Luna

37 | exposed

Oh, I beg that he would believe me. I would do anything to make them believe me.

"However, your actions will not be excused, Ms. Klein," he says, making my heart sink to an endless pit. "I'm afraid to say that this matter will be brought to a higher level."

I break into tears, squeezing my eyes shut.

Higher level. Of course.

The pictures are already all over the internet. I'm sure that Dad, Mom, and Aiden have seen it now. This is such chaos, and I don't know why Rory did this even though I already did everything she said.

I can't imagine how my family is feeling now. They must be devastated. I've hurt them in the worst possible way.

Mom.

Dad.

Aiden.

I'm sorry. So sorry that I've made you ashamed.

This morning's football practice was quite tiring.

I get out of the shower, dry my hair with a towel, and wear my shirt in the locker room.

While the team is getting ready for our first class today, I can hear them mutter about coach being a hurricane. That's understandable, because we're going to have an important game soon, not to mention that I couldn't focus like usual.

I might have been able to focus if I'd had enough rest last night, but one of these days, getting proper sleep seems to be impossible. There's still a big hole in my chest.

I grab my phone from my locker and check some messages but then frown as I see tons of notifications from my class's group chat. When I click to read it, my body freezes.

My eyes zoom in on the pictures of Luna at the drug party, with a glass pipe in her mouth.

Some guys in the room curse -- they seem to have seen the pictures too.

"Holy fuck."

"Damn."

But then everyone around me turns silent, and I can feel their gaze on me. They're watching my reaction and probably hoping that I don't die of a heart attack.

My hands shake so hard, it's incredible that I haven't dropped my phone. Before I know it, I storm out of the locker room. My breathing is rapid as I run in the corridor, heading to my classroom.

When I arrive, the classroom is noisy, filled with my classmates gossiping about the pictures.

A girl who is about to exit the classroom bumps into me, and before she can comprehend what's happening, my loud voice makes her jump. "Where is she?" I demand. "Where's Luna?"

"The principal has just summoned her," she stutters, looking afraid that I'll break everything catching my sight.

I rush to the principal's office, my heart thumping wildly because of how worried I am. A crowd has gathered in front of the principal's office, and I push through them, only to find that Luna is heading out of the school. A car is already waiting in front of the lobby for her.

I run to her, but she steps into the car. When the door closes, I slap the car window.

"Luna," I shout. "What happened? Talk to me." I slap the window harder, but Luna only buries her face in her hands, her shoulder shaking as she cries.

The car moves, and I jog to catch it. "Luna!" I shout again, but it's no use.

The car leaves the school's property and disappears through the gate, leaving me standing here in shock. I pant heavily, still digesting everything that has happened.

"It's no use." A voice makes me snap my body around, and I see Rory.

I'm already seething with fury, and her existence doesn't help.

"A night in Paris went wrong, huh?" She sneers, crossing her arms on her chest. "So sad. I've never thought that Luna Klein is a drug addict, but it suits her perfectly."

"Watch your mouth," I hiss, boiling with anger, but then her words hit me. "Hold on." A frown touches my lips. "How did you know that it was in Paris?"

The pictures don't say anything about Paris.

When she hears my question, the smile on her face instantly vanishes. Rage takes over me, and she pales as I storm at her, gripping her shoulders and pushing her against the wall harshly that her back smacks it. She winces in pain.

"It was you, wasn't it?" I'm sure that my glare pierces her in two, and she stares at me in horror. "It was you who planned all of this. You fucking tricked her." My voice is shaking due to the anger in it, but still, I hear no response from her. "Answer me!" I roar, shaking her shoulders to make her speak.

Rory's eyes widen in fear, but then it's replaced by pain, and angry tears brim them. "It's because of you," she says. "You rejected me."

Again, everything around me seems to stop. I don't know what the fuck this psychotic girl has just said, but it sure as hell makes my world a chaotic mess.

The truth strikes me like thunder, and a scoff leaves Rory's trembling lips as she looks at me with her bloodshot eyes, knowing that I just figured it out.

"Yes, I threatened her." There's so much hatred in her voice, so much venom in it. Anything that comes out of her mouth is poison. "You finally figured it out, huh? How do you feel about it, Max?" she bites out. "I threatened her that I would leak the pictures if she didn't stay away from you, and look at what you've done. If you hadn't hurt me, all of this wouldn't have happened. You caused all of this mess yourself."

I knock her against the wall again, making the back of her head smack it as she lets out a small scream. For fuck's sake, I've told myself to never hurt a girl physically, but Rory makes me want to destroy her.

Fuck. My fist is shaking as I ball it. There's nothing else I want more but to make her pay for every damn tear that Luna sheds.

This girl is crazy. She takes satisfaction in hurting Luna. My Luna.

Faint gasps and frantic voices fill my ears, which tells me that other students are now watching us. I don't fucking care.

I grip Rory's collar, and her eyes widen as she stares at me in disbelief. My heart feels like it's about to explode, because no matter what, I know that I can't hit a girl.

Now that I look at the fear skating all over her face, her pained expression, and the tears that fill her eyes, I know that I've hurt her more than she could have ever imagined.

What I'm doing to her now really hurt her. Mentally. Emotionally.

She indeed has feelings for me, and I've broken her heart.

But she has broken Luna's heart even worse. With such cruelty. Over and over again.