Moonlit Bonds by Luna

It was the first day of her senior year, and while most students were buzzing with excitement about graduation and prom, Luna's mind was preoccupied with the ever-present shadows

bubble of unanswered questions and half-truths. Every time Luna asked about her father, who had disappeared when she was just a baby, Evelyn's face would cloud over wit

oughts. Felicity was everything Luna wasn't: bubbly, carefree, and always looking on the bright

led dark hair and easygoing demeanor, was the calming presence that balanced out Felicity's exuberance. The three of

year?" Jasper asked, his voice tinged wit

s ready as I'll ever be. Just another year of na

"Oh, come on, Luna. This is our last year! We shou

s, searching for clues about her father and the strange occurrences that seemed to follow her family. Strange dreams had plagued her since she was a child, dreams of shado

through the motions while her mind remained elsewhere. During lunch, she found herself sittin

new guy?" Felicity asked, her

"New guy? I thought we kne

s a new student who just transferred in. Ryder Blackwood. I heard

ued, but she tried to pl

, just intense. Like, brooding a

at, another brooding mysteri

to the unknown, and the idea of a new student with a potentially dark p

. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible sensation, but it was there. She found herself glancing over her sh

una gathered her things and headed towards the parking lot. Sh

una Ashfo

His eyes were a piercing icy blue, and there was something about h

e replied, trying to

ou're good with history. I'm new here and I could u

umors that had been swirling around all day. But there was a sincerity i

d, trying to sound casual. "Meet me i

rst hint of warmth she had seen from

hing about Ryder that intrigued her, something that made her want to dig deeper and uncover the secre

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rwood, filled with memories and the faint scent of lavender. The walls were adorned with family photos, most of them featuring a younger

ys admired. Her long, dark hair was streaked with silver, and her eye

eetheart?" Evelyn asked, he

er with her fork. "There's a new student, Ryder

ition, but she quickly masked it with a smile

take the plunge. "Mom, do you kn

rded. "The Blackwoods? No, I d

g to sound nonchalant. "I just t

but Luna's mind kept drifting back to Ryder and the sense of familiarity she couldn't quite place. She

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ry, filled with the scent of old books and the soft rustle of pages turning. Ryder was al

," Ryder said as she s

ling out her history textbook.

Luna couldn't quite read. "Everything, I guess. I mis

material, she couldn't help but notice how intensely Ryder was focusing on her,

here?" she asked, tryi

"It's a long story. Let's jus

to have secrets and a past that haunted you. Instead, she focused on the

s brooding exterior, there was a vulnerability to him that she found endearing. And

sense of accomplishment. "I think that's enough for today,

time, it reached his eyes. "Than

that there was more to Ryder Blackwood than met the eye, and she was determined to

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ght. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, filled with questions about her

ipice, about to div

father's face was a blur, as if the memory of him was slipping away with each passing day. She knew tha

cover the secrets of her past, and she would face whatever challenges lay ahead. And