when in rome

"That's Grey and that's Dylan." I mentioned to Lucas, pointing to their figures in a picture on my phone. It was a picture of the three of us, standing in front of the Empire State Building. I smiled remembering that moment like it was yesterday. The three of us were like a team, and it made me the happiest girl in the world.

"Dylan looks exactly the way I pictured." Lucas added, as he looked up at me from the picture. "Greyson, not so much." he joked.

I laughed, as I took my phone back. Lucas and I spent our flight talking about each other's lives. We learned more about each other, and it made me wonder whether or not we'd be friends when we landed. I saw it, but I wasn't sure about him.

Lucas Wilson (Extra credit points for learning his last name!) is an only child. He grew up in Jersey much like I did, to parents that divorced when he was a kid. He spent his years living with his father, a strict school teacher. He was going to Rome to visit his grandparents, who were traditional Italians. He enjoyed learning more about his Italian roots, which helped him form his identity, something people our age found extremely hard to do.

"This is my dad." He stated as he showed me a picture on his phone. The picture was of a fancy looking older male, standing in the middle of the Seaside Heights Pier. He looked way too professional standing next to his free spirited son, which I found hilarious.

"I like how he looks so serious, while you're making the creepiest face." I laughed again.

He nodded and laughed along, an adorable laugh identical to a child's. "Honestly, he only does that when there's cameras around. He isn't as serious as he seems."

"Well, I can't wait to meet him." I blurted, as if we were definitely going to see each other again.

I could tell it took him off guard, as if the thought of me meeting his father, or us continuing a friendship didn't come to mind. He turned and looked at me, and I wasn't sure if he liked the idea. Slipping his phone into his pocket, he grinned, "Honestly, that'd be so cool."

"That was pretty weird for me to say, huh?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

I sat back in my seat, thinking for the right words to say. I didn't want to seem creepy, but I didn't want to say anything that seemed rude. "Well I mean, eighteen hours ago we didn't know each other, and now I practically made plans to meet your father like we've been friends for years."

Lucas laughed again, "Nah, it's cool. I actually like you. If you want to meet my dad that would be totally cool, but just know he is married and you have a boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes at him, like I did to Grey or Dylan. I heard him chuckle as I turned toward the window. Behind the white clouds and the clear sky, I saw a glimpse of Rome. The buildings seemed closer for miles in the sky. It seemed way too beautiful to be real.

I tapped on Lucas's arm, "Look."

His eyes made their way toward the window, a fear that I helped him conquer within our eighteen hours. I turned to him, noticing how amazed he was.

"Wow." he added.

"Please buckle your seatbelts as we prepare to land in beautiful Rome, Italy." said the flight attendant. We followed our order and buckled our seatbelts. My Italian nerves started to come again, as the plane started to land. I started to picture myself drawing pictures of everything I saw, and whoever I encountered. I started to feel my nerves turn into excitement.

* * *

Lucas and I exchanged social media accounts before heading our separate ways. I wished him good luck on his meeting with his grandparents, then he wished me the same for my internship. We left the airport into separate Italian taxis, off to separate adventures.