Page 29 of Your Second Chance
“I don’t know,” I snapped. “She’s in the shower. She’s locked me out, and she’s crying. I can’t get to her, and I think she’s—she’s—” I couldn’t even finish the sentence.
“She’s not dying.” Luna’s tone was calm and matter-of-fact. “She’s depressed.”
“Is this normal?”
“Not normal all the time, but yeah.”
“Can you fix it?” I asked desperately.
“I can try,” Luna whispered. “Just go to the door and put me on speaker. Knock really loud.”
Without hesitation, I walked back to the bathroom door, gripping the phone tightly.
“Tell her I’m on the line,” Luna instructed. “If she doesn’t answer, slam the door open. Don’t wait.”
I knocked loudly, my fist hitting the wood with a force that echoed down the hallway. “Nova,” I called out, raising my voice over the sound of the running water. “Luna is on the phone. You need to open the door or I’m coming in. No arguments.”
I held my breath, my hand hovering near the handle, ready to break the door down if I had to. The silence stretched unbearably, broken only by the steady rush of the shower.
“Nova.” Luna’s voice chimed in through the speaker. “Babe, it’s me. Just open the door, okay? You don’t have to talk, but let him in. You’re safe.”
I stood there, my pulse pounding in my ears, hoping to hear some kind of response. Anything.
Eventually, the water stopped, and for a moment, everything was quiet. Then the door clicked open, enough for a hand to reach out.
I placed the phone in her palm, my fingers brushing against hers. “Are you?—”
Slam. The door shut in my face before I could finish.
I exhaled hard, dropping to the floor. My back hit the door as I leaned against it, staring up at the ceiling.
Through the door, her voice came quiet and broken. “I can’t do this anymore, Luna. I need to see a doctor. I’m too sick.”
I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, trying to shut out the feeling of helplessness that was crawling over me. I shouldn’t have heard that. This wasn’t for me.
I stood slowly, knocking lightly on the door. “Nova,” I said loud enough for her to hear. “I’m going to bed. I’ll be on the other side of the house. I won’t bother you tonight. You can have whatever space you need. But... if you need me...” I paused, my voice catching slightly. “I’m here.”
I waited for a second, hoping she’d say something.
No response.
I turned and walked away, every step feeling heavier than the last.
Inside my room, I dropped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of everything. Dating, relationships—they were complicated. Always had been. Too many expectations, too much effort, and I wasn’t good at juggling it all. Coaching already took everything out of me. Relationships always seemed like a mess waiting to happen, one more thing to screw up.
But this—this didn’t feel like that kind of complicated.
This felt different.
This wasn’t about romance or expectations. It was about helping someone who clearly needed it, someone I couldn’t walk away from.
Nova’s pain sat heavy in my chest, like it was mine to carry, too. I didn’t know why I felt this way, but I did. She needed someone, and I needed to be that person for her. No matter how complicated it got, I wasn’t going anywhere.
11
nova
Embarrassment didn’t cover how I felt about last night. It was deeper—shame, horror at how I’d acted. I couldn’t do this. Whatever this was with Ollie, it was too complicated. I needed to step back. My life was already a mess, but when he called Luna and she talked me down from the ledge, I knew I needed a big change.
