( Luna POV )
The study corner was as familiar as ever, tucked away behind the columns at the end of the campus grounds at an old picnic table where we'd met before.
Judy and Anna sat bathed in the soft, golden glow of the overhead lights, leaning into each other as they shared a laugh. Anna's short, dark hair framed her face elegantly as she whispered something that made Judy smirk, her fingers idly spinning the pencil in her hand.
As Rachel and I approached, the sound of our footsteps on the tiled floor caught Anna's attention. She looked up, her sharp eyes zeroing in on Rachel immediately. Her grin widened into something almost mischievous.
Without missing a beat, Anna pushed herself off the bench, straightened her plaid skirt, and strode toward us. Her confidence was palpable, and I barely had time to blink before she grabbed Rachel by the arm.
"Come with me," Anna said, her voice low and conspiratorial.
Rachel gave a startled laugh, her gloved hand instinctively reaching up to adjust the intricate mask she wore. "Anna, what—?"
But Anna was already towing her away, muttering something in hushed tones that I couldn't make out. Rachel cast a glance over her shoulder, her blue eyes wide and questioning, but I just shrugged.
"Good luck," I called after her.
With Rachel effectively kidnapped, I slid onto the bench across from Judy. She tilted her head, her short, choppy hair framing her freckled face, and gave me a knowing look.
"What was that about?" she asked, jerking her thumb in the direction Anna had gone.
I shook my head, chuckling. "No idea. But hey, while they're off scheming or whatever, I need to fill you in."
Judy leaned in, resting her chin on her hand, curiosity lighting up her green eyes. "Oh? Do tell."
I recounted everything—lunch with Rachel, the confrontation with Luka, and, of course, being tricked into drinking spicy soup as punishment for sleeping with Rachel's cousin, Judy was practically in tears from laughing so hard.
"You're kidding me!" she wheezed, clutching her stomach. "That's brilliant. Rachel's a genius. I might have to try that on the next guy who annoys me at work."
As if summoned by the mention of her name, Rachel returned with Anna in tow. Rachel's cheeks were flushed, visible even behind her mask, and she looked flustered as she sat back down.
Judy grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up. "Hey, Rachel, nice move with the soup. I'm taking notes."
Rachel waved her hands in protest, her voice muffled slightly by the mask. "Oh no, please don't. You could get in trouble at work if you try something like that!"
Judy waved her off dismissively. "Trouble? What's the worst they could do? Fire me? I'd call it worth it." She turned to me, her expression growing more serious. "But seriously, Luna, you're better off forgetting that guy. I mean, come on, he's not even an option when you're already betrothed to Rachel."
Rachel stiffened slightly at that, her gloved hands folding neatly in her lap. "We've already agreed to an open relationship," she said calmly. "I just want Luna to be honest about his activities. If I have to find out through someone else, it could cause problems for both of us."
Anna, ever the provocateur, smirked slyly. "Is that so?" she asked, leaning on the table. "So, Rachel, tell me—are you only okay with this because Luna's into your cousin? How would you feel if I set him up with one of my cousins?"
Rachel froze for a moment, and the blush on her cheeks deepened until even the delicate lace of her mask couldn't hide it. "Luna," she said firmly, her voice just a little too high-pitched, "is only allowed to have affairs within the family."
Anna burst out laughing, throwing her head back. "Oh, how convenient for you," she teased. "Only the Lukhorns, huh? So much for an open relationship. Sounds pretty exclusive to me."
Rachel didn't respond immediately, though the tension in her posture spoke volumes. I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to think of something to say to smooth things over.
Judy leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms, giving Rachel a skeptical look. "So, tell me, Rachel. Do the Lovewins even have a big family? Because if Luna's only allowed to date within it, that's, like, what—three people?"
Rachel stiffened slightly, her fingers fiddling with the lace trim of her mask. She looked away, her voice soft and evasive. "No…yes….sort of yeah," she admitted.
Judy clicked her tongue and shook her head, leaning forward. "Wow. That's harsh. Poor Luna. You call this an open relationship, but if the dating pool's that tiny, it's not much of one, is it?" She glanced at Anna for backup.
Anna didn't miss a beat, smirking as she nodded. "Exactly. It's less of an open relationship and more like... a very exclusive arrangement with your cousin."
Rachel's hands tightened in her lap, but before she could defend herself, I blurted out the words that had been simmering in the back of my mind. "I mean, it's fine," I said quickly, my voice carrying a nervous edge. "Ryan's kind of dreamy, honestly. He's... well, he's really hot. And if I'm gonna be exclusive to anyone, I think I'm okay with it being Ryan Lovewin."
The table fell into stunned silence for a moment, then erupted in laughter.
Judy doubled over, clutching her stomach as she let out a string of wheezing giggles. Anna was slapping the table, her grin so wide it practically split her face. Even Rachel, despite her usually composed demeanor, let out a soft, muffled laugh behind her mask.
I immediately regretted everything. My face burned hotter than the spicy soup Rachel had tricked me into eating, and I groaned, burying my head in my hands. "Why did I say that out loud?" I muttered, my voice muffled against the table.
Anna leaned over, still laughing, and gave my shoulder a teasing shove. "Dreamy, huh? Wow, Luna, that's a new one. You've got it bad."
"Leave me alone," I groaned, sinking lower into the table as if it could somehow swallow me whole.
Anna's grin didn't fade, but she raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that so far, the only thing you and Ryan have done is fight, right? Not exactly what I'd call a romance for the ages."
I groaned even louder, my voice a pitiful whine as I pressed my forehead into the cool wood of the table.
"Alright, alright," Judy said, patting me on the back with exaggerated sympathy. "Spare the poor guy, you two. He's been tortured enough by the love of his life. Let's not make it worse."
I peeked out from behind my arms, shooting her a grateful look. She winked at me before shoving a stack of papers toward the center of the table.
"Okay, let's get to it," she announced, her tone all business now. "We've got research to do, people. Chop chop."
Anna and Rachel followed suit, pulling out their own documents and notes. I finally sat up, still feeling the lingering heat of embarrassment on my face as I opened my bag and started gathering my materials.
As I rifled through my notes, I noticed Rachel's gaze lingering on me. At first, I thought she was going to say something, but when I glanced her way, she quickly turned her head, pretending to adjust her mask.
But I could feel her watching me. Her blue eyes peered over the delicate lace and pearls of her mask, studying me with an intensity I couldn't quite place. It wasn't the usual exasperation or even teasing amusement I sometimes caught from her. No, this was something different.
I fidgeted under her stare, my hands shuffling my notes more than necessary. "Everything okay, Rachel?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.
She blinked, startled, and quickly looked away, her cheeks faintly pink beneath her mask. "Yes," she said hastily, her voice soft and composed again. "Just... making sure you're ready."
"Uh, yeah. I'm ready," I said, though her odd behavior left me feeling a little off-kilter.
She gave a quick nod and turned her attention back to her papers, her mask hiding any further hint of what might be going on in her head.