It All Started With The Kidnapping

Chapter 23 - Racing Hearts and Hidden Fears

Theo's POV

I woke up with a pounding headache, the remnants of last night's drinking session still lingering in my system. my eyes squinted against the harsh morning light as I dragged myself out of bed, every movement making my skull throb. I stumbled to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face in a futile attempt to shake off the fog clouding my mind.

Dressing in my usual black jeans and a leather jacket, I grabbed my bag and headed out the door. By the time I arrived at StoneyBrook High, my headache had dulled to a manageable ache, though my mood was still sour. I scanned the crowd of students with my usual detached gaze until I spotted Luna, standing by her locker. Without a word, I made my way over to her, my presence alone demanding attention, her posture was confident and her gaze steady as she caught sight of him approaching.

A small, knowing smile curved on her lips as he drew closer. "Morning, Theo," she greeted him first, her voice clear and sure, as if she was unfazed by the whispers and curious glances that followed them.

a smirk tugged at my own lips. "Morning, beautiful," I replied, falling into step beside her as we headed towards class. The usual distance between us seemed to shrink, and I found myself intrigued by this side of her. we walked to the first period and sat down in our seats.

After that the day seemed to blur past in a whirlwind of classes and each period slipped away faster than the last. I found myself going through the motions, my mind wandering despite the teachers' droning lectures. The usual buzz of StoneyBrook High, with its gossip and dramas, felt distant and irrelevant. As i walked to fifth period

The gym teacher announced we'd be running laps around the football field. After changing, we headed to the track, where all the girls were already gathered. Luna stood out—she looked stunning and undeniably stronger than before. Her hair was styled in a messy bun, and she seemed entirely focused.

The whistle blew, and we all took off. As the fastest runner, I quickly took the lead, but Luna started gaining on me. I pushed myself to run faster, but she somehow overtook me and finished ahead. I couldn't believe it—someone actually beat me at running. Damn, that never happens.

After crossing the finish line a split second ahead of me, Luna couldn't help but throw her hands up in triumph, a wide grin spreading across her face. Breathless but exhilarated, she turned to me, I was still catching my breath, a look of disbelief etched on my face. "Guess being quarterback doesn't make you the fastest after all," she quipped, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I shook my head, still stunned, but I couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of my mouth. "You just got lucky," I muttered, but the admiration in my eyes betrayed me. Luna just laughed, knowing she had surprised me—and maybe, just a little, impressed me too.

As Luna disappeared into the girls' locker room, I couldn't shake the grin from my face. I was still buzzing from the race—and from the way Luna had wiped that smug expression right off my face with her win and that quick-witted comment. Deciding not to let her out of my sight for too long, I headed to my own locker to grab a change of clothes, then made my way to the hallway that connected the boys' and girls' locker rooms. I leaned casually against the wall, waiting for Luna to emerge, a playful retort already forming on my lips.

When she finally stepped out, her hair slightly damp from a quick rinse, she headed straight for her locker, not even noticing me at first. I pushed off the wall and followed, my presence announced only by the sound of my footsteps. "You know, I'm still not convinced that the race was fair," i teased, watching as she opened her locker and tossed her bag inside.

Luna shot him a knowing smirk, clearly enjoying my teasing. Before she could respond, though, Elijah appeared around the corner, his usual easy grin plastered on his face. "What's this? Theo letting someone else take the win?" Elijah laughed, clapping me on the shoulder. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at my lips as I glanced at Luna, feeling lucky to have her by my side, even if she did keep me on my toes.

Elijah specks up "Hey,my parents are hosting this dinner on Saturday. They'd love for you to come and sara. Mom's been talking about it all week," he said, looking between Luna and me. I was about to agree when Luna, never missing a beat, chimed in first. "Dinner with you two sounds good but i gotta go meet sarah in the library so i'll see you guys later," she shut her locker and left

I watched Luna walk down the hall until she turned the corner, then glanced back at Elijah. He started to speak, so I listened, though my mind was still on Luna. "What's up with her?" he asked. I shook my head and replied, "I don't know, but I like this new side of her. I'm excited we're dating, but I'm still cautious. I trust her, but it's hard to let anyone in because of what happened before."

Elijah shook his head and smiled. "Don't confuse Luna with her your past. Luna's not like that; she's your future. But good luck. I need to find Sara—she's still upset with me for disappearing." With that, he left to look for Sara.

I couldn't stay at school, as Elijah's words kept swirling in my mind. Maybe he had a point. I needed to talk to someone, and I knew exactly who it would be.

I walked out of school, headed to my car, and drove home. When I arrived, I was relieved to see her car in the driveway—she was exactly who I needed to talk to. I walked inside and called out for Dakota. I heard her reply from the living room, "I'm in here, brother." I smiled and made my way to the living room, where I found her sitting on the couch, absorbed in her phone. She looked up and asked what I needed. "I need your help with something," I said. She smiled back, clearly ready to offer some good advice.

"Oh, my big brother needs help from his little sister. What's the issue, dear brother?" she teased. I rolled my eyes and said, "Stop being so dramatic. I need your help with a... girl." She burst out laughing, and if she weren't my sister, I might have been annoyed. "Oh, I thought my big brother was incapable of love," she said with a smirk. I laughed along but added, "Me too."

Once we calmed down, she became serious and asked, "First, I need to know her name." I hesitated, not wanting her to tease me, and replied, "No."

She grinned even wider and said, "I'm guessing her name starts with an L and ends with an A." How does she always guess right? It's a bit creepy. "Okay, okay, you got me there," I admitted.

She looked at me, puzzled, tilting her head like a dog. I almost wished she were a dog hiding from the dogcatcher, just so I could be rid of her annoying antics.

Then she asked, "I don't get it. What do you need my help for?" I sighed, frustrated. "I know we're dating, and I really like her, but I'm scared of getting hurt like last time."

Her eyes widened, and she let out a shriek, throwing her arms around me. "You finally asked her out? About time! Don't worry—Luna isn't like her. Just tell her how you feel!"

Before I could respond, my smart-ass sister chimed in, "OMG, you're dating! I should tell the whole world! When's the wedding?"

Before she could go on, I slapped her lightly. She looked at me and said, "You didn't really have to slap me, you ass. Just tell her the truth."

I looked at her and said, "What if she doesn't like me after I tell her?" She burst into laughter, practically rolling on the floor, clutching her stomach and crying from how hard she was laughing. Once she managed to get up, wiping her tears away, she said in a mocking baby voice, "Is my big, tough mafia leader brother afraid of rejection?"

I crossed my arms and retorted, "I am not." She placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Just tell her the truth."

I stared at her, confused. She was supposed to help, not confuse me further. "How?"

With an evil grin, she replied, "I don't know, but you've got about five minutes to figure it out."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered.

She smirked and said, "When you walked in, I texted her to 'get here quick.'"

Panic surged through me. "First of all, how did you know I wanted to talk about Luna?"

She grinned and said, "I have my ways. Plus, you did say you needed help, so I'm helping you."

I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Not like that." Before I could say anything else, Luna walked in. Dakota whispered in my ear, "You're welcome. Don't mess it up.