[Luca fanfiction] Love in Portorosso

Chapter 11

The day of the race started and Luca had a plan. The boy stood at the registration table, holding a rusty bicycle encrusted with barnacles.

"You want to split up your team?" Marsigliese asked, incredulous.

"Yes. If it's allowed."

"Luca?"

He turned to see Giulia, who was on her way to the starting line. She ran over to him. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Don't worry. I'll race on my own," Luca said, hopefully. "We'll race separately, and you won't get into trouble."

"You can if you want, but I don't recommend it," Marsigliese said with a shrug.

"Thank you!" he called out and he ran off. Giulia was shocked.

"But how are you gonna... I mean, what happens when the... You can't swim!" 

Giulia looked back at Marsigliese who gazed at her. "Alone again?" she said.

Daniela and Lorenzo were still wandering the streets of Portorosso, looking for their son. They had spotted Luca a couple of times, but hadn't come close to actually talking to him.

Then a voice from a priest got their attention. "Ah, volunteers... you're late," the man said. "One cup for each kid."

"Yeah. One cup per kid," Daniela replied.

"Yes." Lorenzo wasn't sure of what was happening but he knew enough to trust. Daniela so he followed her lead. The priest handed them a bucket with a scrub brush.

"Got it."

"Here. For when Giulia..... you know."

They did not know. And something told Daniela they did not want to know.

Eimi waited as Giulia stood at the starting line, unsure of how this was going to work out. She looked around but saw no sign of Luca. Her eyes drifted to the crowd of people that had assembled and she smiled when she saw her father with Machiavelli. Ciccio and Ercole walked right next to her. Ercole took out a container and poured something all over Ciccio.

"Ciccio, hold still," Ercole said, annoyed. "Olio d'oliva. He will cut through the water like a knife. An oily knife."

At that moment, Giulia and Ercole spotted Luca, wearing a diving suit. He stumped over to the starting line, wearing a full body diving suit.

"Haha...This makes me laugh," Ercole laughed. "I guess even your terrible friends don't want to be friends."

Luca looked at everyone assembled at the starting line, but mostly Giulia, Ercole and also Eimi. She knew that Luca was a sea monster but still haven't changed yet.

"Luca! This is a very bad idea!" Giulia yelled.

"Hey, vagrant! Can't afford a proper swimsuit?" Ercole jabbed.

"Signore e signori," Marsigliese called out. "The Portorosso Cup is about to begin! We know there's been a few sightings lately, but fear not! If any sea monsters show up today, we are ready for them." She turned and pointed to the harbor at the fishermen in the boats, with their nets and their harpoons, and Eimi hoped this would work. "Swimmers, take your mark!" Marsigliese said.

Taking a deep breath, Luca attached the helmet to his suit.

Then the sound of the starting pistol echoed in his helmet and all the contestants dove into the water. All of them except Luca.