Reclaiming My Broken Luna by Selene Souchon

Chapter 286: Turn Around Nova's POV "Turn it around," I suddenly spoke, breaking the suffocating silence inside the car.

Every second that passed felt heavier, pressing down on my chest like a weight I couldn't shake, and in the end, I wasn't able to bear it.

Each mile we drove, the pack faded into the distance, but instead of the relief I thought I'd feel, something else took its place. An ache, deep and relentless, that refused to go away.

This only proved Drystan's words right. Running away will never helpacieve what I want - I would never be free.

I will always be stuck with my emotions and my feelings if I just kept on ignoring them instead of facing them. This isn't just about Drystan. It wasn't about holding onto sdesperate hope that things could be different. No, I had already let that go - at least, that's what I told myself.

So why did it still feel like a part ofwas being left behind? I need to figure that out first.

"W-What?" Michael glanced atin surprise, not sure if he heardright.

"Turn the car... We are going back," I muttered with my arms crossed, my eyes staring outside the window. The farther we drove, the tighter my chest became, like something insidewas screaming to be heard.

I realized then that the only way to truly be free-free from the past, free from the weight that had been draggingdown for so long-was to face it head-on.

To confront the feelings that had been festering for years, to talk to Drystan, and to finally let it go. Not for him. For me.

I needed closure. I needed to be free from the chains of what had been holdingback, and the only way to do that was to go back and face the truth.

He didn't respond at first, his eyes still focused on the road ahead, but I saw his grip on the steering wheel loosen. It's as if he had been waiting forto ask him turn the car around.

He didn't have to be told twice, he swerved the car around, our destination changing back to the place where we cfrom.

As we retraced our path, the landscape blurred past, a mix of vibrant greens and muted browns that seemed to echo the turmoil within me.

I thought Michael would scoldfor changing my mind now, wasting his tand also his fuel. But he didn't say a word against me.

Each familiar landmark felt like a jolt of nostalgia, pulling memories from the depths of my mind. The closer we got to the place I thought I'd left behind, the more I felt a rush of emotions- fear, uncertainty, but also a flicker of hope.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked, glancing over with concern. His voice pulledfrom my thoughts, groundingin the present.

My heart felt warm at his concern.

"I will be," I replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "I just need to do this." His nod was slow but encouraging. "I'm here for you, Nova. Whatever you need." I appreciated his support, even if it felt a little overwhelming. I could sense the tension in the car, a silent understanding that we were heading toward something significant.

The silence was no longer suffocating; it had transformed into a space filled with anticipation.

As we neared our destination, the memories of when I first confessed my feelings to Drystan surged to the forefront of my mind.

The way he had looked at me, the words left unsaid hanging in the air like a thick fog. I felt nervous and scared in doing it again.

I'd always thought that leaving would bringpeace, but instead, it had only intensified the ache of unresolved feelings.

"Just breathe," I whispered to myself, trying to steady my racing heart. The thought of seeing Drystan again sent a wave of anxiety crashing over me, but deep down, I knew it was time.

When Michael finally pulled into the familiar driveway, my stomach twisted in knots.

"Do you wantto cin with you?" Michael asked, breaking my reverie. His willingness to supportonly added to the weight of the decision I had to make.

I took a deep breath, shaking my head slightly. "No, I need to do this alone. But can you wait for me?" "Of course," he replied, his tone reassuring. "Take your time." With a final nod, I stepped out of the car, the gravel crunching under my feet, echoing in the stillness around me.

I told myself I was just going to set things straight, and after that could finally leave as if nothing had ever happened.

But each step toward the packhouse felt monumental, the ground solic beneath me, white my mind raced with uncertainties. What would I say? How would he react? Before I could even process those questions, I froze when I saw Drystan rush out of the packhouse.

His expression shifted from surprise to disbelief as our eyes locked. Tseemed to stand still; the air thickened between us, filled with unspoken words and ene had both kept at bay for far too long.

QUMS

"Nova?" he breathed, as if saying my nwould shatter the fragile m moment we were suspended in. The way he said it sent a jolt through me, awakening feelings I thought I had buried deep. "Drystan," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. What is he doing here? I thought he wouldn't be back soon.

That's partly one of my reasons why I had the courage to turn back. I thought I wouldn't have to face him so soon.

I guess this should be a good thing. The sooner I deal with this, the sooner I could leave.

Let's just get this over with.