The world spins around me and I stumble back as I finally register her words with a whirlwind of disbelief.
M-Marry me?!
I steady myself, catching Chloe's expression. Surprisingly, she looks as equally startled as I do. What is this, a wicked joke to fool me?
I dare myself to look back into Luna's eyes and hold my breath.
Her eyes tell me everything.
The proposal itself was real.
I gulp.
"This is not the time for you to propose!! Are you..."
Chloe opens and closes her mouth a few times, unsure of the word to use.
" ... Are y-you... insane?"
Luna brims with annoyance, her glare sharpened towards Chloe. She snaps the ring box shut and shoves it back into her front pocket
"... You lied to me, Clo. What the fuck? Why are you trying to break Summer and I up?"
"What?" Her neck stiffens. "Well, I don't know, I-"
"Clo."
Luna's voice is gentle, her gaze unwavering.
Tears begin to well in Chloe's eyes.
"I tried... to act like I supported you having someone around because it was already too late for us."
"Too late for us?" Luna turns towards the ball of stress, frustration mounting. "What are you talking about?"
Chloe clenches her shaking fists, her bottom lip trembling. "I'm saying that I rejected you two years ago because I... I was too afraid to admit that I liked you! I didn't wanna be just your friend..."
Rendered speechless, Luna's eyes go wide. "..."
So Chloe was in love with Luna.
"Your idiot father," she continues, "set you up with this girl, and if she's truly everything you want, then I'll just have to accept it." She motions to me shamefully as Luna covers her mouth. "I tried to find something wrong with her, but there's not. She's... perfect for you."
One step forward.
Then another as a tear falls down her cheek.
And without thought, I wrap my arms tightly around Chloe, her shoulders collapsing under my weight.
Then, they start shaking.
She's finally crying.
I find a place on her back to pat her gently, to console her as if everything would be okay. And it would be eventually, but only when she learns to let go of the billionaire she loves. Whenever she realizes that someone else is out there waiting for her.
When I feel dampness on my sleeve, I smile, knowing she had let herself ravel undone in my arms.
She squeezes me softly and tries to apologize, words muffled by the cloth of my dress. I pat her back again. I know you're sorry.
She then pulls away abruptly, as if she could jerk the tears back into their sockets. A note of fear dances across Chloe's face as she turns her head towards Luna.
But Luna meets her gaze with a gentle, compassionate smile, a hint of melancholy tangled with her expression, that only I can see. The face of acceptance, burdened by nostalgia.
And the harbor of fleeting fear on Chloe's face fades into a beautiful smile. The crisp, honeyed sun makes the tears on her cheek glisten like pearls.
"Thank you."
She directs one parting, wistful nod at Luna, and then she leaves us alone in the sky streaked with gold.
...
I glance at her pants pocket and my cheeks glow red, realizing that she was very likely planning to propose to me tonight at the restaurant to begin with.
"This sure went as you planned, huh?"
A peculiar grin plays across my face as I blink back blurry tears that I had subconsciously been suppressing.
Why... am I crying?
She shifts towards me and smiles less than a nod away from my lips, her eyelashes fluttering against my cheek. Her beautiful eyes blaze intensely, a flame of ice in the amber sunlight. Wow.
"I actually meant every single word I said, y'know. I hope that you can overlook how trashy this setting ended up to be. That... was not planned."
Guilt flickers in her eyes, her left eyebrow twitching.
She then elaborates by grinning embarrassedly.
"I mean... look at this. We're on the side of the road, for goodness sake!"
I kiss her cheek assuredly, my eyes pouring into hers. "No, no! This was beautiful."
A breath from mine, her mouth grins sheepishly. "R-Really?"
"Really."
Before any thought my lips were on hers, a bittersweet flavor bursting onto my tastebuds. Within a second, her soft lips cave into mine hungrily and I hear a soft sigh from lungs drowning in love. Through my shut eyelids, the sun showers us with golden rays of blessing. I run a trembling hand through her hair giddily and smile in the kiss, Luna laughing herself. I swing my body and she catches me, her hands tight on my waist.
"There's still a table waiting for us."
She licks her lips hungrily while gazing at me, and something tells me whatever she craves isn't a dish at the restaurant.
I smile nervously, ignoring the sudden arousal, a burning sensation as her hands wrap around the small of my back. "Uhm.. yeah, let's go. I'm starving."
She places me upright and I almost spot a wink.
"Then let's be on our way, Sunshine."
She turns to leave towards the restaurant and I immediately realize that there's something that I need to say.
Say it.
I tug on Luna's arm, startling her as I pull her back. "What, did we leave something in the limo?"
Say it!
"Summer?"
My bottom lip trembles as I speak with more predictability than anything else in this world.
"I... I do."
~~~~~~~~~❦~~~~~~~~~~
A/N:
*laughs demonically*
It's not over yet!...😈
Luna's not as sharp as you'd expect.
I apologize for the long wait. (● ˃̶͈̀ロ˂̶͈́)੭ꠥ⁾⁾
Ask me anything.
Also there's only one more sexy scene in store for you guys in this book.
On your toes.
I love you, stranger. 💓
(Unless you're like, Joe Goldberg.)
