The two of them stayed in the school clinic for the rest of the day, Toby's face looked unrecognizable with all the bruises on his jaw, busted lips and a visible cut on his left eye. If Lexus did not come on time, it could have been worse than that.
"Luna?"
"Hmmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"You're the one who got hurt and you're asking me if I'm okay? Are you a masochist or something Cooper?" Luna gets up from the bed next to Toby's, the nurse advised her to stayed with him since there will be a faculty meeting because of what happened. Worst come to worst, either Lexus or Darius would be suspended. Luna could care less about Darius but Lexus taking the blame would be a different story.
With a frustrated sigh, Luna turned to face Toby, who was lying on the bed beside her with one arm covering his eyes. The sight of his busted lips and bruised jaws making her frown, Luna found herself next to him in no time, occupying the empty space on his bed and waited for him to say another word.
"I'm sorry that you got hurt because of me Cooper," she mumbled softly hoping that it was loud enough for him to hear.
"It's nothing," His soft and calm voiced filled the spaces between them, Luna couldn't even fathom that Toby's birthday would turn out this way. Her plan was completely ruined and now, Toby was hurt too.
"I-" Toby rosed up from his bed, pulling her closer to him effortlessly, his arms find its way to her waist, the warmth of his hands radiating into every ounce of her being in no time leaving her completely breathless and bewildered.
"Come to think of it, would you be too kind to give me a reward for saving you Miss Greene?" Her favorite shade of blue was looking at her intently, melting her into a million pieces at the palm of his hands. His ragged breathing fanning the tip of her nose as he leaned a little closer enough for their nose to touch, fighting the urge to press her lips on him before she could think about anything else. As if realizing her internal struggle, Toby pulled a familiar naughty smirk that sents her body on flame.
"Breath Miss Greene," He mumbled flickering her forehead and shattering all her internal rampage because of Tobias Cooper.
"What was that for!?" Luna whined, throwing a playful glare towards him.
"Nothing," He smiled brightly and despite all the nasty bruises on his face, Toby still looked so happy that made her smile knowing that today, those smiles were because of her.
Luna left Toby at the school clinic before the school bells ring and went straight to the rooftop with the box of cakes that she spent the whole weekend making. Sending him a quick message and putting her phone back to her bag, before Toby came for her little surprised.
To Toby The Great: Come to the rooftop now, I need help!
A few minutes later, the rooftop door slammed on the concrete wall with a loud thud, catching her completely off guard at the sight of Toby's looking disheveled as he crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat.
"What happened? Are you okay!?" Toby asked frantically, scanning her from head to toe, the boy looks so worried that Luna could barely grasped what was going on.
"Toby? Did you run all the way here?"
"You told me you needed help! I panicked and ran straight here. Are you okay? Did something happen?"
"Ahh my message, I'm sorry about that I never thought you'll react this way," she smiled sheepishly making Toby groan, closing her eyes and pinching his nose probably trying his hardest not to wring her neck for their miscommunication, but at least he got him where she wanted him to be.
"Am I forgiven?" she joked hoping to make him laugh and he did, shaking his head with a smile creeping on his busted lips. Satisfied with his reaction, Luna knew that it was now time for her surprise from him.
"Cover your eyes Cooper!" Toby was looking suspiciously at her but followed along without much complain.
Grabbing the cake out of its box, she used the lighter to lit up the candle that she bought. Positioning herself in front of him, she took a deep breath hoping that things will go well.
"Open your eyes now Toby"
"Wha—"
"Happy Birthday Tobias,"
Luna watches his expression changes; his eyes widened a little despite the cut on his left eye that looks painful enough to make her frown remembering what happened earlier. Toby looks genuinely surprised and overwhelmed at the sight of the candle lights swaying along with the wind. The anticipation was killing her wondering if Toby will blow the candle any minute now before the wind does the job for him.
"Toby you can speak now," Breaking the silence with her nervous laugh, Toby looked intently at her, not minding the broken glasses slipping onto his nose as he pulled a genuine smile on his lips making her heart flutter.
"Wow," he mumbled loud enough for her to hear, his eyes not leaving the cake that Luna spent her entire weekend doing.
"You can blow the candle," Toby leaned closer to her with a small smile on his lips as he blows the candle slowly, his eyes not leaving her for a moment.
"Happy Birthday Cooper!" Luna beamed happily, throwing him a playing wink that made the boy flushed a little against the setting sun in a distance.
The two of them sat on the picnic blanket that she borrowed from the craft room earlier, stacking her books in a pile that serves as their makeshift table where Luna put the cake down. Scrolling through her phone for Toby's playlist that the boy did for her a few months back, the tune of it filling the silence between them.
"So, the cake may or may not taste as good as you expected it to because we both know that I'm not that great with all the cooking and baking stuff—"
"You made this?" Toby asked a little bewildered as he glanced between the cake and her like he could barely believe her words. Luna rolled her eyes at him, as much as she wanted to smack the back of his head, the boy was bruised and scarred enough for the day.
"Yeah, so I was saying that you've been warned that it may or may not taste as good as you expected it to be and I don't want you getting your hopes up but don't worry I had Lulu to help me a lot to made this but just in case, again you've been warned so don't blame me later, okay?" But while she was rumbling all her concerns, Toby was no longer paying attention to her speech, he was already holding a fork and taking a small amount of his vanilla-flavored cake.
"So?" Luna stared at him nervously, wondering what the boy was thinking as he chews on his food slowly.
"It's edible enough," Luna wasn't expecting the cake to taste as perfect as those cake from the store, but hearing such a vague and timid response made her feel like she had wasted her weekend for nothing. Remembering Caleb's endless nagging while he helps her out, Lexus almost losing his love for sweets because of suffering from her constant failed attempt to bake, and the wrath of her mother from all the wasted baking supplies and almost burning the kitchen because of her clumsiness. Feeling hopeless and pathetic, Luna buried her face in between her knees as hot tears stream down her face.
"Luna?"
"Hey Luna, look at me," Toby tried again but she did not bulge, not wanting to give into him that easily.
"You're such a crybaby Miss Greene, I'm just kidding no need to bawl your eyes out. Lexus will definitely wring my neck if he sees you like this," Toby pulled her closer, his warm breath tickling the tip of her ears sending shiver down her spine in an instant. Luna could feel her face burning from being cuddled by him like a child.
"It doesn't taste that good, but it was made by you and that's all that matters" she's still hiding her face in between her knees knowing how red her face looks now, as she listened to Toby's voice.
"Thank you Luna" he mumbled softly as Luna felt his warm lips meeting her exposed skin that caught her completely off guard, her knees long forgotten as she lifted her head, meeting the reason behind all the butterflies and blissful feeling inside her, their nose touching a little, they were so close, so close that it will only take one wrong move and she'll be kissing his soft lips that she's been dreaming about for so long. For a moment she was tempted to tell him how she feels for him, she wanted to cross the small boundary between friendship and relationship, but a big part of her was scared shitless knowing that there was a possibility of him not liking her back, she can't afford to lose Toby, even if it means that she has to bury her feelings for him.
They stayed close to each other, his arms wrapped around her as they watched the setting sun in front of them. The sound of If I'm Lucky by State Champs playing in the background, his beating heart matching hers and she couldn't be happier.
Oh God please make this last.