AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I want to believe that he could also love this version of me too. He must see me processing deeper because he takes a step closer to me. “Luna—”
“Sir, you’re up next,” a line coordinator tells him.
“You can go up with Luna,” Xander says beside him. “I’ll wait with her bodyguards.”
Donnelly motions to Frog and Quinn, and silently they all shift methodically around us until Donnelly takes my hand. He pulls me to Callie’s table.
My heart thumps hard in my chest. The most photogenic human I’ve ever seen is beaming while she sits at the signing table in front of me. All thoughts zoom out of my brain.
“Hi,” Willa Holmes greets with a bright smile, her lips a Marylin Monroe red. She points up at Donnelly. “You look a little familiar. Where have I seen you before?” She reaches for his travel mug he wants signed.
“Maybe TikTok,” Donnelly grins more at me.
“He has a huge following,” I say, which is very true. His shirtless videos have millions of views and thousands of comments. I spent one night underneath my covers scrolling through all of them. I’m betting his DMs look a lot like those comment sections—with girls asking him to fuck them.
Jealousy prickled and insecurities rose. Because it’s not like I’ve had sex with him either—or at least I can’t remember having sex with him.Maybe he’ll never want to unless I have my memories.
It’s not the first time I’ve thought it.
It won’t be the last.
“Might be,” Willa says to us.
I pass her my Bass poster, and I open my mouth to repeat what Donnelly told me. But he speaks first.
“She’s not the biggest Callie fan yet, but we still love your work.” Donnelly hooks a comforting arm around my shoulder, and I’m thunderstruck that he told her my opinion on the show over OG Luna’s.
It’s a small reminder that he’s not upset I’m not her. He’s okay with who I am today.
I try to hang on to that thought, even if my positivity feels a lot like dandelion seeds. One strong gust of wind towards a dandelion, andpoofall the seeds get swept away and disappear.
I smile at Willa and tell her truthfully, “You’re in some of my favorite scenes.”
“I appreciate that, and thank youso muchfor watching the show. You’ve helped keep it alive.” She signs the rest of our merch and even snaps pics with us. Even a goofy selfie where the three of us stick out our tongues.
All in all, it’s a happy experience that leaves me and Donnelly grinning. His arm stays around my shoulders until we’re reunited with Xander, Frog, and Quinn on the escalator.
Going up.
“She was cool,” Xander tells me. “Humble. Sweet. I can see why you like her.” His mask still shrouds his face and obscures his amber eyes.
“Can you really see out of that?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s better than the Iron Man helmet and spandex Spider-Man mask.” He has cosplayed many fictional characters over the years. Even more than me.
We reach a hallway where attendees gather on the carpeted floor with merch bags. Looking sweaty and winded from running around the conference center all day, most either nap or eat pork bao buns from the Con’s food truck.
“To the writer’s panel?” I ask Xander, checking the schedule in the hallway.
“I’m down,” he says.
“Wait,” Donnelly interjects, extending a hand to us to stay put.
What’s going on?
Frog sets a hand on my arm, silently telling me to remain here too, and Quinn has a finger to his earpiece. A look of concentration shared among the three of them, but Donnelly is the one with his phone out.
I’d say Xander and I share a glance of concern, but I can’t see his face. In the hall, we’re near a silver, black-and-blue balloon arch withhugethree-dimensional cardboard letters underneath, which spell outBeneath a Strong Sentiment.It’s the perfect Instagrammable background, but thankfully no one is trying to snap pics.
