Part IV.

"Okay, let's see." Julia said staring at the computer screen. It had been HELL trying to get through Britechester's application. There were so many questions, questions that you wouldn't think would be on a college application. Did they really need to know what Venezia's hobbies were?

"Have you been convicted of a felony?" Julia asked, she immediately scrolled the cursor over the 'No' option, but didn't click. She waited for Venezia's response.

"No, ovviamente." Venezia said frowning. If Julia was trying to joke right now, Venezia failed to see the humor in it. They had been sitting at the computer now for almost two hours, and Venezia was a little less than thrilled. "I would not be citizen in states if I were." Julia cackled, and clicked the option. Venezia rolled her eyes. She just wanted to be done.

"Okay a couple more questions, and then they want you to write a paragraph." Julia said, sounding relieved. The light at the end of the tunnel was finally there. Venezia instantly froze with panic

Una scrittura? Venezia thought. Why do they ask us to write paragraphs on application?

"What if I make a mess up?" Venezia asked, worriedly. "My English is not the best."

"I will help you Venezia." Julia was beginning to sound impatient too. Who knew college applications could be so stressful.

"Thank you Julia." Venezia said sincerely. She was very appreciative of all the help Julia has given her. She was a really good friend to Venezia.

Finally the girls had finished the fill in questions needed on the application. One question remained on the application, and it had been the question Venezia was dreading the most.

"Okay Venezia, this is the extended reponse question." Julia said, sounding unexcited as much as Venezia was.

"Leggimi la domanda." Venezia instructed Julia. "Read the question please." Venezia silently prayed that it wasn't a question that would required to much thought.

"Girl, the Italian!" Julia hissed. She widened her eyes when she realized how rude she had sounded to Venezia. "I'm so sorry... applications frustrate me."

"The question Julia." Venezia urged her friend back on track.

"In no less than 1000 words, indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence." Julia read the question from the computer screen. When she finished reading, she instantly looked at Venezia who was deep in thought.

"Significant influence?" Venezia asked, she scrunched her face at the computer screen and then bit her lip. "Like important person to me?"

"That's right Veni." Julia smiled at Venezia "You have to write about the person who inspired you the most to want to go to college." Julia explained. With a swift motion, she grabbed the mouse and clicked on the empty text field, she waited for Venezia.

"I-- I don't know who I want to write about." Venezia stammered. She knew she had to pick between her mom and her dad, but who would she pick? She never met her father, but he was still such an important person to her. He had sacrificed his life for his country.

"We can save it and come back if you'd like-- I don't know about you but I could really use a bite to eat, how about we go out for lunch?" Julia asked hopeful, eager to get away from the computer screen. Truthfully, Venezia could do with a break from the electronics herself. She was starting to form a headache from staring at the screen for so long.

"Yes. But I pay this time." Venezia smirked at her friend, and stuck her tongue out. Julia laughed as she stood up from the desk. She pushed in her chair gently, and the girls headed out to try a new restaurant in the next town over.

*******

Venezia gently steered her automobile into the parking lot of the restaurant that her and Julia would be dining at. Julia, following behind her, quickly put her car in park and jumped out of her car. Her and Venezia linked arms, laughing as they headed indoors to be seated.

Julia had chosen La Pergola, a small Italian-cuisine restaurant located in Magnolia Promenade. Venezia had been extremely excited about Julia's choice for the restaurant. La Pergola must have been a popular restaurant, because it was packed.

"A table for two please." Julia said kindly to the hostess. The hostess smiled at Julia and Venezia and led the two ladies to their table.

"So Veni, do you have any idea of who you'd like to write about to finish your application." Julia asked Venezia. She shook her head no. Truthfully, Venezia wasn't sure she would ever finish the application at this rate. She had so many questions about this application itself. She couldn't imagine what the course load would be like at Britechester.

"You still have a little time before applications are due, so you don't have to finish it tonight girl." Julia attempted to reassure her friend. Venezia shook her head again.

"I need to get done." Venezia said quietly. "I like the idea of college." That was the truth, since she had announced to Grant and Julia that she wanted to apply for college, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"And you will get done, girly. We will get it finished, but not tonight." Julia said sighing. "Waiter!" She called out. Venezia looked at her friend, eyebrows lowered in suspicion.

"Why do you avoid me?" Venezia asked.

"What? Avoid you? I'm here with you right now!" Julia shot back, in confusion.

"Why don't you want to help me tonight?" Venezia jeered. She realized she was beginning to get loud in the restaurant. She quieted her voice down. "Are you mad with me?"

"Venezia, we have been working on that application ALL day. We can finish it tomorrow. Also, two things: one, it's mad at you, and two, I'm not mad at you." Julia said in a soothing voice. Venezia felt her cheeks get hot. She had just acted like a big stronza.

"I am sorry for yelling Julia." Venezia apologized. She shouldn't have snapped at her friend so quickly, they had been working very hard that afternoon.

"Girl, it's okay. We're hungry and tired.. let's order." She smiled at waitress who was now walking up to them.

The girls put their orders in, Venezia had ordered Garlic Gnocchi with a glass of Dolcetto. Venezia preferred a nice glass of red wine with her pasta meals. Julia, on the other hand, had ordered a delicious pan-seared chicken dinner. Dean Martin's On An Evening in Roma was playing on the radio.

"Come è bella c'è la luna brilla e strette." Venezia sang along to Dean. Julia sat next to her friend, grin from ear to ear.

"Sing it girl!"

"Strette come è tutta bella a passeggiare...." Venezia continued singing, and Julia giggled and clapped for her friend. And in that exact moment, Venezia was worry free. She felt at home, back in Italy. Her mother loved Dean Martin, Venezia had pratically grown up with him.

"What is he saying?" Julia asked curiously, eyebrows raised.

"He is talking about taking walk with una bella donna. A beautiful woman." Julia smiled again.

"I would love to learn Italian one day. Such a beautiful language."

The waitress, at that point had returned to table with both orders. The girls dove into their meals, quickly. They had been famished from the work they did all day. They didn't stop to eat at all.

Venezia lifted her fork, to take another bite of gnocchi, when the lightbulb suddenly clicked on. She froze instantly, focused on the thought process she had.

"Venezia? What? Hello??" Julia waved her hand in front of Venezia's face, who was staring blankly ahead. Suddenly, she dropped her fork on her plate and jumped up from the table. Julia looked worried now, but she remained seated.

"Julia, I know what to do for application!" Venezia shouted and threw her hands up in the air excitedly. She hurried and grabbed money and handed it to Julia. It had been enough to pay for both of their meals. "I need to go!" She ran out of the restaurant and hurried home.

"Go get it girl! You got this!" Julia called back, waving goodbye. Venezia hurried into her car and sped home.

*********

Once seated in her computer chair, Venezia began to type. She slowly thought about each sentence carefully. Instead of picking just ONE influence, surely Venezia could pick multiple right? The question didn't specifically say to just pick one, and she didn't. Venezia began writing about her parents first. She started with her dad first. Venezia wrote about how he had served in war, and died in combat. And how is bravery, and dedication to his country was the biggest reason he was her influence.

She moved onto her mom next. She focused on the challenges her mom had faced when brought the news of her husband's death. How the great, Paola Bertucci uprooted her family and started fresh in a new country. How she watched her mother work job, after job, after job, to give Venezia everything she has now. Her mother was her influence because she had taught Venezia to never give up. She never verbally had said that to Venezia, but Paola's actions had said more than words ever could.

Venezia read, and reread through the paragraphs she had up so far, and was very pleased with her work. She hoped whoever read her application would be impressed too. She hit the enter button on the keyboard to start the final paragraph.

She began typing once again. This time about two people she never expected she would write about. Julia and Grant, her two friends. Venezia originally wanted to write about her parents, but thinking long and hard, her friends have also become two of her biggest influences. Julia and Grant had shown her kindness. These two have taught Venezia one of the biggest lessons, ever.

Compassion goes along way.

If Julia and Grant hadn't been accepting of Venezia that day at the park, would she still want to go to college? Her friends have influenced her in many ways. They inspire Venezia to do better, to be better. That's why Venezia had chosen to add them into her application essay.

Venezia's fingers flew over the keys as she typed, and backspaced, and typed again, proofreading as she wrote each sentence. She had just a few closing words left to wrap up her entire point.

In life, there will be more than one influence. I couldn't choose less than four.

"Finito." Venezia sighed deepily. She had spent an hour typing this essay out, and she was so ready to click the submit button once and for all. Giving her essay one final check, she fixed the few grammatical errors she had found. Finally her college application was ready to submit.

She moved the cursor to the submit button, and let it hover there. For some reason she was afraid to click on it.

"Non avere paura." Venezia heard her mother's voice whisper into her ear. Almost as if it was an involuntary movement, Venezia clicked the submit button. The browser page loaded to the exit splash screen, congratulating Venezia on the start of her next journey.

It took a few seconds for the realization to set in, that Venezia had just applied for college. She jumped up from her chair squealing. She was so excited, she ran to call Grant to tell him the great news.

to be continued......