Insanity in Love. By Mike Posner.

Chapter 1. Florence, 1479.

Florence. A beautiful mess. Carnivals and poverty, rags and riches. Middle Ages in Italy are remembered by numerous invasions, deurbanization and migrations of people to the Midwest.Rich families were capturing land and privatizing it for themselves in search of better life for them and the future generations. One of the families that’s been well-known in Florence was the Auditore family. Patricius, the father of his two sons, Cleo and Jovanni, was a banker, who was able to raise two sons, who were keen on reading books and getting into trouble.

One day, Cleo and Jovanni bought a book called “Far Cry” that’s been written by an unknown author and spent an evening trying to finish it.

“What is the definition of insanity? The state of insanity can be indicated by many things and factors that can be compounded by many facts, including love. But it is simpler than that.Insanity lays in repetition. The more you try, the more insane you are. And insanity is not to be taken as a negative trait in this context. John and Abigail Adams wrote each other more than 1000 letters, and they had the deepest feelings which make from repetition. They were insane for each other”.

“This is definitely something I want to believe in. I need to remember this one” - said Cleo.

Cleo, whose life has always been nothing but a dream, was a wise young man, who lived in Florence and enjoyed life to its finest. What else do you need, when your family has a mansion in the heart of Florence and your father is a well-known banker. Everything has always been coming together for him. He was an 18-year old handsome guy, and the whole life he’s had ahead of him has already been well-planned out and detailed..

“Is it finally time for me to find someone?” - he asked his brother, a tall blonde man by the name of Jovanni, who was older and could always give advice to his younger brother.

“You don’t need to look for them, brother. Otherwise, you will lose yourself in a constant search. Let all the pieces of the puzzle called “love” come together on their own” - said wise Jovanni, who’s had many women before and knew how this story goes - “what is it with you and Clara, anyway?”

“She doesn’t seem to be impressed with the way I always try to climb into her window to give her the flowers that I always steal from the Cathedral” - he replied, and both brothers laughed it off.

“Let’s go for a walk, see what the city is doing” - suggested Jovanni, and Cleo nodded his head.

That night, the city was buzzing. It must have been a carnival or an event that made the city so lively and beautiful. There were even fireworks in the sky, and the folk was so loud that other towns in the area must have heard the celebrations. Cleo and Jovanni were the types to get into trouble pretty easily and they had some archenemies of their own. Coral, one of them, was hanging out on the streets as well, and Jovanni quickly noticed him.

Cleo, on the other hand, saw Clara, the beautiful lady that he’s been in love with. Her graciousness and beauty were the center of Cleo’s attention, and, in just few seconds, he approached her.

“Good afternoon, beautiful Clara. Are you enjoying the celebrations?” - said Cleo, nervously and timidly. He was impressed with her dress and hair, and felt like he was talking to angel.

“Cleo, thank you. I am. The fireworks are beautiful. I think it was my father, who bought them for the carnival.” - she replied.

“So your father is rich then? He might know my father, Patricius. He’s a well-known banker.” - said Cleo, in big hopes of being noticed. He was feeling in love, excited and hopeful for a great outcome.

Just as Cleo was starting to gain confidence, Clara said: “Maybe, Cleo. Now, excuse me, I want to finish my wine and enjoy the show. If you’ll excuse me.

“Do you want to look at the stars later?” - asked Cleo.

“No, thank you. I want to finish my novel. I’m a writer” - she said, making her face look rather kinky and confident, while smiling ironically”.

“Well, you know, I love to read myself. I could help you finish your novel. What is it called?”

“It’s time to go!” - Clara said in a rather quick and shocked manner.

“What a beautiful name! It’s a good start, what is it…” - Cleo couldn’t finish the sentence when Cleopatra took his hand nervously.

“It’s time to go Cleo, my father is coming, he can’t see you standing next to me, he’ll kill you”.

“Can I introduce myself? Will we at least be able to meet each other later?”

“Sure, but now, go!”

Cleo smiled and thought that it was a great time to introduce himself to the man himself. But everything turned out to be exactly opposite. Little did Cleo know, Clara’s father, Mark, was the chief commander of the Italian army and he had guards all over town running under his command. The moment her father saw him, he asked his troops to go after Cleo, and he had to run away for his life. He crossed the town through the rooftops that he knew so well.

“Cleo, you bastard. What are you doing up there?”

The voice came from the streets beneath.

“Jovanni, is that you?”

“Yes. You left us. What was that? Let me get up, let’s talk”. - Jovanni said angrily.

It turned out that Cleo left his brother for the beloved woman, and during their talk, Jovanni was attacked by Coral and had to run away thus he had no help.

“Was she beautiful, Cleo?” - Jovanni asked while breathing heavily.

“Like a diamond, brother”.

“You know, I’m not even man. It could’ve all turned out worse. After all, we both could’ve had our asses kicked. You’re the last man standing” - Jovanni laughed and Cleo picked it up”.

“She said we can meet again” - said Cleo.

“That a good start. You know, it’s a fine life we live”

“The best, Jovanni”.

Chapter 2.The plan. 1480.

Cleo has always been a hopeful and a confident man full of ambitions. He knew his goals. He once tried to climb a tree, and constantly fell down until he reached the top. The same worked with women. It was time for him to find love and start a family of his own. He was sitting on the bench near Clara’s house, waiting for her father to go to work to climb into her window.

It was the time. He saw her father leaving the building, and after he made sure that there were no guards in the streets, he started climbing up.

“Hello, Clara” - said Cleo, confidently and heavily at the same time, while hanging on the window.

“You again? Right into my house? Is that something you do with all the women or is it just me who’s so lucky to have a dumb gorgeous man hanging on the window of my house?”

“That’s a nice way to say hello. And yes! You’re pretty lucky, I never climb the windows. I always use the ladders” - Cleo laughed it off, while still being positive about his relationship with Clara.

“Silly man, climb up. Somebody will see you”

Cleo and Clara spent the whole day in her room, and Cleo helped her finish her novel. He made his additions to her story, adding the story of Assasins. The old cult of assasins was described in the books that he wrote. Clara was rather cautious and looked like she knew something about it.

Cleo left her house in the evening and went back home. When he entered, the house was empty and the only thing that he saw was a letter from his father. It stated that he went to Rome for work and left Cleo the house and some money for a week. Cleo knew that it was his chance to spend some time with Clara. He went back to her house and invited her. She said that it was not the right time for her and refused his invitation. He went back home sad, but hopeful that “the right time will come”.

The night sky was clear and the light brisky wind came from the shores of coastlines. Florence was beautiful in the fall. The falling leaves were cracking under the feet of a young sanguine Cleo, whose head was in the mist, with only one name on his mind. He was thinking of a perfect plan where he would be able to tell Clara about his feelings.

Chapter 3. Cleo and Clara. 1481.

Cleo has been talking to people, gathering opinions and constantly learning. He’s spent the summer attending the creative writing workshop to learn how to write an impressive letter to Clara. It was time. The actions have been made. The words have been found.

Cleo returned to his house and saw Jovanni and his wife, Leo, looking at the new pictures that were gifted to the Auditore family by their friends. Leo and Jovanni married a few months ago.

“Leo, tell me, would you be impressed, if you received the love letter from Jovanni? Before you married, I mean” - asked Cleo.

“Of course, Cleo! That’s a gift from God himself to know that you’re loved by someone” - she replied in a positive manner.

Cleo nodded his head and went to his room. He closed all the windows and sat in front of a Snow White sheet of paper to start the process of writing. His head was full of words that he wanted to express.

Dearest Clara, 

I never realized how upbeat life could be until I saw your face. My heart jumps like a hummingbird in flight each time I see you. This is something I have never felt, and it is you that motivates it. At the point when I consider you and our rich discussions, I feel a warmness inside. I can't conceal my grins, in any event, when we are separated. This association is exceptional, astounding, and I dare say, fate. Many have asked what ended up making this new and better me. I advise them, without a second thought, it is you. Some of the time I feel like my heart will overflow with all the aching and energy I feel when I consider you. Anticipating our next date, wonderful. May each be superior to the last if that is even conceivable. 

Earnestly,Cleo.

When the letter came to Clara, she was impressed and full of life. This letter was more like a ticket. After she received it, she realized how much her fate meant to Cleo. He wanted to cross their paths and live together until the last bitter day. They ran off to the city of Constantinople and lived there. Nobody knows what happened to them, their families lost contact with them in the year 1485 when they have changed their names. It was time for them to start something new. In the end, we could only tell that Cleo was insane. He fell in love with someone, who’s never liked him and wanted him to go away. Repetition is the key to insanity, and insanity is the key to success.