Page 21 of Better Than Gelato
“Yes, I love good news.” I turn toward him, but he’s looking down at the path.
“Even if it’s a little bit braggy?” he asks.
“Especially if it's braggy,” I encourage.
“Okay. I’m heading back to the US in a few weeks to do med school interviews, and I found out last night I got an interview with Harvard.” He finally glances over to me, his smile both embarrassed and proud.
“Harvard?” I yell. “That’s amazing!” I give a smack on his shoulder.
“Thanks. I mean, it’s still a long shot. They only accept a small fraction of the people they interview.” He jams his hands in his pockets.
“Well, no reason you can’t be part of that fraction,” I say.
I try to sound casual, like a lot of my friends interview at Harvard, but they don’t. And despite Jake’s boy-next-door vibes, I can’t help but feel intimidated.
We make it to the entrance of the castle where a large sign blocks the door.Chiuso.
“It’s closed?” I say.
“Oh man,” Jake says. “Probably for the holiday. I should have thought of that. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s no big deal,” I say. “And I’m sure Harvard accepts people who make those kinds of mistakes all the time.”
Jake’s eyes go big. “Whoa. You really went there, huh?”
“Sorry, couldn’t help it,” I smile. His eyes look legitimately worried, like Harvard might hear about this, and I laugh. “I’m just teasing, Jake.”
“Well, I’m sorry all the same. Can I buy you lunch to make up for it?” I hear what he’s really asking.Would you like to keep spending time together?
“Sure,” I say. “Do you mind if I take a couple more photos first?”
There’s a small pond snuggled next to the castle on one side lined by willow trees. I can see part of the reflection in the pond, and I want to see more, but there’s a tree branch ruining the shot. I try different angles, but I can’t quite get it. I’m too low, and the branch blocking it is too big. I’d have to wade out into the water to clear it, and it’s way too cold for that. I look up at the branches above me.They look pretty sturdy.
“Hey Jake, could you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what do you need?”
“It’s actually three favors. I need you to boost me up, hand me the camera, and then stand guard.”
Jake opens his mouth, pauses and closes it again. “Okay,” he finally says.
I lay the camera on a bench nearby. Then Jake boosts me up to the lowest branch. When I’m good and secure he hands me the camera, and I loop the strap around my neck. He stands guard, but there’s really no one around. I make my way toward the end of the branch until I’m hanging over the water. I look through the lens, and my shot is perfect. I can see the old stone tower reflected in the still surface of the pond, framed nicely by tree branches. I take picture after picture and when I’m satisfied I’ve got it, I climb back to the trunk and drop down.
“How’d you do?” Jake asks. He picks a couple of leaves from my hair and pulls a piece of bark from my sweater.
“I got it!” I say proudly, and even on the tiny screen we can see what a cool photo it is.
We find a seafood restaurant with a view of Castello Sforzesco,and I devour a risotto filled with shrimp, clams, and scallops cooked in a white wine sauce. It tastes like summer at the beach. I don’t realize I’m making little noises until I see Jake smiling.
“It’s really good,” I say defensively.
“I’m sure it is.” His eyes are still smiling at me.
I keep eating but try to do it more quietly.
“On a scale of 1-10,” I say, when I’ve finished, “how nervous are you about med school interviews?”
“13,” he says. “Especially Harvard. They’re known for their tricky interview questions.”
