The Moonlight Festival
967 Words
CHAPTER 3:
Leanne had officially survived one full week at St. Aurelius Academy.
Which honestly deserved an award.
Or money.
Preferably money.
“Lea.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re staring into space again.”
Leanne blinked as Chris suddenly appeared upside down in front of her face from across the club table.
She nearly screamed.
“WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!”
Chris grinned proudly.
“Talent.”
“No, that’s a medical condition.”
Kai snorted quietly from the nearby bookshelf while cleaning.
Ren kept reading his novel silently, though Leanne noticed the tiny smile on his face.
Carl sighed while pulling Chris back down into his seat before he accidentally fell.
“Sit properly.”
“You sound like a dad.”
“And you act like a toddler.”
“That’s hurtful.”
Leanne laughed softly.
Honestly, she liked this.
The clubroom had become weirdly comforting.
Warm sunlight.
Books everywhere.
Soft music playing quietly.
Kai baking random sweets in the background.
Chris causing emotional damage every five minutes.
It felt peaceful.
Well…
As peaceful as it could be with Christopher Reyes existing.
“Anyway!” Chris announced dramatically while standing on a chair for absolutely no reason. “Tomorrow is the Moonlight Festival!”
Carl immediately looked concerned.
“Get down before you fall.”
“I believe in myself.”
“That’s the problem.”
Chris ignored him and pointed excitedly at everyone.
“We’re all going together.”
Kai crossed his arms.
“There’ll be food stalls.”
“I’m listening.”
“Book booths too,” Chris added while looking at Ren.
Ren slowly lowered his book.
“…Fine.”
Chris looked triumphantly at Leanne.
“And Lea has no choice.”
“I literally wasn’t given a chance to answer.”
“Exactly.”
Leanne rolled her eyes while smiling anyway.
Then suddenly—
The clubroom door opened.
“He found you again.”
A familiar voice echoed through the room.
Leanne looked up and immediately recognized Sabrina Villareal.
Elegant.
Perfectly dressed.
And already glaring at Chris.
Chris groaned dramatically.
“Oh no.”
“You ignored twenty-seven messages,” Sabrina said while crossing her arms.
“Twenty-seven is excessive.”
“You disappeared.”
“I was busy.”
“You posted a picture eating strawberry cake ten minutes ago.”
Silence.
Leanne slowly turned toward Chris.
“…You got caught.”
Chris pointed accusingly.
“Social media is evil.”
Carl rubbed his forehead tiredly.
“You really need to stop forgetting your phone exists.”
“I don’t forget! I simply choose peace.”
Sabrina sighed deeply before walking over and fixing Chris’s crooked tie naturally.
“You skipped lunch again.”
Chris blinked.
“…Oh.”
“You forgot?”
“…Maybe?”
Leanne watched the interaction carefully.
Sabrina acted possessive sometimes, yes.
But she also genuinely worried about him.
And Chris—
Despite clearly disliking the arranged engagement—
Still let her fuss over him comfortably.
Complicated.
Very complicated.
Sabrina finally noticed Leanne staring.
“…What?”
“You worry about him a lot.”
Sabrina froze slightly before looking away.
“He’s hopeless alone.”
Chris gasped dramatically.
“You wound me.”
“You drank iced coffee on an empty stomach yesterday.”
“…We don’t talk about that.”
Kai sighed.
“You almost fainted.”
Leanne blinked.
“You WHAT?”
Chris immediately pointed at Kai.
“Traitor.”
Kai looked unimpressed.
“You’re terrible at taking care of yourself.”
Chris pouted dramatically while Carl handed him a juice box.
“Drink.”
“I’m being bullied.”
“You deserve it,” Ren muttered quietly.
Chris accepted the juice box anyway while mumbling complaints under his breath.
Leanne tried not to smile.
This club was ridiculous.
Then suddenly—
“Christopher Reyes.”
The room immediately quieted.
Leanne turned toward the doorway.
Adrian Cortez stood there calmly in his pristine uniform.
Student Council President.
Tall.
Elegant.
Intimidating.
And somehow even colder-looking today.
Chris blinked.
“Oh. Hi, Adrian.”
“The festival committee needs you.”
Chris looked horrified.
“…Why?”
“You volunteered.”
“When?!”
“You signed the form.”
Chris froze.
Then slowly looked at Carl.
“…Did I accidentally volunteer myself again?”
“Yes,” Carl answered immediately.
“That’s the third time this month,” Kai added.
Ren turned another page calmly.
“You should stop signing papers without reading them.”
Chris sighed dramatically like the victim of a tragic story.
“My kindness is ruining my life.”
Adrian ignored him completely.
Then his gray eyes shifted toward Leanne briefly.
“You’re attending the festival tomorrow too?”
Leanne nodded carefully.
“Probably.”
Before Adrian could answer—
Chris suddenly threw an arm around Leanne’s shoulders dramatically.
“She’s going with us.”
Leanne froze.
Kai froze.
Carl raised an eyebrow.
Ren slowly lowered his book again.
Even Sabrina looked offended.
Chris blinked innocently at everyone.
“…What?”
Leanne could physically feel the warmth of his arm.
Too close.
Way too close.
And Chris smelled unfairly nice.
Why did he smell like vanilla?
This was illegal.
Adrian stared silently at Chris’s arm around her shoulders.
Then at Chris.
Then back at Leanne.
Something unreadable flashed in his eyes.
“…I see.”
Sabrina looked seconds away from committing violence.
Chris remained completely unaware of the tension he created.
As usual.
Then he suddenly looked down at Leanne and grinned teasingly.
“You’re red.”
Leanne immediately shoved his face away.
“Shut up.”
Chris laughed loudly.
And somehow—
Under the warm sunlight of the literature clubroom—
Leanne realized something terrifying.
She was starting to enjoy being around him a little too much.
- Writer
