Luca's POV

I parked my car in my reserved parking space in the apartment building. I was exhausted. I barely slept the previous night because I was studying for a biology test. Between working out, attending my classes, and volunteering at the hospital, I barely had time anymore.

I was stupid to go back to that restaurant last night, but I couldn't concentrate every minuscule, and explicit thought led back to her. I thought after I saw her again I would be able to focus but, having her so close to me was a mistake. I shouldn't have pulled her to me. I should of just let that other waitress walk into her.

I took the stairs up to the apartment. I never really liked elevators. I got stuck in one when I was a child and it took them three hours to get me out. I never used an elevator after that. I would rather scale a hundred staircases than take an elevator ever again. Luckily for me, there were only four flights of stairs to get to my apartment.

I needed to sleep. I was exhausted, but whenever I slept I ended up dreaming about Elizabeth. The way she frowned and how her eyebrows would knit together when I would act like a complete jack ass. The way she looked into my eyes when I pulled her to me. It was wrong. I shouldn't have had the thoughts I had. I loved Allison, yet I couldn't stop thinking about Elizabeth.

I could never bring myself to end my relationship with Allison, not after all the promises I made to her. My family and my friends would never get it.

I always keep my promises.

I walked into my apartment and the sound of opera music immediately got my attention. The music was supposed to be soothing but it was just getting on my last fucking nerve. "The fuck is this?" I asked loudly and James popped his head out of his room.

"Just a bit of spring Cleaning sir," James said walking out of his room with a feather duster. James was eccentric. Good old fashioned weird. I let him carry on and walked over to my room to call Allison since I couldn't talk to her last night.

I sat in front of my computer and dialed up Allison on Skype. A few seconds later her face popped up. "Hey love," she said and her accent made me miss home more than anything. "You look like shit," she smiled.

"How are you love?" I asked resting my head back on my desk chair.

"You know Luca having a boyfriend in another continent isn't fun. I feel like a fucking army wife." Allison had no filter she said exactly what came to her mind and she wasn't good with words either. Her face was already plastered in makeup and her hair was done. She was wearing a deep cut vest and her blonde hair fell over her shoulders. Hiding the tattoo of a rose she had on her left shoulder. She was gorgeous but then why couldn't I stop thinking about Elizabeth. "Earth to Luca are you even listening to me?" She asked in annoyance.

"I'm listening," I said while running a hand down my face.

"When are you coming home?"

"When my mother invites me back. She stopped asking me to come home when she found out we were still together." It wasn't a lie that my mother didn't like Allison.

"Just great you have to be invited to your own house. Do you know how ridiculous that is," she said, running a hand through her hair in disbelief.

"Well it isn't my house now is it?" I barked in anger. Every time we video called or texted it ended in an argument. The distance wasn't doing our relationship any favors.

"Well, then I see you in a bitchy mood. I'll call after you get your period." She hung up the call and I let out a sigh.

Allison and I were not always like this. Being apart is taking a toll on our relationship. We were best friends before we got together. Allison had a tough childhood. One day I walked into her house to find her dad asleep on the couch. I went up to her room and found her curled up in a ball. Her father had beat her up. Her mother was at work while Allison's crack head of a father stayed at home and got high.

I was furious that day. I was ready to kill the man. Nothing gives a man the right to hit a woman. I at least had the common courtesy to wake the miserable fuck up so that I could punch his lights out. After I beat him up I called the cops.

That's why Allison wears so much makeup to cover up her scars. She deserved a better life than what her father gave her and I promised her that I would provide her with the kind of life she deserved. I could only do that if I was in England with her.

I needed to get Elizabeth out of my head and the only way I was going to do that is by telling her the truth. I needed to tell her that we met before so that I could stop playing mind games with her. If I told her everything then there would be no need for me to come up with new ways to get under her skin.

I walked out of my room heaving a heavy sigh. The opera music had stopped. Thankfully James knew that it was getting on my nerves. "Could fry an egg on your face," James said looking up from his newspaper.

I pulled open the cupboard to look for a box of cereal only to find that there was no cereal. "Before you throw a fit like an old git, you forgot to write me a grocery list," James piqued from behind his newspaper.

"You've been cooped up in an apartment with me for a few good years now. You should know my likes and dislikes."

"You forget, you change your preference all the time. One time you want chocolate cereal and the next just plain corn flakes." Jameson wasn't wrong but who wouldn't get tired of eating the same cereal every day.

My phone began to buzz in my pocket and I pulled it out to see the word 'mother' flash on it. I answered the call and put the phone to my ear.

"Mother," I said and James looked up at me in curiosity and I shrugged.

"Luca darling," she said cheerfully. "How are you?"

"I'm fine mum how are you?" I asked and she chuckled wholeheartedly.

"I'm fine son. I have great news," she started. "Your sister is getting married."

My head almost hit the cupboard. Stephanie was getting married. My sister and I had a good relationship. I had a good relationship with my mother and sister but Harry and I couldn't help but butt heads. "To who?" I asked in shock.

"Now, Luca. I will not have you messing this up for your sister. You will be happy for her."

"I didn't even know she was dating someone," I said in anger.

"Why do you think she doesn't tell you anything. You used to threaten all her boyfriends."

"I was protecting her." By the sound of my voice rising James slowly stood up and placed the paper neatly on the table before walking out of the kitchen.

"You a good brother there is no doubt about that son but you need to loosen up."

"Who is she marrying?" I asked.

"His name is Christian."

"Have you and Harry met Christian?" My mother went silent and my veins started to pop.

"Now Luca..."

"It's a simple yes or no question mother," I said trying to feign calmness with a little chuckle that may or may not have sounded cynical.

"No," she said nervously.

"Ah, so you letting your daughter marry a man you and her father have not met. Just bloody brilliant. You and Harry have suddenly become provocative parents. You know what I'll call you back. I need to have a chat with my darling sister," I spat in anger and hung up the call before my mother can argue, and called up Stephanie.

I needed to sound calm. What was up with Stephanie. She would never marry a man she just met. She wasn't one to believe in love at first sight. She didn't even use to like romance movies. I remember one time her friends came over for a sleepover and Stephanie ran over to my room to get away from them because they were watching one. She called those movies fake and cheesy. She was a total dude. My nickname for her whenever we used to play Fifa or football in the back yard was Stephen. She hated it. She still does.

"Luca..." she answered sounding nervous. My heart melted a little. I loved Stephanie I only wanted her to make good choices and to be happy. I would do whatever it takes to make sure she was safe.

"Is there something you wish to share with me?" I asked and then Jameson walked into the kitchen with a phone to his ear.

"Yes, mam... I'm sure sir didn't mean to hang..." James let out a sigh. He knew there was no point in arguing. He gave up trying to reason with my fuming mother and stuck the phone out to me.

"Sir it's your mother."

"Put her on speaker," I said and he placed the phone on the counter before exiting the kitchen once again.

I put Stephanie on speaker as well and left both phones on the counter. "Luca Hendricks I am absolutely disgusted. You dare hang up on your mother!" My mother's voice boomed.

"Mum?" Stephanie said and I ran a hand down my face.

"Oh, hello dear," my mother's tone of voice suddenly changed to sweet.

"Mum I found this lovely wedding gown in par-..."

"Ladies!" I grunted, pinching the bridge of my nose and they both went silent. I knew once they got into a conversation they weren't going to let me get a word in. "Now Stephanie what's this rubbish about you getting married to a man we haven't even met?"

"Luca," she sighed heavily. "He is a nice guy. He treats me well."

"You know what Steph I'm just disappointed. You used to tell me everything. You told me when you had your first kiss."

"Yes, and you broke the guy's nose the next day. That's when I realized you and my boyfriends don't mix, Luca!"

"Steph, I was only trying to protect you."

"And you did, but you need to trust that I'm an adult now. For shit sakes Luca I'm older than you and you treat me like a child."

I drawled out a sigh. I was just doing what I thought was right. There are a lot of sick men out there. Steph was always so trusting. I don't know how long she knew the bloke for but she was oh so ready to get shacked up with him.

"You right I can't protect you forever. Some lessons are better learned than explained," I said, regrettably. I was trying to warn her that's all.

"Yikes, mum how do you think dads going to take this," at that a smile came to my face. Harry with that stick lodged so far up his arse is not going to let his darling princess Steph marry a man he hasn't met. This marriage was not going to happen until we all got a whiff of that gutless weasel that didn't even have the decency to show his face before asking my sister to marry him.

"Why don't you tell him now," I suggested sweetly. "Since we all on the phone. We can have a family meeting."

"No, no, no," Stephanie protested.

"Why were you planning on not telling your father you were getting married? That's kind of harsh Stephanie," I tsked.

"Fine where is Father, mum," Steph grunted and a smile took over my face.

"He's in his study. I'll get him." Harry was going to lose his shit. This time it was for something reasonable so I didn't mind. I was looking forward to it.

"Hello," Harry's voice came from over the phone.

"Dad," Stephanie said, sounding uneasy at first.

"Yes, dear. Tell me are you in New York with your brother?"

"No, she's not," I answered in a rush to get the formalities out of the way.

"Hello son," Harry greeted.

"Harry," I greeted back and everyone went silent. You could always feel the hostility when Harry and I were in a room.

Harry called me son but whenever he looked at me he cringed. Sometimes growing up I felt he looked at me with disgust as if I took a shit in his Versace shoes. Maybe because no matter how hard he tried he knew I wasn't his real son. I was just some bastard that was his burden. He never once came to one of my football games. He never took me to Anfield stadium to watch a Liverpool game.

"So dad there is something I need to tell you but you have to promise you won't freak out," Stephanie started and I waited patiently for the explosion.

"Anything my princess. What is it?"

"Dad I'm getting married," she said and the line went silent for a while.

"To who?" He asked after a while.

"His name is Christian and he is a nice guy dad. He makes me happy."

"Stephanie, you cannot marry a man you just met. That's complete malarkey."

"So how long do you know him for?" I asked folding my arms and leaning back on the counter.

"Six months," she said and Harry gasped.

"Why the rush dear. You are still young. You don't need to rush into anything," Harry tried to reason with her.

"No dad, time cannot measure love. It doesn't matter how long I've known him. I love him and I know I always will so why wait."

"You're a child!" Harry said in amusement.

Cynical old bastard.

He was right but he was still a dictator that loved to force his opinions and ideas onto others. If I didn't care for Steph I would call him out on it. I would be on Steph's side but for the first time in history. It's like the planets have aligned and I'm finally agreeing with Harry.

"Harry," my mother warned.

"No I'm done," Harry's voice came out harshly. "I have no idea what has come over Stephanie. How can you marry a man your father hasn't even met!" He shouted. "And the best part is that she is telling me not even asking for my blessings." Everyone went silent after that and a couple of seconds later I heard a door slam.

I heard whimpering and I knew now Stephanie was crying. "Steph..." I said and she hung up on me.

"Luca," my mother said softly and I could hear the sadness in her voice. I ran a hand down my face in disbelief. Why was Stephanie doing this. She was the golden child. Harry was always proud of her. This was the first time I ever heard Harry raising his voice at Steph.

"Yes," I answered, pushing my hair out of my face.

"Stephanie said she wants to have the wedding at home but first she wants everyone to meet in New York for final shopping and dinner. I'll need you to behave during this time are we clear."

"Mum I'm not a child," I said in frustration.

"I know so don't act like one. I'll see you soon my boy. I love you."

"Love you too," I said and hung up. I suddenly had no appetite. I needed to sort my obsession with Elizabeth out before I could go back to England.

I couldn't just stay away from her now I knew where she worked. For fuck sakes I even knew where she lived. I needed to tell her the truth so that I couldn't enjoy playing the mind games with her anymore and then hopefully I will be able to forget about her.

My phone suddenly rang and I picked it up hoping it was Stephanie but it was just Callum. "Hey, Luca buddy we manage to score tickets to the race tonight. The extra ticket is yours if you want it, man," Callum said and I didn't want to go anywhere besides that restaurant for one final time.

"Sorry, I can't make it. I have a physics test to study for." Well, it wasn't exactly a lie.

"Ah come on bro you no fun anymore. It's fine. I'll just give it to one of the other guys."He hung up and I left the kitchen to have a shower. I suddenly had no appetite.
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A/N

Sorry for the late update. I've been busy with exams. Since I'm done with exams now and universities are closed due to the country being on lockdown. I guess I'll be spending most of my time writing. Hopefully, I can finish my books before lockdown ends :)

Please smash that star button and make me smile if you enjoyed this chapter.

So what are your thoughts about Allison and most importantly what are your thoughts on Luca and Allison's relationship? ;)

Hope everyone is well and safe.

💜💜💜PurpleAlien122.