Misfits Like Us (Like Us #11)(123)

I’m leaning against the headboard and Luna lounges between my legs, her back warm against my chest. I rest my arm on my bent knee, so she can see my phone as I scroll with one hand. And I can see hers, cupped between her palms.

She points at my phone screen. “People are pissed. That guy said he’s gonna try to get the show cancelled.”

“I hate people like @DudeMilk114,” I read his handle. “Just ‘cause he doesn’t like something, he’s gonna try to destroy it instead of letting others who enjoy it actually enjoy it. You build it up just to burn it down, why?”

“Because they feel like if it’s not exactly what they wanted, then it shouldn’t exist, maybe. But the joke is on them because no matter how much they try to destroy it, it’ll always exist for those that love it,” Luna says then holds up her phone towards me. “The ratings doubled for the finale. They’re saying it has a high chance of renewal.”

“Yeah, it better. I have to see next season.”

“Me too.”

I start smiling, thinking about every Monday night the two of us watching our favorite show together. More than just one episode with Luna. That could happen, and I’m hoping people like DudeMilk don’t demolish that happy outcome for me.

“We’re still going to the Fanaticon convention in December, right?” Luna peers up at me.

I look down at her. We haven’t brought up the convention in person. Just in our Direct Messages when we thought we were chatting with other people.

Security-wise, I could swing the convention if either Xander goes or if I get a break from work. But I can’t wrap my head around going with Luna as a date. We haven’t had a date outside of our bedrooms yet.

“I still wanna go,” I say.

“With me?” Her body has stiffened against my chest.

“Only with you.”

She eases a little, but there is some strain left between us. “I’m just trying to hope…and I guess, I’m hoping that we’ll still be dating in December. My dad and brother will be happy for us. We’ll be holding hands at the convention.” She pauses. “I won’t go as far to believe we’ll have shippers.”

“We’ll have shippers,” I contest. “They’ll be out there with Marrow shippers, raising their posters and calling us soul mates and destined and whatnot.” I paint the picture for her. “They’ll name us Duna or…Lunnelly.”

“Lunnelly.” Luna smiles softly. I can’t see her eyes while she’s leaning against me, just the corners of her lips, but her shoulders rise with tender breath. “I want to believe that.”

“Then believe with me,” I whisper against her ear.

She breathes easier and smiles more, and we continue scrolling through Fanaticon on our phones together.

Luna suddenly freezes. “What…?” Her voice is like a record scratch.

“Luna?” I set aside my phone, seeing her stuck on a Fanaticon post from the We Are Calloway forum.

Her arms start vibrating in panic, the phone jostling in her quaking hands.

“Luna.” I hold on to her trembling frame while she’s violently shaking and wheezing. My pulse kicks into high gear, and I try to pry the phone from her grip, but her fingers are superglued to the thing that’s distressing her.

“Donnelly,” she croaks. “Donnelly.”

I cradle her hand in mine to keep the phone steady, and I see it.

Human Him, Cosmic Her.

Not only did someone post a screenshot of the part where Zarek and Solana have sex with laughing emojis, they shared the link to her story on Fictitious and wrote, Luna Hale is a freak.

Someone must’ve connected Luna Hale to her anonymous username galaxxygirlx. And the public has access to all of her fics.

I’m boiling with raw fury. I love her stories.

I love them.

I love her.

And these people are dogging on her for what? Because it makes them feel better about themselves? Because they can’t let the rest of us love something? We’ve got to hate it with them? And on top of this raging feeling inside me, I’m wading in so much concern for Luna.

She’s still shaking. She wasn’t prepared for anyone to critique this part of her life. “Donnelly,” she chokes out.

“It’s not real,” I whisper against her ear, and I tear the phone out of her frozen clutch. “It didn’t happen.” I think she’s having a panic attack.





35





LUNA HALE





This is the part of the story where the asteroid hits the planet. Where the population of 1 is obliterated into tiny, fragmented pieces.

I’m used to ridicule. People have called me weird to my face. People have had secondhand embarrassment because of me. People online have said awful things about Luna Hale.

But this feels so very different. Every story I’ve written has little bits of me inside, and it’s not just constructive criticism about plot or storylines or grammar being hurled my way. It’s hateful, personal things.

I try not to think about the comments I saw under the post, but it’s impossible not to.

God, Luna Hale is so weird.



* * *



I knew she was weird but this is gross.