Chapter 22: Choice

Jill's POV

"Luna, what point is there in taking me clothing shopping if I have a giant cast on my foot?! I'm supposed to be wearing comfortable things that can fit over this big thing, not sundresses! Plus, it's cold and-."

"No!" Luna yells, throwing yet another frilly dress at me. "Not another word farm-girl! Your hobo-chic thing is getting old missy!"

My eyes widen at the amount of bows and ribbons the dress features. "Luna, I cannot wear this! There is no way on earth that I could ever-."

"What's up ladies?" comes a voice from the doorway. I raise an eyebrow to see Gill. Luna puts a hand on her hip.

"I'm going to need an explanation as to why you're here," Luna says, "because this is a girl's dress store. So you're either following us, or have a strange addiction to dresses, or you're a creep who likes to see girls try on dresses."

Gill rolls his eyes. "I need to get some things for school, but I saw you girl from the window and decided to say hello."

"Did you? Well, then you might as well stay and help me pick out something for Jill."

"Oh, I'd much rather pick something out for you."

"What, my style's not good enough?"

"Oh on the contrary, your style is original, but I'd like to see if you can really pull off something with class."

The witty banter was making me very uncomfortable. Was Gill flirting with Luna? Before I knew it, the two were flouncing about picking dresses for Lumina. I sigh, take up my crutches and hobble out of the store.

My mental checklist had me scanning stores for sweatpants and sweaters. School was tomorrow, and I was going to have a heart attack if I tried fitting into skinny jeans with one pant leg cut off just so I could fit it over my cast. I groan and make my way down the street as rain begins to pour. My umbrella would be useless, seeing as I had two arms, both used for my crutches.

Once I'd found shelter in a medium sized clothing store, I picked out some sweatpants, and some shirts. Scanning another aisle I made eye contact with the one and only Lumina.

Of course.

At first, I think she's going to recognize me, and burst out in laughter or begin to torment me. But she simply breaks the contact, picks up a box of shoes from a shelf, and moves on.

My mind starts whirring. After everything I did to keep myself away from her, she didn't even recognize who I was? That was it?

Then I realized that I was being stupid. Maybe she didn't recognize me because my hair isn't in its perpetual ponytail after it fell out this morning and my arms hurt too much for me to try and do it again. Maybe it was because I was in a cast, and not my overalls. Or maybe she just didn't care anymore.

Ten thousand possibilities ran through my head, but then, Lumina walked by and laughed.

"You are Jill aren't you? I thought you were someone else for a second, but it must be you, right?"

I freeze.

This is what I wanted two seconds ago…for her to notice me, right?

"Yea," I say, resisting the choking feeling that's growing in my throat. "Yea, it's me."

"Oh my God!" she says, laughing. Her short hair looks perfect, and her brown eyes shine. "I can't believe you're here! What are you doing so far away from home? You didn't run away again did you?"

Here it comes I think to myself.

"I remember when you ran away at the Goddess pond when we were kids, and Rock was proposing to me so that I'd marry him once we got out of high school! Do you remember that, Jill?"

Of course I remember. The 6 year old Jill cried for hours that day.

"Yea, those were good times," I say.

"But then you ran off, to the city with your mom when your dad died right? Your fields were overgrown and everything was a mess. You came back, to restart the whole rancher business, but failed. I walked by your old farm a couple weeks ago. There are tons of weeds all over the place, and I think Takakura had to move away because he was so disappointed. It's okay though, since you're living in Paris now."

I ball my hands into fists. "What were you doing on my farm?"

"Oh haven't you heart? I think they're going to rip up your grounds and convert them into a little Circus! Yea, your mom can't afford to keep the land, and it's useless anyway, so she's selling it."

"That's not true! My mom would've told me!"

"Why? We all know you would've cried like a baby if you'd been told."

"It was my family's land. As long as I'm part of the family my mom keeps me involved. She knows how much that farm means to me-,"

"How much it means to you?" Lumina laughs. "You're in Paris, studying to get a job, not be a farmer. You've given up on that farm. And I guess your mom gave up on you."

I back away from her, my eyes burning with tears, and my fist balled up in anger. I turn to leave and hear her call out, "Go on and run, little Jill. It's the only thing you're good at anyway!"

I bolt away from her, finding the door. I open it, and see Skye, a hood pulled over his head and a shopping bag in his hand. He looks surprised to see me, and seeing my expression, worried. Lumina spots him, and starts laughing.

"Hey Jill, meet Skye, my boyfriend."