It had been two days since what happened at Chris's. It was now Saturday afternoon and Luna was laid in bed with Rex curled up against her sleeping. She had junk food and tissues spread around her as she watched P.S I love you for the fourth time since Thursday. This was how she'd spent her time since then, curled up in bed feeling sorry for herself. She'd not been in to work for a few days, claiming she had a stomach bug. Really she just didn't want to be any place Chris would know to look for her.
He'd been texting and calling since she'd left his house. She didn't know how he'd got her number but she could only assume he had also told a lie to get information out of Scott. She hadn't replied. She didn't know what to say. She desperately wanted to run to him, finish what they'd started, but she couldn't. She had a boyfriend.
She hated herself for what she'd done to Matt. He was like the nicest guy she'd ever met and she'd betrayed him. She didn't know what to do. She needed to get Chris out of her head, she needed a distraction. As if all her prayers had been answered, she heard foot steps coming up the stairs before her bedroom door opened.
In walked her best friend since she first moved to the US, "oh god what happened to you?" Cece spoke as she headed towards the bed. Rex stood up wagging his tail as he moved to the edge of the bed to greet her. "Hey buddy, how's my boy?'"She cooed as she moved to sit by him.
"You know I gave you a key for emergencies" Luna rolled her eyes as she sat up and lent back against the head board. "Well judging by the state of you, this is an emergency" Cece quipped back, "why are you watching this, you only watch this when you're sad?"
Luna quickly tried to think of a good excuse before Cece spoke again, "aw are you missing Matt? She asked, "yeah I am" Luna exhaled letting out a shaky breath. She so badly wanted to tell Cece about what happened with Chris, but she couldn't even bring herself to say it out loud.
"Well I have the perfect distraction for that" Cece started, pausing to climb across the bed. She plopped herself down next to Luna, putting her arm around her best friend as Luna rested her head on Cece's shoulder. "Everyone's going out tonight and you're coming"
Luna didn't really feel like going out, but she also didn't want to stay sulking in bed any longer, she needed a distraction from Chris. "Okay that sounds fun" she replied before covering her ears at Cece's squeal. "Perfect, now let's find you something to wear" she clapped her hands together as she jumped off the bed, heading towards Luna's walk in wardrobe with Rex trotting behind her. Just as Luna was getting up to follow her, she heard her phone buzz. Looking down she saw yet another text from Chris.
'Luna talk to me, please?'
Chris was at home sitting at his kitchen island, staring at his phone, he watched as the message turned to read. Still no reply. He'd heard nothing from her since she'd left and he desperately needed something from her, anything at all.
"So I was thinking we'd head out at about 9 tonight?" Scott spoke to his brother who was still staring down at his phone, "Chris?" he added, clicking his fingers in front of Chris's face.
"Huh?" Chris was suddenly broken out of his thoughts by Scott's voice,
"Were you listening to me at all?"Scott asked rolling his eyes at his older brother, "no sorry what did you say?"
"I said I think we should leave about 9 tonight?"
"For what?" Chris asked confused, he had no idea what Scott was talking about.
"For drinks tonight, with some of the guys?" Shit he'd forgotten about that, going out was really not something he wanted to do right now, but at least it would take his mind of her.
"Oh yeah 9 sounds good" Chris replied as Scott carried on rambling about how good tonight was gonna be. Chris got lost in his head again; he couldn't stop thinking about her. He was just glad that Matt was away till next week and he wouldn't have to face him tonight. As he got carried away by his thoughts, he heard his phone vibrate on the counter in front of him. He quickly grabbed it, it was her.
"I will, soon. I need some time.'
~~~~~~~
Later that night Luna was entering the club with Cece and her husband Mac, on their way to meet the rest of their groups of friends. They moved through the dance floor, weaving in and out of the sweaty bodies before they reached the bar. Mac ordering drinks for all three of them as the girls scanned the club.
"I'm so glad you decided to wear that" Cece shouted over the loud music blaring through the club. She was referring to the outfit Luna was wearing. It was a little red dress with spaghetti straps that perfectly accentuated Luna's figure. 'You look insane'
"Oh like you don't look incredible" Luna spoke gesturing to the mid length short sleeve white dress that Cece was wearing that complimented her tanned skin and shoulder length brown hair.
"Oh she definitely does" Mac smirked as he passed the girls their drinks before kissing Cece on the cheek.
Mac and Cece were high school sweethearts; they'd been together since they were fifteen. They graduated together, went to college together and now they even run an insurance firm together. They got married as soon as they graduated college, obviously with Luna as maid of honour. They were soul mates, that was easy for any body to see. Luna was always jealous of that, never having that feeling with anyone that they had with each other. Well not until now anyway, she thought. No, she wasn't thinking about him right now.
Mac then spotted the rest of their little group sitting together in a booth in the VIP section. They were VIP because Luna's brother Ed actually owned this club and a bunch of others, including a few in LA and New York. They made their way over and the security guard let them straight through.
The rest of the little group consisted of Ed and Jake, two of Luna's older brothers. Jake's wife Charlotte and two more of their friends they knew from school, Cara and James. When Luna and her family moved over to the US, her and Jake both had to complete school; they formed friendships there that created this little group.
As they walked up to the group, Ed spotted them "Hey there you guys are" he spoke as he got up to greet them, 'bro hugging' Mac before hugging Cece and his sister.
"Sorry we're late these two took forever to get ready" Mac replied rolling his eyes as he earned a smack on the arm from Cece's handbag. They all moved over to the table and were welcomed by the rest of their friends.
Luna sat down next to Cara before giving her a hug, "so Luna where's Matt tonight?" Cara asked as she pulled away from the hug.
"Oh yeah where is he, you know I like that guy" Ed spoke looking at Luna.
"He's away for work" she replied, really not wanting to talk about Matt, "I'm surprised, you usually hate my boyfriends Ed"
"Because you usually date Arseholes. Matt's not an arsehole."
He was right, Matt wasn't, but she was. She could feel the guilt in the pit of her stomach. She'd been carrying it around with her since she left Chris's house. It was unbearable.
"So Luna, only a few weeks till your birthday, what's the plan?" Cara asked turning to face her, "well me and Scott were talking about a joint party" she replied, the group had all met Scott on several occasions since Luna had met him. Cara continued to talk about the party, but all Luna could think about was how she'd have to endure a party with both Matt and Chris there. What a great birthday she thought.
Chris and his friends had just arrived at the club. He was with a few guys he hadn't seen for a while, but also Scott, Luke and Joe. The group headed straight to the bar, all ordering drinks.
What's going on with you?' Scott almost had to shout at his brother over the loud music. Chris looked at him confused by the question, 'come on you've been acting weird for a few days now, what's going?'
"Nothing" lie "Just stress with work, trying to decide on a script I like" actually I'm pretty sure I'm in love with Matt's girlfriend, he thought in his head. He wanted to tell Scott he really did. He knew Scott would stick by him no matter what, but he also knew he'd be furious at him for hurting Matt. So he kept his mouth shut.
The group then moved over to VIP. It was easier for Chris; he was always bothered less there. The guard let them straight in and a young bar tender showed them to a booth and that's when he heard it. That laugh, her laugh.