Paranoia (Zayn Malik) (editing)

Chapter 29: Truth, Dare or Drink

LUNA

I walk out of the exam hall with my arm hooked with Zoey's into the car park, with Zoey practically skipping ahead, tugging me with her.

"Come on you git, that was our last exam!" She exclaims, beaming ear to ear.

"I know, I know." I laugh softly, unlinking our arms and slowing down while she jogs ahead, turning to face me and throwing her hands in the air.

"Luna, we aren't students anymore! We've been at school together for ten years, I even repeated a year for you!"

I know I should be excited for the future, happy to be done, at least relieved the exams are over, but it's hard to focus on any of those things when I know that I rejected my university offers last night. I haven't told anyone, specifically not Zayn. He's still holding out hope I'll decide to ignore the Ghost group and ask him to live a boring human life, which I guess is safer. I, however, know that I'll never live a normal human life now I know what I know, and there is no point pretending otherwise.

"I'm happy, Zo. Just tired." I frown, tucking my fingers into my back pockets "Excited to get home and just crash out."

"Oh, fuck that!" A voice from behind me scoffs, loud enough to startle me.

I turn to see a face I haven't interacted with in a while. Hazel brown eyes and dark onyx skin, short black hair forming a wave curl pattern, strong jaw and large lips smiling wide at me. Tyler. A guy in my strength and conditioning class, as well as my biology one. We have a small history, the first romantic interest I've ever had in my life, though it really is a pathetically small timeline. We never kissed, never really went on a date, just had a sort of moment at a party I went to once, where we both sat outside sober and stared up at the stars.

"Do you know anything about astronomy?" Tyler asked, eyes narrowed as he looks over at me to see my reaction.

"No, actually." I shake my head, leaning back on my palms, feeling the grass behind me brush against my hands "Never even thought about it."

"Ironic that, your name means moon." He chuckled, nudging my shoulder with his hand, rocking me slightly to the side "It's OK, I'll teach you."

"You know about astronomy?" I raised my brows.

"Try not to sound so surprised." He wiggled his eyebrows, then turned back to the sky "One of the most famous love stories written in the stars involves a few constellations. Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Pegasus and Cetus."

I tried not to look so impressed, but clearly failed as he grinned in response.

"Princess Andromeda was said to be a very beautiful woman. She was the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia, who claimed her daughter was more beautiful than Poseidon's daughters. This didn't sit well with Poseidon, of course, and as punishment for her vanity, Poseidon sent the sea monster Cetus. Andromeda's father, King Cepheus, believed the sea monster to disappear if they sacrificed her. Just before she was devoured by the sea monster, Perseus came on his flying horse Pegasus. He was on his way home after an adventure. Perseus was struck by her beauty, and fell in love with Andromeda. He made a deal with her parents. Perseus would save their daughter by killing the sea monster and in return, he would be allowed to marry her. Andromeda, however, was already promised to marry another man. A fight arose between the two which Perseus eventually won. Perseus and Andromeda lived happily ever after."

I knew I was supposed to be focusing on the story, but instead, I watched the way his expression glowed as he told it, his eyes were brighter, smile was wider, voice was happier. I've always loved seeing people talk about things they're passionate about, mainly because I've never really had the space in my life to be passionate about anything, and for a moment I get to live vicariously through others. Tyler's ardent retelling of the story stuck with me in that moment, never to leave me.