Chapter 56 - So Fake
"You're my brother." Rory sniffled. "Of course it's my business."
Before Penny and Frank divorced, they had still been a family in name.
"Don't worry, I won't tell Mom." Rory's tone was sincere, earnest. "I just want to give you some advice. Wake up. Someone like Luna will never genuinely like you."
"You two really are from different worlds. She definitely still likes Hayes in her heart. She's just a little... curious about you."
Rory's last sentence was very soft.
She pressed her lips together and looked at Jax.
She'd expected Jax to get angry. The kind of anger that came from having a fig leaf torn away.
Instead, Jax looked at her in silence for a few seconds, then laughed. He rarely laughed, especially not this broadly. It was like winter branches brushed by spring light. In an instant, the whole cramped living room lit up.
Rory stared at him, dazed.
"Rory." He so rarely called her by name that she froze. "If you're going to be nasty, be nasty. Don't put on that pitiful 'I'm only doing this for your own good' act."
Jax leaned against the doorframe, one hand holding his cup, the other hanging loosely at his side. His smile faded, his tone calm. "So fake. And your game is so weak it's just funny."
"..."
Rory's expression froze.
She never imagined Jax would say something like that.
It took her a long time to find her voice. "But I'm not wrong. Luna is just stringing you along. She definitely still likes Hayes."
"Forget stringing me along..." Jax's eyes curved. "I'd be her dog if she wanted."
"..."
Rory's face went completely blank.
She'd met Jax when she was seven.
Counting it up, they'd lived together for ten years. They weren't close, but she knew his personality.
An extremely proud person. Hated trouble, hated stupidity.
Since starting school, Jax had never taken second place. Handsome, sharp, decisive. Aside from his poor background, he had almost no weaknesses.
A person like that, one day, actually saying he'd be someone's dog.
"Are you... possessed?" Rory asked blankly, murmuring.
-
"You're the one who's possessed."
Luna snapped.
She sat cross-legged on the couch, a mini cake Helen had made resting on her knees, a spoon in hand. She dug into the cake and shoveled it into her mouth while cursing vaguely.
Leo had just gotten home from school. He took off his uniform jacket and flopped onto the couch beside her. "If you're not possessed, why are you watching this brain-dead show?"
Luna rolled her eyes. She stretched out an arm, grabbed the tissue box off the coffee table, and hurled it at Leo. "Don't you dare insult my Flame Shadow armor."
Leo snorted dismissively.
He caught the tissue box and set it back on the table.
He watched along for a while, then got bored and lowered his head, opening his phone.
Since tomorrow was the weekend, the group chat was buzzing, everyone asking where to hang out.
Leo typed casually: [Whatever.]
Ryder suddenly popped up: [Leo, have you checked Instagram?]
Leo: [No. What now?]
After sending it, Leo's left eyelid twitched.
Ryder: [(hug) (hug)]
Ryder: [Leo, my shoulder is always here for you to lean on.]
Leo: [?]