Luna

00 | prologue: the confession

One year ago

My hand was sweaty when I read the message on my phone. I was too focused on it that I didn't even hear the bell ringing, signaling that our history class was over.

My eyes were locked on the text, while my mind was going crazy.

Tyler: I've got a surprise coming up

Tyler: I'll see you soon at the cafeteria

Tyler: Miss you

I froze like a statue. I might not have been this nervous if I hadn't heard what my best friend told me yesterday.

"Luna, did you hear me?"

I snapped my head toward the source of the voice. Rory, my best friend whom I was worried about, raised her eyebrows.

She plastered a cute pout on her face, resting her chin on her hands on the table, her grey eyes studying my expression. "Were you listening?"

"I'm sorry." I blinked a few times. "What were you saying?"

A grin crept on her lips before she stood up, pulling me up on my feet. "I said I'm craving for that Rib Eye Steak and that we should head to the cafeteria now because I'm starving."

My heart thumped hard, and I automatically stopped my legs from moving, wishing that they would be nailed onto the ground, but I had no power when Rory dragged me out of the classroom to have lunch together.

"Rory," I protested, trying to get away, but now my arm was linked to hers. I'd never complained about my best friend being clingy and touchy, but today was an exception.

Because today, as my eyes darted on her happy face, I just couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt.

Yes, the thought of her being hurt because of what would happen in a few minutes.

But it wasn't like I could escape Tyler either. I knew that even if it didn't happen today, it would happen sooner or later.

Every step we were making toward the school cafeteria felt heavy to me -- the closer we reached our destination, the more air was being sucked out of my lungs.

God, please help me.

When we finally stepped into the place, filled with other students settling on the tables and grabbing their food, Tyler was already waiting.

He leaned against his usual table, the popular table filled with his football teammates. His arms were crossed on his chest. A smirk touched his lips as he saw me, while his friends watched in amusement as if anticipating what their captain would do.

Rory stopped short on her track as she noticed Tyler, and I could feel her grip on my arm tighten. My heart shattered although nothing had happened yet.

"Is he waiting for us?" Rory cluelessly asked, and I couldn't answer her. Even though it wasn't unusual for us to have lunch with Tyler, but I now knew that she would always be anticipating it.

How could I be so stupid?

My breath caught in my throat as Tyler left his table to approach us before stopping his steps halfway. He stood at the center of the cafeteria, drawing the attention of everybody else in the room.

The butterflies in my tummy went crazy as they had always been every time I was around him. Of course, they would be. It was Tyler Gates I was staring at.

While he focused his gaze on me, I couldn't take my eyes off his piercing blue eyes, so beautiful but icy at the same time, not completely hidden under his messy bangs.

He was the guy that every girl in this school, the Royal Heights, dreamed of. Even though this place was the ultimate school for the richest, Tyler still stood out as the son of a well-known politician.

He was undeniably hot -- he was cocky too, I had to admit, but that turned on most of the girls here even more.

"Attention, everybody," Tyler's voice boomed, and everyone automatically snapped their heads toward him, stopping what they were doing.

My heart rate kicked up a notch -- I could even feel my arm shaking, still linked to Rory's. Tyler shot me a meaningful smile, and I would be an idiot if I didn't know what he was up to, because he'd given me plenty of hints.

Like when he said to me that he couldn't wait to make me officially his.

Like when he told me that he wanted to declare his feelings for me to the entire world.

Tyler was always flirty when we were alone or when he called or texted me, and I knew that he wasn't bluffing. He'd told me that he'd already set his eyes on me the moment I first stepped into this school.

I was in the tenth grade, and he was a year higher. We'd been close friends for months.

He'd always made me flattered, and the realization that I liked him just as much was just too much for my heart to handle. It made everything more complicated.

The room became silent as all the students watched the scene -- I could smell the curiosity in the air. Tyler stared at me with such adoration in his eyes, and I could feel the jealousy and envy the other girls were throwing at me, as if they wished that they could wear my skin.

My heart sank when I felt Rory's grip on my arm loosen. She pulled away from me, but I couldn't break my eye contact with Tyler.

"It's finally happening, Luna. I just have to do this and make everyone see who you belong to," Tyler said in a firm tone, but his eyes softened as he kept staring at me. A soft chuckle left his lips before he shifted his attention to our audiences, his chest filled with pride. "I want every single soul in this school to know that starting from today, Luna Klein is off-limits." His gaze returned to me, and the air in my lungs was sucked when he whispered to me, "I should have done this sooner."

A gasp echoed in my ear, and I knew where it was coming from. I turned, only to find Rory looking at me in horror, hurt in her eyes as she stepped back slowly.

I felt my heart almost stop, but I couldn't move an inch. I didn't even know how to explain to her.

"Hey Luna," Tyler called, making me snap my head back toward him. His charming smile was plastered on his face, and my heart felt like exploding.

The happiness I was feeling inside was just as much as the guilt -- it didn't make sense.

I felt that my eyes were slowly being filled with sudden tears, but I didn't think that Tyler noticed it, because he still looked damn excited and hopeful.

It should be easy, because I liked him too, shouldn't it?

Holding my breath, I heard the question rolled from Tyler's tongue, "Would you be my girlfriend?"