The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0622

The butler showed me to Susie's room, and then quickly excused himself outside of her door. When he was gone, I knocked.

"Go away!" Susie called in a watery voice. She was crying.

I knocked more insistently as I pushed open the door.

*I said -* she started, cutting herself off she say me. "Piper?"

"Hi, Susie," I said.

"Oh, Piper!" She was sitting at her desk, the tears running down her cheeks. As I entered the room, closing the door behind me, she jumped from the chair and ran to me.

We shared a hug. Relief flooded through me.

I stepped back after a moment, to look her over. She didn't seem too worse for wear. Other than the crying, she didn't show any signs of abuse or neglect.

"What are you doing here?" Susie sniffed. "I'm sure word has gotten around by now."

*Rumors don't matter. Come back to palace."

*If you've heard the rumors, you know why I can't."

"Everyone will forget, the moment you appear. They'll all just think it's gossip and it won't matter," I say. "Since Jessica is the only other contender for Joyce, you wouldn't even have to face elimination."

*Piper," she sounded so sad. "I can't come. It's just not rumors. My parents... They know the truth about me."

*How could they?" I asked. She wasn't showing yet. Sure they might suspect, but to have real proof?

"I told them," Susie said.

I startled, speechless.

"I didn't want to lie anymore about any of it," Susie said. "I don't want to have to pretend to have feelings for Joyce, when the only one I really want is Mark."

near doubled, and I regretted holding it

the sitting room

your parents wouldn't have let him inside, he would have scaled

a little at

did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open

"True."

who I was..." I

blushed a little. "I talk about

was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends. She was so sweet and kind, she deserved

ring from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held

at

overdue," I told her. "He wants

it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a precious,

of her features. Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I asked

never go for it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole

told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it get away. You have to follow your

She continued looking at the ring for another minute or

see

both headed for the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the

the way, Susie slid the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she smiled too, though hers was

father was saying. He cut himself off when Susie and I returned to

*Susie..." her mom said.

and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd already

word overflowing

to Susie's

Mark said, dropping into a deep bow. "Please

parents both

love with your daughter," Mark said. "I

her condition!"

was quicker. She touched her husband's arm. "He

I would

man," Nicholas said. "He is my