At 19:00 hrs I was back at St. Mark’s square, waiting for my mysterious plague doctor. I was wearing the same mask as yesterday – how else would he recognize me? -, and had painted my lips again. I was wearing a winter dress with leggings and a small but warm jacket, one of the prettiest clothes I had brought. I felt a bit shy, getting all dressed up like that in hopes he would find me pretty. Would he even appear? He hadn’t told me his name, so I couldn’t really say we were close. We had just danced together, that’s all. All night, nonstop. Maybe that meant he liked me too? And what if he doesn’t? What if he had changed his mask so I wouldn’t recognize him? He did said that you could change your mask if you regret something. Or what if he sees me and decides I am not worth to spend another night with? Or…?

“Here you are, querida.” A voice said.

I turned around and there he was, my mysterious friend. He was wearing the same mask as yesterday, and was dressed elegantly with a long black leather jacket covering his body.

I left a relieved sight.

“And here you are, my friend.” I answered.

“Were you nervous I wouldn’t appear?” He said, looking right through me again.

I blushed, and was grateful for the mask that was hiding my colored cheeks.

“Of course not, I knew you would.” I lied.

He hold his hand to me.

“Should we go?” He said.

I grabbed his hand.

“Yes, I don’t want to miss anything”.

We were walking towards Rio di Cannaregio, Cannaregio river, the place where the historical regatta started. Historical regatta is the famous boat parade, where Venice shows the most wonderful boats they have, decorated marvelously. I was so excited to be able to see it, and the company of my new friend was only making it better. With his hand over mine, I was feeling completely happy. That should meant he liked me too, right?

But I still didn’t even knew his name.

“Hey, what’s your name?” I asked.

“My name? I can’t tell you.” He answered misteriously.

“What? Why not?”

“If I tell you my name, and you tell me yours, that would break the anonymity, and with it, the magic of the carnival, the freedom we are cherishing so much! It would be the end of this beautiful moment.”

I wasn’t convinced by his words, but maybe I can make him change his mind after tonight.

“How I am supposed to call you then?” I pouted.

“Make a nickname for me then, as I made one for you, querida.” He said, and I could feel the smile in his voice.

He was right, he had been calling me querida since yesterday. I had no idea what that word meant.

“You are not Italian, are you?” I asked him suddenly.

“I am not.” He said, and I noticed how he intentionally left his nationality a secret.

“So querida is not italian, isn’t it?” Then I couldn’t ask Giulianna what that meant. “What does that mean?” I asked him.

“It is a secret.” He said, smiling.

That kind of pissed me off. Why he had to maintain so much secrecy? Well my friend, if I wasn’t going to know what my nickname meant, then you wouldn’t either.

“Then I will call you amore mio.” I said. I didn’t think Giulianna would mind if I borrowed her nickname for me.

“amore mio?” he said. He seemed surprised. “Do you know what that means?”

My victory was taken from me and suddenly I became self-conscious. What was wrong with that?

“Do you? I thought you weren’t Italian.”

“I am not, but I can understand some words.” He explained.

I doubted for a second, but it was better to admit my defeat rather than using a nickname that would offend him.

“Is it a bad word?” I asked.

“Oh no, quite the contrary.” I could feel the smile on his voice again. “Let’s do this: If you call me amore mio all night, I will tell you the meaning of both amore mio and querida at the end of the night.”

“You sure is nothing bad?”

“Completely sure.” He said.

I thought for a minute. Maybe I could extend it a bit.

“And where do you come from too?”

“Ok, and where do I come from.” He agreed.

I could do this. If Giulianna was calling me that, it couldn’t be something bad, and I could obtain a bit of information from my mysterious friend.

“Ok, amore mio, then we should move faster or we are not going to get a good place from were to watch the regatta!” I exclaimed.

“Of course, querida.” He answered, and when the light fell into his mask, I could see a grin in his face.