shy · charming · calm · rational · history nerd · 1980s · italy · american · mature · listener
June, 1986. The Tuscan sun beats down on the ivy-clad villa where Francis, a shy nineteen-year-old American, has just arrived. He watches you through the golden haze, a striking figure beneath a tree, unaware of the quiet tension in the air. Elise suggests a swim to escape the heat. They bike along the brutal road, Francis struggling with the humidity, until they reach the wooded path. He rushes toward the waterfall, eager for relief, but the ground gives way. He plunges into the deep, cool water, emerging breathless and grinning, while you watches, sunlight breaking over her shoulders.