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

a lovable personality…” he

will be a

and the gleam in his eye is sharp, almost

into my cheeks as the crowd applauds. The

meeting mine.

what has this experience

the audience, to the sea of faces that seem

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

a hole

there she is—the little girl in the third row with

eyes are just as wide and bright as ever,

her tiny hand, a grin

feel the lump in my throat, but

even if I don’t

I’m here for her.

I start, my voice

chef in this

To show that we—” I

toe to toe with the

breath, the air tasting thick. “And maybe, just maybe,”

here will inspire others. That future female

our

also respected.”

the crowd, a murmur of

the sound of anticipation as everyone

results.

then

to

of

eyes lock onto mine, his expression an

doesn’t even blink. Instead, his head

and my world seems to tilt for what feels like the

looks on with a

the briefest of moments before

head inclining toward me in

trick

are trembling. I can’t look at Daniel, can’t afford to see the

find the little girl

her innocence,

the winner is…” The pause hangs for what feels like an

out for dramatic