AllFreeNovel
Share Us
By the time I get back, Luna is eating a cheeseburger and fries inside the cabin at the little coffee table in the living room.
“Hi,” I say.
“Ohmygod, Huff. This is amazing. I just thought of this diner I used to go to as a kid andpoof!There I was ordering takeout. This is incredible.”
“Yeah, well, just remember that when I try to detox you.” I take a seat across from her.
“Are you sure that’s necessary?” she asks. “Because I feel great!”
“I went into cardiac arrest. Took months of smaller doses before I could safely stop.”
“It’s just strange that Morris wouldn’t have fixed that bug.”
I shrug, not wanting to talk about him.
“Fry?” Luna asks, a little too cheery for my mood.
“No, thanks,” I say glumly.
“Hey, don’t worry, Huff. Just give River time to cool off. She’s been through a lot. She’ll come around.”
I don’t think so. “I’ve known her most of my life, and she’s never shut me out like that. I think it’s really over.” And I can’t stop feeling guilty. And then angry. And then guilty again. Everything she’s been through—the pain, the heartache, being kidnapped and drugged—wasn’t easy.I feel like I broke her. I broke us.
“Well, you did tell her to pound sand. But that was after she kicked you to the curb—”
“I don’t need a replay.”
Luna pats my hand with her greasy digits. “You still have me.”
“Thanks.” I do appreciate what a good friend she’s becoming.
“So what’s the plan?” she asks.
“I don’t have one.” Later, when I’ve had some time to process, I’ll tell Luna everything that went down with Kyle. But for the moment, “You need to go home and act like nothing’s happened. No one can know you’re like me.”
“What about my body?”
“Just wear baggy clothes for a while and tell your friends you hired a personal trainer. Make the change look gradual.”
“What about your brother? Think he’ll be suspicious?”
“I don’t think he’ll be bothering you for a while. I’ll tell you about it some other time.”
“Huff, you can tell me now. I’ll listen.” She sets down her burger. “I meant what I said before. I’ve got your back.”
“I know. Thank you. I just need some time to figure a few things out.” Mostly how I lost River so quickly. After all these years, she was so ready to turn her back on me. Part of me can’t accept it. It’s not the River I know, even if she’s been through a lot.
“All right. My cue to leave you alone,” says Luna. “But, Huff, I’m here for you. I mean it.”
“Thanks.”
She stands and grabs her burger, wrapping it up with her fries in the wax paper. Must be pretty good if she’s not willing to leave it behind. “You’re a good guy. Don’t let her get in your head, okay? She’s alive because of you.”
I nod.
“See you in a few days?”
“I’ll stop in.”
