Chapter 20

Later that day, as Luna was heading toward the courtyard, in hopes for a moment of peace, she spotted Leonardo speaking with Lila. The new girl seemed quite smitten, her eyes wide with admiration as she hung on Leonardo's every word. Leonardo, ever the charmer, gave her his signature smile.

Luna's annoyance flared up again. What is with this girl and the Solace brothers? she thought, her frustration mounting. First, Lila was getting close to Luca, and now she was cozying up to Leonardo.

She watched them for a moment, trying to keep her emotions in check. The way Lila looked at Leonardo, with such open adoration, made Luna's stomach churn. Leonardo didn't seem to notice, or maybe he did and just didn't care. Either way, it grated on Luna's nerves.

As she stood there, observing the scene, Leonardo glanced in her direction. His smile faltered slightly when he saw her, but he quickly recovered, giving her a nod of acknowledgment. Luna returned the nod curtly and turned away, not wanting to watch any longer.

She walked briskly to her next class, her mind racing. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. Focus, Luna. You have more important things to worry about than who Leonardo talks to. 

'He is your soon-to-be husband, how dare he roam around with other girls,' her conscience countered.

The more Luna thought about it, no one seemed to know she had a relationship with either boy, and she was happy without the drama the students brought.

It hurt quite a bit because even though their relationship was not one she had wanted, Luna did not want a relationship that was kept secret. 

Private, yes. But a secret, never.

Luna tried to push her frustration aside as she entered her next class. She couldn't afford to let her emotions distract her, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Leonardo and Lila. The uncertainty gnawed at her, making it hard to concentrate.

After class, Luna found herself wandering the halls aimlessly, before deciding to go to her dorm room. As Luna entered her dorm, she was surprised to see Sophie, her best friend sitting on her couch, flipping through a magazine. Sophie looked up and beamed, her bubbly demeanor immediately lifting Luna's spirits.

Sophie had been out traveling with her parents for a whole month and did not know of anything that had occurred because Luna decided to not bother Sophie with her issues. 

"Luna!" Sophie exclaimed, jumping up to give her friend a tight hug. "I've missed you so much! What's been going on with you?"

Luna hugged her back, feeling a rush of relief at seeing Sophie. "Sophie, it's been... hectic," Luna admitted, sitting down beside her friend. "You wouldn't believe what's been happening since you left."

Sophie's eyes widened with curiosity. "Tell me everything!" she urged, leaning forward eagerly.