All Along | ✓

Chapter Twenty-Five

I huff out a breath before slowly nodding, "I know."

"She's not just any woman. You know that better than anyone. Either you shut this down real quick or you do something. You need to decide whether you're going to let yourself think of her as more than a friend." He tells me lowly.

"I didn't think this would ever happen," I admit quietly, "The thought never even crossed my mind. How- How could it? She was a kid, I never-" I swallow, "Is it weird? To see her differently now?"

"You've been gone a long time, Oli," Cory leans back in his seat once more, "I think it would be surprising if you didn't see her differently," His gaze flickers to something across the bar and his expression hardens, "I think you might be needed over there."

His words cause my head to whip around, eyes immediately searching for Luna. When I find her, I relax a little but only for a moment before I see the person beside her. She's up at the bar, waiting for her drink and there's a guy practically trapping her in place. She's got her arms crossed over her chest, glaring up at him, but even from here I can see the way her gaze wavers with discomfort.

I'm out of my seat and across the bar in under five seconds. I reach the pair quickly and stop behind the guy, his back to me. I cross my arms over my chest and clear my throat pointedly.

The guy sighs before slowly turning around, "Look, mate, I'm kind of busy here-" He stops when he comes face to face with my chest. Admittedly, I used to be a little self-conscious of my height before I started playing basketball, but it's times like these when I couldn't be more thankful for it. This boy - because really, he couldn't be older than 21 - is more than half a foot shorter than me. His gaze travels up from my chest to my face and his jaw drops. "You- You're-"

I say nothing and just raise a brow at him. Watching him stumble over his words is actually very entertaining.

"B-Basketball- you play- Oli King! You're Oli King!" His eyes are wide, mouth agape - stunned into a stammering mess.

I ignore him, instead moving my gaze over his shoulder to find the person I'm here for. My eyes find Luna's and I tip my chin up as a silent cue for her to come to me. "Here, Little One."

As much as Luna speaks her mind and is the most opinionated, independent woman I know, she also needs me. I know she does. She needs that one person to be her reassurance, her back up, her guide, her shoulder to cry on, and her safe place to fall. She might not think I can be that for her anymore, but I am and I always will be.

How do I know this? Because I know her. And she proves me right by immediately brushing past the boy and moving to my side. She doesn't hide. She stands just in front of me, her chin tipped up in defiance towards the boy. But her hand slips back and gently latches on to the front of my shirt, scrunching the fabric slightly in her hand. Butterflies again.

"Oh- You're- You're with him? I didn't know- I wouldn't have-"

"Why does it matter that she's with me?" I challenge, my voice low. "Shouldn't her 'no' be enough for you?"

"I- I just-" He swallows roughly, eyes darting to Luna, "She's just-"

"Standing right in front of you," Luna snaps, "Treat me with the respect I deserve, please."

"Sorry I- I wasn't- He's just- He's famous! I didn't mean to- But- you're really hot and-"

"No shít," Luna mutters and I can just tell she's rolling her eyes, "My looks have nothing to do with this. No means no under any circumstance." With perfect timing, the bartender slides Luna's drink over to her and she quickly grabs it with her free hand. "Leave me and every other girl that's not interested in you alone. If she says no, walk away." She tells him with finality before spinning on her heal and walking away. And with her hand still latched onto my shirt, I follow obediently, letting her practically drag me back through the crowd to our table.