I know it's tomorrow but this chapter coming out on basically Valentine's Day is funny to me.

To Ask For the Crescent Moon: Part Seven

Cress was still running on the adrenaline coming from the wonderful time meeting Thorne's parents that it overpowered whatever fear she had for Thorne meeting her father. In every scenario she played in her head, she didn't think it would go so well. Spades, she didn't think she'd do more talking than Thorne, whose mind seemed to be on a different planet.

And it's returned to the same distant planet when Cress parked the car in the parking lot of her father's practice. They get out of the car and Thorne holds the door for her before following her inside.

"You haven't said anything," Cress says as she walks up to the elevator and presses the call button.

"I'm thinking of what to say to your father," Thorne responds, fiddling with his hands in his jacket pockets.

"I tried that with your parents. Didn't work. And I had way less to work with than you. At least you know what my dad looks like."

"Not comforting, Crescent Moon." He grins as the elevator doors open and they step inside. Thorne leans in closer to her. "Wanna kiss me for good luck?"

Cress turns to face him and grins, no kiss in sight. "You got this, Captain."

-o-

Cress leads Thorne into her father's office. There weren't any patients scheduled for the next hour and the secretary was on her lunch break. Cress heads into the back with Thorne close by. The silence in the office was eerie, making Thorne wish he was back at his place, eating snacks with his parents. Aces, he can't believe he said that. On any other day, that moment with his parents would've been enough to last him a while.

"Dad, we're here," Cress says, knocking on the door as she opens it.

Sage looks up from his desk, standing and circling to greet them. He shakes Thorne's hand as if they're meeting for the first time but skipped formalities like they've known each other for years. Thorne doesn't know how to approach this meeting since he didn't know how or if he could prepare. Now he knows how Cress felt before meeting his parents.

"Crescent, if you'll let us talk alone," Sage tells his daughter.

Cress hesitates aloud with a small hum. She looks at Thorne. "Are you sure?"

"Oh yeah," Thorne says although he doesn't mean it. He didn't think he would be in this alone but didn't want to say he couldn't handle it. As if Cress's father would let her date a wimp. "It'll be great."

Cress looks skeptical but then she smiles. "You got this, Captain." She squeezes his hand tight before heading outside.

Thorne watches her go, his heart dropping when he hears the door click. He turns back around and faces Cress's dad who opens a hand to a couch by the window. It's cold and leathery, making him feel like a patient about to start a session.

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Sage says about Cress's exit.

Thorne's mouth parches. This is an appointment.

"So Crescent tells me you've been dating for a while and now you want to go to the dance with her," Sage says, sitting at his desk and holding a pencil over a notepad. Thorne wonders if he'll be taking notes or holding that pencil out of habit.

"Yes," Thorne says, "but she said I had to meet you first officially as the boyfriend, and then I said she had to meet my parents as my girlfriend."

Sage nods. "Smart."

Thorne grins, relieved that plan worked. He saw the pencil move but wasn't sure if her dad wrote anything down. He didn't want to look like he was trying to peek but he wanted to know so, so badly.

"How long were you two together?" Sage asks him.

"Couple months," Thorne responds, trying to keep it casual. He didn't want to look like he was counting the days since it might make him look creepy. As if Cress's dad would let her date a creep. But does keeping it vague make it look like he doesn't care? He can't win this conversation. "Short after she cut her hair, well, short."

"You were the one who encouraged her to cut her hair, right?"

"Yes." Thorne wasn't sure if he should mention that he cut Cress's hair when her father was out-of-town. Her hair isn't as short anymore but she was thinking of keeping it at that length. It's easier to manage and cuter.

"And you are aware that after the haircut, she started hanging out with you and your other friends more?"

"Yes."

"She's more social now, more adventurous."

"But still wary and cautious which is what we need. She's the type to want to explore the clouds but is still the closest to the ground."

Sage nods, humming to himself. "Interesting for you to bring that up. You know you got Cress to step out of her comfort zone. I think she hasn't been as happy before as she is now so I thank you for that. She would've never been going to the dance if she didn't have you guys. You, especially, if I had to say."

Thorne isn't sure what to say. He knew Cress from before he entered her house after needing help from being chased by Wolf. Did he ever thank him for that? They were classmates who didn't cross paths much, barely saw each other in the halls. Until that day they hid in her house and played video games. From that moment forward, it's near history.

"She's still well-read, well-educated, and well-mannered," Sage says. "You're just … oh well."

Thorne laughs. "My parents said the same thing."

-o-

Winter sits on her living room couch, flipping through channels. She isn't even checking what program is on whenever she reaches a new channel. She doesn't care enough. Her hiccups are slowly dying down, which she's relieved about, but she doesn't feel happy.

"I thought you'd be out buying a dress," Levana says as she passes by. "Isn't the dance soon?"

Winter shrugs, leaving the television on a veterinary show. A Doberman was undergoing an emergency C-section. "I don't know - hic - if I'm going."

Levana cocks a brow. "Why not go and have the time of your life?"

"You - hic - said the same - hic - for Orion's Beach."

"You're comparing hiccups to a beach fire."

Winter shrugs. "You don't - hic - know what'll - hic - happen there."

"Neither do you."

Winter doesn't argue since she doesn't have a point. She hears Levana purse her lips but tries to focus on the newborn puppies on the screen. That delivery went well so why wouldn't the dance?

-o-

Cress wanted to go on her phone to pass the time but all she managed to do was unlock her phone and stare at her background. It was a photo of her and Thorne, right after he cut her hair short. Her edges were jagged and she was smiling so brightly as Thorne held up the long locks that were once a part of her head. That moment seemed so long ago, especially since Cress's hair was slowly growing past her shoulders. She needed another haircut before the dance if they wound up going.

Cress glances up when she sees someone walk out of her father's back office. She smiles when she sees Thorne in his natural everything's fine because I'm amazing state. His confident walk and charming smile. It's relieving to see that version of Thorne again, remembering how spaced out he was earlier.

"If there's a Patricia here," Thorne announces, "Dr. Darnel is ready to see you."

As a woman thanks Thorne and heads inside, Cress stands and waits for Thorne to talk to her about what happened with her father. All she did while staring at her phone background was thinking of possible scenarios which didn't help. She didn't even think she'd be making any after meeting with Thorne's parents.

"How'd it go?" Cress asks, taking his hand anxiously.

"Uh," Thorne hesitates, "doctor-patient confidentiality but we're going to the dance."

"We are?"

"I swear on the stars, Crescent Moon."

Cress squeals as she wraps her arms around Thorne's neck and kisses him. They're both glad the parental situation was taken care of because now they can focus on what really matters: the school dance.