“Walk, Luna,” my mother urged from behind me. I groaned and turned, pleading with my eyes. She simply glared and nudged me forward. Everyone here was polished, privileged, and utterly irritating. I hated it.
“I don’t want to be here, Mom,” I mumbled, loud enough to be heard. She chuckled softly, shaking her head in disbelief.
“I know, darling,” she whispered behind me. “Just ten minutes, I promise.”
“Ten minutes is an eternity,” I said, forcing a smile as someone returned my greeting.
“Luna, you’re twenty-two, not two. Behave accordingly,” my mother playfully scolded, then walked away, leaving me adrift in the crowded hall. I felt anything but at ease. She’d insisted on attending this ball hosted by one of her friends. I groaned and slowly moved through the crowd, smiling at the faces passing by.
Oh no.
“Isn’t that Luna Jenkins?” someone called out, disbelief lacing their voice. And there she was: Stella.
“Hey Stella!” I pasted on a saccharine smile, offering kisses to both cheeks before stepping back. I observed her with a critical eye. Stella’s blonde hair was pinned in a severe bun, a diamond necklace glittering at her throat. She wore a gown that shimmered like liquid moonlight. She was stunning, in a way that felt… curated.
“Haven’t seen you in ages,” she said. I returned a practiced smile. The last time I’d seen her was three months ago, when Mom had invited her to dinner.
“I’ve been busy with college,” I offered, watching her eyes widen in understanding.
“Oh yes. Your mother mentioned you were doing a bachelor’s –” she stopped, struggling to recall the details Mom had shared.
“Social work. I’m doing a bachelor’s in social work,” I supplied, watching as she nodded. “Well, Stella, I’ll see you around. I need to find Mom in the main room.” It was a perfect lie. She nodded politely, and I turned, walking in the opposite direction. Frustration welled up inside me, a silent scream against the suffocating formality of it all. I hated these long, elaborate dresses. Walking in heels felt like a punishment. Spotting a balcony, I hurried towards it, hoping for respite. I sighed with relief as I reached it. Sliding the door open, I stepped out into the cool evening air. A smile stretched across my face as the breeze touched my skin. I walked to the railing, placing my hands on the cold stone. The mansion overlooked a dense forest. The woody, earthy scent was intoxicating. I wanted to walk amongst the trees, to feel the ground under my feet. Starting to make my way to the side stairs of the balcony, I groaned when I realized how difficult it was to walk while wearing a long dress and high heels.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered. I clenched my jaw, then decided to take off my heels. I wasn’t going back inside. I’d wait for Mom here. After this, I was going straight to the car. In all my twenty-two years, heels had always been my enemy. I kicked them off and placed them in the corner of the balcony. I untied my hair from the tight bun, letting the long, black strands cascade down my back. A smile stretched across my face as I started walking down the stairs. Little did I notice that I accidentally stepped on my dress, causing me to trip.
I was going to tumble down the stairs.
Before I could feel the impact, hands wrapped around my waist, steadying me. My eyes were closed. Why did we always close our eyes during moments like these? It was a stupid reflex. As if closing my eyes would somehow lessen the pain.
“Still breathing?” a deep, velvety voice asked. I opened my eyes slowly. Why did he sound so sexy? My eyes widened at the sight of him. No man had the right to look like that.
“God?” I breathed, the word escaping before I could stop it. He raised a perfect eyebrow in confusion. His face was flawless. His beard was perfectly trimmed. His green eyes were hypnotic. As his body pressed against mine, I felt the solid strength of his muscles. He helped me stand, then released me abruptly. His eyes trailed down, then to the floor. I followed his gaze to see a cigarette crushed beneath his heel. “I’m sorry?” I questioned. Was I supposed to apologize for the wasted cigarette? For ruining his health? “Thank you,” I said, deciding to look at him again. He was already staring at me. He was wearing a black suit, tailored to perfection. His hair was immaculate. I wondered what he’d look like with messy hair and jeans. Noticing he wasn’s going to say anything else, I stared at the stairs. "I’m going to go," I simply said and walked down the stairs carefully. When I was on the grass, I gently lifted my dress so that it wouldn’t be ruined and walked bare feet on the grass. I turned my head slightly to look at the man, who seemed to be observing me. He was still on the stairs, his eyes on me. He was model worthy. He did seem to the snobby type of man. I quickly turned around to face the woods. That man could take the breath away just by his looks.
“Luna!” My mother’s voice cut through the quiet. I turned to see her standing on the balcony, shaking her head with a disapproving sigh.