A bullied girl meets the popular new student.
*****
"Still saying that you're perfectly okay?" Max whispers.
I'm surprised to hear that his voice is shaking.
"I'm going to find who did this to you."
*****
One time, I was the most popular girl in sch...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
We're finally here at the bookstore, and I watch as Luna travels her eyes around the shelves, looking for the perfect book for our assignment.
Since she said that this is her favorite bookstore, I rely on her to find the book -- she doesn't even need to ask the store assistant. She strolls around the place like she owns it.
The bookstore isn't that big and crowded because there's another one down the street which is so much bigger -- in analogy, the other one looks like headquarter while this one a branch office.
I think that's why Luna likes it here -- she doesn't like people.
She taps her finger on her chin, looking up at the titles of the biography books on the upper shelf. My mind wanders to what happened on the football field after my tryout ended, how those guys treated her like she's a pain in the ass.
Well, it's not like she's the nicest person ever -- she has turned down my offer to be friends -- but it doesn't mean that they can make fun of her like that.
Lunatic. Such an inappropriate insult for such a beautiful name. Judging from Tyler's angry expression and his friend's warning to keep Luna out of Tyler's sight, maybe they used to be a thing.
I scoff. Like I care.
Still, I somehow feel guilty, because that little incident wouldn't have happened if she hadn't waited for me at the bleacher.
Luna lets out a desperate sigh. "I'm running out of an idea." She shrugs before leaning her back against the shelf, looking at me. "I mean, I've got some, but I'm not sure if you would be interested. It's better to choose a book that you're interested to read."
"What do you have in mind?" I tilt my head as I watch her.
Luna bites her lower lip, and I hate that sight when we're standing close like this in the small corridor between the shelves, because it draws my attention to her lips more.
Fuck.
"I'm thinking of a musician or an artist," she says, and I roll my eyes. "See? You're not interested. Do you have a better idea?"
I smirk. "If I had to choose, I would pick the biography of the best football player in history."
"I knew it." Luna shuts her eyes, throwing her head back against the shelf. When she opens her eyes again, she sighs. "I know nothing about football."
"You don't have to," I say. "We're going to read the journey, not how to play football."
She squints. "But that would be boring."
I scoff. "For you." That makes her lips purse.
But you know what? At least we're having a conversation. That's progress.
"Fine, then. How about a politician?" I ask.
She looks at me in horror. "That's even worse."
I scan the biography books inside the shelf next to me, and one book catches my attention. A smirk curves on my lips as I take it out and show the cover to Luna. "I change my mind. I don't mind writing about a musician if we choose this book."
