THE UNIQUE LUNA

I was in the middle of reading an online werewolf novel when someone suddenly tugged on my sleeve. Annoyed, I looked up—and there they were. My two best friends, Nina Wales and Bella Scott, locked in yet another silent argument. Nina had a wide, mischievous grin on her face, while Bella was glaring at her like she was about to explode. I sighed. Nothing new. By just looking at them, anyone could tell how different they were. Nina was carefree and loud, always going with the flow, while Bella was serious and cautious, the type who thought before she acted. Honestly, the only reason they were even friends… was me. “What is it this time?” I asked, lowering my phone. “Are you two fighting again? I was almost done with my book.” “Ugh, those werewolf novels again,” they said in unison, both making disgusted faces. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. “So what’s going on?” Before Bella could stop her, Nina suddenly squealed. “Don’t say it, Nina!” Bella warned sharply. “Oh, come on! She deserves to know!” Nina argued, bouncing in excitement. “As her friend, she has the right to hear the good news!” Good news? “Good news?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Then why does Bella look like she’s attending a funeral?” “Because she’s grumpy,” Nina said casually. “She’s jealous you might finally get a boyfriend.” I blinked. “…What?” Nina leaned closer to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We heard something,” she whispered dramatically. “Louis has a crush on you.” My brain completely froze. “…Huh?” “Louis Carter,” she added, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Your crush… likes you back.” I stared at her. “Wait—Louis? As in Louis Carter?” I asked, just to make sure we were talking about the same person. She nodded rapidly, grinning from ear to ear. My heart started racing. Louis Carter was one of the most popular guys on campus. Girls adored him—inside and outside the school. And yes… I was definitely one of them. “Oh my gosh…” I whispered. “Are you serious? This isn’t a joke, right?” “Bella and I heard him talking to his friends,” Nina said. “He was asking them how to ask you out!” Before I could fully get excited, Bella stepped in. “Or,” she said flatly, “it’s a bet.” My smile faltered. “A bet?” I repeated quietly. Bella crossed her arms. “Think about it, Freya. Everyone knows you like him. You follow all his accounts, like every post, even share his pictures sometimes. Don’t you think that’s a little too convenient?” Her words hit harder than I expected. I looked down, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “I’m just saying,” she continued, her tone softening slightly, “be careful.” Nina groaned. “Bella, you’re ruining everything! Can’t you just be happy for her?” “I am being a good friend,” Bella shot back. “Someone has to think logically.” I sighed, rubbing my temple. “I get it, Bella,” I said quietly, giving her a small smile. “Thanks for worrying.” Before anyone could say anything else, Nina suddenly nudged me hard. I frowned. “What—” She tilted her head toward the cafeteria entrance. I followed her gaze. And froze. Louis Carter was walking toward us. My heart immediately started pounding. “He’s coming here,” Nina whispered excitedly. “Oh great,” Bella muttered under her breath. “Is my makeup okay?” I asked nervously, fixing my hair. “You’re fine,” Bella said flatly. “You look amazing,” Nina added, giving me two thumbs up. I barely had time to breathe before he stopped in front of us. “Hi, Freya.” My stomach flipped. “H-Hi, Louis,” I replied, trying to sound normal. “Do you… need something?” He scratched the back of his neck, glancing briefly at his friends before looking back at me. “I was wondering…” he started, a bit shy. “If you’d like to come with me tonight.” I blinked. “Tonight?” “Yeah,” he said. “My best friend Joe is having a birthday party. I thought… maybe you’d want to come.” My heart raced even faster. “You can bring your friends too,” he quickly added. “In case you feel uncomfortable.” I looked at Nina and Bella, silently asking for help. “We’ll go!” Nina answered immediately. Bella shot her a glare. “Great,” Louis said, smiling. “Then… I’ll see you tonight.” And just like that, he walked away. I stood there, still processing everything. Did that really just happen? _______________ “I think this is a bad idea,” Bella muttered for what felt like the twentieth time. “We should go home. I have a really bad feeling about this.” “Oh my gosh, Bella,” Nina groaned, rolling her eyes. “We’re already here! Stop being so paranoid.” “It’s not paranoia,” Bella insisted. “There have been reports of missing people around—” “Okay, that’s enough!” Nina cut her off. “You’re going to scare Freya.” Too late. A chill ran down my spine. When we arrived at the party, my nerves only grew worse. The place was packed—students from our campus filled the room, laughing, drinking, dancing. So… I wasn’t the only one invited. “Girls! You made it.” I turned and saw Louis walking toward us, smiling. “I’ve been waiting,” he added, stopping beside me. My heart skipped. “S-Sorry we’re late,” I said. “Bella had to finish her report.” “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I’m just glad you came.” Heat rushed to my cheeks. He led us to their table, where his friends were already there—some of them… a little too busy kissing. Bella visibly cringed. “Guys, seriously?” Louis said, clearly embarrassed. “We have guests.” They pulled apart, laughing. “Welcome!” Joe grinned. “I thought Louis would ditch my party just to wait for Freya.” “Dude, shut up,” Louis muttered, glancing at me. I quickly looked away, my face burning. “Happy birthday, Joe,” I said, trying to shift the attention. “Thanks,” he replied, then glanced at Bella like he was expecting something. “What?” Bella said flatly. He scratched his head awkwardly. Nina leaned toward me and whispered, “I think he likes Bella.” I elbowed her lightly. “Stop it.” We sat down, and soon the conversation started flowing. They asked about our hobbies, interests… normal things. “So,” Louis said, turning to me, “why do you like werewolves so much?” I fiddled with my fingers. “I like how their world works,” I said. “There’s a hierarchy. Loyalty. And… mates.” “Mates?” he repeated. “Yeah,” I said, smiling slightly. “They’re destined for one person. Just one. No cheating, no betrayal… just loyalty.” “Wow,” Louis said softly. “If I were a werewolf… maybe you’d be my mate.” My breath caught. I bit my lip, trying not to smile too much. “It’s just fiction,” Bella interrupted bluntly. “There’s no such thing as a perfect world.” “And there she goes again,” Nina muttered. “Bella, can you not ruin the moment for once?” “I’m just being realistic,” Bella replied. I sighed, rubbing my temple. “Can we not argue right now?” Before they could continue, a tray of drinks was placed in front of us. “We didn’t order these,” I said, frowning. “It’s on the house,” the server said with a strange smile. Something about the way he looked at me made my stomach twist. “Thank you!” Nina said quickly, already grabbing a glass. The server gave a small wave before walking away. I hesitated. “Freya?” Louis said. “You’re not drinking?” “Oh—no, I will,” I said quickly, not wanting to seem awkward. I picked up the glass. Just one drink, I told myself. It’s fine. I took a sip. At first, everything felt normal. The music. The laughter. Nina dragging Bella to dance. Louis talking beside me. But then— Something felt… off. My head started to feel light. My vision blurred slightly. I blinked. “Are you okay?” Louis asked. “I… yeah,” I said, though my voice sounded distant—even to me. The room spun. The music became muffled. My fingers tightened around the table. “I think I just need some air…” I stood up, my legs unsteady. “I’ll go to the restroom,” I said quickly. “Do you want me to come with you?” Bella asked. “I’ll be fine,” I forced a smile. But I wasn’t. Each step felt heavier than the last. The hallway stretched endlessly in front of me. “What’s… happening…?” I whispered. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. My body felt numb. My vision darkened at the edges. I tried to hold onto the wall— But my knees gave out. And just before everything went black… I felt it. A pair of hands catching me. A voice—low, familiar— “Got you.” Then— Darkness.