(REPUBLISHED & COMPLETED)Finding Each Other: A Luca Fanfiction

Chapter 2

Cecilia eyed the streets boringly and tired while Giulia pointed at different places before explaining things about them.

Alberto was quiet and he would look at Cecilia from time to time with a suspicious look plastered on his face.

He didn't trust her, that girl was hiding something, and Alberto was the first one to notice once his eyes met hers.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt his friends or family.

Cecilia did her best to ignore Alberto while the summer air breezed through her hair, it was different from the air back at home but surprisingly not suffocating.

"So Ceci, how is California?" Giulia suddenly asked breaking Cecilia from her trance.

'Ceci, that's new,' she thought before answering.

"It's alright I guess," she responded casually.

"America must be pretty cool full of rock music and jazz," Giulia exclaimed but Cecilia only shrugged, she didn't go around listening to music that much, she preferred singing with her mother.

"How's the ocean there?" Alberto asked making her flinch, she didn't expect any questions about the ocean.

"It's nice too," the girl answered vaguely making Alberto more suspicious.

"Have you seen any sea monsters there?" Giulia asked making Cecilia frown.

She felt uncomfortable now.

"No," she spat a little too harshly making her cousin shut up.

She suddenly felt a little bit of guilt, but she couldn't talk about the topic or else she could reveal too much information.

"I'm sorry...I'm just very tired from the jet drift," she suddenly excused herself.

"Oh, I see it's a different time in the US from here," Giulia said understanding her cousin's exhaustion, it must be very late for her.

"I know what will make you feel better!" her cousin suddenly exclaimed dragging her by the arm to a building with a huge sign titled 'sbarra'.

Giulia greeted the woman at the counter before ordering something in Italian, the woman then handed her three cups of coffee.

"Here," she said handing one to her then to Alberto.

Cecilia hesitantly took a sip of the strong liquid; it was enough to wake her up in an instant.

"Better?" Giulia asked her, Cecilia only nodded.

"Thanks," she said genuinely.

"No problem Ceci," she said again with the new nickname.

"So, what now?" Cecilia asked feeling a bit better after some coffee.

"Oh, you haven't met Luca yet," she thought.

"Hey Alberto, do you know if he will be on the surface today?" she asked her older brother.

"He said he'd be visiting," Alberto said making Cecilia raise a brow.

"Surface?" she asked.

"Oh yeah he's a sea monster too," Alberto explained.

'So, they are both marine creatures,' Cecilia thought making a mental note to be careful, they might find out her secret if she's not careful enough.

"Cool," was all she could muster.

"We should go home then, Luca might be waiting for us in that case," Giulia noted before they all left the café.

From Cecilia's point of view, Portorosso seemed very simple enough.

There wasn't anything exciting about it maybe except for that sea monsters were a normal thing there completely in contrast to her situation.

The trio went back to the small home to find Massimo with a boy. with brown curly hair. He was wearing a white buttoned shirt with blue jeans and black shoes.

He seemed to glow as soon as his eyes landed on Giulia and Alberto until they met Cecilia's.

He looked confused for a moment before smiling again.

"Hey guys," he said standing up to greet his friends.

"Sup Luca," Alberto said with a smile.

"Hey Luca, I want you to meet my cousin Cecilia, Cecilia this is Luca," she said presenting the two.

"Nice to meet you Cecilia," he said extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you too Luca," she said shaking it.

"So cool now I'm not the only girl!" Giulia squealed happily; Massimo only looked at the scene with a satisfying smile.

After that she was dragged again into Giulia's room where they stayed and talked. Luca apparently lived in the ocean with his parents during the summer but came often to town. He also went to study during the rest of the year while staying with her aunt Diana and Giulia.

He seemed like the shy type, but Cecilia noticed how his eyes traveled to Giulia.

'Yep, this guy totally has the hots for her,' Cecilia smirked looking at the blushing boy from time to time.

Alberto seemed confident about himself for the most part but very untrusting of Cecilia, it made her nervous.

'Am I too obvious?' she thought trying to hide her nerves, she would have to be careful around him.

"Hey Cecilia, wanna hear a joke?" Giulia asked her suddenly.

"Sure," she responded lamely.

"What did the carp say to his crush?" she asked trying to stifle a laugh.

"Not sure," Cecilia said not paying a lot of attention.

"Don't play koi with me!" she laughed out.

Luca and Alberto laughed at the pun except for Cecilia who was thinking about her parents constantly.

It was still all too fresh...too painful.

"You okay Ceci?" Giulia asked in concern.

"Oh! Yeah, I'm okay just sleepy," she said while her gaze traveled to the bright moon outside.

"It is late, we should go to bed," Giulia noted looking at her clock.

"I should get home too before my mom asks me too many questions," Luca added.

Cecilia found herself at some peace when Luca left home and the only thing that filled the room now where Giulia's snores.

The eeriness of the room calmed her a bit even if there was so much going on, it had been all too fast.

It wasn't until her eyes were finally shut; she was able to sleep praying she could start something new here.