It All Started With The Kidnapping

Chapter 14 - A Return to the Past

Luna Pov

As I sat there, twirling the last bit of spaghetti around my fork, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the events of the day. It had been a whirlwind—reconnecting with Sara, standing up to Britney, and now sitting here with Sara and Elijah, who were lost in their own little world. They were kissing, and while I was happy for them, they were making me feel like the ultimate third wheel.

"Would be nice if you two got a room already," I finally said, half-jokingly, though a part of me meant it. They stopped kissing immediately, both of them looking a little guilty. Sara glared at me, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Shut up," she said, lightly smacking my arm. But I could see it—she was absolutely glowing, and it was clear that Elijah made her happy. I couldn't help but feel protective. Elijah had better treat her right, or he'd have to deal with me, and I was no longer the timid girl I used to be.

Elijah turned to me, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Who are you?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. I could see that he was trying to place me, but the years had changed me—more than I had realized.

I smiled and nodded to Sara, silently encouraging her to explain. As I began to fidget with the bandages on my hands, trying to adjust them so they didn't draw too much attention, Sara took the hint.

"Do you remember the girl I used to hang out with?" she asked Elijah, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Elijah nodded, still not quite understanding where this was going.

Sara's grin widened as she pointed at me. "Well, this is her."

Elijah's eyes went wide as realization dawned on him. He looked at me, his expression a mix of shock and joy. "Luna?" he asked, almost as if he didn't believe his own eyes.

I nodded, and before I knew it, he had jumped up from his seat and pulled me into a tight hug. His arms wrapped around me so tightly that I could hardly breathe. I hadn't expected this reaction, but it warmed my heart to know that I had been missed.

I tapped his shoulder, silently signaling for him to let go before I suffocated. He finally released me, his face lit up with a wide smile. "Are you back for good?" he asked, his voice full of hope.

I grinned back at him, feeling a sense of belonging that I hadn't felt in a long time. "Of course. I'm here to stay. I have some unfinished business, and I couldn't leave my best friend alone." I glanced at Sara, who was practically beaming with happiness. She had always been my anchor, and seeing her so happy made all the hardship I had gone through worth it.

Elijah looked like he was holding back a knowing smile, as if he had figured out some secret. But he just shook his head in disbelief and said, "I can't believe you're sitting right in front of me. I thought I would never see you again after the bar incident. You just vanished, like you dropped off the face of the earth."

I shook my head with a small laugh. "You can't get rid of me that easily," I teased, giving him a playful smile before shoving the last piece of spaghetti into my mouth.

Elijah chuckled, still in awe. "Does anyone else know you're back besides us?" he asked, draping his arm around Sara's shoulders as if to protect her from the shock of everything that had happened today.

I couldn't help but smirk at the thought of my earlier encounter. "Britney definitely knows, thanks to our little encounter." The memory of the fight brought a grin to my face, and Sara and I started laughing together.

Elijah tilted his head, clearly confused. "How the hell does Britney know? I didn't even recognize you," he said, looking genuinely perplexed.

I lifted my chin a bit, feeling a rush of pride. "I beat the crap out of her," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, though I couldn't help the hint of satisfaction in my voice.

Elijah's eyes widened to the point where I thought they might actually pop out of his head. He stared at me in disbelief, trying to reconcile this new version of Luna with the girl he remembered. "You've only been here for, what, four hours, and you've already fought Britney?" he asked, his voice filled with shock. I knew he couldn't believe what he was hearing, especially given how different I was from the quiet, scared girl I used to be.

I just shrugged casually, feeling a sense of liberation. "I would have loved to do it much earlier, but I couldn't," I admitted, my tone light. The truth was, it felt good to stand up for myself for once, to not be the victim.

Elijah let out a laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Damn. Since when did you turn into a badass?" he asked, clearly impressed but still trying to wrap his head around it.

We all laughed together, the mood lightening as the tension from earlier dissipated. It felt good to be back, to be surrounded by people who cared about me. But our laughter was interrupted by the arrival of Theo, who sat down next to me.

"Hey, what's up, guys?" he greeted, his voice a bit rough around the edges. I glanced over at him, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days. His hair was pulled back, and his tight black t-shirt showed off his muscles and tattoos, but there was something off about him. I couldn't help but worry. I hoped everything was okay with him.

Sara, ever the troublemaker, gave me a sly smirk and turned to Theo. "Nothing much, just that someone finally beat the shit out of Britney," she said, not missing a beat. I groaned inwardly. Why was she telling everyone? By this time tomorrow, the whole school would know about my fight with Britney, thanks to Sara—and the fact that it had happened in the cafeteria, of course.

Theo's smile widened as he heard the news. "Who do I have to thank for getting that roach off my back?" he asked, clearly delighted by the idea that someone had put Britney in her place.

I laughed beside him, unable to resist joining in. As he looked over at me, his eyes narrowed with curiosity. I stopped laughing, and Elijah, always ready to stir the pot, said, "That someone is right next to you," pointing directly at me.

Theo's gaze met mine, and for a moment, it felt like the world had stopped. His eyes, despite the exhaustion, were filled with something I couldn't quite place. Gratitude? Amusement? Whatever it was, it made my heart skip a beat.

"Thanks for beating her up; she wouldn't leave me alone," Theo said, his voice sincere. "Who might you be?"

I smiled, trying to keep things light. "No problem. She started to talk down to me, so I taught her a lesson on how to shut up," I said, letting out a small laugh.

Theo continued to look at me, clearly intrigued. "But who are you?" he asked, the curiosity in his voice more pronounced now.

Before I could answer, a familiar voice cut through the air, sending a cold shiver down my spine. "Well, well, well, I didn't expect you to come back," the voice said, dripping with malice.

I knew exactly who it was. Mason.