Pieces [Wattpad's Editor's Choice]

55: nOt iN vEin

"Happy birthday gorgeous!"

Several rows ahead of me swiveled around as Luna wrapped both arms around my neck from behind.

"Luna-people-watching-"

"Duh, that's the point." She slipped into the seat next to me and set a metallic red gift back on my desk. "Open."

I stared at the bag. On the front, Luna painted 𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓑𝓲𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝓕𝓻𝓪𝓷𝔀𝓮𝓵𝓵 in her beautiful calligraphy. Was it already May fourth? That meant our last day was next Wednesday, graduation on Friday.

I reached in the bag and pulled out the pink tissue paper and peered inside. Seriously, Luna?

"Take it out." She grinned widely and rested a fist under her chin.

"Not now!" Inside were three lacey lingerie sets in black, red, and white. I'll try these on later.

"I figured you might need some...bed sets now that you're experimenting." She winked.

"Well, I probably won't-" I paused. I pulled out a coffee mug with a collage printed into the porcelain. I held it in front of me and rubbed the selfie Arrow and I took.

Arrow sat in the chair, his eyes still mostly gray as they gazed at me, confused. He had so much time in this picture...those curious eyes held only a sliver of orange. My smile was awkward and forced, my forehead shiny, I had heavy bags under my eyes and looked a little frazzled, but he relaxed as he studied me. On the other side of the cup, Arrow held sushi out in front of him and grinned widely, his eyes still entirely gray and those dimples so innocent and boyish. That was the first place we ate at...with Isaac.

And inside the cup, Luna rolled up my Boyfriend Bucket List I crumpled up that day in the library.

"Luna, how did you-"

"Hacked your phone and uploaded the pics to a site where you can customize your own coffee mugs. And I figured you'll need the list back for when you restart your quest. You're welcome, love."

I leaned over and threw my arms around Luna. She returned the hug tightly. When I pulled away, her expression turned serious.

"It's okay to miss him," she said in a low voice. "Just because Isaac's pissed at you doesn't mean it's you're fault and you should resent Arrow's existence."

I looked away.

"Hey." She touched my arm. "Fuck Isaac. I mean, not anymore, but-fuck him. He doesn't know how hard you fought for love. I actually thought about the whole situation a lot the past few weeks and-I hope this doesn't make you feel worse, 'cause it's not supposed to-but...I think Arrow actually did feel love."

"Wh...why?"

"I mean...he sacrificed his life so you could be with Isaac. Sacrifice is true love, right?" Professor Martinez walked in and Luna pursed her lips, then lowered her voice more. "I know exactly shit about love, but that's love, whether he realized it or not. Love isn't an emotion...because I'm convinced it's an expression."

I thought about her words the remainder of Psych while she sketched between note-taking. At the end of class, she passed me a folded drawing and said, "Check the bottom of the bag. There's one more gift you absolutely have to use."

* * *

I stood at the marble counter of Harvey's Tattoos and filled out paperwork. Once I finished, I passed the clipboard back to the woman with several facial piercings and blue hair, and she thanked me.