LUNA POV

Bryan has always been the sane one in the group, though aloof most times and sometimes looks arrogant, he has always been chill.

"Let's park the bags, guys," Bryan said, looking all lazy, like he would rather be somewhere else other than here.

The bags were parked and Liam chose to drive the car Bryan came with while Bryan sat at the back, and the boys would take the other car.

Sitting beside the driver's seat, Maya came from nowhere.

"Liam, I want to sit beside you. I can't sit at the back, you know I get car sick easily."

I murmured under my breath, why not just sit this one out or just take a flight to the venue.

"Get down, can't you hear me? I said get down."

I looked up only to see Liam's scowling face.

"Do you have to fight with Maya for everything? Don't you know she would get sick if she sits behind?"

I couldn't say a word. What would I say? Maya always comes first and he made that clear before we started dating.

If I complained, I would just end up getting him angry. If there was anything between Maya and me then you won't be here, he would say whenever we had the conversation.

I came down, taking the back seat and sitting beside Bryan while Maya sat beside Liam, feigning ignorance.

"Liam, you don't have to make Luna sit behind, she is your girlfriend, you know," she said, glancing behind while giving a smile that always interpreted, see, you may be his girlfriend in name, but he is mine.

"Maya, you are so generous, why can't Luna be like you," Liam scoffed, while Maya gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You are so cute when you are angry," Maya said while giggling.

"Let's go boys!" Liam screamed from the window while the car slowly rode from the driveway.

"I think we should take one car and not two," Maya said while looking at Bryan and Liam. While Bryan ignored her, Liam replied,

"Why dear?"

"We won't have fun in separate cars so let's stop at any car rental and rent."

"Ok," Liam said without thinking about it.

Pulling up at the rental, Liam and Maya went in to do the formality while holding hands like a couple.

"Hey, how is your arm?"

"Huh?"

"Your arm, it could get infected. Let me treat that for you."

Looking up, Bryan was holding a first aid kit.

"How did you get that?" I asked, surprised he had a medical kit with him.

"Let me treat that," he said without even replying to my question.

He was cleaning the burn with a poker face while being so gentle at the same time. When I even winced in pain, he blew on it but wouldn't say a word.

I felt my heart flutter. He was being gentle and caring.

"Handsome," I murmured within. He is breathtaking, wonderful physique, perfect nose line, gray eyes... oh my goodness, his perfect jawline.

"Back to earth, Luna," I heard his soft voice.

"Why are you gaping at me? Is there something on my face?"

"No... no, I was thinking about someone-no, something," I stammered.

What was I thinking? Staring at my boyfriend's friend like that just because of a little kindness. Am I that desperate?

"You must be thinking of someone or something important, and I'm sure that person is lucky you are thinking about them," he said with a grin.

OMG, he is smiling.

I could count how many times I saw him smile. My face turned red.

"No, no, I didn't say it was a person, I... I... I just-"

"All done. And you don't have to explain yourself, princess."

Princess? My heart skipped. Why would he call me that?

"Princess?" I asked.

"Every girl is a princess and a queen to her king. Liam would be out soon," he said before alighting from the car, going round and opening the door for me.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

He didn't reply as he went back to his stoic face, as Daniel approached. All chattering, the car would be ready, and there was no car available right now that could take both our highness's many luggages and us, so we would take my car for the luggage, and the rental we would all be in it together.

We would also have to hire someone to drive it since the goal was to spend time together and have fun, so here we are.

"Ok," Bryan said with just one word. And Daniel kept quiet.

"Ok, let's offload the bags and put them in the other car."

Moving aside, Daniel, Eric, Richard, and Bryan took a suitcase each, while I tried to help.

Bryan just said, without even looking at anyone in particular,

"Let the men do this."

LUNA POV

That was my cue to not touch anything.

Standing there, I wondered how the boys knew we were going to rent a car and how they knew when to come get the suitcases. The suitcases were already packed and the driver who would drive the car with the suitcases was already here.

"Where are Liam and Maya?" Richard asked, feeling impatient already.

Liam said they were done a few minutes ago, so what's taking them so long?

Liam drove the car towards where we all stood, while Maya sat behind him, laughing at jokes that just the both of them alone knew.

The car had three rows, so I went to sit at the back where I wouldn't be noticed. The third row was the perfect place to be invisible.

Daniel and Richard sat on the first row, Eric sitting on the second row, expecting Bryan to sit with him, but instead he sat beside me at the back seat. Without saying a word.

I was shocked.

But it looked like none of the boys cared, including Liam.

A boy I had been dating for the past 5 years.

After the incident at the pool, I had chased after Liam like my life depended on it, using different methods to get his attention but with no avail.

I had tried being friends with Maya to get to him but that didn't work. I also tried with Richard, then Daniel, then Eric. They just ended up ignoring me.

Who would want to be associated with the school nerd?

It took me two years chasing after Liam's friends just to get to him.

Then I tried for the last time to be friends with Bryan. He didn't outright ignore me but gave me listening ears, though I had to track him to his house and wait outside for hours.

I was very determined, and I finally got Liam's number from Bryan.

Chatting with Liam wasn't anything close to easy. He would either ignore my messages or outright block me.

I was ready to prove I wasn't just a fangirl or any of those girls who just wanted to spend a night with him. I had a plan, and that plan was to become his girlfriend.

With time, he started replying to my chats and I tried showing my love in every way, being the perfect girlfriend-to-be, until one day he just casually said,

"If you want me to date you, you have to understand that Maya comes first."

And without thinking, I said, "I accept."

That was 5 years ago, we were in our final year.

As I watched Liam from my seat, driving, I knew two years of chasing him was worth it.

He is mine now. A replica of my dad.

A strong man who doesn't show any weakness to the woman he loves.

According to my dad, a man should be in charge and a woman should obey. So my relationship is perfect.

Though I feel jealous of Maya sometimes, I have to be submissive to my man.

As loud music played in the car, everyone vibing to the song, so much joy in the air. Everyone was smiling and happy except me and... Bryan.

Sitting next to me, eyes closed, I stared at his lips, wondering how it would feel on mine.

Oh my goodness, what am I thinking?

I shouldn't be having inappropriate thoughts about Bryan.

"Bryan," I called. "Are you sleeping?"

His head swung in different directions as he sleepily tried to keep it in place.

As I watched his cute face, I wondered if I should guide his head to my thighs, shoulders, or chest.