𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐞 [COMPLETE]

𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝟓𝟐 { Why Are You Back }

"𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝."
~~~

𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕

Seeing Luna again should've sent a breath of relief down my lungs. But it didn't.

Was I happy that she wasn't half dead in a parking lot somewhere? Yes. Was I angry that she had shown up without saying anything and left? Yes. Did my fucking heart stop when Sage left me in the middle of the lobby after I had just blanked out in front of my ex. Yes.

A thousand times yes.

"Did you know?" I ask, more like shouted, barging through the Victorian double doors of our family's estate. I'm half surprised the keys I used to get in even worked. My father hadn't made an effort to reach out but I knew once the news comes out he'd be the first one at my door.

Kelsey stumbles backwards, confused before slamming the door shut and turning around. The action sends an echo running up and down the silent halls of the first floor.

Her face looks groggy with sleep, like she had just pried her eyes open for the first time today. When I scan her figure from head to toe, she's in the most hideous outfit I've ever laid eyes on. Baggy sweats and a worn graphic tee covers the entirety of her figure. Kelsey never wore sweats. So something tells me she hasn't been back to work since court and it's killing her.

"It's eight in the morning, Zach. What could I possibly know at this time of day?"

"Did you or did you not know she was back?" I repeat myself again. My patience was growing thin.

She sighs, crossing her arms over her chest. I catch a glimpse of remorse in her gaze. "I found out last night just like everyone else in town. Apparently her parents are back in town for the holidays."

A muscle in my jaw twitched and my eyes closed for a second before they reopened. "Back for the holidays? What the fuck is that supposed to mean. They haven't been in Essex in years and suddenly they're back like they took some sort of two week vacation."

"Trust me Zach, the last thing I wanted was for Luna to come back and stir all these feelings you had for her. I hated what she turned you into. It wasn't fair. But I had nothing to do with this." Kelsey takes a minute to share her thoughts out loud and I can tell she means them.

I nod silently, taking a deep breath. "Fine."

"Wait, where did you see her?" Kelsey asks, as if the information was just starting to click.

"She was Victoria's duet partner for a ballet competition."

"So her and Sage..." Her voice trails to a whisper.

I have replayed that encounter in the back of my mind like a broken record ever since it's happened. The look on Sage's face when I told her who she really was. What she meant to me. I never wanted to be the person to put that there.

"Yes, they have." I say quickly trying to move the conversation along.

"What's with that look? Is everything between you two okay?" She looks at me desperately for answers. I find myself wanting to confide in her but it's far too soon for us to act like everything is normal again.

I shake my head, taking a tentative step back. "Kelsey, I can't—talk to you about this, not about her."

For half a second something flashes between her eyes. Guilt. Nodding with understanding, she responds. "I know she hasn't forgiven me but I just want to help in any way that I can and if we don't speak about Sage then that's okay too. I'm just worried about you. We haven't really talked much aft—