Meanwhile, a college acceptance letter arrived at the complex.
Luna–already expelled from school–heard the mailman and sprinted over.
“la it Kellan’s? Did he get in?”
Ever since her mess with Mr. Hawthorne, the Hendersons had basically disowned her.
Desperate, she’d sweet talked Kellan again–cooed and batted her lashes, even though he knew exactly who she was.
And like an idiot, he’d fallen for it, promising to ace the pilot exam and give her the “bright future” she craved.
But the mailman shook his head.
“Sorry, miss. This is for Mia Kane.”
I stepped outside, took the envelope, and signed it.
“Congratulations, Miss Kane,” the mailman grinned. “Official Air Force cadet now.”
“Thanks,” I smiled back.
Luna’s jaw dropped.
“What? When the hell did you apply to the Academy?”
I gave her a cold look. “While you were busy chasing every guy with a pulse.”
Her face flamed.
“How Dare You Mocking Me!”
I ignored her.
By then, Kellan and Jax were walked into the yard, both carrying flowers.
Luna’s eyes narrowed as they headed straight for me, grinning and saying “congrats.”
“God! Please!” she scoffed.
“Lecturing me about guys? You’ve got two at once!”
She lunged at me, but Ethan and Jax moved faster–stepping in front of me, shoving her back.
“I told you to stay away from Mia,” Ethan snapped.
Jax nodded, firmly. “Multiple times.”
Luna’s eyes watered–probably from humiliation, getting shut down by two guys she’d once stringed along.
Kellan, watching from the porch, grabbed her arm, trying to haul her inside.
Luna’s anger exploded.
She smacked him hard across the face.
“Who the hell do you think you are? You’re a fucking failure! If you’d just gotten into the Academy, I wouldn’t be stuck here, looking like a fool! You thought you could marry me?! Dream on, LOSER! You’re worthless!”
Her words were so venomous, we just turned and went inside.
In the living room, Jax sighed.
11nd Natures to Save Her
Chapter 8
“Kellan missed It by one point. If the Hendersons hadn’t worked him in the home, he might’ve made it.
Ethan nodded.
“Yeah. If he’d never met Luna–seriously–he’s smart enough, driven enough. He could’ve had a shot.”
I thought about it.
In my past life, he had made something of himself.
But he’d thrown it all away, too blinded by Luna to care.
Wonder if he ever regretted it–swapping me back, putting Lama in her place.
But I’ll always be grateful.
He’s the reason I got to come home to my real parents!
After that mess with Ms. Hawthorne, Luna jumped between guys–though none took her seriously.
Just fun and games for them.
By the time I was deep in Air Force Academy training, her reputation was so toxic no decent guy would go near her.
Kellan turned his fix–it talent into an Air Force maintenance job.
Runway upkeep and aircraft repair–a humble engineer, but steady work.
I saw him around the base sometimes.
Never spoke.
We’d end up at adjacent tables in the mess hall, him stealing glances my way the whole time.
My fellow cadets would rib me: “Damn, Mia–that guy’s totally whipped.”
But I knew better.
He wasn’t seeing me.
He was staring at the ghost of our past life.
Regret for letting me go, for swapping our fates back, for ever falling for Luna.
Time blurred.
Deployments, skirmishes, missions where I flew into danger to protect what mattered.
When the fifth Distinguished Flying Cross and a Silver Star landed on our dining room table, Mom and Dad cried like I’d gotten hurt.
“We named you Mia ‘cause we wanted you safe,” Mom said, wiping tears. She might command rooms at the UN, but with me? She was just Mom, soft and worried.
Dad clapped me on the back, voice thick
“Proud doesn’t even cover it, kiddo. So damn proud.”
Ethan–now a celebrated scientist–and Jax, the military’s top medic, got misty too.
Surrounded by all of them, cheering and fussing over me, I felt it down to my bones: pure, unshakable joy!
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
