Will Zoey Johnson rekindle an old flame? With sophomore year at CalU officially in the books, Zoey and Luca's breakup in the grown-ish Season 2 finale certainly left that door wide open. But first thing's first: How did Zuca find themselves in this precarious situation? Well, it all goes back to Zoey accepting a "dream job" with rapper Joey Bada$$ aka "one of the artists Luca wanted to design for the most," as Zoey described in the episode titled, "Dreams and Nightmares."
Despite Joey Bada$$ promising Zoey in the previous episode that the job was "never your boy's to have," once Zoey let the cat out of the bag, Luca was big mad and — after a super intense argument — dipped from Zoey's apartment.
"What if Luca and I are broken up, and I just don't know it yet?" Zoey asked Nomi and Ana, who had a spontaneous, "satisfying" moment of speaking in unison like Jazz and Sky (even, later, adding the twins signature clap between words), promising Zoey, if they were broken up, she would know.
They were right. As it turned out, Zoey realized all was good when Luca showed up for her big night at the Joey Bada$$ pop-up shop. While Zoey and Luca's relationship status soon got an update, however, Ana — of all people — laid the groundwork for a possible romantic future for Zoey and — gasp! — Aaron. After all, could Zoey really go there, following Ana and Aaron's recent breakup, without her blessing? After all, there was that whole "girl code" argument from earlier in the season.
Maybe it was a bit too convenient, but as Ana explained to her BFF: "Honestly, I think I was more infatuated with the idea of being in love than actually in love with him. Plus, we all know who he's really in love with."
After instinctively agreeing, Zoey had the same reaction most viewers at home probably had as well: "Wait, what?"
That was all put on pause, however, because duty called for Zoey. But back to where Luca went so wrong. Did he show up to support Zoey? Yes. Did he actually support Zoey once he showed up, though? Not quite.
Luca did tell Zoey that her styling work was "fire" and she "bodied" the project. In all honesty, Zuca may have very well survived sophomore year if he'd stopped there — but the "young Bohemian" just couldn't stop himself from giving the most backhanded compliment ever. He said he understood why Joey Bada$$ hired her, listing her attributes of being stylish, bubbly and beautiful. ("Who wouldn't want to be around you?" he said.)
Mostly harmless, right? Buckle up. After she called him out for the low-key diss, Luca expressed his opinion that Zoey probably didn't get the job based her talent," but, rather, because she was an attractive female.
Before they took the convo outside, Aaron, of course, stepped in, attempting to diffuse the situation, reminding Luca that it's Zoey's night and maybe not the time or place to be having this talk.
After Zoey accused Luca of only supporting her on his terms, instead of unconditionally, and another cringeworthy argument, "it was suddenly clear," Zoey said. "Nomi and Ana were right: When it's over, you know. And I knew."
Yep, Zoey let Luca know that their sophomore year wasn't all that was about to end. "I don't think I can do this anymore. ... We're done," she told her unsupportive man, who really just didn't get it.
With her relationship seemingly over for good, Zoey set her sights on having a "hot girl summer" in London, taking on a role in the Joey Bada$$ flagship store, not to prove something to Luca — but to herself. Heck yeah, girl power.
Who drives her to the airport? You guessed it: Aaron. After some flirtatious banter, she asks her one-time love, "Why are you always here?" She recounted how he was there for her through everything from her first big fight with Luca to her figuring out her major — all without her even having to ask.
After she spotted him sporting a bag he bought from her big pop-up shop debut "to show some love" and to — keyword: "support" — her, Zoey arrived at the oh-em-gee moment that made Zaaron fans lose their minds. Zoey kissed Aarong, before boarding a private jet across the pond. Swoon.
In true rom-com style, Luca also showed up at the airport to try and stop her, but, alas, it's too late. Will he follow her overseas? Accept that this is the end? Will Zoey and Aaron get back together in the fall? Will Zoey just enjoy life as an independent single woman?
Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until winter 2020 when grown-ish returns for Season 3 for the answer to all of those questions. Stay tuned.
