Page 1 of Animal Beats

1

RÍO

Walking on top of the cement barrier in front of the iconic Roman gods, I point to my left side. “When you say, ‘Gelato!’”

I point to my right side. “You say, ‘Rocks!’”

I raise both my arms to the sky. “Got it?”

The large crowd before me roars their appreciation. The bright blue Italian skies seem to encourage me. Why not? When in Rome, and all that!

Laughing, I finish the beer a nice Italian young lady gave me and set the can down on the ledge. “Are you ready?” Everyone surrounding me seems excited. This boring old landmark needed some sprucing up, in my opinion. I point left. “Gelato!

Half the gathering repeats my word.

“Rocks!” I twist my bare torso to the right, jazzed when these people scream it back to me.

I do this twice more, but an energy’s missing. I need to rile them up more. Make them lose their minds with excitement. Looking down, my jeans stick out like a dark blue sore thumb. I bet if I remove them, I’ll get the rise I’m after out of them. After unlacing my boots and taking them plus my socks off, I begin to shuck the jeans. Ladies at both of my legs take the hint, and help to roll them down each leg.

When I’m finally free of the denim, I swing my jeans over my head and toss them. The woman who gave me the beer holds them up in triumph. I stick my tongue out toward her, and wiggle it. She rubs the jeans over her ample chest to let me know she got my meaning. We’ll hook up tonight, after I get this group to do my call-and-repeat at least half as well as Bennett does during our gigs. Rome is the best.

I point. “Gelato!” Those on my left side scream.

I switch directions. “Rocks!” People on my right side reply.

With my every hand movement, “Gelato!” and “Rocks!” fills the air by the Trevi Fountain. People jump with each word, trying to out yell the other side. This is what I’m talking about!

But still, I want more. In only my underwear, I pace the barrier, getting people jazzed. Some hold up cones filled with gelato from the nearby store. A few signs saying “Untamed Coaster” have made their way into the crowd. Nice. Even though Coop, 007, Tris, and Bennett—who’s with Jenna, no doubt—are off doing whatever, at least these people have the most exciting band member with them. I straighten. Better not disappoint.

I offer a smile to everyone gathered around me.

I never disappoint.

With renewed vigor, I kick and strut and yell the cues, which the people eat up. In a frenzy, I strip buck naked and point to each side before diving into the fountain. At least thirty others follow me into the water.

When I surface, a new sound has entered the fray. Police sirens blare from the streets nearby. Crap. Time to get out of here before UC’s manager, Luke Allen, has another hissy fit. I make it to the side of the fountain, my hands on the concrete when they’re joined by a pair from the other side.

Wearing a long-sleeved dark shirt.

The type police here wear.

I’m yanked out of the fountain by the cops. They scream something unintelligible in Italian when my feet hit the pavement. At least they didn’t scratch anything unmentionable as they pulled me out of the water.

Shaking my head to attempt to clear all the alcohol—droplets flying everywhere—I employ one of the only Italian words I know besides gelato. “Ciao! Ciao!” I smile at the cops, who are yelling to other cops and to the crowd as they yank everyone out of the Trevi Fountain.

“Ciao!” I try once more. A female cop approaches me.

“Hello,” she replies. At least she knows English.

Experience has taught me it’s usually best to admit whatever I was doing and spin it in the most favorable light. “We were only having some fun out here,” I explain. “You didn’t have to waste your time and get involved.”

She shakes out a blanket. “Here you go. Put this on.” She passes me the scratchy fabric.

Deciding now might not be the best moment to complain about the material’s quality, I wrap it around my waist. See... I can be reasonable. The cops round up the others who were in the fountain with me into a rather large circle to my left. I’m not instructed to join them.

“Scusi,” I try another word I’ve learned. I motion toward the crowd. “Should I go with them?”

The female cop shakes her head. “No. They get tickets and fines. You will come with us.”