Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Okay. I’ll do whatever, Katie. I’m actually glad you offered to let me see the footage, because I would’ve asked anyway.”
A knock sounded at my door.
“I don’t know when I can come, but I’ll try to do it this week. I have to go,” I said as my stepfather pushed inside. Mom trailed his heels.
Took them longer than I thought.
“Luna, we need to talk.”
“What about?”
“We—”
“I’ve already spoken to the dean,” Mom said, cutting off Jack. She perched on the edge of my bed and tugged him down with her. “He claimed you have to finish the semester before there can be talk of transfer, but I made it clear you’re leaving that place and that’s the end of it. You’ll apply as a new, first-year student at another school.”
“But this time I’ll have a string of incompletes on my record because I dropped out in the middle of my semester.” I goggled at her. “Mom, I’d be lucky if I get into a crappy community college, because none of the semi-decent ones would even look at me.”
“We’ll explain your circumstances.” Jack squeezed Mom’s shoulder. “Regalia U isn’t safe, and that can’t be denied after last night.”
“I wasn’t attacked on campus.” Right then, I was very glad they didn’t know about the time I was. “I was attacked at Katie’s house. They can look these things up. They’ll know it’s just an excuse.”
Mom lifted her chin. “So? Then they can look everything up, Luna, and see there’s no denying our family has experienced nothing but tragedy in this town. Friday was your last day. Period.” She leaned forward, gently rubbing my ankle. “I know you’re worried about school. You worked so hard to turn things around in France, and that hard work paid off by getting you into one of the most prestigious universities in the country.
“Other schools will see that, baby. They’ll know you’re smart, determined, and responsible. I promise a crappy community college isn’t your only option.”
“I can swear to it.” Jack stood, moving behind Mom. He rubbed her shoulders—the supportive, loving husband that backed her wishes one hundred percent. I recognized a man’s attempt to save himself a move into the guest room. “Any colleges that have trouble recognizing their luck in having you as a student, will reconsider after receiving a hefty donation.”
I was glad we could be straightforward and honest about privilege and bribery now.
“What about Victor? And the wedding?”
Mom’s face tightened. “We’ve already discussed that. You’re much too young to get married, and I’ll gamble that Victor feels the same. Arranged, strategic marriages may be the norm around here where a son or daughter is another asset at the negotiation table, but that’s not what my children are.” Mom shook Jack off. He was definitely headed to the guest room.
“I recognize this as my fault for not paying attention to you, and seeing that you needed me. But it’s not the Wilsons who are going to protect you, it’s us. And it’s n-not—” She inhaled a shuddering breath. “It’s not your job to get justice for Winter. It’s mine. No one will get away with the part they played in her death, but first, I have to protect the only child I have left.”
I broke her gaze, then stopped myself. If I was doing this, I owed my mom and stepdad the respect of looking them in the eye. “Does anyone want to ask what I want?”
They frowned, sharing a look. “What do you mean?” Jack asked.
“I mean, that you came in here and told me my engagement was over, you’re pulling me out of school, and I’m leaving behind my friends. Nowhere in there did anyone say, ‘what do you want, Luna?’”
“Because I know what you want,” Mom said, frown deepening. “You’re my daughter. I carried you for nine months and raised you for eighteen years. You do not want to be a trophy wife and mother before you’re twenty. You do not want to attend school alongside your sister’s killers, and you don’t want to steer the entire course of your future from the day it went horribly off-track.”
I nodded. “Yes. If this all came out weeks ago, that would’ve been true. Victor and I were always sniping at each other. I was struggling in class. I had one sorta friend. And everywhere I looked, I saw the monsters that stood by and did nothing while Winter suffered. But it’s different now,” I cried.
“I like my classes and my p-professors.” Visions of Adonis danced through my head, and brought traces of guilt with it. “Victor stopped being a smirky playboy for two minutes, and I got to see another side of him. My sorta friend stood up for me when no one else would. Also... I found out Winter wasn’t alone.”
Mom’s lips curved down, eyes filling.