Staying Calm Quote by Kristin Rae

“Pistachio?” Sure, this place doesn’t have as many options as Della Palma, but there are at least twenty, the rest of them all a better choice. “You can’t be serious.” “Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” “What are you? Eighty?” He pushes his cup toward me. “Taste it.” I scrunch my brows together and stare at the bright…

— Kristin Rae

“You try this before?” he asks. I shake my head. I’ve had versions of it back home, but the sight and aroma of this one renders all others imposters. I reach for a fork, but he snatches it out from under my hand and stabs a piece, bringing it to my mouth. I look from his eyes to the fork…

— Kristin Rae

“I stare at his relaxed face, pale in the dim light. Nearly asleep, he looks vulnerable. Like I could tell him anything I wanted and he wouldn’t remember it in the morning. When I first met him, I thought he was attractive but not in an omg-he’s-the-most-gorgeous-thing-I’ve-ever-seen way. But somehow, now that I know him, how his light brown eyes…

— Kristin Rae

“ Ciao, Bruno! ” someone calls from a boat puttering slowly into the marina. A hard line sets Bruno’s jaw for a split second before he smiles and turns. “ Ciao, Mauro! ” Bruno shouts back. Mauro? I lift my camera back up to my eye and zoom in to the white- and red-trimmed boat. It’s definitely the same scumbag…

— Kristin Rae

“ Benvenuta a la Via dell’Amore,” he says, poking a bright pink lock with Ashlee + Jake written on it in white paint. “What are all the locks for?” “Do you know the history of la Via dell’Amore?” I know a little, but I’d rather hear it from him, so I shake my head and he continues. “When this path…

— Kristin Rae

“Do you want me to get your back for you?” Cringe. “No, I’m fine.” “Okay, then could you get mine? I don’t really want the striped look you’re going for. A little too trendy for me.” He laughs, snapping the lid shut on his sunscreen bottle. He shakes it hard to force the lotion to the end, every muscle in…

— Kristin Rae

“There’s nothing else inside the envelope. I turn the photo over and we read the note on the back written in small, careful handwriting. I miss you, Pipperoni. -Darren I swallow the lump in my throat and look up at Morgan. We both have tears in our eyes. “Why are you crying?” I ask, laughing. “Because this is the single…

— Kristin Rae

“ Goals update:  Don’t get arrested  Don’t make a fool out of myself in public--FAILED  Get my picture taken at the colosseum  Find random souvenir for Morgan  Get a makeover  See Pompeii  Swim in the Mediterranean Sea  Have a conversation with someone in only Italian--FAILED  Eat a whole pizza in one sitting  Fall in love with an Italian--FAILED ”

— Kristin Rae

“I think I may cool off in the water for a few minutes. Do you want to come?” He stands and brushes the sand off his knees. Darren wet? Yes, please. I smile and pop right up. “ Andiamo. ” ASSIGNMENT NUMERO OTTO: FEEL YOUR FEELINGS Write down the first thing that comes into your mind. Short and sweet. No…

— Kristin Rae

“I sit at an empty table after the lunch rush and turn to the last assignment in my journal. This one’s the worst yet. The page is blank except for the instructions: DRAW YOUR SELF-PORTRAIT. Obviously, she ran out of ideas. She knows I can’t draw worth a flip, and she especially knows I don’t like it when this kind…

— Kristin Rae