AllFreeNovel
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She's dancing.
I ignore my mom and dad in the kitchen and head outside. The sound of the birds and frogs oddly loud this time of day. They're usually their loudest in the early morning hours, or late at night when the sun goes down. Them being loud right now makes me think they're yelling at me. Telling me I'm a stupid fucking idiot who doesn't know what he's doing.
They would be right.
I hop into my car and back out of the driveway. Luna's mom is on her knees in front of her garden pulling weeds. She looks up when she hears my car, wiping her forehead with the back of her glove. It makes a brown streak of dirt mark her forehead, but it's the look on her face that catches my attention.
She's sad.
She gives me an understanding look, like she knows exactly where I'm going. Turning back to her plants, I take that as approval to make this right.
Our two families have combined into one. If something is wrong with one of us, our entire group is in dysfunction.
I need to make this right.
I fly down the road, my windows down as my brown hair blows in the wind. My arm hangs out the window, feeling the hot breeze slap against my skin.
The sun is setting, which means Luna will be done dancing any time.
But, what if she's not there?
That makes me speed up a bit, and my wheels screech on the road as I break to turn right toward town. I see Luna instantly, standing outside the studio with her ballet slippers clutched in her palm. She's talking to someone, and I abruptly turn into the first parking spot I see and hop out of the vehicle.
It's a guy.
I notice it's one of the fuckers from school, Bryce. He and every other guy in school has had a thing for Luna for as long as I can remember. She doesn't notice these things, too focused on her friends and me and dance. But I notice. I see how their eyes stray toward her as she walks past. I see how their eyes linger too long, and how they're all always willing to help her at the drop of a hat. It doesn't matter what it is; they all want to befriend her. Boys and girls alike.
I slam my door shut roughly, the entire car shaking from the force. It snaps Luna and Bryce from their conversation. Luna's eyes widen in surprise, then lower in sadness. It makes me falter in my step, and I want to fall to my knees right there and beg her to forgive me.
Bryce looks uneasy, and I'm sure it's because my face is screwed up in anger at his presence. He shouldn't be there. What is he doing there? Is he watching her? Stalking her?
My thoughts take a dark turn, and I suddenly don't know if I can leave her alone at all.
"Luna," I say, staring at her and trying to convey my thoughts once I reach her. She can't catch my eyes, her own averted as she looks down at her bare feet.
"Roman." Her voice is broken as she speaks to me, and I want to stick my hand in her chest and rub her heart well again.
I can't see her face well, but from what I can see of her, I notice her cheeks are red, the skin underneath her eyes a little swollen. Like she's been crying.
I scowl, looking up at Bryce. "What did you do to her?" I step up to him, towering over him like I do everyone in school.
"Nothing." He looks at me in irritation, like I'm ruining their moment.
Fuck off.
I point at Luna. "Then why the fuck is she crying? What the hell did you do to her, huh?" My hands land on his chest, and I push him. Because I'm pissed. At him and myself. But mostly because I just want him to step the fuck away from her.
"Roman!" Luna shouts at me. She grabs my arm, her nails digging into my skin as she pulls me away, scratching me in the process.
"Stay away from her," I growl at him, standing down because I'd rather have Luna's hands on me more than anything right now. Luna doesn't like violence. She grew up with hippy parents and is half hippy herself. Violence is the last thing she ever wants, and I know I'd just disappoint her more if I did what I wanted to do, like punch a dent right into his ugly face.
Bryce shakes his head at me, like he's embarrassed and angry at my actions. His eyes glide to Luna. I follow his eyes, stepping right in his line of sight so he can't see her. "I'll see you, Luna. Maybe at prom?"
I laugh, a bitter bark ripping from my throat at the words. "No, you fucking won’t."
Luna's fingernails dig into my skin, breaking the first layers as her rage takes hold.
"Roman, you're a fucking asshole." Her head tilts over my shoulder, "Maybe you will, Bryce. Talk to you later."
