The Triad

Thirteen

The group danced well into the night, with Harper and Luna singing more songs than Luna cared to. The men somehow talked them into singing Spice Girls at one point and the women in bar ended up singing along.

Stepping outside to take a breath, Luna pulled her phone out to check in with Jesse. Dialing his number, she put the phone to her ear and waited.

No answer.

Hanging up and dialing again, he answered.

"What is it?" He demanded.

"I was just checking in. I know I left without telling you earlier."

"I can hear the music, you're at the bar again, aren't you."

"What's that matter?"

"Damn it, Luna. I think it's time you grow up."

Not understanding what he meant by that, she furrowed her brows and looked at the ground with narrowed eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean? I do my work; I hold my own. I pull my weight, even at the apartment. I pay my share of the bills; I take care of everything you need me to."

"You're partying days should be behind you." He snapped.

"It's ok to cut loose every once in a while, Jesse. If you'd learn to breathe a little, you'd know that."

"I don't have time for this nonsense." There was a sneeze in the background that caught Luna's attention.

"Who was that?" Knowing in the back of her mind what it was, she just always ignored the suspicions, not wanting to believe them.

She heard him sigh, he wasn't even going to try to deny what she was assuming.

"Well," she began, "I was just checking in. I guess I'll let you get back to whatever it is you were doing."

The line ended and she stood there staring at her phone. She wasn't shocked and that's what shocked her. He was making it easier and easier to walk away from this relationship. The only thing holding her there at this point was wanting to create what her parents had, whether it was forced or not.

"Hey?"

Luna turned to see Brent standing in the door.

"You good?"

Smiling, she nodded and walked back inside with him.

When they walked in, she heard the first few notes of the song starting, scanning the crowd, her eyes met Harper's just as Harper found her. Running towards one another, meeting in the middle of the dance floor. Moving to stand next to one another they both kicked out and up, using the momentum to turn their body, and instantly going into a country line dance to the country version of Footloose by Blake Shelton.

Throwing their heads back laughing as they danced around the floor, others slowly joining them throughout the song, Luna felt genuine happiness. The song moving into the next, Harper gripped Luna's arm refusing to let her walk off. Using her fist as a makeshift microphone she began pointing to Luna and singing the lyrics to Good Girl by Carrie Underwood.

Any other time Luna would have been offended, but now she just rolled her eyes, laughing. Watching Brent grab the actual microphone from the DJ, he brought it to Harper and held it out. Without hesitation she grabbed it and belted out the chorus, leaning back, holding her arm out, index finger up and slowly shaking it as she shook her head no. Moving to the beat, she jumped around causing such a scene that only Harper could cause.

Turning her back, she slowly began walking back to the DJ booth, the music stopped, and she turned quickly and sang the ending while pointing her finger at Luna.

Meanwhile, Luna and Brent were standing on either side of Jed watching Harper's performance. As soon as she handed the mic back, the bar erupted into applause. Laughing as Harper reached them, Luna held her hands out for Harper to take.

"You're lucky I love you." She joked, knowing full well what she was telling her by singing her that song.

Rolling her eyes playfully, Harper's retort made Brent's eyes widen.

"Oh whatever, if you think you're leaving this town again, you're only foolin' yourself."

"Want to get another drink?" Brent asked as Harper threw her arms around Jed and kissed him.

Smiling, Luna nodded, "Yeah, but maybe just a water or Pepsi, no alcohol. Just not feeling it."

Nodding, Brent made his way to the bar while Luna made her way back to their booth.

Sitting down, she felt her phone pulse against her leg. Pulling it out, she opens a text from Jesse.

Jesse: Grow up.

Rolling her eyes, she closed the app and put her phone away, not bothering to respond to something as childish as that.

Brent sat next to her, placing a water in front of her. Sipping from the straw, she looked over at Harper and Jed slow dancing.

Brent noticed, "Wanna dance?"

"Nah. Maybe next time. I'd just like to sit and enjoy myself."

Sensing something was wrong, Brent sat down to hopefully get her to talk.

"What is it?" He picked at the label on his beer bottle as he waited for her to answer.

Luna knew if she began talking about everything, she wouldn't stop. Brent didn't know most of what was going on. He just knew she was out of sorts. Avoiding a long conversation, she brushed it off.

"It's nothing important, just a lot on my mind lately." The truth was, she was trying to weigh in the pros and cons of her relationship.

Noticing his raised eyebrow, she knew he wasn't buying it. Wanting to change the topic, she suggested thinking of a new song to sing.

"Alright, now I know you're full of shit. Let's go." He stood and held his hand out to help her up.

Looking up at him from the booth, she shook her head.

"Really, Brent, everything is fine. Let's just think of a new song. I want to try something new, something I haven't tried before."

"Nope." Brent grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the booth. Nodding to Jed, who was watching from the dance floor, Brent guided Luna out of the bar and onto the patio.

Sighing in defeat, she sat down at a picnic table as he sat across from her.

"Alright, fine, but you asked for it." She warned, taking a deep breath and began telling him everything.

Everything from how things had been different for a while to her questioning things now.