Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

Abby

The stage lights feel even more blinding now from the tears in my eyes. A

makeup artist darts around, dabbing my face with powder to cover the streaks

from crying. In more ways than one, I’m glad this hell is almost over; right now,

I’m just looking forward to getting this damn makeup off.

Finally, the director counts down from three, and it feels as though we’ve done

this a million times before. The crowd cheers, the music plays, the announcer

struts across the stage. And me? I’m standing here like a statue, my smile just

as fake as my manicured eyelashes.

Enter title…

Daniel stands next to me, shoulder to shoulder, and I can feel the hatred

emanating off of him. He stands tall and proud, the perfect picture of arrogance.

He doesn’t say a word to me, because he doesn’t need to. He already said

everything he needed to say earlier. He got his digs in, made his sharp words

stab me to my core. There’s no point now.

I can sense the satisfaction coursing through his veins as he stands beside me,

the realization that he won—not just in the competition, but in life—washing over

both of us. In just a few minutes, he’ll get exactly what he wants. Not only a

trophy, but to beat a woman down to nothing.

The announcer turns to Daniel first, his voice echoing across the studio. “Daniel,

you’ve shown immense skill throughout this competition. As we come to a close,

how are you feeling about your performance?”

Daniel’s lips twist into a smile that doesn’t even come close to reaching his

eyes.

beat. “The true winner

lovable personality…” he

will be a skilled

and the gleam in his eye

into my cheeks as the crowd applauds. The

me, his eyes meeting mine. “Abby,

this competition. Tell us, what has this experience meant to

to the audience, to the sea of faces that

are fewer signs with my name now thanks to my failures,

a hole in

in the third row with her chef’s

are just as wide and bright as ever, and she still holds up

sign in her tiny hand, a grin spread across

my throat, but I

here, even

I’m here for her.

voice

journey. As a female chef in this incredible, challenging

happy to have been here. To show that

I can stand toe to toe with the

air tasting thick. “And

That

making sure our skills—and our voices—are not

also respected.”

ripple through the crowd, a murmur of acknowledgment,

maybe it’s just the sound of anticipation as everyone waits

results.

then

is…” His eyes flick to the judges as he

out of his

lock

blink. Instead, his head

seems to tilt

my champion, now looks on with

the briefest of moments before

toward me

a trick

at Daniel,

little girl in

strength from her innocence,

hangs for what feels like an eternity

as though drawing it out for dramatic effect. And then,