Chapter 7

The media tour had been a masterclass in humiliation. Firstly His dad didn't buy the idea that he just got back home like the prodigal son without anything at stake.

“Luca's come off the mask, why are you really here?” It's not like you give a fuck about me; you have been pursuing this stupid career of yours without my assent for five years now; what went wrong in Williamsburg.” Samuel Moretti asks, his eyes beaming in curiosity not believing Lucas' facade of innocence.

“I have missed you, Dad”, He whispers.

“Oh please! Hope your career is not about to be burnt to the ground, because the last time I checked, you said Bushwick has nothing for you,” Samuel fires back.

“Everything is fine, Dad; I just came to say hello. Just say cheese to the camera,” He says while flashing lights of astrograph in his eyes.

He goes back into the car, his heart racing like he just completed a marathon, memories of Bushwick flashing in his head; echoes of his little voice screaming his dad's name on entering the workshop with his bag dangling from his back and his two tiny legs running into the ground with the speed of light and of course Mom always bringing different flasks of food from her catering shop.

He was brought back from his little trance when Jordan tapped his shoulder; “We have other unfinished business to attend to; enough with this, your goofy moments “" he said with a steaming authority.

“ What goofy moment are you talking about? Let him be, Please”, Daniel cuts in. His fingers, pressing against each other like he could give him a punch. His grip fastened to the pedal as he drove the car while stealing glances at Luca from the front mirror.

The drive to  Luca's high school in Bushwick was calm, as they swayed past trees and figs feeling the gentle breeze and warmth of the atmosphere. “Bushwick is indeed a small town” Daniel mutters to himself.

“We are here”, Luca says, breaking the silence that was hung in the atmosphere.

The three men alighted from the car, Luca still trying to figure out where the Principal’s office was situated.

“Sorry, excuse me. Can you show us the way to Principal Thomas's office”. He asks a group of girls trooping by.

“Sure, Sire”, Betty, one of the girls, giggled, a smile beaming on her face like she just met her dream fantasy husband.

A knock on the door made Thomas flare up as he spent hours scolding a stubborn, unchanging student.

“ You can push the door down, it doesn't cost a penny to fix it”. He says, screaming at the top of his voice.

Luca gently pushes the door open, and they walk right in, finding their seats like they also owned his office. It wasn't even up to his garage, so why bother?

“ How can I help you?”. Thomas asked, raising his glasses to recognise any of the three polished figures sitting in front of him”.

Just at that moment, Daniel’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

“Mother fucker” he murmured to himself.

“Sire Thomas, it's me Luca Moretti, your ex student”.

“Oh! Luca, how are you, my boy?”

“Am doing great, sire”, Luca replies, losing every aorta of patience he has left.

Jordan, taking advantage of the pleasantries being exchanged by the two men who had last seen each other in ages, puts up a camera right in their faces.

“ What's going on?” The old man asks, acting like he is unaware of what a camera is supposed to do.

Right into the camera, the principal gushed about his improbable success with astrographs—conveniently stating the part where Luca got expelled.

Luca angrily slams his desk “ Shut up, old man, what are you even saying?”. Daniel taps him on the back and he shoves his hand with rage burning in his heart.

He stormed out of the office banging the door shut behind him. Jordan and Daniel sternly look at themselves and follows him almost immediately.

On getting into the car, Jordan sticks his hands in his pockets to get his phone, only for him to realise he has forgotten his phone on the table while recording Luca and Principal Thomas.

“I will be right back,” He says while rushing back to get his phone.

Back in Thomas' office, Jordan saw him going through his phone, trying to send the hilarious video he had recorded earlier to his flash drive.

“ You silly old man,” He says while strangling the life out of Thomas.

Thomas's legs dangled for survival, his eyes filled with tears, rendering an apology before his mouth could.

“I am sorry “. He struggles to speak before giving up the ghost.

Jordan locks him inside his office, his face beaming with smiles as he steps out, waving at the students storming by and looking at him in admiration. He joins Luca and Daniel in the car who had been waiting impatiently.

“What kept you so long “Luca inquired.

“Oh! We had some catching up to do, he's such a funny old man”.He fibbed.

The Next Stop was at the restaurant where Luca previously worked while he was in Bushwick. It was called **The Golden Toast**. Luca fake-laughed with his old boss_ who had forgotten his name, until Jordan slipped him cash, and he acted along with them, beaming fake smiles as they took the photo.

“Phew, it's been a long day,” Luca said while entering his hotel room.

He sat on the edge of a sagging motel bed, staring at the muted TV. On-screen, Entertainment Tonight. A played footage of him hugging his dad—a moment so staged it hurt to watch.

Daniel tossed him a water bottle. "Drink. You look like hell."

Luca caught it. "Feel like it too."

 A hush fell upon them

Then—  

"I left because of Charlie," Luca said suddenly.  

Daniel stilled.  

Luca’s voice was raw. "He came through town after freshman year, saw my life and pitied me. He got me that Harvard interview like I was some charity case. “He crushed the water bottle. "I bombed it on purpose."

Daniel exhaled. "Why?"

"Because I’d rather be nothing than his pet project."

The admission hung between them.  

Daniel’s phone buzzed—again.

 UNKNOWN NUMBER:Now ask him what the interview was for and who else went along with him.

Luca saw the text. His face went pale.  

"What?" Daniel frowned.  

Luca stood abruptly. "We need to go."

"Where?"

“Somewhere Jordan isn’t” “Let's stroll without him for a moment; I need some fresh air “.

They drove through the lonely road into a street barely known by them; it's been a while since Luca visited home, so he barely knew his way around town.

Luca’s car moved through the darkness, headlights cutting a lone path through the scrubland.  

Daniel gripped the dashboard. "You’re going to kill us."

"Relax," Luca muttered. "I learned to drive out here."

The desert air whipped through the open windows, carrying the scent of sage and gasoline.  

Daniel braced as Luca took a sharp turn onto an unmarked road. "Where are we going?

Luca’s knuckles whitened on the wheel. "The only place Jordan would never follow."

“He won't find us here”

“He said tossing his already messed-up hair”