Strangers in the Night ▸ Javi Rivera

3

Luna's eyes squinted against the sun as it shone through the window she had her shoulder leaning against, the bus rolling through San Antonio streets and only minutes away from the station. And around her, people were already moving about, collecting their things and getting ready to get off of the five hour ride that had their legs cramping up and backs going stiff.

Luna herself though, didn't even notice how close they were getting to their destination as her mind continued to wander aimlessly, eyes holding a distant look behind the sunglasses perched on her nose in an attempt to battle the sting of the sun as the consequences of the night before continued to loom over her. Sure, there was the hangover, and the sore muscles, but there was also the regret...

She didn't regret sleeping with the handsome stranger. It wasn't her first one night stand, and considering she wasn't currently searching for her forever person or something serious, she wouldn't be surprised if it weren't her last either. But it was the first one after which she regretted going through her usual routine of sneaking out before whoever she was sharing a bed with could wake up.

She remembered looking at him in the darkness of the room, the window showing the sky starting to light up as the sun waited for its chance to rise. His curls a tousled mess and the blankets loosely draped over him, showing off his toned back and the scratches marking it in her wake. And while he slept, she quietly snuck around, collecting her clothes which had been discarded all over the motel room floor and putting them on before tiptoeing out into the halls and back to her own room.

At the time it seemed like an easy decision. A way to avoid the awkwardness of waking up in the morning and figuring out where to go from there. And they both knew what it would be, after all, they'd all made it clear they were in town for just one night. They went into it knowing... So why did she feel so weird at the thought of never seeing him again?

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to San Antonio, Texas." The sound of the driver crackling and rustling through the speakers, which had thus far been playing a low hum of country music, brought Luna out of her thoughts, making her snap to attention as she came to realize the bus had now stopped.

"Finally." She grumbled out, feeling not only the ache of her muscles, but also her knees after being crumpled up in the narrowly packed seats of the bus for much too long. And they were clearly angry with her too, making her wince at the crack that seemed to vibrate through her bones as she rose out of her seat.

She didn't care that she was left standing like that for a few more minutes as people around her pushed into the aisle, eager to get off of the bus. She knew better than to join the fray, thinking it better having to wait a few moments instead of getting trampled. So, only once the aisle was rather clear, and an elderly woman coming from the back was kind enough to let Luna into the aisle before her, did the brunette start her move for the door.

Stepping out into the fresh air, Luna breathed in deep as her eyes closed, blocking out the shining sun that made the pounding in her head more prominent. Not that it helped much because if it wasn't the sun, then it had to be the loud yelling of a familiar voice. "You're here!" Luna had absolutely no time to brace for impact as she hadn't even managed to open her eyes before she could feel her brother crashing into her.

It was lucky that his arms were around her waist in an instant, hauling her up into the air happily because otherwise, she'd have definitely been sent to the ground and flat on her ass. Instead, she could laugh in amusement as she hugged her brother back, her legs kicking the air behind her as she demanded her brother put her down.

"Sorry, sorry." Boone said once he finally relented, bending his back until Luna's feet were back on solid ground. And still, he didn't pull aways just yet. "But you're finally here!"