the moon [h.s.] - EDITING

twenty-six.

LUNA

She's waiting for the car she rented to pull up in front of them. She's cold and she's looking around the airport. The last time she was here, she was heading to New York and planning to never look back. She was so excited. She was ready to meet her new roommate. She found Zavier's offer online. Of course, she was iffy about it. She's never lived with a stranger, let alone a twenty-seven-year-old man. She was scared, but it didn't stop her.

Should it have stopped her? What if she never left? She then looks at Harry. She wouldn't have met him, that's for sure. He's standing beside her and she still hasn't fully processed that he's now in her hometown.

"There it is," Harry says. He refers to the black car pulling up. He takes her luggage to roll it for her while also holding his duffel bag.

She follows him then puts on a smile for the person who brought the car.

"Here you go, Miss Mendez. When it's time to return the rental, you can pull up here as well and someone will help you. Enjoy your day," the helpful man says as he looks at Luna then Harry. He gives Luna the keys for the car.

"Thank you," she tells him. She then watches as Harry loads the trunk with their things. She starts walking to the driver's seat. She gets in and starts the car back up again. She turns on the heater. She hadn't realized she was shivering.

"I didn't know you could drive," Harry says the moment he gets in the passenger seat.

Luna looks at him and smiles lightly. "Yeah, my mom would let me drive her car." Her smile falls. That same car must be totaled now, she realizes. She takes in a deep breath and buckles up. "Is it okay if we go to the hospital first? Then we'll figure out the where-we-are-staying situation."

Harry nods as he buckles himself up as well. "Of course," he answers her.

She takes a moment to herself at the fact that she will see her mother and brother for the first time since she decided to leave them. She's nervous. She shakes it off as she finally drives. The ground is sort of slippery, she can feel it as she drives so she drives with caution out of the airport. "Do you drive?" Luna asks.

"I do. Back home. I mean, I've driven a few times in New York, but I never bothered to get my license there. Everything is just so close together, there are subways that will take you anywhere, you know?" He tells her as he looks out the window.

Luna listens to him and nods while driving. "I get it. I didn't plan on getting a car there because I'm probably too impatient for New York's traffic."

Harry laughs a little. "Me, too."

Luna glances over at him and there's his dimple. She wants to smile, too. She bites down on her lip instead and focuses on the road ahead of her. She drives and wonders how her mother got into a car accident in the first place. It must've been the icy roads. She's always hated that part about having snow.

It takes her half an hour to arrive in the town she was raised in. There wasn't much for Harry to see, because snow is everywhere, so she keeps silent. She makes it to the hospital shortly after and pulls into the hospital parking garage. She parks in the first spot she could find. She hears Harry unbuckle. She swallows the lump in her throat.

Don't cry.

She's trying her best not. She unbuckles as well then takes the keys from the ignition. She gets out of the car and the cold hits her cheeks again. She locks the car the moment they are out. She puts the keys in her purse and Harry walks alongside her. She hasn't mentioned a thing about her family to him. She wonders how he feels.