The sun was rising and would soon illuminate the outlines of the red-roofed house that Belinda glimpsed every day from her bedroom window.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnayliGJg4d
The silhouettes were blurry, the sounds muffled, and the colors still tinged with gray. She could hear the carts going to set up the market in the square, the first cars taking people to work, and the discreet chirping of the neighbor's canaries.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oHWDGDe25
In the background, she could hear the sleepy mumbling of her little brother Raffy, who was most likely dreaming of playing one of his favorite video games, and the light snores of her father, who had been working the night shift.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmAPUW1nXo
Belinda smiled to herself: no one she knew would have thought that this large man had a heart of butter; his slight, unkempt beard, combined with that slightly crooked eyebrow, made many people feel uneasy.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sIN8nSUUu
She adored her father, considered him a piece of her soul, and was proud whenever her mother, in a fit of rage, would reproach her for being completely her father, because she remained firm in her positions; she was quite rigid in her ideas and couldn't stand subterfuge.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj65v4gfWQB
However, the idea that she was completely her father was quite at odds with reality: Michele Taddei was a man over six feet tall with black hair, very green eyes, and a smile that constantly played on his lips. He was not at all inclined to raise his voice or get angry; on the contrary, his proverbial calm encouraged one to remain alert and suggested carefully measuring words and gestures to achieve a result.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWsymwwFdb
Belinda, on the other hand, was petite, barely five feet tall, with slightly wavy golden brown hair, dark green eyes, a slender build, and a skittish disposition. Wary from an early age, she would study people before offering them a smile or a word. Instead, she was very close to her mother, allowing her to see her tormented soul, her pain, her dreams, as if she were a mirror of herself.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM41a5V7iyX
Belinda's sullen nature had led Naomi, her sister, to affectionately call her Princess Selena, because she believed that, just like the moon, she too had a dark and changeable side.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgMZjrWHcp
Normally, everyone called her Linda, but when someone in the family called her Selena, it meant she was starting to become too much to bear, especially Raffy, who would sing her name until she gave him a smile.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKugX9wzjQ8
The muffled sound of the alarm reminded her that this was the important day she had been thinking about for the past six months, the one that would bring a profound change to her life and that she had been waiting for at least a year. However, despite her impatience, Belinda felt very nervous.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDq4g2hSilj
Kicking the covers off vigorously to get up, she heard the shuffling of feet running in her direction, announcing Naomi's arrival with all her energy.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9txm0rEKo
She rolled her eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared to face her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy6Kp5X6GU
The door opened and she found her on the bed, her hair disheveled and half asleep, but with her usual cheeky, tender smile.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkebbqipM1
"No," Belinda anticipated, raising her index finger in her face.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuyoAX6o8x
"Please." Naomi gave her sweet eyes.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAHoPqljJc
"I'll give you a dictionary so you can learn the meaning of the word no," she huffed, getting up and heading for the bathroom.
"You promised me, though."17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXqMPwWZq8
"I promised you we'd take a trip together, not that I'd take you to the university campus in Germany. I'm going there to plan my studies and see if there are any transfer options," he reminded her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xnMj7v5bY
"But I promise I won't be a burden: I'll stay quietly at the hotel and wait for you while you're on campus, and when you get back, if you're not tired, then we'll go sightseeing."17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjYa1NOMFu
"Trilly, please. I don't want to visit the city, I don't care, I just want to…"17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiL3dqJ9utN
"…escape Turin for a while, I know," Naomi muttered.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEqC0OiPyu
"I'm not running away from anything," Belinda snapped, glaring at her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHM9xPKJtwS
"If you say so…" her sister muttered, shrugging.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12CzJ7rtSW
Belinda inhaled loudly, feeling a strong urge to scream that she wasn't running away.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpW0ONzkjB
She opened the bathroom door and slammed it shut behind her; she leaned against it and took a deep breath.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGd6mGydS8s
It's not fair!17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXK0pjHvA1Q
She had explained to her family several times her desire to move to Germany for an academic year to pursue a university project. It took her parents a while to convince her, but in the end, given the difficult period she had just overcome, they accepted her decision.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDG9s8310wF
Naomi, on the other hand, had taken it very badly and from that moment on had begun stalking her, trying to convince her to take her with her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPbpqX0SEE
She knew her sister had loved all things German ever since, a couple of years earlier, she had fallen in love with a rock band, Scream, and its charismatic vocalist, Bill.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62tungVmnJ
Belinda, when she saw the photos in the newspaper that her sister had enthusiastically shown her, had turned up her nose, commenting with a curt, "Ridiculous!"17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUwMA2dtEa
From then on, every time Naomi mentioned them—that is, in every conversation—Belinda snorted, rolled her eyes, and muttered unrepeatable reproaches under her breath.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRWUH80huH
Her sister returned the smug look and continued her monologue unwaveringly.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92Fg7gKi9o
Their constant skirmishes made friends and family smile.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaWtY094GD
But that day Belinda refused to get involved in another conversation in which the word Germany rhymed with Bill & Scream, since they were talking about her future.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0ktouiVxp
Moreover, Naomi knew full well that Belinda didn't like going to shops, museums, and concerts, yet she insisted on accompanying her, chasing her everywhere and promising her the most absurd things.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzoionh61g
A light knock on the door made her jump.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12bPWY3snZ
"Can I have a few minutes of privacy?" she blurted.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4mu70A06D
"It's me." From behind the door came the warm, calm voice of Tracy, her mother.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAQQODl02S
Those words, spoken so calmly, made her anger subside, and when she opened the door, she found herself faced with a woman's face that could have been her own twenty years ago. The only difference was her eyes, dark hazel, bright and lively.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZfndQqwY1
"Don't defend her," Belinda snapped, pointing a warning finger at her mother.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPvIFWoCkg
"I'm not thinking of it," the woman laughed. "I just wanted to know if you were okay and if you wanted a cappuccino before we leave."17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4QovN8yRe
"Yes... yes, please," she murmured, sighing.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUu3x4mDJt
Tracy smiled, and as she turned to leave, she whispered, "Trilly is upset because she loves you and doesn't want to lose you. Don't hold it against her." She left and closed the door behind her.
Trilly, as Tinkerbell.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAplao3Ue3t
Belinda smiled fondly as she thought of the nickname she'd given her sister when she was born, because her laugh reminded her of the tinkling of bells. Physically, Naomi resembled the Disney fairy, with that open smile, bright green eyes, curly blonde hair, and a loving personality. And she had a big heart, always ready to help, listen, and bend over backwards for others. The image of Naomi several months earlier came to mind, curled up at the foot of her bed, humming a comforting lullaby and caressing her hand.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGgarMNF52
Her heart tightened, and a cold gust ran down her spine.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3QhJFnxy3
Enough!
She told herself, and turned on the cold water to splash her face.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdodoie9yV
After a few minutes, she headed to her bedroom to get dressed, and as she passed the kitchen, she spotted Naomi, texting her best friend, looking dejected.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04gI2ZIhqj
She put on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, and her comfortable sneakers, and tied her hair in a ponytail, running a thin line of eyeliner under her eyes.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG2IARfEhC
She glanced at the trolley packed in the corner, at her leather jacket, and sighed.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD05M3wXjFG
It was no use, that little witch had won again: she couldn't leave her at home.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk22zGxOSy
Belinda returned to the kitchen, sat on a stool at the breakfast bar, and glanced at her sister, who was ignoring her and persisting in tapping her phone.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeNHV45IrE
"While you're here, tell Annalisa I only give her half an hour to pack her suitcase. Make sure it's light, and be ready at the door when we pass by."17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TUM6RUERT
She took a bite of chocolate muffin.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjG9WJbPQO
A ring of bells rang in the kitchen, and Naomi rose from her chair and hugged her sister, giving her a resounding kiss on the cheek.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQmHMbQRlT
"I adore you, you know that?" she shouted as she rushed to get dressed, sending a text to her best friend at supersonic speed.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPP5daQtw0T
Belinda's smile widened, and she felt a sweet caress on her heart as she looked into her mother's eyes, who continued pouring coffee into the cup with a knowing smile.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbzMk2zVa2
"And if she doesn't behave," Tracy suggested, winking, "you can always punish her by cutting off her spending money."17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xSQoPXffa
Belinda smiled amusedly, thinking of her sister's unbridled shopping spree that made her a true fashion victim.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0RwMfZAzP
"Count on it," she promised, giving her a kiss before going to retrieve her luggage.
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXme4uc3xs
and then Add to home screen.