Lunchtime arrived rather quickly, a little too much for Denny, who had spent the morning studying and had not too much appreciated Amabelle's message encouraging the whole group to gather at the Corona to welcome a possible new member. He had an exam on the 14th, for Apollo’s sake!

So he was one of the last to arrive, and despite the group's rules stating that studying was forbidden during meetings, he had his nose in the book, trying to remember as many laws as possible. Private law was really difficult. And law school in general maybe not the best faculty for him.

Even if he really wanted to be a lawyer.

But last-minute meetings weren't making it so easy for him.

“Denny, remove the book from the table, it's unhygienic” Mirren scolded him, being the group mom he was.

“Let me finish the chapter! After all, Amabelle hasn't arrived yet!” Denny tried to object, reading as quickly as possible and absolutely not assimilating anything of what was written on the paper.

“Clover is also missing” commented Petra, who while waiting had started playing on the phone and tapping the leg of the table with her foot.

“Clover wrote that she’ll arrive after lunch because she has a prior engagement” Mirren revealed, showing the received message to the group.

“Wait, that was an option?!” Denny asked, looking up completely from the book, in disbelief. If he had known earlier, he too would have made an excuse.

“If you were busy yes, but you weren't busy” Felix pointed out to him, without looking at him. He was checking the menu with the concentration of someone defusing a bomb.

“I have the Private Law exam on the 14th! And the Roman Law exam on the 24th! Also on February 7th I have Philosophy of Law. You can call me busy!” Denny objected, sharply.

“At least you are never alone” Felix commented, still intent on staring at the menu.

Mirren was the only one to perform a facepalm.

“What does that mean?!” Denny dared to ask, too anxious to understand that he was making a joke of dubious taste.

“Well, you're studying a lot of love, so… ouch!” Felix’s explanation of the aforementioned joke was interrupted by a kick on the leg coming from Petra, who gave him a dirty look.

“Isn't it strange that Amabelle hasn't arrived yet? It's getting late” Norman commented, speaking for the first time, in an attempt to ease the tension, or actually raise it.

“Hello guys! Is everyone here?” as if she were waiting for them to call her, Amabelle stormed into the café, in a hurry. Her red hair was ruffled by the winter wind, and accompanied by an older boy, who was following her with his hands in his pockets, trying to mask the obvious discomfort.

“Sorry for the delay! While studying, we hadn't realized the time!” the girl began, hurrying to join her friends “Is everyone here?” she then repeated, making a mental count.

“Missing…” Mirren began to explain to her, in a practical tone, but she interrupted him immediately.

“Aside from Clo, I read her message, I really hope she will join us soon. Oh, by the way… this is Diego” she indicated the boy theatrically, and he raised his hand in greeting.

Denny's first thought, besides a mental complaint that Amabelle had studied up to that point and he had been prevented from doing the same, was that Diego was a handsome guy. An objective thought, perfectly acceptable and quite annoying, because there were already too many good-looking men in the group, and Denny didn't think he could compare and became very paranoid about it.

Unconsciously he arranged his gel-filled hair, to give himself a certain tone.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Diego. Amabelle told us a lot about you. Please, sit down” Mirren formally welcomed him, talking first and indicating the chair next to Felix.

“This is Mirren, I'm Felix. Don't worry, we don’t bite” Felix introduced himself and his friend, in a much more jovial tone, and Diego took his seat, smiling.

Amabelle sat next to him, very proud of herself for some reason.

Denny had never understood her resourcefulness, and he couldn't understand how she was so comfortable in social relationships. He could never!

“So, in addition to them there are also Petra, Norman and Denny. Then Max, who's a waiter here, and Clo, who you'll meet after lunch. I'm starving, Felix, did you choose? Can I look at the menu?” after making some quick introductions, Amabelle took the menu from Felix's hands without waiting for his answer and started choosing the dish.

“I’ll take the usual anyway” Felix shrugged, starting to rock back in his chair while waiting.

“Here, we've had enough time to decide” Mirren handed the menu that he and Petra had shared until then to Diego, who took it and started looking.

“Have you been in town long?” Felix began to ask, in a relaxed tone, to make him feel included.

Whenever a new member was brought in, he was always seated next to Felix. He might have seemed like an annoying jerk full of bad jokes, but he was friendly, funny, and likable. It wasn't official, but he was considered the relaxed dad of the group. And given his close relationship with Mirren, the mom of the group, it was natural to think that they could be a good couple.

Denny was perhaps the only one who had never seen them as such, although the reason was more because he was generally not good at understanding the feelings and emotions of those around him, and of himself. Especially of himself.

After a few quiet questions, several replies and a quick introduction to Max, who arrived to take their orders, Diego already seemed like an official member of the group. And having solved the main problem, Amabelle noticed Denny, who had quietly continued to try to study without getting noticed too much.

“Denny, dear, what is the first rule of the Corona Crew?” she said in his ear, making him jump. He hadn't realized she was so close.

“Er… there aren't any rules?” Denny tried to suggest, even though he was aware of the real answer.

“When we have a meeting no one can study!” Amabelle reminded him, in a sugary tone and with a murderous look, effortlessly stealing the book from his knees.

“Nice rule, I like it” Diego commented to himself, earning a satisfied smile from Amabelle.

“As the founder, I made all the rules. There aren’t many but this is the most important” she explained proudly “If you officially join the group I will give you the brochure”

“Please, Amabelle! I just wanted to finish the chapter!” Denny tried to object, trying unsuccessfully to retrieve the book without however making a show of himself so as not to attract the attention of the whole café.

Starting to feel the stares, he decided to let it go, and retreated to his chair, uneasy.

“Okay, keep it. But after the meeting, give it back to me” he tried to cease hostilities. Amabelle put it in her backpack.

“Fine, but only because I pity you” then, while waiting for the food, she turned to the whole group.

“So, guys, how are the resolutions going?” she asked, in an evil tone.

“I’m alive. So it’s going great” Petra shrugged.

“That's not your real resolution but for the moment I'll give it a go” Amabelle threw her a ball of paper, promptly grabbed by her friend, who however made no further comments.

“I’m on par with exams, so I think it's going well” Norman shrugged too, with a certain indifference.

“It's only been three days, but I can proudly say that… my resolution isn’t going at all. But it's only been three days, after all,” Felix admitted, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

“Seriously, Durke?! You couldn't go even three days without smoking?” Mirren complained, sighing disappointed.

“In my defense I can say that I have started drawing up a plan to quit by the end of the year,” Felix said pompously, puffing out his chest full of pride.

“Let me guess, you will do as you like for the whole year and the last two weeks of December you will stop and then start again at the stroke of midnight” Mirren shook his head, annoyed.

Felix avoided his gaze, was silent for a few seconds, and then playfully pushed him.

“Look, I promise I'll work on it, but you haven't started driving lessons, didn’t you?” he challenged him, confidently.

“I signed up for the driving school and I'll start on January 14th” Mirren surprised him instead, adjusting his glasses with a hidden middle finger and betraying a grinning smile.

Felix gasped, and brought his hand theatrically to his chest.

“Okay, you win. I am completely defeated. But the war is not over yet”

As the bickering continued, Denny heard Diego lean towards Amabelle and whisper something in her ear.

No one was close enough but him, so Denny was the only one who heard him, which was lucky, in his opinion.

“Are the two of them together?” he asked. If Felix and Mirren had heard it they would have stopped immediately, they would have gotten away from each other, there would have been the usual half-embarrassment that Denny hated and above all Amabelle would have asked him how his resolution was going, and Denny didn't want to go back to the topic.

Amabelle replied with a mischievous grin.

“No, not yet”

The arrival of food brought by Max interrupted the discussion and stopped further questions.

The group ate heartily, mostly in silence but with a few comments, questions or jokes.

Diego seemed to have bonded beautifully.

When his belly was full, and Diego was engaged in a conversation with Felix about their respective numerous families, Denny began to think about leaving, since he had met the newcomer and had the excuse of having to study.

Unfortunately, Amabelle had an elephant's memory, and had the extraordinary power to always approach and start talking to people who were slightly more isolated and excluded from the general conversation.

“What about you, Denny? How is your resolution coming along?” she asked, reaching a few centimeters away from him and staring at him with a fiery gaze.

Denny had to play it well.

“Oh… eh… what resolution?”

Okay, not like that.

“I mean... it's going great!” he lied, trying to recover.

“Really?” Amabelle asked, not convinced.

“Yes, I'm determined to throw myself into something without getting paranoid. Only the perfect opportunity hasn't arrived yet, so, you know, I'm waiting for the moment. But I'm really determined” he continued his charade, flaunting a certainty that didn't belong to him... or at least trying to.

Amabelle's raised eyebrow told him he hadn't quite succeeded.

“If you want I can give you a suggestion” she proposed, fluttering her long eyelashes in a bewitching tone.

Denny paled.

“No, please! …I mean… there is no need. I have the whole year ahead” he tried to pull back, starting to rummage in his backpack looking for money to pay for his meal and escape from there as quickly as possible.

“You know it's a pleasure. So…” Amabelle looked around, and her gaze stopped at the door.

Her face lit up.

Denny's paled more.

“I dare you to ask the first person who enters the café for a date!” she exclaimed, pointing to Denny and then the door.

The group fell silent and looked at Denny curiously.

“Are you crazy?!” he exclaimed, hysterical and suddenly blushing, standing up annoyed and incredulous.

“Are you scared by any chance?” Amabelle teased him, poking at him playfully.

“I’m not scared, but it's crazy! I can't ask a random person to go on a date. It's too embarrassing, what if it’s an old woman, or a married woman, or a minor who comes in? I'd go to jail for a stupid bet. And then…” Denny began to illustrate his paranoia, but Amabelle put a finger on his mouth, silencing him.

“You're already failing. You have to jump without fearing the consequences” she reminded him, crossing her arms.

“Yeah, and then if it goes wrong you can always say that it was a bet” Diego suggested, in a conciliatory tone, and earning several points for Denny. Though not as many as he lost because he was still on Amabelle's side.

“Right, but only after asking the question, and only if they answer no!” Amabelle dictated the conditions.

“And if she says yes?” Denny began to be more worried about this second chance. And he didn't understand why, since he had no intention of consenting to that folly in the first place.

“You'll go on a date, and it'll be great, and if it won't, you'll never see this person again. It costs you nothing. And there will be only two crazy actions left to perform throughout the year. Isn't it an excellent occasion?” Amabelle tried to convince him, clapping her hands encouragingly.

Denny knew he was easy to convince, especially when it came to Amabelle, but even though part of him was starting to give in, he decided to remain adamant.

“No! I won’t do something so stupid! I still have dignity” he tried to protest, trying to raise his voice but letting out only a frightened peep.

“Cocoocococo!” teased Amabelle, imitating the noise of a chicken and gesticulating as such.

“Thereby you are declared a chicken for a month!” Felix announced, following her in the imitation of the chicken, and attracting the attention of half of the café.

It was a stupid Corona Crew tradition. Every time one of the members refused a bet or a challenge, he was declared a chicken for a month. Felix was the holder of the most chicken times. 

It wasn’t that bad, but Denny was competitive, and hated losing.

“Okay! Okay!” Denny finally gave in, trying to make them stop, his competitive side shining.

“Great! Then, you will go to the very first person who will enter through that door, regardless of gender, age and physical appearance….” Amabelle began dictating the conditions.

“Wait, what do you mean with ‘regardless of gen…” Denny's objection was immediately cut short.

“…starting from… NOW!” exclaimed the girl, staring at the door.