The Tale of Giacomo.

I know I can't tell it like he does (I don't know him half as well), his story wasn't linked with mine, but for the story, that continues, we are intwined.
This is how I see it from my eyes.
(Yeah, I know you all know who it is anyway.)

One day, a long time after a heartbreak, I left the cinema from watching a film, happily surprised. We decided to sit down, and we met three boys. I was afraid to speak, for I was shy and untrusting. Especially at Giacomo.  He was beautiful, like the statue of a Lion. I was too afraid to touch it. He looked so real, if he came alive, he'd strike me dead. Attractive people I do not trust, at first.
I left, and he became real, and genuine.
I found that my heart was willing to open at any affection. My trust came slower, but surely.
I thought (from my instincts, ever trustworthy) he was a player. I was right. But I wanted that Lion, and with my head, and my heart focused on having that Lion. I pursued.
He escaped quickly, but my Lion came back.
Paladin, loved me greatly at this point, the real genuine love I trusted, and yet, he told me too late. He told me when the Lion had come back.
What is the love of a man, to the beauty of a Lion?
The part of me that wanted to be free, leave the hard memories, followed Giacomo.
This hurt Paladin, to see me run with a Lion. I thought he wouldn't be able to bear it, and I'd lose my great friendship.
Giacomo was not all beauty. Yes the lights draw me, but I always empathise with the person, and the beast. Once I know them, I love all.
Perhaps my open love, spurred some reciprocation, perhaps the challenge of Paladin, or both.

It was about now I began to see a part of Giacomo's story.
There was sadness in his life, and suicidal thoughts. Bullies of his weight. His parents being perhaps too hard on him. A craving for love and acceptance, that I would always oblige.
I had faith in him, and it seemed enough to stop him.

I went away for a while, back to my other world. I missed Giacomo, but apparently it was too great for him to be away from me. Maybe that was a lie or an excuse. He wasn't my Lion then.

Upon my return, Paladin was waiting, with open arms and promises of everything I've ever wanted. So if I didn't have my Lion, which I was proud of, and loved, regardless of risk. I had real love.
Those days I was happy, being read stories and romance and such, but I was in love with the idea of Paladin, and not what he was. What he was is my friend, and I will always love him as such.
Giacomo seemed hurt by me and Paladin. Paladin only mocked Giacomo for it, to me.
Giacomo still spoke to me, and Paladin only told me how to make him 'love me' ..
I had been invited into Paladin's home, and was welcomed, but I felt so out of place, it wasn't right. I didn't belong here. I didn't connect with any of them. I hid behind Paladin.
Giacomo threatened me, he said he would have me, and I wanted it, I just didn't know it. And what no one knows, but what captured me was when he said 'You're mine, Cara.' And it was all, he was my Caro, and I was almost certainly his. Hearing it from him, Paladin shook in anger. Rage. But I told Paladin, Giacomo never would.
Yet I looked for him the next day anyways, and I found him.
He tried to convince me into sleeping with him, and golly gosh I'm a loyal beast, I hit that boy hard, to show my disapproval. But how can you keep hitting a Lion so beautiful? In a moment, I forgot myself, and unlike it was with Paladin, it felt right. Like I belonged.
The day after still, I saw Paladin, and I only craved my Lion, this proved that Giacomo was right.
I would have told Paladin that night, things could fall into place, but Giacomo appeared.
He hurt my Paladin, and Paladin ran away. From more than one kind of pain.
That night when he knew what I had done, he stopped talking and has never spoken since, despite my efforts, he hates me, and I will always love him.

Then began a time where I learnt about Giacomo, his parents chess game with Giacomo as the pawn.
Bullies, gangs, drugs to escape his pain, and violence.
Yet it seemed I could always protect him from it with belief and love
I was happy. I think it was a good time, with little friction.
Memories flicker, but the worst thing of all is, he's gone, and now I must retain my memories, even if its harder to recover, I can't forget.

I think it was my fault. I was foolish to think I could love a Lion and keep it.

He runs further away everyday.
Escaping in any outlet. From his pain, from being alone, and pushing everyone away, because people are afraid to love Lions, they don't understand them, they fear them, they hate them,
I'll say less on this part, but,
I believe in my Lion, they are brave and strong, more than they realise.
If the Lion knew his own strength, no man could stop him.
Giacomo is better than people realise, secret things I see..
Writing, poetry, art, reading, a beautiful nature
and a capacity for love,
Only weighed down by misfortune and poor judgement

I've said too much.