Forbidden Love

11

Luna

Mom had another bad day today and everyone knows it, I can see it in their eyes. Dad got home early, and he cooked dinner for us. My mom's nurse, Chelsea, wanted to stay with Mom for a bit. She said it was routine, but I know it's something much worse. Chelsea wants to make sure nothing bad happens to Mom. I thought she'd be doing better, she smiled the other day and everything, she even called my dad by his name without forgetting who he is. But what do I know? I'm glad Chelsea is thorough. It makes the in-home nurse worth the price.

I end up staying in my room for a couple hours after dinner writing my thoughts on paper. If I don't write them down, I feel like I'll explode. I write about Mom, I write about Dad, I write about Jaxon stalking me at school, I complain about my siblings, my classes, school. I treat the little piece of paper like a journal and by the time I filled both sides, I grab another and fill both sides of that one. Writing has always been an outlet for me. It's nice to get everything out.

Five pages (front and back) later, I hear the doorbell ring. I already feel lighter—like everything has been lifted off my shoulders—as I stuff the pages in my desk drawer and make my way downstairs. Corey already answered it, and I try to see who he's talking to, but his big head is in the way.

I pause when I notice how rigid he looks. I suck in a sharp breath and another weight falls on me in an instant. Jaxon wouldn't come again, would he?

"No." I hear Corey say dryly.

As I move closer, I hear the person. "Come on, Corey!"

"No."

"Just let me in," The person whines loudly. I'd recognize the whine anywhere. Paxton. "I need to talk to her. It's a matter of life or death."

"No."

"Paxton?" I question.

Corey takes that as an opportunity to leave. "Have fun." He gives me a look and walks away, leaving me with a grinning Paxton.

"Mind if I come in?" Paxton asks. His eyes sparkle—probably remembering the rumors—and he takes a step inside, but I push him out.

"I do mind." I step outside and close the door behind me. "I didn't clean for company." I lie.

"You Stones sure are weird." He says lightly. It's not an insult coming from him. "Anyway, I came on behalf of Jaxon."

His name makes my heart jump. "Don't say that so loud!"

"Okay, well, he really needs you. They won't let him on the football team if he doesn't get help." He looks around and leans in. "He's desperate."

"It's really not my problem." There is too much on my plate right now, too much stress in my life. I'm sorry but adding Jaxon to my list of things to hide just doesn't sound reasonable to me. It actually sounds downright stupid to be honest. I read. I watch movies. I know how these things go. I don't feel like living it out in real life.

"Lulu," He pouts. "Help a guy out. He's really struggling."

"He doesn't need football." I shrug. "It's just a game. If he wants to play that bad, he can go play at the park."

Paxton pauses suddenly, his smile is still pasted on his face, but his eyes seem to dim. "It's not just a game for him. He needs the team."

"But why?" I ask, exasperated. Why would anyone need to play football that bad? Just go throw a ball. Heck, I'm sure there are millions of kids that do it every day. I'm not a sports type of girl, but I know enough to figure out that you don't need an entire high school team to throw a ball. Just because he's Jaxon Gray doesn't give him an exception. He's a regular person just like everyone else in the world.