#honstly the whole “poor guy tries to scam a rich girl but falls in love with her” premise easily could work as a romcom

[ladyantiheroine]

In honor of Zach and Cody’s Italian Reservation Day I decided to rewatch the episode it’s from for the first time since I was a child.

Now, I could just be wearing nostalgia goggles, but was I the only kid who found the romance between London and Luca genuinely heartbreaking???

London finds someone who sees past her “rich bimbo” surface and actually likes her for her. Luca finds someone who sincerely believes in his musical talent, even willing to pay for Juilliard to support him. Despite Uncle Marcos’s scam, they fall for and work well with each other.

This scene where she’s waiting and waiting for him to show up for their dinner date and he doesn’t.

This moment where she breaks into tears and runs away. AND THEN LUCA APPEARS FROM THE BUSHES DRESSED IN A SUIT FOR THE DATE.

HE CARED ABOUT HER. HE WANTED TO GO ON A DATE WITH HER. AND NOW HE HAS TO WATCH HELPLESSLY AS HE BREAKS HER HEART.

Yes, I know this is silly because it’s a Disney channel show. But I remember as a child being genuinely heartbroken during this scene. At nine-years-old, this was peak romantic drama to me.

The angst. The drama. The regret. The betrayal. The forbidden romance.

Anyway I shipped these two before I even knew what shipping was as a concept. Good job, Disney, for giving me feelings I’d still have 15 years later.