All Chapters of MOONBOUND: Chapter 41 - Chapter 47

HAYLEY. The Winter Formal is only two days away, and the entire school is simmering with anticipation. Our hallway walls are smothered in cheesy decorations that flaunt themed messages—like the wall to my left, where there's a giant sticker of a glittering ballroom, taped over with colored balloons and the words: “Greystone High’s Winter Formal: Be There!” I certainly won’t be. Unless, of course, Corey decides to drag me there by the hair, which honestly, wouldn’t surprise me at this point. She’s been the epitome of persuasion all week, insisting we attend the ball for just once. But social events still give me the ick, especially after surviving that disaster of a party at Rakim’s. And then there’s the teeny-tiny issue of not having a date. As if sensing my thoughts, a black-and-gold banner ahead reads: “Come with the one you love!” If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Corey put that one up herself just to mess with me. I make my way to the school’s props room, where a handful

HAYLEY. I watch Axel gulp as my dad’s intense gaze rakes over him. “Axel Grey?” he says after a moment. “It’s you, isn’t it?” Axel clears his throat, still visibly rattled by his sudden appearance. “Yes, sir. It’s me.” “Well, well—quite the man you’ve become, haven’t you?” Dad says with a grin, extending a hand toward him. “Thank you, Mr. Anderson,” Axel replies, offering a faint smile as he takes my father’s hand. “I was going to see you after the game last week,” he blurts, almost like he can’t stop himself. “But I, uh… got carried away. With stuff, sir.” “Ah, it’s alright, boy,” Dad beams. Then he turns to me. “Hayley’s told me all about how brilliant you were in tryouts for the school's team.” My cheeks flush a deep red and I frown at him, mouthing a silent warning. But he just grins at me and steps back a few paces. “Well, I’ve got the car engine running, so I’d suggest you both head down in five if I’m dropping you at school.” He turns toward the door, one

NARRATIVE POV. “Don’t tell me you’re still undecided on what to name her,” Maria said, raising an eyebrow at her husband with a teasing smile. Sheriff McKenna chuckled, lifting the bottle of wine in hand, and pouring until his glass was half full. He set the bottle down and walked over to where his wife stood at the kitchen counter. “Don’t tell me you’ve already decided it’s a her,” he replied, grinning as he brushed a strand of her hair aside with his free hand. “Oh, it’s definitely a her,” she muttered, her tone softening as her hand rested on the gentle curve of her belly. She looked up at her husband, their smiles meeting, before she pulled him in for a slow, tender kiss. “Feel her,” she whispered when they parted. McKenna set the wineglass aside and placed both hands on his wife's belly. His fingers moved slowly over the bulge, tracing every stretch of vein, every faint outline of muscle. Somewhere beneath all of it was their child—the miracle they had waited five long yea

AXEL. This wasn’t how the night was supposed to go. Not with Mrs. Cooper’s bloodied body being loaded into an ambulance. The moment the medical team showed up, students realized something had gone wrong. And once the news spread, the entire night’s events came to a stop. Now there's no music playing anymore, and the students that once filled the auditorium are now scattered through the hallways, whispering in hushed tones with varying expressions of anxiety etched on their faces. It's no different in our little group. “I heard the medic say she’ll be fine,” Corey mutters nervously. “That’s a positive, right?” The words sound less like a question and more like an attempt to sound hopeful. Lucas shares a nervous look with Roxanne, who has her arm linked through his. He gives a helpless shrug. “I guess so.” I exhale, pressing a finger to my forehead, then turn toward the person who looks the most shaken: Hayley. She’s barely said a word since she saw Mrs. Cooper's body. The silen