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Steamy warm water greets me like an old friend. I stand under the hot spray, face tilted upwards, washing away the evidence of last night. I didn't realize how hungover I feel until right now.
Worrying about Luna, being mad at her, apparently has the same effect on me as adrenaline. A safe distance away from her, I feel like I'm fading now. A headache is setting in, I'm starting to get the shakes, and my eyes ache from a sleepless night.
Yeah, going out was a really fucking terrible idea.
When my fingers start pruning, I reluctantly shut the water off. Wrapping a towel around my waist and using another to dry my hair as I exit the bathroom, I almost have a fucking heart attack when I find Ben sitting on my bed, chowing down on a bowl of cereal. Seemingly unphased by my half-naked appearance, Ben gestures towards my desk. “I made you breakfast.”
Sure enough, there's a matching bowl of cereal sitting on the wooden surface, accompanied by a tall glass of orange juice and a mug of what smells like coffee. “Couldn't have bought me something nicer with that twenty bucks you won?” I joke, taking a long slug of coffee instead. Extra strong, just what I need.
“Fifty, actually,” Ben corrects with a smug smile. “So nothing at all happened?”
“Nothing at all happened,” I confirm, and not for the last time, I have a feeling.
“But you stayed over.”
“She was out of it. I didn't want to leave her alone.”
Ben's little hum implies he doesn't believe me but I ignore him. Instead, I check my phone, frowning at the sight that greets me. A few messages from the boys asking if I'm coming home aren't anything weird. A couple from Amelia checking if Luna's okay, easily explainable by Nick letting her know what happened. No, it's what must be at least a hundred missed calls from my sisters that worry me.
Dialling Lux's number quickly, my fingers anxiously drum against the desk as I wait for her to answer. Panic floods me immediately when instead of a 'hello,' I'm greeted by the sound of muffled crying. “Lux?”
“Jackson,” is her whimpered reply. “You need to come home.”
“What happened? Is someone hurt?”
Ben's alarmed gaze flicks to me, his eyes wide and questioning.Is everything okay?he mouths at me.
I don't know,I mouth back. It feels like an eternity passes before Lux finally replies, her voice shaky as she drops an entirely unexpected bomb.
“It's Mom.”
42
LUNA
I shouldn't be here.
I feel weird being here.
He won't want me here. He doesn't want to see me. After the way I treated him a few days ago, there's no way he's going to be happy when I rock up at his home.
But I couldn't not be here. After everything he's done for me, I couldn't just… not come.
His mom fuckingdied.
So, I donned the only somewhat conservative black dress I own and suffered through the long drive to Serenity Ranch, deja vu hitting me when I felt like vomiting the whole time. We skipped the service but judging by the number of people pouring out of the main house, we make it just in time for the reception.
The fidgeting I've been doing the entire drive here amps up a notch as the six-seater we rented rolls to a stop and my friends pile out. I, however, stay exactly where I am, too busy convincing myself of all the terrible ways this will go wrong to move.
Again and again, I twist the ring on my forefinger. The one he got me. I don’t wear it usually anymore. The sight of it makes me sad but I sucked it up and slipped the thing on today. A peace offering, of sorts. Me trying to convey that I'm not here to pick a fight or cause trouble.
And maybe, I just missed wearing it and I like having an excuse.
Blowing out a sharp breath, I force myself out of the car. I barely have my feet on solid ground before Kate is taking one hand, Amelia grabbing the other. “You okay?”
I'm not the person she should be asking that but I nod anyway. They offer wary looks but when I nudge them forward, they follow the guys toward the house.
I, again, hang back a little. Just so I can soak up being back in this place again after missing it for so long. And God, did I miss it.
