Luna Awakening

It wasn't my fault

Aria’s POV

My eyes slowly flicker open, my vision is a blur of light at first glance.

"Where am I?" I ask as my vision slowly return back. My body feels weak, but I still try to sit up and someone pulls me into their embrace while rubbing my back soothingly.

"Aria, you're alright. Okay, I'm right here." Just then I detect Lucien's voice while his hands wrap around me. My head rests against his broad chest, with my hands holding onto my temple, trying to soothe the splitting sensation I feel inside.

A nauseous feeling weighs down on me and I feel unrest in my stomach making me sick. Lucien puts me back to rest, my body sinks back into the bed. My hands still hold my head in place.

In no time, I feel a glass of water pressed into my palm.

"Here, take this. It will help." I sit upright on the bed, take a sip and hand it over. Everything suddenly starts coming back, and it hits me all at once.

"Lucien…" I mutter, but he presses a finger to my lips.

"Don't speak, you're still weak from all that drinking. You know?"

I chuckle, pushing his finger away. "You really think so."

"No, I don't think so, I know so." He moves to my face with a damp cloth in hand and begins mopping. "Come to think of it, what made you drink so much tonight?" I watch as his hands move across my face, he's fully focused.

I trace every curve and every structure of his well-defined facial appearance with my eyes. His jawline, how it tenses when his attention is focused on me.

I just can't get enough of him, his details I'd catalog and register in my mind. Those hazel eyes of his that always leave a lasting impression on me, when they narrow in on mine.

I'm lost in thought, but I see his mouth move. He must be trying to mumble words to my hearing.

He calls out to me. "Aria…" And I snap back to reality.

"Jeez, have you suddenly gone deaf?"

"What?" I close my eyes, trying to remember the last statement he made. "I'm so sorry, what were you saying again?"

He shakes his head in disappointment and resumes mopping off the trickle of sweat still clinging to my arm.

"I was asking a question. What made you drink so much today? It's very much unlike you to drink. Remember, in your own words, alcohol is bad for you," he says, with a scrutinizing look plastered across his face. One that screams, you say it was bad, but look who is doing it now.

I let out a soft huff, "Oh come on, Lucien, you and I know I never said that."

"Yes, maybe, but you did say something close to that. You can't deny that." This time it isn't about scrutiny, he's mocking me to my face and I can't do anything about it. I sink back into the bed.

"Maybe I did, but you can't just blame me for what happened today. It wasn't my fault. I promise." I lie. And he doesn't even have the slightest idea; I have a meltdown all because of him.

I also feel a need to ask about his car gift to Mara, but I let it slide. I can't bear hearing him go back and forth on how she is so dear to him and how she deserves nothing less. Call me jealous if you may, but I'm not sticking around for that.

I glance around the room and ask the question that comes to my mind. "What about Mum and Dad? And how long have you been here?"

Lucien returns his gaze to me, gently patting my head, helping lure me back to sleep.

"I told them not to worry, I was going to look after you tonight. And for the second question, you seriously don't want to know how long I have been here. Do you?" he tilts his head.

"Awnn. That's so sweet of you," I tease, causing him to let out a chuckle.

"Lucien." His eyes narrow in on me. "Tell me the truth, I made a fool of myself today." I watch anxiously, as he confirms my suspicion.

"Not really," he says, sounding unsure, and I immediately feel a sigh of relief just before he adds, "But you crashed Mara's party."

I'm not shocked at this moment, not that I crashed Mara’s party by accident, but that somehow all Lucien's conversations always lead to her. He always manages to squeeze her in one way or another. He really cares more about her party than if all those glasses of champagne came crashing down on my face.

"And you know what?" He says and I glare in his direction. "What?"

"She's really mad at you." I scoff at how unbelievable that sounds. I have more to worry about and all she cares about is her party. This really shows she's a b***h, nothing more.

"Like she should be." Lucien flashes me a stare, the kind that screams disappointment. "Lucien, I almost died out there, talk about bumping into champagne towers. I had more to lose than she did." I let out in a heartbeat, not holding back words.

"Aria, I know you almost got hurt; I was terrified. But… Mara worked so hard on that party. You could at least show a little sympathy." Now he is becoming more unbelievable, taking Mara’s side again.

I chuckle. "Sympathy. You really think Mara had any sympathy for me? Talk about sympathy, way to go, brother. Mara didn't feel a thing when I crashed into that tower and worse....."

He cuts in angrily. "That's enough, Aria. Drop it. You clearly don't get it, do you?" I can't believe he just said that. He withdraws from patting my head. "Get some rest," he says, dismissing my complaints as though they are nothing to him.

He moves towards the door, his fingers reaching for the light switch. "Good night, Aria," he says, before turning off the light. I really don't know when he will finally see the bad in Mara, for real.

He exits the room and I can only close my eyes, trying to process the last moment of our conversation. He seriously can't be worried about me talking down on Mara, because it's about time.

She does this to me, and he doesn't even flinch. The thought of him dismissing our conversation settles in.

"Ugh." I let out in frustration while burying my head into a pillow.

He's just impossible and this is a fact undeniable. But as I cast my mind back, I can't help but feel like I did too much. I could have gone easier on him, I think. It's crazy how my feelings always get in the way, even if he is wrong. Gosh, love makes you think and do sickening things at times. I replay our conversation in my last minute before drifting into sleep.

In the Morning,

I open my eyes to rays of sunlight streaming through my window. I feel better, more relieved, unlike yesterday, which was much worse. I peel myself out of bed. I have training with Lucien early today. I always train with him any day I am free and that implies today. I recall our verbal altercation, but I wave it off.

Remembering my promise to Raymond to watch him practice with his team later today, I really don't know how it is going to turn out, but I am going regardless.

And to crown it up, today is the eve before my eighteenth birthday. I can't believe that by tomorrow, I am turning eighteen. A wave of excitement suddenly floods me from inside, making me forget my worries for a second. I throw in a little dance and just then I hear muffled voices with footsteps approaching.