From London to Rome

Chapter 26

"Ashton doesn't seem to agree, though." Julian bursts out laughing. I don't see what's funny about Ashton hating me, but okay.

"Don't worry about Ashton. In case Luca hasn't told you yet, Ashton tries to keep up a bad-boy act. In reality, he's just looking out for all the guys, including Luca. Let's say not all the girls interested in him, or anyone who's with him, have the best intentions. It has happened that girls tried to hook up with him, just to post about it. After that, Ashton became a jerk to all the girls getting close to us. He'll come around sooner or later."

I really hope Julian is right. But the only thing consuming my thoughts right now is that Julian thinks I make Luca happy. Luca smiles a lot, but I can't say whether it's just around me or around everyone. Since Julian is already breaking bro-code, I decide to take a long shot.

"So, I changed Luca, made him happier. How can you tell that easy? We've only known each other for a few weeks."

"If you know someone for as long as I know Luca, just a few days is enough to tell he has changed. Luca is gonna kill me, but anyway. Luca was kind of a flirt whenever we would go out. He would flirt a lot, kiss some girls, occasionally hook up with them. Ever since he met you, he hasn't even looked at another girl. And believe me when I say that plenty of girls tried to get his attention."

I don't know what to do with all this information. I already kind of knew that Luca never shied away from girls, but hearing his best friend say it, is something else. On the other hand, I believe Julian when he says Luca hasn't looked at another girl all these weeks.

"Is Luca still asleep?" Julian asks.

"I think so. Even when Finn and Miles stormed in, he didn't wake up."

"I woke up when your body was missing next to mine." I didn't hear Luca come into the room. He hugs me from behind, stealing my cup of coffee while pressing a kiss on the side of my neck. "So, you two were talking about me?" He says taking a long swig from my coffee.

"Nothing but good things." Luca doesn't have to know everything Julian just told me.

"Oh, look at my best friend and my girlfriend loving me." I know Luca is joking, but the word love has my heart skipping a beat or two. Did he mean to use that word? Julian brings me out of my own thoughts when he tries taking some fruit from my plate. I hit his hand, a little harder than I intended to do.

"Dumb, dumb boy. Sky doesn't like people taking her food. Do you know how in Friends Joey doesn't share food? Neither does she."

"I think I get that by now." Julian is still rubbing his hand, I couldn't have hit him that hard, right?

On our way to my apartment, my phone gets bombarded with texts. All of them are from Hailey. I can't make sense of anything that she's saying. Her texts are incomprehensive, saying things like Luca, friends and Instagram. I know Hailey well enough to know that this texting style is a result of her being way too excited. I don't know if I have to be happy or scared about it. Hailey is a little like Finn, whenever they get excited, they turn into some sugar-hyped toddler version of themselves. They would get along great, which reminds me to never put them in the same room together.

As soon as Luca and I are in my room, I call Hailey. When she picks up, she starts rambling the same incoherent words from her texts.

"Instagram... Luca's friend... You and Luca..."

"Hailey, calm down please and tell me what's going on." I put Hailey on speaker so Luca can listen along to the conversation and he looks just as confused as I do right now.

"Go to Instagram." Luca takes out his phone and asks what to do next. "Oh! You're there with her! Go to the profile named 'greatmile' or something."

"You mean Miles' account? What has the idiot done now?"

"Just watch his stories." Luca opens the account and presses the profile picture to watch the stories. It shows a few pictures of the party from last night. I recognise a few people on them, but Luca and I aren't in them, so I don't know what the problem is. Until the last picture shows. It was taken outside when the guys were smoking. You can clearly see Luca, sitting in a deck chair with a girl on his lap. You can't see my face, but Luca is very much recognisable.

"Did you see? You're almost Insta official!"

"Hailey, how did you recognise me? You can't see my face or anything." I'm starting to worry that if Hailey recognises me, others may as well.

"I remember the top because you would never let me borrow it. Combine that with your hair and posture, I just knew it was you. And otherwise, Luca would be dead by now, you know Noah." Oh yes, I know Noah. He would kill first and ask questions later. Hailey ends the call, which just leaves Luca and me, looking at the picture over and over again.

"I'm gonna make this my new wallpaper, baby." He has the biggest smirk on his face, and I can't do anything but smile as well.