Luna and the Lie

by Mariana Zapata

He wanted his Luna back.

He smiled. He full-out, outright smiled. Dimple and everything.

“You said nobody’s ever given you flowers before,”

This isn’t some boss shit, baby. This doesn’t have shit to do with Cooper’s. This is Luna and Rip. This is me trying to get you to give me a chance. Understand me?”

His smile grew slowly. “No, baby, I’m sure as hell not.”

“I want what I should’ve been taking from you from the moment you started being sugar sweet to me. From the first time you went out of your way to make me feel good... made me feel better than anyone has for the first time in a long fucking time.”

He licked his lips, and I watched every second of it as his hand stayed exactly where it was. On my cheek.

“You calm me. You know that? You do to me what all that jewelry you wear does for you. Just looking at you makes me feel better. And not just fucking better but better. Different. Like you look right through me and my bullshit and you know what’s in there better than I do.”

“Lady at the flower store said orange means admiration.”

“Pink’s happiness… gratitude… appreciation. Those purples are desire… love at first sight… Yellow is affection. Red is love.

I owe you a couple of white ones, but I was going to wait a while more because I know I fucked up.”

“But I’m not going anywhere. Not today....

I thought you were the most beautiful fucking girl I’d ever seen when you walked into that tiny-ass office three ye...

You spoiled me, Luna, and I know I’ve been a real piece of shit a lot. I know you deserve better than somebody like me. I’ve told myself that a thousand times but it hasn’t changed a single thing.

I fucking miss you, and my greedy ass needs you around.”

Sir, your estranged son of twenty years that was in a motorcycle club says he needs me. I love him, but I’m scared he’ll change his mind and won’t care about me someday, or he’ll tell me to leave him alone again.

Gus”—he was referring to Lenny’s grandpa—“called me after he found out what happened and tried to talk me into doing something about it.”

“That he took one look at you and knew.”

Lenny: I didn’t make a chickenshit my best friend.

“You’re right there, baby girl. You don’t need a babysitter.

and he might as well go hit up someone else’s girl because he wasn’t getting mine.”

“Yeah, I did, Luna. You wanna go out to eat? I’ll take you. You wanna go out and get a Sprite? Tell me. You want to watch a fucking movie? I’ll take you to the goddamn movies. If you want to go to beat the shit out of your cousin again, I’ll fucking take you. You want to meet someone to be your best friend and your fucking partner? I’m right fucking here, baby girl.”

“How many times I gotta tell you I just like being around you?”

I’ve got into a lot of fucking fights in my life, and I’m starting to think it was all to get me ready for you,” he threatened.

Or you good with knowing it’ll only be you?”

“You’re too young. You’re too sweet. You’re too good for me. But I’m done standing around trying to suck up all the goodness you make me feel without you even knowing, Luna.

You are my girl. Just you. Nobody else ever has or will be.”

“Do you like me, or is it more than that?” He took a deep breath before responding. “Get out of here with me and I’ll tell you.”

Something that looked like an ice cream cone charm. An ice cream cone charm that I’d had on a necklace. A necklace that I had put on him after the car accident.

I was a goner. I was such a goner that no one was ever going to find me again. Ever.

“Oh, I liked you just fine, baby. I’ve always liked you just fine.”

“I was tough on you, not mean, and that shit ate me up for hours and days after.”

“Baby girl, that’s not it at all.”

I loved this man. I loved him, I loved him, I loved him.

“Show me the goods.”

I think you’re the hottest man on the entire planet, and that’s with me only seeing you fully clothed.”

I loved this man. I had loved this man for a long time,

“I’ve got you from now on.” “For birthday cakes?” I asked, hoping that I didn’t sound as… hopeful as I was sure I did.

I don’t think there’s anything you could do that I wouldn’t be all about, baby girl.”

“You are the goodest, sweetest thing I have ever had in my life, and I don’t want you to go screaming the other way, you understand me?

“Baby girl.”

“You are the sweetest thing I’ve ever had in my life,” I told him.

“I’ve got a piercing too.”

“I know, baby,”

“I’m sorry, baby. Sorry I haven’t been there for you lately, sorry I was such a fucking ass there for a while, but you gotta know I won’t do that again,” Rip told me, sounding so grave. “I couldn’t even if I tried, you know that?”

Cause I love you, Luna. Because I love the shit out of you, girl, and those two weeks when you were acting like you were done with me were some of the worst days of my life.”

“You love me?”

“I love you, girl.”

“I love you too,”

“I know you do, baby.”