“Pippa,” Dad chimed in with the even tone of a mediator. “If you don’t want to go--” “Oh, she’s going .” Mom… — Kristin Rae Foreign country Copy Share Image
“But then she might also point out that you never know what could happen unless you try. That each of our choices,… — Kristin Rae Choices Copy Share Image
“I assumed this was a fishing boat, but it’s not dirty and it doesn’t reek of dead fish, so I’m not sure… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Darren spreads out the beach mats and drops his backpack on top of one. As soon as he crosses his arms and… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“The pen touches the paper again at the bottom of the page and I freeze as he draws a slow, thick line… — Kristin Rae Books Copy Share Image
“Room here,” she says, proceeding to draw a line of the route. It doesn’t look too far. I stand, taking the map… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“The Pantheon was huge, but this thing is so massive, I can’t even take it all in at once. I have to… — Kristin Rae Pantheon Copy Share Image
“I sit at an empty table after the lunch rush and turn to the last assignment in my journal. This one’s the… — Kristin Rae Art Copy Share Image
“ Giorno ,” says one of the girls working behind the counter. She looks like she’s around my age, maybe a year… — Kristin Rae Communication Copy Share Image
“So tell me about yourself,” I say, mentally rolling my eyes for sounding like an interviewer. “Where’d you grow up? What’s your… — Kristin Rae Biggest fear Copy Share Image
“How old are you?” “Seventeen.” Suddenly I feel insecure, like he’ll think I’m too young to bother with now. I shake the… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I stare at his relaxed face, pale in the dim light. Nearly asleep, he looks vulnerable. Like I could tell him anything… — Kristin Rae Brown eyes Copy Share Image
“An Australian couple near us asks Darren to take a picture of them with the Colosseum as the backdrop, and when he’s… — Kristin Rae Photography Copy Share Image
“This Darren,” Chiara finally says as we approach Riomaggiore, still huddled under the bright umbrella. “Is he the same boy you told… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“That’s the journal on your chair, right?” he holds out a hand, demanding to see it. “Show me this list.” I grab… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Put this one on right now,” he says, switching back into exaggerated, giddy-girl mode. “You better cut that out or you’re going… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Remember when I told you about that list of goals Morgan had me write out at the beginning of my trip?” “Yeah.”… — Kristin Rae Fall in love Copy Share Image
“We’re in Florence.” He looks at Tate and Nina with wide eyes. “We have to go. Now!” They all scramble to gather… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“My stomach drops and Darren shifts, making me wobble. Bruno’s eyes don’t even register Darren’s existence. “All right?” He looks down at… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“We catch the train that makes stops in every village, sitting as close to each other as possible, freely kissing whenever we… — Kristin Rae Fitness Copy Share Image
“Within several minutes, we’re at the front of the line. I assume we’re going to keep walking, but the young English couple… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Were you spying on someone?” Darren asks, finally sitting in the chair next to me and pointing at the open compact on… — Kristin Rae Best friend Copy Share Image
“As I scramble for my shirt to cover my chest--thank God I’d decided against changing bras--I grumble, “Don’t you knock?” He crosses… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“His little gray swim bottoms are probably smaller than mine, potbelly hanging over the top of them. I lean toward Darren and… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I spend a lot of time gazing out the window to the green hills lined with vineyards and dotted with houses. There’s… — Kristin Rae Green hills Copy Share Image
“I stop in my tracks to look up, completely disrupting the flow of tourist traffic. It’s directly in front of me, in… — Kristin Rae Skyscrapers Copy Share Image
“ Goals update: Don’t get arrested Don’t make a fool out of myself in public--FAILED Get my picture taken… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Tell me about your summer program. Are you loving it? The digging part, I mean.” I nudge him with my elbow. “Are… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I can’t believe you’re here,” I say, clasping his hand in mine. “Where were you when you left that voice mail earlier… — Kristin Rae Last minute Copy Share Image
“I thought you’d be here,” calls a rough voice over my left shoulder. I turn to find Darren only inches away, holding… — Kristin Rae Candle Copy Share Image
“Matilde leads us into one of the apartment’s two bedrooms, obviously belonging to Bruno and Luca. Bunk beds are stacked in the… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Darren,” Tate calls from the door behind me, “this train is about to leave.” Darren looks over my shoulder and nods, eyebrows… — Kristin Rae Fitness Copy Share Image
“Do you want me to get your back for you?” Cringe. “No, I’m fine.” “Okay, then could you get mine? I don’t… — Kristin Rae Bad thoughts Copy Share Image
“I’m shaking the residual tingles out of my head when Bruno bursts in, toothbrush hanging out of his mouth and a bath… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“I open my makeup compact and set it on the table next to the vase of flowers and let my mechanical pencil… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“So tell me about you. Who is Pippa, in the broad scheme of things?” He winks. I return the smile. “Well, I’m… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Wait,” I say, digging into my camera bag. “I want a picture with all of you. Us. Together.” Dad takes the camera… — Kristin Rae Best friend Copy Share Image
“I stop at the image of me between Darren and Nina, the Colosseum stretching up behind us. It’s such an iconic structure,… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“When I called and heard your voice mail greeting this morning, something inside me just clicked. I had to see you. Today.”… — Kristin Rae Copy Share Image
“Pistachio?” Sure, this place doesn’t have as many options as Della Palma, but there are at least twenty, the rest of them… — Kristin Rae New things Copy Share Image
