I was able to get around the people and reach the entrance of the railway station, pushing – or should I say, dragging? – My broken baggage. I was still pretty annoyed over this situation, but all disappeared when my eyes fell in the surroundings. So this was Venice! Right in front of the railway station I could see one of the rivers, filled with gondolas of every size. And the people! Some people were already wearing masks and costumes of beautiful renaissance-like clothes, and everything was full of color and life. Everything seemed so festive and happy that I forgot all about my troubles for a second and just stood there in blissful happiness – that is, until someone pushed me to the side.

Apparently, I had stopped walking.

“Stop blocking the way!” someone shouted, and I wanted to shout back to him to be careful, but another person pushed me again, and I lost my balance. I fell to the ground and could feel how the skin in my hands broke.

“Amazing. Terrific” I mustered again under my breath but I had no time to waste. People were still pushing each other, and I was about to be stomped into if I did not move fast.

“Cura! Careful!” Someone shouted, and I glanced upward. A big fat man have been pushed right into my direction, and was losing its balance over me. I wasn’t going to be fast enough to move.

I prepared myself for the impact, but then someone grabbed me and pulled me up. The fat man fell right where I used to be, and haltered the flow of people for a moment. But I could not dwell on the vision for long, as someone was dragging me to the side, away from the crowd. I grabbed my broken baggage and dragged it with us, as my vision focused into this person that had saved me. He had his back towards me but I could notice how tall he was, and his broad shoulders. He guided me to the side, and then turned around so I could finally see my savior. And I lost my breath.

“You ok?” He asked me.

He was wearing a small and simple black mask only covering his eyes that could not hide at all how handsome he was. Tan, bronzed skin, messy and short light brown hair, and a seductive smile that was trying to look friendly. And through the mask I could see his eyes, those beautiful olive eyes I just wanted to lost into-

“No English? Eh how was-, ah, Tutto bene?” He said.

I just noticed I had been staring at him all this time. I blushed.

“Ah- yes, English please! And I am okay, thanks to you.” I tried to give him a friendly smile but I don’t think it worked at all.

His smile now looked relieved. His eyes were looking at me intensely, and his lips were just asking to be kissed.

Oh my god, was I really thinking all that? I have been dreaming about meeting a beautiful Italian in the masquerades, and having a brief and intense romance in the gondolas but this was too much! I had just met the guy! I needed to compose myself.

“Be careful, this city is small and with the carnival there are too many crowds.” He said. “So if they push you, you have to keep your ground and push them back!” he winked jokingly at the end.

“I- yes.” I simply said, and then I wanted to smack myself. I had to be nicer to him, otherwise I was just about to lose the first cute guy I had found in my trip! “I will push them back. They just catch me off guard. Won’t happen again.” Well, it wasn’t a nice answer but at least it wasn’t a monosyllabic answer like before.

“Maintain that idea and you will survive the carnival, signorina. Take care.” He then said, and with a last smile, or roads departed.

“Wait!” I suddenly said, and he stopped, looking at me with curiosity. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say but I just wanted to linger in this moment for a bit more. “Will you stay here for the carnival?”

He grinned, and I lost my breath again for a moment. He had a wonderful smile.

“I will. Maybe we will see each other during the festivities.” And with this words, he left me alone.

And when the effect of his smile was off, I wanted to smack myself. Of course he was here for the carvinal! What else could he have been doing in Venice, when the carnival started tomorrow? If María was here, she would surely have said something better. For example, I could have asked him to guide me for Giulianna’s house, at least!

Oh, well. María was not here, and I was, so I had nothing more to dwell into. Better to go to find this mysterious place now.