Matched | S.R

Luna

Dad and Spencer head off into the dining room and Stella and I prepare breakfast.

Once everything is ready, we take it to the table. I'm met with sad eyes from Spencer, and I don't know why.

I give him a confused look and take a seat next to him.

The four of us chat over breakfast and dad tells stories about when I was little to Spencer.

"Oh, she was always doing something with art. She had a set of watercolors, the ones you get at the store for a dollar, and she'd take them and a clipboard with paper everywhere," Dad laughs. "She'd give people her paintings, just to be nice."

Spencer is all smiles as he listens to the story.

"Oh, that reminds me. I have a scrapbook of the highlights from December eighteenth, eighty-six... all the way to graduation. I'll be right back."

"Yeah, this is where I tune out." Stella says, looking at her phone. "I'm going out with my boyfriend in a bit. Nice meeting you, Spencer."

The girl stands up and heads off, probably up to her room to get ready.

Spencer gives me that same sad look again, reaching for my hand.

"What's that look for?" I ask him. "Why are you giving me those big, sad, brown eyes?"

"Your dad told me about Maura," The boy says, his eyes studying my face. "How she was abusive,"

I shoot him a confused look. "She never hit me,"

"Verbally abusive," He corrects. "That she called you names and belittled you,"

I stay quiet, looking down at our hands.

"Luna, please talk to me about this. Not now, but...soon, okay?"

"I will, Spence. I promise," I assure him, looking up and giving him a small smile.

Just then, Dad walks in with a book in hand. It's the 'highlights' book!

Spencer has a huge smile plastered on his face as the three of us go through the scrapbook. Dad shows him the first painting I ever made him, it's of a purple flower. Flowers seem to be a lasting theme in my art.

"Oh, shoot," My dad takes a peek at his watch. "I forgot that I'm working a half day today. I gotta go. Spencer, how about you join our family game night tradition tonight?"

Spencer smiles and nods. "I'd be honored,"

Dad stands up and gives me a kiss on the top of my head, telling the two of us he'll see us later before he heads off.

"What does your dad do?" Spencer asks after the front door closes.

"He's got his own auto repair shop, two actually. One here and one a few towns over."

He nods and an awkward silence falls over us.

"Well, I guess now is as good a time as ever," I say, standing up and offering my hand to him.

"What?" He asks, but takes my hand and stands up.

"I'm gonna tell you about Maura,"

-

We sit down on the couch and I tell him about her. How she was sweet at first, but when things started getting more serious...she changed. She started becoming a jerk.

"There was this one time, we at her house and we were kissing..."

Maura's mouth moves against mine as we lay on her bed. She invited me over today, telling me that we could hang out and watch movies. Her parents went up to Wisconsin for the weekend. Somehow, movies turned into making out...