Another summer night in Latina meant another late night car drive with Daniele.

It had become routine by now, whenever the both of you were free. Music at full blast, racing through the routes of Italy's enigmatic underworld after hours, blinded by the chromas of futuristic lights.

Just the two of you. You and him.

No one else was invited. It was Daniele's tradition with you, and vice versa.

To you, your relationship with Daniele was rather simple. As simple as the alphabet, perhaps.

The pair of you were very good friends, maybe even best friends. But a friend is called a friend for a reason, is it not? After all, the connection you shared with him was a platonic one.

However, Daniele's perspective was slightly different. He wasn't sure if he was in love with you or not. Silly, right? When you know, you know. But not for Daniele.

There was something about you that made you stand out from the rest of the girls he was friends with. Maybe it was the butterflies that made themselves home in his stomach whenever you were near, or perhaps it was how whenever he looked into your eyes, they seemed to speak to his soul.

A few months ago, you'd both gotten wasted at the party for the launch of Daniele's music video, and ended up kissing, which you regretted immediately.

It just... didn't seem right. It felt as if you weren't supposed to kiss him.

Since then, Daniele has felt even more uptight than usual about voicing his true feelings. He wasn't a sentimental guy anyway. He was an odd character, and at times you found it hard to break down his walls.

But inevitably, they'd crumble. For you, they always would.

In the present, you're going at an impressive speed of 80 mph with Daniele next to you, but something tonight was unwonted. The aroma of weed wafting off him was much more potent than prior.

His jaw was clenched, and his steel blue hues kept flashing with something distant as he stared out the window, tapping his knee to whatever cheesy rap song was playing quietly on the radio.

But every now and again, sleepy eyes would roam across your face and body. Every now and again, dreamy depths would try and pierce your soul, like you'd done to his.

And those same dreamy depths would try and tear your soul into two, like you'd done to his.

The silence was uncomfortable. Normally, this wouldn't be the case. Normally, music would be all you needed to make the car ride enjoyable. But even music couldn't cut the suffocating, palpable tension that was in the air.

Daniele fiddles with the gold ring in his left ear, as his legs grew restless. He wanted nothing more than to just turn his back on his feelings and run away from them. But he also wanted nothing more than to embrace those same feelings, and tell you how much you meant to him.

Finally, it gets too much for Daniele. He quips up, his voice unfamiliar in its frigid nature.

"What the fuck is up with you today? Merda, has something happened?!"