Summary

Chapter 19 begins with Elena feeling slightly superior over Lila, mostly due to her education, and Lila's being forced to stay in the neighborhood with a lower social status. Lila and Rino show Elena a pair of unusual, innovative men's shoes that they designed and built by hand. Rino is very proud of their accomplishment, while Lila is still skeptical. They ask Elena to weigh in on the shoes. Rino is angry at Lila's skepticism.

Chapter 20 recounts the New Year's Eve party that Elena foreshadows back in Chapter 1 of the section on adolescence. The boys of the neighborhood stage a fireworks competition; Marcello Solara has been trying to catch Lila's eye, and Rino wants to show them up. However, the girls aren't sure Rino has enough money to put on a good show. When the girls accidentally bump into Stefano Caracci, he invites them...