Running [h.s.]

forty three | luna

Love you all so much, just thought I'd say thank you for all the reads and votes. Please remember to vote on each chapter!

The poem above is "Wild Geese" by my favorite poet, Mary Oliver.

"Okie dokie! I made microwave popcorn and I got Netflix up and ready to go!" I call out to Mack from the living room. I pulled out two big blankets and I fluffed all of the pillows to make sure Mack is comfortable and happy. I told her we would have a girl's night tonight, even though Harry had said he wanted to see me after his interview. As much as I wanted to make the most of our month together, I know my best friend needs me more than anything right now, and I would never leave her at a time like this, especially not for a man.

Mack emerges from her room wrapped up in sweats. Uncharacteristically, not a trace of makeup litters her face and she is not wearing a single accessory except for her mother's ring that she never takes off. It's kind of like how I always wear my grandma's ring-the one she left for me when she passed away-that I only take off occasionally to clean it. I think back to when I first met Mackenzie my first week of college. I noticed her big flashy ring as she took the seat next to me in our gen ed communications course, COM 101. At 18, I was far more outgoing than I am now-literally like night and day from who I am today-and I immediately asked her about it. We bonded over our family heirlooms; her ring was her mother's wedding ring. She gave it to Mack when she and Mack's father got divorced. She didn't want to sell it, but she also didn't want to keep it, so she gave it to Mackenzie who has never taken it off since, except to get through airport security. I told her about my dysfunctional parents and how my grandma was my best friend growing up. I showed her my ring, and told her how she specifically left her giant emerald wedding ring in her will for me. Her fingers were much bigger than mine, so I have to wear it on my index finger. After that day, Mack sat next to me for every class, and we often chatted so much that we completely missed the entire lecture. Luckily, we were both very extroverted and we flirted with a few guys in that class to give us their notes. I laugh thinking about how that couldn't have been me. Current Luna would never be able to do that.

I love my emerald ring, and I find it comforting to have this specific gemstone on my body at all times. Emeralds are known as the "stone of successful love." They are supposed to bring loyalty and enhance unconditional love friendship. It's ironic that because of this ring, I have my unconditional friendship with Mack. It is supposedly connected to the heart chakra, so it is able to help heal emotions and the physical heart. I can't help but feel like this is my grandma's way of protecting me, even from heaven. She was always the one I went to with friendship and relationship problems, so it's fitting that her stone is continuing to solve these problems for me even after she's gone.