Chapter Three:
The End?

"Do you want something to drink?"

"A water would be great," Luca said.

Greg disappeared into the kitchen and she sat on his lumpy couch. He came back and handed her a glass. "It's tap."

"That's fine," she said, taking a sip. "Can I ask you a question?"

Greg nodded.

"Why were you so in love with Morgan?"

Greg looked at her then looked away. "I don't know." He laughed. "She's pretty, smart…."

She nodded, looking away, too. "Yeah…she is."

Greg looked back at her, but Luca didn't look at him. They sat in silence for a while.

"This doesn't feel right," Luca said. "I think you should take me back."

"What--why?"

Luca shrugged. "I feel like you're just sitting here with me because of who my sister is."

"Well, I'm not, but if you want to go…," he said.

"I do."

He nodded and took their glasses into the kitchen. She stood by the door until he came out and lead her to his car. She pulled out her cell phone from her purse and the phone beeped once, the only sound in the car.

"Luca, I was in a damn car accident! I fucking hate this place. Oh, and we're stuck here forever because both our cars suck! What the fuck? I'm two blocks from the hotel, I'll be here for a while. Oh yeah, no one was hurt, but I might jump the guy I hit. He's so fucking--" The message ended.

"My roommate was in an accident," Luca told Greg. "She's two blocks from the hotel."

He nodded, but said nothing. She thanked Greg for the ride when they got to the crash site and jumped out. She ran over to Natalee.

"What happened?"

"This asshole rear ended me," she said, pointing to said asshole: a tall, handsome guy. "Isn't he so fucking--?"

"Yes, he's hot, Natalee," Luca cut her off, distracted by the fact that Greg's car hadn't moved, in fact he'd parked and was walking towards the man that hit Natalee. "What is he doing?"

"Who is that?"

"Guess who," Luca challenged her.

"Greg?"

"Ding ding ding."

"Well, it looks like they know each other pretty well," Natalee observed. "Maybe he's gay, hmm?"

"They're just talking, Nat," Luca said, rolling her eyes. "We have to get out of here."

"It's going to be a few days for the cars to be fixed," Natalee said.

"Got room for some room service?"

"Always."

"The mechanic called," Natalee said after two days of Pay-Per-View and room service and sick days.

"And?"

"We can pick up my car today," she said.

"Great. I'm excited to get out of this city," Luca said after a sigh.

And that was it, they picked up their clothes and packed their bags into the car and the adventure, they were sure, was over.

Luca's phone rang a couple times during the trip, she finally answered.

"Hello?"

"Where have you been? We've been worried sick."

"I was in Las Vegas," she said.

"Why?" her mother asked.

She paused. "Why not?"

"Your father and I want to talk to you when you get home."

"Of course, Mommie Dearest," she said, hanging up.

"Man, you need a job," Natalee said.

"Tell me about it." Luca said. "I don't know, I guess I could fire my agent…" She knew Natalee didn't like that idea.

"Lu, you can't quit your dream!"

She shrugged. "I need to use my degree."

"Lu," Natalee said. "I swear to God!"

Part of Luca hoped Greg would call and the other part wanted him to follow her to California. She smiled at the thought, then stopped, thinking about how ridiculous the idea was.

When Natalee shook her awake they were already parked outside their apartment.

"You owe me."

"Yeah, right," Luca said. "I didn't tell you to come get me."

Natalee rolled her eyes. "You ungrateful bitch."

"Get used to it," Luca said, unfazed, as she got out of the car. She pulled her bags up the stairs and into 2C. She didn't want the adventure to be over. She threw her bags into her room and walked past Natalee, down the stairs, and to the corner to wait for the bus, even though every bone in her body told her not to.

"You have to pick me up," she told her mom.

"Why?"

"My car's in Las Vegas."

"What?"

"I'll explain when I get there, just get me," Luca said.

"Okay, where are you?"

She told her and waited a while before her father picked her up.

"Hey, daddy."

"Mom's pissed."

"I know," Luca said. "She's always pissed."

Luca had always been a daddy's girl.

"Hmm…that's true," her dad said. There was a pause. "Don't tell her I said that."

Luca laughed. "I won't."

Luca and her dad shared their dark hair and skin and green eyes; Morgan had their mom's genes, including the bitchy one, Luca thought.

"What happened this weekend?"

"A lot," Luca summed up.

Her dad nodded and left it at that, her mom wouldn't be as lenient.

They walked into the house and sat next to each other on the floral-print couch while Luca's mom Flo walked in and sat on the matching chair.

"Start from the beginning," was all Flo said.

Luca obeyed and included every detail.

Flo didn't buy it.

"Forget your monthly allowance. You are on your own," Flo announced.

Luca's dad, Barnard looked at Flo and then to Luca. Luca kissed her dad goodbye and walked the three miles home.

Greg knew he needed to do something, but he didn't know what or how to go about doing that something.

So, he worked. And worked. Finally, he mustered enough strength to pick up the phone, but not enough to dial the ten-digit number.

"What wrong with you?" Warrick said finally.

"What?"

"You've been in a funk for weeks now."

Greg shrugged. "I'm fine, really."