"The Price of Falling"

Luna hurried through the crowded school hallway, her arms heavy with books. She wasn’t paying attention—too lost in her own thoughts—when, suddenly, she collided with someone. The impact sent her books crashing to the floor.

"Whoa, sorry!" a smooth, deep voice said.

Luna looked up, her breath catching in her throat. The boy kneeling to pick up her books was tall, with dark hair that fell messily across his forehead. His emerald-green eyes sparkled as he glanced at her. There was something about him—something that made her heart skip a beat.

"I should be the one apologizing," she said softly, kneeling to help him gather the books.

He handed her the last one, his fingers brushing against hers. "I’m Lothario. Lothario Cooper the III."

"Luna,**Luna Beatrix Adelaide Watson**" she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Nice to meet you, Luna." He smiled—a smile that was both charming and disarming—before standing up and slipping his hands into his pockets. "See you around."

Luna remained frozen in place, her heart thudding against her ribs as she watched him disappear into the crowd. For the first time in a while, the weight of her secrets felt a little lighter.

"Ooooh, someone’s blushing!" Amelia’s voice pierced through her daze.

Luna spun around to see her three friends—Olivia, Victoria, and Amelia—staring at her with wide, curious eyes.

"No, I’m not," Luna protested, heat rushing to her cheeks.

Victoria smirked. "You totally are. Spill."

"It’s nothing," Luna insisted, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I just bumped into him."

"Him\," Olivia echoed with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Lothario Cooper the III? A whole *third*—how fancy."

"He is kinda cute," Amelia added dreamily. "And new! Mysterious."

"You should totally go for it," Olivia said, her lips curling into a knowing smile. "What’s the harm in a little fun?"

Luna laughed it off, but deep down, the idea lingered.

Over the next few days, it seemed like fate kept pushing them together. Lothario would smile at her in the hallways, sit near her during lunch, and casually strike up conversations. Each interaction left Luna’s heart pounding harder. She felt herself slipping, falling deeper into his charm.

But not everyone was pleased.

One afternoon, Luna’s phone buzzed with a new message—from the unknown number.

*Stay away from him.*

Her stomach twisted. It wasn’t the first time they had warned her—but why did they care about Lothario?

Despite the warning, Luna couldn’t pull herself away. Lothario was sweet, attentive, and every time he laughed, her worries seemed to fade. For the first time in forever, someone made her feel seen.

What she didn’t know was that Olivia had other plans.

"So, you’re really going to do it?" Victoria asked as Olivia slipped a crisp bill into Lothario’s hand after school one day.

"Of course," Olivia said smoothly. "Luna’s been a little too full of herself lately. It’s time someone knocked her down a peg."

Lothario hesitated for a moment but pocketed the money. "I’ll make her fall—and then, I’ll break her heart."

The next day, Lothario found Luna by her locker. "Hey," he said, leaning casually against the door. "Want to grab coffee after school?"

Luna’s heart leaped. "Sure," she said softly, trying to hide her excitement.

As they grew closer, the warnings grew more frequent.

*He’s not who you think he is.*

*Don’t trust him.*

*You’ll regret this.*

Luna ignored them. How could she stay away when every moment with Lothario felt like magic?

But what she couldn’t shake was the eerie sensation of being watched. Whether she was at school or walking home, the shadows seemed to shift. Sometimes, she caught glimpses of someone lingering—always just out of sight.

One evening, after her coffee date with Lothario, Luna’s phone buzzed again.

*I warned you.*

She glanced over her shoulder, but the street behind her was empty. Still, the feeling of unseen eyes made her shiver.

In the distance, a figure stood cloaked in shadow, watching. Always watching. Luna would find out soon enough—no matter how much she tried to ignore the truth, secrets had a way of coming to light.

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The weeks turned into months, and Luna found herself slipping further away from everything she once cared about. Days blurred together—school, Lothario, late-night calls. She spent every spare moment by his side, and her grades paid the price.

Once at the top of her class, Luna was now barely passing. Every test came back with red marks and failing scores, and the pile of missed assignments grew taller by the day. But with Lothario’s hand in hers, none of it seemed to matter.

"Luna, what is this?" Her father’s voice thundered through the dining room as he slammed her report card onto the table.

Luna’s heart pounded as she glanced at the sheet. Bold F’s and D’s stared back at her. "I—I’m sorry," she mumbled, biting her lip.

"Sorry?" her mother echoed, disbelief lacing her voice. "You were the top student, Luna. What happened to you?"

Luna stayed quiet, her fingers trembling in her lap.

"If your grades don’t improve, we’re cutting your privileges," her father warned. "No more phone. No more going out."

As Luna stared at the floor, Olivia was thriving. She basked in the glory of being number one, finally stepping out from Luna’s shadow. Every time the new rankings were posted, Olivia’s name shone brightly at the top while Luna’s slipped lower and lower.

"Looks like someone’s not so perfect anymore," Olivia whispered one day, her voice dripping with satisfaction as Luna walked past.

But Luna barely heard her. All she could think about was Lothario—his smile, his touch, the way he made her feel alive. Even when the unknown messages continued, warning her to stay away, she couldn’t let go.

*He’ll hurt you.*

The words haunted her, but the pull of Lothario’s presence was stronger. What Luna didn’t know was that the web around her was tightening—and the fall would be harder than she ever imagined.

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