CHAPTER 43: THE PHOTOGRAPHY ROOM

Elio opened a drawer, and just like he already predicted, he saw the camera.

"Is this right?" He picked it up and showed it to her.

Valentina’s anger completely melted away as her eyes lit up on spotting her camera.

"Yes," she answered breathlessly.

He closed the drawer, and walked up to her. "Here you go then." He placed it on her hands.

But as she tried to pull away, he held her hand firmly.

"What is it?" She looked up, her brows joined together.

"I’m sorry. I should never have suggested that you’re not taking any of this seriously, just because you’re not running around scared to death. I can imagine being in a strange place where you don’t even know what your fate will be. It is a sad situation to be in."

Valentina’s heart dropped, as pity welled up inside of her.

It worked.

She had created the perfect distraction, and now he wasn’t going to be questioning why she wasn’t surprised by the existence of mafia fractions.

Yet she felt immense pity for the boy who from all she had seen, wore kindness as a second skin.

"It’s okay. We’re good," she smiled.

"And to show you just how sorry I am, I’ll take you to a place where you can test your camera." He released her hands with the camera in it.

"Is there any need for that?" She turned on the camera, and it came on. "Look, it’s on," she said.

"Yeah but wouldn’t you like to view the pictures you took on a bigger screen where you can edit and even get hard copies?"

"Hmmm," her eyes squinted suspiciously. "How do you know so much about photography?"

It was Elio’s turn to smile. "Do you want to go or not?"

Valentina’s eyes brightened by the thought, but then it dulled as she hesitated.

"What?"

"Is it going to cause you trouble? I don’t want to–"

"Don’t fret, Val baby. The place I’m talking about is in Neravalle. Let’s go?"

She nodded eagerly. "Let’s go."

Elio carefully arranged Luciano’s bed first, and then dropped the letter on it.

"All done. Now we can go."

"Okay!" Valentina hopped happily.

Passingly, she noticed what Elio had done. She had completely forgotten she laid on someone’s bed, and needed to put it back in the same position she met it.

Not Elio. Apparently, not the men in Neravalle.

They seemed so well put together. The structure was nice to witness.

"What are your favourite kinds of pictures to take?" Elio asked, as they stepped out of Luciano’s room.

"Uhmmm—" she tilted her head to the side in thought, and then snapped her fingers as she found the answer. "Specific parts of the body. The concept of capturing one’s smile alone. Or their eyes when it sparkles and even moistens in tears. Their lips twitching, or biting. The nose turned up. Hands resting above the head. Nature too. I like nature. Although it didn’t really like me last night." She giggled.

Elio was completely captivated by her. He had tried to draw a line earlier, hence his insensitive remark.

But God knew it was simply impossible to do so.

He loved Luciano to death. He would even give his life for him. However, he couldn’t help how happy he felt about someone so infectious.

A thousand troubles was worth it, if he was getting in trouble because of Valentina.

"What about you? Now you’ve won all that money, what do you plan on doing with it?"

He blinked out of the trance she had pushed him into.

"I haven’t thought of it yet. No offence, but up until the last second, I didn’t even believe I would win. So after I give you your percentage for predicting correctly, then maybe I can think of what to do with the rest."

Valentina laughed.

"What’s funny?"

"I don’t need the money. You can keep it all. Consider it a gift from me if you must, but it is certainly not a debt to be repaid."

Elio stopped walking, and it didn’t take long for Valentina to notice.

She turned her head behind. "What happened? Why did you stop walking?"

"It’s kinda code of conduct to always repay one’s favour."

"Oh–" she bobbed her head. "But Elio, I don’t live in your world. Your code of conduct does not apply to me. When I leave this place, I might even forget I did something kind for someone here. So nope, I don’t need repayment."

He stared at her pointedly for a few seconds, before nodding in surrender.

"If you insist."

"I do," she smiled. "Can we keep going now?"

"Why do we need to? We’re here." He pointed to the side.

Valentina blinked in awe. She hadn’t seen that door a couple of seconds ago.

"How did that magically appear? Do you all involve yourselves with sorcery here, Elio?"

Elio chuckled. "I wish, Val baby. I wish."

"Wow!" Her eyes scanned the door, as if it was a puzzle piece she was supposed to fix together.

"Wait here. Don’t move okay?"

She scrunched her nose. "Why?"

"It’s dark inside. I’ll need to turn on the lights first."

She heaved. "Why are you so sweet?" Her free hands clutched her chest, feeling very touched.

"It’s an Italian man thing." He threw her a wink, as he opened the door and went into the room.

Valentina lifted her camera, and began clicking through the pictures she took the previous day.

It was so surprising to her that the camera had not been damaged by the rain.

"So strange," she thought, as she clicked through.

All of the first pictures she viewed were the last she took. And they were mostly nature aesthetics.

She saw the sea, and her heart doubled.

"So breathtaking yet almost literally took all of my breath away," she whispered, and then shuddered as a creepy chill ran through her.

The door opened again, and Elio shoved his head outside.

"Hey Val?" He called her.

She turned her head towards him. "Is it bright now?"

"Than the sun."

She laughed and moved towards the door.

Valentina didn’t know what to expect, but on fully entering the room, she gasped.

The room was larger than she expected, but very much reminiscent of her own studio back in the States.

The intoxicating smell of ink, photo chemicals, and rolls of paper filled the air.

Rooms like these were better off dark, but her fear of darkness never allowed her to enjoy the ambience darkness would give.

She opted for special glasses to help her navigate the dark back in the states, but didn’t expect them to have any here.

Silently, Valentina’s eyes continued to scan around, as she moved her legs further inside of the room.

Cameras, tripods, screens lined up, and a large table housing these screens.

On the wall, pictures plastered all over.

"This is amazing!" She gasped again, completely in awe.

"Think so?!"

The voice was so close, she jumped as goosebumps spread all over her skin.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you."

"It’s okay," she laughed it off as she turned to see Elio just behind her. "Can I sit?" She asked in a pleading way.

"Please, do." He pointed to the seat at the table.

Valentina almost jumped for joy, as she moved over to the table, and plopped on the seat.

"This is outstanding! I never would have imagined a place like this in Neravalle!" She dropped her camera on the table, and spinned the rolling chair around like a happy child.

Elio laughed as he watched her play.

"Who even has this place?" She asked.

Elio froze.

Valentina noticed the tense silence, and slowly turned to face him with the chair. "Elio?"

"Emilio," he whispered with distant eyes. "My twin."