THE LUNA CHOOSING GAME - Season 6 Episode 21

Her eyes are closed and her body swaying with the rhythm. The merfolk man, her partner, curled his long tail around her and brought her close, I’looked at them fora while, then remembered Julian beside me, and how much such a sight must hurt him. I turned to him, though I wasn’t sure what to say.

Julian was watching them, though 1 didn’t see anger in his features. Rather, his expression hadn’t really changed. He watched the pair with a type of cool indifference, Something like that usually flew out the window with him where Bridget was concerned, “I’m fine,” he said, smirking a little. His gaze shifted sideways to me, “I’can hear your brain worrying, but I swear I’m fine,”

I couldn’t really defend myself when he was absolutely right about my worrying.

“Things like this usually upset you,” I said.

“Not anymore,” he said.

I didn’t want to tell him that he had said that to me before, and then gone back on it. Though he did seem more determined this time.

As if sensing my hesitation to believe him, he added, “The way she treated you on thatisland… I can’t see her the same way. And her excuses… God, they all sounded so much like bullshit. That non- apology she gave you, where she demanded your forgiveness… I just can’t see her the same way Iused to.” He seemed genuine, which continued to surprise me, “This woman that she is now… the Person maybe she has always been… She IS not the person I thought I knew,”

Julian said. “What can I think except that the person I was in love with for so long I was simply an illusion? This…” He gestured to Bridget doing her sensual dance. “This is the person she is.” I nudged him with my shoulder. “I’m proud of you.” He seemed embarrassed by that, brushing me off and looking away. “Yeah, well… Took me long enough, right?” God yes, but I didn’t tell him that.

“You’re on the other side of it now.

That’s what matters.” He shrugged some. “I still feel some…

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sadness. Grief, maybe? For a person who never existed and a relationship that never could have been possible.” “I’think it’s okay to mourn for that,” I said. I thought a moment, “1’q probably be more concerned if you didn’t, after I having held out hope for as long as you did.”

“Honestly, I’m tired, too,” Julian said. “It was exhausting, never really being sure where I stood. The false hopes only to be torn down in the next second really took a lot out of me.” I hummed in understanding. It had been hard enough to watch him constantly put his heart out for Bridget only to have her smack it back to him. I couldn’t imagine having actually lived that life.

“Well, it’s over now,” I said. “Now you can recover, and then find someone else.

Someone more deserving of the person you are.” Julian grunted, dismissive. “Love probably isn’t for me. I doubt I’ll ever find someone,” “Love is all around you, Julian.” If only he could see how often he talked with Veronica, and how open she was to him, Tiffany, too, was ready to love him for the person he was, not some made up

– version of him that they displayed on television.

‘ “All you have to do is be open to it; added.

He turned and looked at me. His expression was guarded.

Whatever he was thinking in that moment, it was a mystery to me.