Cinderluca (Cinderella but make it Edluca Brainrot)

Chapter 2: Reunion

It was a beautiful spring day when the two best friends have were reunited. The flowers were blooming in an assortment of colors and there Luca stood under a willow tree. Dandelions surrounded his feet as he waited there. He seemed to be looking around while holding a letter in his hand. Surely he had gotten the location right? Or maybe he forgot again? His anxiety began to creep in as he reread the letter over and over again. Soon enough, heard the neighs of horses nearby and the creaking of a carriage's wheels. A few minutes later, he saw a figure running towards him in the distance and smiled to himself as they got closer to his location. No, he definitely had the right place. 

"Luca! Lucaaaa!"

A woman was running up to him at high speeds. No one would have recognized her as a noble based on her appearance alone; she was wearing a white dress shirt adorned with golden buttons with a visible brown corset. The threading in the corset was messy compared to the neat crisscross pattern that most corsets had in place. She was also wearing some sienna breeches that were covered in dirt and oil. To top off the look, she was wearing worn down riding boots that were unbuckled. She was an all-around mess but Luca believed that to be what added to her carefree charm.

Yes, that was definitely Tracy Reznik, Luca's best friend. 

Tracy ran up to the tall man as she embraced him. It had been months since the two had last seen one another. Luca was always busy with his work and Tracy was forced to attend gatherings. Not that the two minded, though. They knew they'd be reunited one way or another and simply lived on. It was comforting to them to know they at least had each other to get through the rough days. Luca especially enjoyed Tracy's company. Being an only child, he saw Tracy as a sister that he could always rely on in his times of need. As she snuggled her face into his chest he laughed and ruffled her hair.

"Tracy, hello again!" He gave her a goofy smile as he lifted her up gently. She giggled as he began to spin her around and sat her on one of the large roots of the willow tree. She patted the spot next to her and he sat down. The two looked at each other before they both opened their mouths.

"I-"

"How-

They burst into laughter before Tracy did a small 'zip' motion on her lips before urging Luca to finish his sentence. He nodded at her in thanks before continuing. She had always been a good listener and Luca was eternally grateful for her sincerity.

"I have a plan to get out of my predicament but you won't like it. Promise you won't get mad at me?"

"Well, I won't know how to react unless I have the details, hm? I promise to not tug on your ears at the very least." She gave him a reassuring smile as he took a breath in. 

"I'm going to get married to a noble. If I can seal the deal with someone of high status then I can surely escape this miserable life. All I ask is that you help me find someone."

Tracy looked at him in disbelief before standing up and shouting.

"I thought you said you'd never marry, especially not for money! You had always wanted to marry someone you actually loved... isn't this going against your own values?!"

Everything she had just said was true. Luca had promised himself to never marry unless he was sure that he could provide for his partner, both emotionally and financially. He wanted to marry someone that he genuinely loved - he was tired of watching other nobles be arranged into loveless marriages. He made an oath to himself that he'd break that stereotype. Alas, that was no longer the case. Desperate times called for desperate measures and he was borderline hysterical to escape his situation.