Secrets - The secrets that protect us

Chapter 23

Lucas

Sunday night all six of them were at Reyna's place. They were outside in the garden, where they had set up two tables with food and snacks. Luna and Reyna had decorated the garden with lamps and lights. They had set up a TV to watch the ball drop too.

The two girls were sitting in the swings and talking about something rather serious. Yet, they still laughed about it. Considering that the two of them always laughed about something and turned the bad in to the good, it was still important enough for them to leave the girls alone. Emma and Natalie were getting drinks and snacks while Wyatt and Lucas sat at the table.

Both following their own train of thoughts.
Lucas' mind was occupied with everything that had happened this year. This year had started with nothing for him. The council had been against making changes in the were community, changed universities, had not looked for love or anything. Now it ended with him finally achieving to change his community, unexpectedly found the love of his life and great friends.

More than that, he had never expected that one woman would step into her life and put it upside down. That's exactly what Luna had down. Turn what he had believed all his life upside down and he couldn't complain. She had changed his life and now he wouldn't dare to let go of her.

Without her, he would never have known the truth about his mother.
His mother, someone he had tried not to think about so much, but someone he had always missed in his life, finally made him feel loved. Lucas finally knew that he was not the cause of her death.

Things were changing for the better and he was ready to take it on. Not because he was courageous, by the goddess, no. He was ready because he learnt he was not alone. Something Luna loved to remind him of.

"What are you thinking about?" Natalie asked, sitting down at the table with Emma. She gave him the coke he had asked for.
"Nothing. How was the festival?" Lucas asked.
"It was great." Natalie told them everything about their trip, some things in more detail, some things not at all. Not that they wanted to know.

Reyna and Luna came over to them when only five minutes to the ball drop where left.
"What were you two talking about so long?" Wyatt joked with them.
"Sex," Reyna answered with a smirk, making Wyatt choke on his drink.
"For real?" Wyatt questioned. Luna reached Lucas and he held out his hand for her to take. She took it and stepped behind him, hugging him from behind.

"She's joking," Luna cleared. "Nothing interesting," she answered to his previous question.
"As if Luna could talk about sex and not get red," Lucas teased.
"Careful. You're going to start the new year being uncharming," she warned. They chuckled and got up to get the fireworks.

Two minutes later they were counting down the last ten seconds before the fireworks exploded in the sky. "Happy new year," they called out. Joy in their voices. Lucas pulled Luna in for a kiss. A passionate, but soft, sweet kiss. "Happy new year," she whispered.
"Happy new year, love."

They lighted several fireworks before they just watched them together, made photos and talked. They stayed up a few hours, enjoying their time with each other and this moment, this moment was something he could never forget.

...

"It's not fair," Luna declared. The pain clearly in her voice. It was incredible how much she felt for others, people she never even met. "I want it to stop, Lucas."

What had happened was that a small amusement park in Canada had been attacked by Malcolm and his gang. Many people, adults and children, have lost their lives and the security there could do nothing to prevent it from happening.

"I want that too, but we can only do our best."
Luna turned in her seat and looked at him. He wanted to do the same, but he had to keep his eyes on the road and drive.