a cold shower to recover from the hot flush that has possessed me when I have had the vision of that beautiful man.
Also Matthias is in the hall to retrieve his luggages.
<<Can I give you a hand?>> I ask him putting shyness aside.
<<No, thanks>> he answers smiling at me
I almost melt again looking at his face. I smile too and climb the stairs taking the steps two by two to avoid further contacts with his eyes. What the hell is happening to me? I feel like an idiot. Not even in adolescence a thing like that has ever happened to me.
I meet my mother near my bedroom and ask her: <<Why did you decide to rent the guest room too? It’s the first time it happens. Usually when we are fully booked you have never rented this room...>>
<<Matthias is the nephew of a dear old friend of mine, so he is a very special person for us. He is here in Turin for work and, having not other rooms available, your father and I have decided to host him in this room.>>
While we are speaking he comes to us and my mother helps him to settle down in his room.
<<Isabel, get some towels for Matthias, please.>>
<<Yes, I’ll be right there.>> I take what I was asked and while they’re still in the room I hear my mother who’s talking with Matthias.
<<I’m sorry that this room has not a bathroom as the others. Unfortunately the space didn’t allow us to build one and so to avoid making a too small room we decided not to put it. Usually this is the room we use for friends who stay no more than a few days. You can use the bathroom that is next to Isabel’s bedroom and you’ll have to share it.>>
I can’t believe my ears! She’s allowing him to use my bathroom, invading in this manner my privacy