Chapter 5

"I'm sorry, Felix. I never thought that my actions would have bugged you so much. I won't do it again. I will always remember what you said, and I won't bother you anymore.

"About everything I've done in the past, I sincerely apologize to you right now in front of both of our parents. I hope you can forgive me," I said while lowering my head apologetically.

I forced the humiliation down as I continued, "I, Luna Lawson, swear that from this moment onward, I will never bother you again, Felix."

My thoughts of him being the one for me and all the love I carried for him were nothing more than delusions. I was so caught up in my own feelings that I failed to realize my love was unrequited.

I bit my lip hard, and the sharp tang of blood exploded across my tongue.

If this was what he wanted, then I would grant him his wish.

Despite my best efforts, my tears still streamed down my face and onto the floor.

"Felix … what are you doing?" Aunt Mel exclaimed in exasperation.

"Lulu, get up. You've done nothing wrong. You don't need to apologize. Come, let's go home," Mom consoled me as she helped me up.

Her fingers were warm as she wiped my tears away gently. "Baby, don't cry. It breaks my heart."

"Harper, Lulu has done the right thing. It was clear that her actions had taken a toll on Felix, so she should apologize. Lulu, since you know that you've done something wrong, you have to make sure not to make the same mistake again in the future. Got it?

"We, the Lawsons, know when to apologize and how to learn from our mistakes," Dad said as he pulled Mom and me into his embrace.

From such a close proximity, I could tell that Dad's eyes were bloodshot as well.

"Dad, Mom, let's help Aunt Mel clean up. The house is in a mess because of me," I said as I wiped my tears away and forced a smile on my face.

"Alright, let's clean up together," Mom said as she tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

I went to the kitchen to take the trash can while Dad bent down and picked up the broken plates, tossing them into the trash can. Mom picked up a few paper towels and started cleaning the spilled food on the ground.

"Gerald, you don't need to do that …" Uncle Austin protested as he grabbed Dad's hand.

Aunt Mel had also gotten to her feet. She was worried about Felix's wounds and wanted to check in on him, but she also couldn't bear to see us cleaning up the mess either.

She hesitated for a while before taking the paper towel from Mom's hands and assured her she could handle it.

Duncan's and Eugene's families also sprang into action. After all, with so many people, they could get the place cleaned up in no time.

However, Mom turned their kind gestures down resolutely. She trained her eyes on the mess spilling all over the floor as she said, "We don't need any help. This mess happened because of Lulu, so we should clean it up. Don't worry. I know how clean Melinda likes her house to be, and I guarantee she will be satisfied with our work."

Aunt Mel watched on as we meticulously cleaned the house. She hid her face in her hands as she sobbed, "Harper, Lulu, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is Felix's fault. I promise he'll apologize to you. Harper, don't be like this. It's breaking my heart."

"Melinda, do you think my heart isn't broken right now? You watched Lulu grow up, so you know her well, right? So, what exactly has she done to be humiliated like she was just now?

"I've always treated Felix as my own son, so how exactly has my family offended him for him to embarrass my baby like this? Melinda, put yourself in my shoes for a minute. Can you even comprehend what I'm feeling right now?" Mom said as she wiped her tears from her face.

My heart broke for Mom. Aunt Mel pulled Mom into her embrace as she apologized over and over again.

But I knew that, in the end, it was my fault.

I should never have liked Felix.