Forbidden Love

36

Luna

It's Saturday morning and I just finished a book. It's been five days since The Threat. Yes, that is what I'm calling it now. I have to admit, I wasn't at all ready for what happened on Monday. I had a plan. I'd go to school, meet up with Jaxon, talk about what happened between us, and maybe...maybe become something more.

I was absolutely stupid.

When I heard Julia talk about him going over to her house directly after kissing me, heard her tell me he thought the kiss was a mistake, heard him admit it, as pathetic as it is, I just felt like crying. I let myself believe him and the promises he made when his lips were on mine.

The second he threatened to tell Corey, I lost it and ended our tutoring sessions. I couldn't believe he would try to manipulate me just to get a good grade. I don't feel the least bit awful for what happened.

He totally played me.

He tried to talk to me that day and every day since, but I won't have it. I'm not going to fall for it—for him—again.

Now I understand why Corey despises Jaxon. He's a lying, cunning, evil douchebag that I want absolutely nothing to do with.

Then why are you still thinking about the douche if he's so bad?

I push my thoughts away and throw my book across the room. The ending made me mad and so did my thoughts.

On another note, Maddi came up to me in Chemistry the other day and asked to be my partner. She was all smiles and sincerity. It shocked me as much as the rest of the class, but she's been nice enough. We mostly talk about the assignment, but sometimes she slips in a comment about a movie or a tv show. Apparently, she likes k-dramas. I don't watch much tv, but the way Maddi described it made me feel like I watched the entire thing. Seriously, she gave me the whole plotline.

A part of me knows Jaxon asked her to partner with me, but I don't want to dissect why. Maybe to try to bribe me to stay on as his tutor.

Ugh. I need to get out of my head.

JJ's out with friends and Joseph should be with Mom right now, so I get off my chair and head over to Corey's room needing a better distraction from everything.

He looks up from his phone the second I walk in. "What?"

"I'm bored," I lay down beside him on the bed. "What are you doing?"

He hides his phone. "None of your business."

"Do you have a secret girlfriend?" I ask dryly.

"No." He glances at me. "But if I liked someone, I would tell you. Satisfied?"

"Not at all." I mutter.

He pushes me away. "Go bother someone else."

"Everyone's busy, so you're stuck with me." I watch him roll his eyes. "Hey, Cor? Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"What happened to you and Jaxon?" The question comes out on its own. I know I came in here to distract myself from him, but I might as well learn a thing or two. Jaxon never really answered me.

Corey stares at me. "Why are you asking me about Gray?"

"No reason. You just hate him so much and—"

"I don't hate him." When I let out a snort, he says, "Okay, well, I don't particularly care for him."

"So, what happened in elementary? Why aren't you still friends?"

"Luna," Corey warns. "I really don't want to talk about him."

I give my brother a look. "You can be secretive with anyone you want, but not your siblings. I'm your sister. Just tell me what happened."

"Mom happened."

"What?"

"When Mom got sick, she became..." Cold. Moody. Distant. Angry. "Different. It was hard and then suddenly we weren't able to buy new games or new clothes and shoes. I was embarrassed to go anywhere when everyone in this rich town had the latest stuff. Mom stopped being able to take me to hang out with Gray and I would feel guilty when I'd leave her anyway. Paxton ended up moving to town a few weeks later, so Gray replaced me. And then he became a massive idiot and—"

"Wait," My mouth almost drops open. "You and Jaxon stopped being friends because you were jealous of Paxton?"

"I was not jealous of Paxton," Corey narrows his eyes.

"Sounds like it."

"Well, I wasn't—"

A loud bang has us both jolting up. I grab my phone from my back pocket, ready to call 9-1-1 or something.

"Joseph's supposed to be with Mom, right?" I ask.

"No," Corey looks at me. "Sebastian picked him up a couple hours ago. JJ is with her."

"JJ went skateboarding with Kalani and Olivia."

It doesn't take us long to run downstairs like our lives depend on it. I clutch my phone tightly in my hand, praying she's alright.

Mom is on the floor when we get to her room. Everything slows. Corey pauses at the door, his brain taking a minute to get it together. When he manages to drag himself out of shock, he runs over to check her pulse. My stomach is at my feet and my heart is wildly pounding against my ribcage. All I feel is the slight wind hitting me from the open window and the nerves of my mom possibly being gone.

Please be okay please be okay please be okay.

I chant the words in my head. A prayer. A plead to God.

I can't lose you yet. I'm not ready. Not right now.

"She's breathing." Corey lets out the words on one breath of relief. "She probably just fell in her sleep."

Corey lifts her back on the bed. She's not even awake, it's as if she's been asleep this entire time. I will the unshed tears not to fall.

That was so close. Too close.

"Should we call someone?" I tap my fingers on her bedframe staring at her sleeping body.

"I don't know—"

"Dad? 9-1-1?"

"I'm not sure, I—"

"Should we take her to the ER?"

"I don't think so—"

"What if she hit her head?"

"Luna, enough! Please!" He snaps. "Just give me a minute so I can think."

"We don't have a minute! She could have internal bleeding!"

Corey sighs and looks at his phone. "Alright, okay, um, I'll go grab Chelsea. She doesn't keep her phone on during house visits, but she should be at the Winchester's a few blocks away right now."

"Chelsea? Are you sure we shouldn't just take her to the ER?"

"Luna, we can't afford another hospital visit if we have nothing to worry about. I trust Chelsea. If she says we should go, then we'll go. Just—watch Mom."

"I hope you're making the right decision," I tell him as he walks past me.

"I have to," he mutters and closes the door behind him.

I slowly walk to Mom, tears prick my eyes and then I hear, "Luna?"

Jaxon's voice. Coming from my phone.