Series: Like Us Series by Krista Ritchie
Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 174544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 873(@200wpm)___ 698(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Especially if it’s because of me.
I rest my ass on the back of the blue couch. Hearing footsteps and whispers, I try not to tense. Then Luna’s mom emerges first. Lily is a smidge shorter than her daughter, and she’s carrying two Tupperware containers.
“Oh, Donnelly.” Surprise jumps her eyebrows, not expecting me to be right here.
“Hey,” I greet with the tilt of my head. I have no clue what her mom thinks of me. Being on Lo’s shitlist, I can handle, but if I’m on Lily’s, I dunno…I think I’d still go fling myself off this planet and sob.
Tension contracts my muscles, and I find myself avoiding Lily. Not a second passes before Luna sidesteps around her mom. “Donnelly?”
My heart jumps higher when I see her, and I scan Luna rapidly.
A duffel bag is slung over her shoulder. It’d been an overnight bag in case she wanted to spend the night at her parents’ house. Her splotchy round face and swollen eyes drive pain through my chest. Sleeves of her Thrashers hoodie are rolled to her forearms, and I see the lyrics I tattooed on her skin from years ago.
It takes all my energy not to hug her. Instead, I reach out for the duffel.
She lets me carry the luggage for her. As I slide the strap on my shoulder, her amber eyes search me for answers. Don’t know if I have the ones she’s scavenging for, but we do need to talk. I’m dying to give her what she needs.
She’s the only girl who wants, truly wants, what I can give, and how unjust is it that I have to wait to give her all of me? Fuck me, right?
Always, fuck me.
“I heard you were coming back,” I say. “Just wanted to wait up for you.”
She nods slowly, her breath hitching. The strain between us isn’t natural.
“Meatloaf for you both,” Lily interjects, and I almost forgot her mom is still here. Lily extends the Tupperware to me.
I take it and look to Luna. “You didn’t eat?” I skim her again, my chest caving. I wouldn’t have left her—if I knew she was this broken up—I wouldn’t have left as fast as I did.
“I wasn’t that hungry.” Her voice is small, almost a whisper. She frowns at the floor, and I try to catch her gaze again, seeing something’s bothering her. What the hell happened? She gives her mom a quick glance. “I’m gonna check on Orion. Thanks for the ride, Mom.” She hugs her mom, then slips away, tugging her sleeves down.
Both Lily and I watch her disappear down another hall.
I crave to chase after Luna, but I can’t be rude to her mom. Might not be a gold-star student when it comes to pleasing parents, but I’ve got some manners.
“Thanks for the food,” I say.
Lily nods, turning to me with a tiny smile. “You like meatloaf?”
“Haven’t met a meatloaf I disliked.” I try to smile back, but I’m glancing at the spot where Luna disappeared.
“Did your mom ever make it for you?”
“Nah, she didn’t cook much.” Talk about my mom heavies my head. I can’t even reach that place when Luna is consuming everything inside me. “I won’t let anything hurt her.” I just say it.
I believe it.
I’d rather be bait and roadkill than let a single soul harm Luna Hale. And I plan to prove it.
“Just don’t give up on each other,” Lily suddenly says, and I realize she’s gazing at the last sight of Luna too. “Even if it’s hard to wait it out. It’ll be worth it in the end.” Before I can reply, she gives me a warm smile. “Night, Donnelly.”
She leaves.
I’d almost think I dreamt it if it wasn’t for the meatloaf in my hands.
After a kitchen pitstop, grabbing two forks, some napkins, I’m at her bedroom. Door cracked, I kick it gently open and find Luna hovering over a fishbowl.
She feeds Moondragon fish flakes and whispers softly to the glass. Her Thrashers hoodie is tied around her hips, and the white Planet Hoth tee looks self-cropped, scissored in jagged lines. It’s also see-through.
I’m drawn down to her metallic gold bra.
Shouldn’t be looking at her tits when she’s been crying. I sorta feel like dogshit for doing it, but I’m attracted to this girl, and how do I turn that off right now? Images of me kissing Luna, of running my hands along the bareness of her body, of slipping inside her warm, tight pussy suddenly race through my head.
Sex and Luna.
Emotions and Luna.
Life and Luna.
It’s all fucking me up.
But God, I don’t want to fuck her up too. So I gotta sort through this with her somehow. Using my shoulder blades, I lean back and shut her door.
She’s quiet, and I try not to startle her. “Luna?”
Her gaze descends to her feet. “Hi.”