Forbidden Love

57

Luna

As the days went by, my anger disappeared into sadness. I'm sad. Not just by the "break up" with Jaxon, but because I miss him being my friend. And I miss my brother. JJ and Joseph have been giving me—and each other—a few replies, but Corey is still tight-lipped. He won't talk to any of us. He even stopped talking to Dad for a couple days when he found out that Dad knew about Jaxon. I think he thinks everyone's against him. I wish he knew Jaxon and I had nothing to do with him and had everything to do with ourselves.

JJ asked for a lift to homecoming today after school. I agreed, but then she told me that I'll have to stay with her. She said Kalani had a senior date and Olivia was stuck babysitting. JJ didn't want to be alone. I had no choice but to make my sister happy. I owe it to her anyway.

"It's sister bonding time!" She smiled when I had agreed.

I picked a red dress that I haven't worn in years and paired it with some white heels. I straightened my curly hair, and JJ did some sort of makeup routine on me. She does a perfect winged eyeliner. I don't usually put this much makeup on, but JJ is happy so why not?

Live a little, Luna.

When I look at myself in the mirror, I consider changing my dress. I told JJ it was a bit short, but she told me it was perfect. She put on a dark black dress that showed off her shoulders. I wonder if we'll get dress coded. Maybe then we can leave early.

When JJ leaves my room to video call Kalani, I open my closet to throw some clothes in, but something falls at my feet.

I pause.

Black shades stare back at me with a bag filled with spilled stuff. Jaxon's gift. I totally forgot about it. I don't realize I made my way to the floor until I grab the shades. The one he gave me so long ago with his name engraved. The ones Julia took from me. I put them to the side. A little birthday card—with my name scrawled on it—sticks out and I put that next to the shades. There's juice boxes and chocolates. He remembered. I find a beautiful necklace with my initial. A gift card for books. A couple shirts. Perfume. And a bear. There's so much I almost can't believe it. He really did all of this.

I open up the card before I think better of it and read the left side first.

I guess I'll explain all my gifts here. I got the bear because of the way you like holding stuff while you sleep so here's something to hold besides me. I got perfume next, I don't know a lot about these things, but everyone swears that girls love it. Also, I smelled it and it reminded me of you. The shirts are just because you'd look cute in them. The gift card because I know how much you love your books. Paxton tells me girls like jewelry, so I got the necklace for you. The L means more than just Luna by the way. I put the snacks in just in case you go hungry or thirsty while working on your story or reading your books. And the shades, well I'm just returning those. They've been yours from the moment you touched them.

What does "The L means more than just Luna" mean? I look over and read the right side. The real side.

Luna,

I've been killing myself to write something perfect for you, but I think I'd rather tell you what I want to say in person instead. So, happy birthday.

I finally figured out the word to describe you.

You're ethereal, Luna Stone.

Yours, Jaxon

In the rare case that you don't know what ethereal means: "extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world." And you are. Light. My light. In a world full of darkness, there's you. (Yes, I looked up the definition. I tend to do that a lot when I'm with you.)

Tears prick my eyes, but I will myself to not let them fall and mess up my makeup. I guess I'll never know what he had to say. Or maybe one day, in ten years, we'll bump into each other, and I'll find the strength to ask him. It takes me longer than I would have liked to gather up the courage to put the stuff back in my closet. I shut the closet door and take more than a few deep breaths before heading downstairs.

Joseph's eyebrows shoot up the second I come into view. "What did you do to my sister?"

"Doesn't she look good?" JJ beams from next to him. "I take credit for it. I'm the one who did it all."

JJ forced Joseph to come last minute, so Joseph's all put together—suit and tie. He refused to put some styling gel in that messy hair of his though. Dad makes us stand for pictures for over ten minutes and then he rushes us out. As I'm standing for pictures, I'm reminded of how much I love my dad. He may not be able to be as present as I'd like him to be, but he still makes time for us for these big moments. And I'm reminded of how much Corey does for me—for this family. He carries everything on his shoulders, yet he doesn't let it weigh him down. He shows up for us each and every day, goes to school, takes care of us, and works late just like Dad. It was beyond greedy of me to go for the one thing he didn't want me to have.

I make sure to give Mom a kiss before I go. Corey wasn't home. I wish he were. It feels weird doing these big high school things without him.

"What's wrong?" JJ asks as we get in the car.

"Nothing," I shrug. I just miss having Corey around...and maybe Jaxon.

"You guys ready?" I look over to JJ beside me and the rear-view mirror to Joseph before pulling out of the driveway.

~

I'm so glad we decided to skip the football game and the crowning of Homecoming King and Queen. Paxton and Julia got crowned of course and our school won the game. I just couldn't handle seeing Jaxon on the field and be reminded of all the times I watched him practice. Of the couple games I attended. I know how big this game was for them, Olivia mentioned it, but I just couldn't bring myself to go. And I couldn't care less about the crowning ceremony—I just need to remember to congratulate Paxton later.

The gymnasium is loud and full of people I don't really talk to. I hate it. It's been about half an hour, and I already managed to bump into a couple eating each other's faces off, spill a drink on a girl who showed me a certain finger, trip over three people, and worst of all, I lost Joseph and JJ. I look everywhere, in the bathrooms, in some open classrooms, around the dance. They're nowhere. I tried texting and calling, but no answer.

I spot Julia and Paxton dancing with some of their other friends, but they're too busy to see me. Julia has on a pink dress and Paxton's wearing a dark suit with a matching pink tie. They look so happy. I spot Sebastian multiple times, but he's in charge of so many things, I haven't had time to talk to him.

It isn't until it hits forty-five minutes that I really start to worry about not finding my siblings. I grab my phone just in time to hear it ring.

"Hello?" I answer before checking who it is. "JJ? Joseph?"

"Corey."

Corey's voice surprises me from the other end. "Oh, hey. I lost Joseph and JJ. Could you try texting them?"

"Come to the field."

"Huh? Are you here—"

"Come to the football field."

"Okay, okay. I'm going right now."

He hangs up before I can ask anything else. Always a mystery with him. It only takes me a couple minutes to get to the field. JJ and Joseph aren't there. No one is.

"Hello?" I call out.

When no one answers, I sigh.

"This better be good." Walking in the field grass in heels is definitely not the highlight of my night.

I'm just about to turn back to head inside, when I spot two guys walking toward me from the other end. I frown.

Corey and Jaxon?