Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Abby

I'm standing in my old bedroom, surrounded by the furniture that I used to call my own, when there's a knock on the door. Karl's voice comes through a moment later before I can even get up. "Abby?"

I jump to my feet and start smoothing down my hair for reasons that I can't even begin to comprehend. “Come in.”

The door opens, and Karl steps in. He looks as handsome as ever in his tailored suit, his hair neatly combed to the side. I suddenly feel like a slob in my oversized sweater and jeans with my hair in a messy bun from the three-hour car trip.

"Hey," he breathes.

I swallow. “Hey.

I can see the surprise and warmth in Karl's eyes as he takes in my presence. A few moments pass, and then, unable to contain myself any longer, I rush towards him and throw my arms around him in a tight hug.

“Karl,” I whisper into his neck, taking solace in his warmth. “I missed you.”

Karl wraps his arms around me, holding me close. “I missed you too.”

We stay like that for a moment, simply holding each other, finding comfort in the embrace. It feels like we've both been through so much in such a short amount of time, and seeing Karl again brings a sense of relief over me.

Finally, we pull back slightly, and I look up at him, a mixture of emotions swirling inside of me. “I'm so glad to be here,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

Karl smiles, his gaze never leaving mine. “I'm glad to have you here, where it's safe,” he says. “I hope you'll find some peace and quiet here in the meantime.”

I nod and take a step back. “Thank you, Karl. I really needed this.”

He nods and gestures to the room. “Make yourself at home. If you need anything, just let me know. You can take one of the cars if you want to go anywhere, or I can arrange for someone to drive you."

One of my eyebrows raises. “You think it's a good idea for me to go out here, with everything going on?"

Karl shrugs and sticks his hands into his pockets. “It might get boring hanging around here all day while I'm in meetings,” he explains. “Besides, you know what you're doing. It won't be an issue if you go out.”

For a moment, I'm surprised. I would have expected Karl to be concerned about my current bad reputation rubbing off on him, and that he might want me to hide in the house until everything blows over. But I guess I was wrong.

Then, I feel a slight pang of disappointment; I knew Karl's schedule would be busy, but I had secretly hoped to spend a little more time with him.

“Well, thanks,” I say with a smile, trying to hide my disappointment. “I appreciate it.”

Karl's expression softens, and he reaches out to touch my cheek gently. “I'm sorry I can't spend more time with you, Abby,” he says softly. “It's just... not a good time.”

I nod, still feeling a little sad but buoyed by his words. “It's okay. We're not together, remember? You're not obligated to spend time with me.”

Karl is silent for a moment. His hand falls back to his side, and although his eyes betray nothing, I can't help but wonder if I hurt his feelings. But finally, he nods and sticks his hands back in his pockets.

“Well, I've got another meeting,” he says, taking a step back. He nods his head toward the box on the bed. “Enjoy. Make yourself comfortable... I'm sure you could use it.”

Without another word, Karl turns on his heel and leaves. The door clicks shut behind him, and I'm alone again.