The Luna's Second Chance

Chapter 27: Shadows of the Past

**Isla's POVv**

The quiet hum of the university hall was a welcome distraction as Isla sat at her desk, the exam paper laid out in front of her. Her mind, usually sharp and focused, felt clouded with too many thoughts, too many emotions. She tried to push it all aside and concentrate on the task at hand, but the lingering feeling from earlier-that someone had been watching her-gnawed at the edges of her mind.

The figures she thought she'd seen at the edge of the forest wouldn't leave her thoughts, though she had convinced herself that it was just her imagination. She had too much on her plate already to deal with strange mysteries. Lyra's funeral anniversary was days away, and that carried a weight she wasn't ready to face yet.

She let out a deep breath and forced her attention back to the exam paper. This was what mattered right now-getting through this. Her pencil scratched across the paper, answering questions on autopilot as her mind wandered back to Damian and their brief moment earlier.

That kiss. It was only on the cheek, but it had made her heart race. His notes at the ice cream shop, his quiet apologies-they were small gestures, but they stirred something deep within her. She wasn't ready to forgive him, not yet, but it was becoming harder and harder to keep her walls up around him.

Focus, Isla, she told herself, dragging her mind back to the present.

Hours passed in a blur, and by the time Isla handed in her exam paper, she felt drained, both mentally and emotionally. She walked out of the university building into the afternoon sun, the weight of everything pressing down on her.

As she made her way to the parking lot, her phone buzzed with a message from Harper.

**Harper:** *"You survived the exam! Where should we celebrate? My treat ;)"*

Isla smiled weakly, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She appreciated Harper's constant support, but right now, all she wanted was to go home and curl up in bed. She was about to type her response when a familiar car pulled up in front of her.

Damian.

Of course.

He stepped out, his tall, commanding presence hard to ignore as he approached her. His eyes softened when they met hers, and Isla felt her heart skip. She hated how easily he could affect her. Even now, after everything, there was something about him that pulled at her.

"Hey," Damian said, his voice low and steady. "I figured you'd be finished soon."

Isla crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "And you just happened to be waiting here?"

Damian shrugged, his lips twitching into a small smile. "Maybe."

She sighed, glancing down at her phone. She could feel the walls she had built between them starting to crack, but she wasn't ready to let him in completely yet.

"I was going to hang out with Harper," she said, hoping he'd take the hint.

Damian's smile widened, as if he had anticipated her reluctance. "Actually, Harper said she had something to do. Marcus called, something about needing her to pick up his sister."

Isla's eyes narrowed. "Harper said that, did she?"

He nodded, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Looks like you're stuck with me."

She sighed again, trying not to smile at how persistent he was. "Where are you planning on taking me this time?"

Instead of answering, Damian opened the passenger door of his car and gestured for her to get in. Isla hesitated for a moment, torn between her desire to keep her distance and the pull she felt toward him. Finally, with a resigned sigh, she slid into the passenger seat.

"I swear, if this is another one of your surprises-" she began, but Damian cut her off with a grin.

"You'll like this one. I promise."

---

Damian drove with an air of quiet confidence, and Isla found herself relaxing despite the tension between them. She couldn't help but wonder where he was taking her this time, but when they pulled up in front of the same ice cream shop from earlier, a soft smile tugged at her lips.

"Again?" she asked, glancing over at him.

Damian shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "I figured you deserved a reward after your exam."

They walked into the shop, the sweet smell of vanilla and chocolate filling the air as they ordered their ice creams. Isla sat at the same table as before, her eyes focused on the small cup of ice cream in front of her. She could feel Damian's gaze on her, but she refused to meet it.

"I'm not going to forget everything that's happened just because of a few scoops of ice cream, you know," she said, her voice quiet but firm.

"I know," Damian replied, his voice soft but steady. "I'm not asking you to forget. I'm asking for a chance to prove that I can do better."

Isla kept her eyes on her ice cream, unsure of how to respond. She didn't want to forgive him too easily, but the sincerity in his voice made it hard to stay angry. She could feel the pull between them growing stronger, but the pain of the past still lingered.

As they ate in silence, Damian slid a small note across the table, just like he had earlier. Isla frowned, picking it up reluctantly. The note simply read: *One step at a time.*

Isla sighed, folding the note and tucking it into her pocket. She wasn't ready to let him back in completely, but maybe, just maybe, she could take that first step.

When Damian dropped her off at her aunt's house, she turned to him, her heart racing as she prepared to leave the car. But before she could step out, Damian leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, just like before.

Isla's breath caught, and she turned to him, her voice soft but serious. "You have a lot of work to do if you want me to trust you again."

Damian nodded, his eyes full of understanding. "I know. And I'm willing to do it."

With that, Isla stepped out of the car and made her way toward the house. As she reached the door, something made her pause. A strange, prickling sensation crept up her spine, and she turned, glancing toward the edge of the forest at the far end of her aunt's property.

There, just beyond the trees, she thought she saw movement-a flash of dark clothing, the outline of two figures standing in the shadows.

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she stood frozen, staring into the forest. But when she blinked, the figures were gone, vanished as if they had never been there.

Isla shook her head, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling. It was probably nothing, just her imagination playing tricks on her after the stress of the day. But as she stepped into the house, the uneasy feeling lingered in the back of her mind, like a whisper she couldn't quite hear.

Something was coming. She could feel it.

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