The Luna Choosing Game

Seeing it hurt me in ways I couldn’t have imagined before.

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He’d kissed me in the hallway. He’d almost kissed me in self–defense practice.

I hadn’t considered he would be kissing other people too.

“Piper…” he said again, softer.

I couldn’t even bear to look at him. I turned my shoulder to him and dropped my gaze to the floor.”

Please go clean up. Then we can talk.”

He was rarely uncertain, but he shifted awkwardly on his feet now. “Very well. I’ll be right back.” He

turned toward the door, and I did not look up again until he had walked through it.

Both Mark and Charlotte were looking at me. I felt judged.

Charlotte glanced away but Mark didn’t. He didn’t say anything, didn’t even hold an expression, but I

his disapproval radiating off of him in

in my heart, I understood it.

been doing it with, he had dropped all of

and make sure I was okay. In order

best of a bad situation. I knew, maybe better than anyone, the amount of pressure he was under to find a Luna suitable for the

been unkind to him.

I borrow your handkerchief?” I asked

pocket and then produced a soft blue folded bit of fabric.

moment,” I said, and rushed out the door.

was only a few steps down the hallway, aggressively

it

said as I approached behind him.

and quickly turned. His

up with the handkerchief and wiped away the

lips and chin

very still

hand. “I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s not my place to keep you from the other girls. But when I thought of you with them…. I’m

are jealous,” Nicholas said. His voice was monotone. His face, impassive. He gave

out of sheer embarrassment, but

unfair to want to keep you for myself, when