I scoot to the edge of the bed. “Like what?”
She waggles her brows at me. “Like why Grey Sawyer keeps giving you sexy-boy eyes.”
“He’s not giving me sexy-boy eyes,” I assure her. “He’s just looking at me like he does everyone else.”
She rolls her eyes dramatically. “See? There you go, being naïve.”
“I’m not being naïve,” I argue. “I’m just being realistic.”
“How is that being realistic?”
“Because Grey Sawyer would never, ever give me sexy-boy eyes . . . He just wants my help with something.”
“Help with what?” she asks, watching my reaction closely.
I give a half shrug. “Getting his grades up and stuff.” See? Not a total lie.
“I thought you already helped him with that?” Her suspicion deepens.
I pick at my fingernails as guilt swells in my chest. “Yeah, I kind of stood him up.”
“Wow, I didn’t know you had it in you to be so mean.” She prods me in the side with her finger. “I’m kidding. If anything, he probably deserved it for treating you like shit.”
“He’s really not that bad of a guy,” I tell her. “And just because he was mean to me once, it doesn’t mean I need to stand him up when he needs help.”
“Do you still like him?” She observes my reaction even more closely.
“What? No way.” I pretend to be appalled.
She grins like the Cheshire Cat. “You so do. Oh, my God, how did I not see this?”
“Because there’s nothing to see,” I say indignantly. “I don’t have a crush on Grey Sawyer.”
“Okay.” Sarcasm drips her in voice. “You know, if you did, I’d be okay with it.”
“I thought you hated him, though?”
“I do, but if he’s nice to you and you like him, then as your best friend, I kind of have to like him, too. Besides, I feel kind of bad for him after what Piper did to him.”
“Yeah, I heard that rumor, too. I doubt it’s true, though.”
She pfts. “Of course it’s not true. Piper’s just a bitch.”
I trace circles on the bedspread. “Do you really think she broke up with him? Or do you think she’s making that up, too?”
“Who knows? But I wouldn’t put it past her to make that up.” She scrapes at the purple polish on her nails. “You could always just ask him, though, if it matters.”
“I don’t think it matters.” At least, I don’t want it to, but it kind of does.
“I can see why it matters to you. I mean, you like him, and if he broke up with her, then that makes him more of a good guy.”
“Why would that make him a good guy?”
“Because Piper’s an evil bitch, and staying with an evil bitch and pretending their bitchiness is okay when it’s not kind of makes you a bitch, too. So, for his sake of ever getting a chance to date you, I hope he’s the one who dumped the Wicked Bitch of Ridgefield High.”
“Grey doesn’t want to date me,” I stress. She continues to give me that know-it-all look, and I sigh exhaustedly. “Can we drop this and figure out what we’re going to do with my hair please?”
“Hmmm . . .” She thrums her finger against her lips then gathers my hair into a loose bun on the back of my head. “You wouldn’t look that bad with short hair.”
I take another look at my reflection in the mirror again and shudder. “I look awful. And besides, my hair is the only thing I have left that’s mine.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She releases my hair and sits back with a look of determination on her face. “We’ll figure something out, but only if you promise me one thing.”
“Okay . . . ?” My tone conveys my reluctance. Sometimes, making promises to Wynter means making promises to get into trouble.
“That tomorrow night after the game, you’ll sneak out and come to Beck’s party,” she says with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
My mood nosedives even more. “I can’t. I’m already on thin ice as it is.”
“You have to. Ari even fixed that tracking app thing and got you a new phone, so that won’t be a problem.” She clasps her hands in front of her. “Please, Luna. Beck’s older brother is going to be there, and I need you there as my wingman.”
“You know Beck’s going to flip if he sees you flirting with his brother,” I stress. “And then you two will end up fighting.”
“I can handle Beck and his temper tantrums,” she replies with an eye roll. “And you know I’ve had a crush on Theo for years. He’s not like the other fleeting crushes I’ve had. This one’s stuck.”
“You’ve had a lot of crushes on a lot of guys over the years. Why don’t you just focus on other ones who aren’t one of our best friends’ brothers?” I suggest with naïve hopefulness. Deep down, I know she won’t do it. When Wynter sets her eyes on a guy, she never backs down until she gets him.
“I made a promise to myself a long time ago that, the moment Theo came home from college, I’d do my thing.” She shimmies her hips. “And I fully intend on going through with that promise.”
I sigh. “Fine. Get your thing on, but when you and Beck get in a fight, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“So, does that mean you’ll come to the party?” She taps her feet against the floor, bursting with eagerness. “Pretty please, say yes.”
I should tell her no. Not take the risk. But then I look at my hair, my beautiful hair that might be gone next week.
“They have this overnight, camp church thing they’re doing this weekend, so my grandma is coming to babysit me. She’s a pretty heavy sleeper, so maybe I can sneak out if she falls asleep early enough.”
She squeals way too loudly, and my eyes pop wide as I hear the sound of footsteps heading down the hallway.
“Crap. Someone’s coming.” I leap for my bed and push open the window.
“See you tomorrow.” She kisses me on the cheek then hops out onto the tree branch. “And we’ll fix this problem with your hair. I promise.”
Someone bangs on the door right as I slide the window shut.
“Luna, open the door this instant,” my dad demands with another hard knock on the door.
I rush across the room, take a few calculated breaths to calm down, and then unlock the door and pull it open. “What’s wrong?”
His gaze darts over my shoulder. “Is someone else in here with you?”
I shake my head and step back as he pushes into my room. He checks in the closet, looks out the window, and then bends down to look under the bed. As he’s standing up, he catches sight of something sticking out from under my mattress and pulls it out.
“Why do you have a photo of Aunt Ashlynn under your mattress?” he yells, causing me to cower back.
“Um . . . I don’t know.” What am I supposed to say? I have it because she’s my idol. Yeah, that’d go over well.
His face reddens as he strides toward me and grabs my wrist. “Do you have any idea how much this would hurt your mother!”
I back up against the wall. “I’m s-sorry.”
“Oh, you’re sorry.” He leans in my face, his fingers digging into my skin. “News flash, Luna, sorry doesn’t mean anything. Apologies are worthless. What you do, the choices you make can’t be erased.”
An exhale trembles from my lips. “I know, but people can forgive people for the things that they do . . . And sometimes they can change.”
“You’ll never change. You’re just like her. I can see it in your eyes.” He lets go of me and rips the photo into pieces. “I’m not going to tell your mother about this, but only because I want to spare her the pain and embarrassment.”
I rub my wrist where he grabbed me. “Okay.” What I don’t get, though, is why having the photo would cause my mother pain. Or why he’s so upset. I don’t understand most of the things they do.
“And I’m not doing this for you. I’m doing it for your mother because I care about her, which you clearly don’t. You’ve always been so selfish. Your mother hasn’t always been able to see it, but I have. I’ve told her time and time again that it’s time to just accept that and to let you go, but she wants to hold on to the hope that one day you’ll change. You won’t, though.” He storms out of the room. “Get to bed.” He slams the door behind him.