Jupiter and Her Moons (Mended Universe Book 1) Read online

  JUPITER AND HER MOONS

  Copyright © 2019 BL Mute

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the authors imagination or used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or by information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher or author.

  EDITOR: One Love Editing

  COVER DESIGNER: TRC Designs

  FORMATTING: Clara Stone of Reader Central

  Contents

  Warning

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Epilogue

  Saturn And Her Rings Preview

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  This book is not for those who are easily offended or have difficulty reading about tough subjects.

  There is mention or acts of: rape, addiction, suicide, and death. THIS IS YOUR WARNING! Continue at your own risk.

  To anyone who has faced battles with their own moons.

  You are strong, you are fierce, and I am proud of you.

  This is it. Today is the day.

  I look at the four envelopes in my hand. The black ink on the front of each of them crushes my heart. Pretty letters with a perfectly placed floral stamp in the corner can’t mask the words within them. This is it. This is my apology to everyone I love: Peyton, Chance, James, and my mom.

  Over the last seven years I’ve done horrible things—things I can’t take back. I just hope when they read these letters, they will understand.

  I shove the envelopes in my bag and wipe my eyes. I told myself I wouldn’t cry, but that’s as useful as telling the sky not to be blue. Taking a deep breath, I steady my nerves before stepping out of my car.

  Harper Valley… I always thought when I was younger that I would leave this small, closed-off town that sits in the center of Kansas, but I was wrong. I’m still stuck here, but not for much longer.

  The blue mailbox on the corner is where I should be going, where I need to go, but the neon sign for a bar next door grabs my attention instead. I haven’t had a drink in three years, but I think I deserve it now more than ever.

  I patiently wait for the cars to pass on the road in front of me; I’m in no hurry anyway. I cross the street with my bag clutched to my side. Once I’m in front of the small bar, I take another deep breath and pull open the door.

  The smoky air burns my eyes when I step inside, and the smell of greasy food and booze makes me want to vomit, but I hold it down. I look around and see the typical setup. Jukebox in the back right corner, bathrooms to the left, tables and chairs all over the old wooden floor in the center, and a bar that stretches almost the whole length of the right wall with an open window behind it for a kitchen.

  Only a few people are sitting at the bar. Two men at one end talking in hushed whispers and a woman in the middle with a small laptop in front of her. She has kinky red hair that’s piled messily on top of her head, thick black glasses framing her eyes, and a plate of what looks like cheese fries and a bowl of ranch next to the computer.

  I pick a stool that sits two spaces from the woman, deciding I’d rather be in her company than the men. I throw my bag onto the old wooden counter and raise my hand to get the bartender’s attention.

  The older man gives me a warm smile as he approaches. “What can I get you?”

  “Can I get a whiskey sour, without the egg?” He nods and grabs a glass from under the counter. “And whatever she has on that plate.”

  The woman next to me pipes in. “They’re the best. Ranch is house-made too, so better than the Hidden Valley shit.” She tries to wink at me, but both of her eyes close instead. I can’t help but laugh.

  She shrugs her shoulders with a smirk, then turns back to her computer and starts typing.

  The bartender hands me my drink, and I guzzle it down in seconds. He gives me an odd look but doesn’t protest when I tell him, “Keep them coming.”

  The woman side eyes me. “Only people who are trying to forget things drink like that.”

  Memories of the past seven years fly into my head with her comment. “Maybe you’re right.” I chuckle, trying to maintain my composure. “Or maybe I could use some liquid courage.”

  Without warning, tears prick my eyes, then fall to my cheeks. The woman beside me almost looks scared. She looks around the room like she’s waiting for someone to come in and handle the crazy bitch who’s bawling next to her, but after a deep breath, she pushes her computer and plate of fries toward me, then plants herself on the stool next to mine.

  “Look,” she whispers, leaning closer. “Everyone goes through shit. I get the feeling you’re going through some shit. If you wanna talk, I’m here. I know I’m a stranger, but you can look at it as you’ll never see me again, so whatever you need or want to say is safe.” She smiles.

  I dry my tears and inhale deep through my nose. I want to thank her, but the woman doesn’t pry and doesn’t continue to stare. She just turns back in her seat and types away at her computer like nothing ever happened.

  The bartender makes his way back to me and places the cheese fries in front of me with a bowl of ranch, then slips into the back. I stab one golden fry with my fork and scoop some of the bacon crumbles and jalapeno onto the long strip with my finger, before dipping it in ranch and shoving it into my mouth.

  “Holy shit! The ranch is amazing,” I get out between swallows.

  The woman turns back to me. “Told ya!” She has the same Southern hint in her voice James has, and for some reason, it makes me feel comfortable talking to her.

  I set the fork next to my plate and down the rest of the whiskey sour in my glass. “I’ve had a rough time the past few years. It just got to me.” I speak quietly.

  The woman turns to me again. “Wanna talk about it?”

  I let out a chuckle. “I don’t even know where to start.”

  She pats my hand. “How ’bout the beginning?”

  I laugh and wipe a stray tear that managed to escape my eye. “We’d be here all night.”

  “Well…” She props her elbow onto the bar top. “I have nowhere to be.” She dunks one of her own fries in ranch before popping it into her mouth.

  I smile at her and nod. “I guess I should start with him.”

  “Him?” she questions. “We’re going to need more drinks for a him.” She raises her hand and waves it. The bartender comes from the back and fills my glass again along with hers.
I watch her as she swirls her drink in her glass. Of course, her red hair was the first thing I noticed, but now I’m seeing her blue eyes hiding behind glasses, a nose piercing, and even a few freckles splashed against her pale skin.

  She takes a sip, then looks to me again with a small smile. “Go ahead, babe. I’m listening.”

  I rub my sweaty palms over my thighs and take one last deep breath.

  “When I first met him, I was seventeen. Just a couple months away from my eighteenth birthday. I was a senior at Harper Valley High and ready to conquer the world. Now, at the time I didn’t know who he was, or what he would become to me, but that didn’t stop me from anything.”

  The red-haired woman smiles, and I can’t help but smile back.

  Peyton and I were leaning up against Matt’s black Challenger in the parking lot, waiting for him and Chance. Since the school year was already halfway through, friends had already been made and cliques had been established. The new kid didn’t go unnoticed by anyone when he showed up in the middle of the day.

  “So, who is he?” Peyton asked me.

  I shrugged. “I don’t know.” I drew my eyes back to where the new kid stood by the door.

  He had on black jeans with a black tee and even blacker Vans. His clothes were black all over. The only color he had was his slightly tanned skin and shaggy, dirty-blond hair. He was tall and thin but had muscular arms; his jaw was sharp, and he had dimples deep in his cheeks. He was a looker for sure.

  “We should invite him to the party.” She shifted on her feet, then looked at me with a grin.

  I shook my head. “Whatever you want to do, Pey. Your house, your rules.”

  Peyton was my best friend. Well, one of them. She was loud and crazy, had bright blue hair and a curvy body, and always spoke her mind. She was the whiskey to my sour. She had a way about her that made everyone love her. She walked with grace but spoke with conviction, and smiled in your face before knocking you out if you disrespected her. She was the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy.

  Her grin widened. “I knew you’d say that.” She leaned back against the car before cupping her hands around her mouth and yelling, “Hey, new kid! Come here!”

  I chuckled to myself and shook my head.

  The new kid looked around before pointing to himself. Peyton nodded at him, then crooked her finger, inviting him to us. He walked with a confident swagger and a smirk on his face, showcasing his dimples.

  Peyton wasted no time starting a conversation once he was in front of us. “Want to come to a party?” She flipped her blue hair over her shoulder and stood up straighter.

  He raised his eyebrow, then looked to me. “Depends…” He rolled his shoulder, pushing his backpack back in place, then stared at me for a minute. “Will you be there?”

  A blush crept from my neck and landed on my cheeks. The way he studied me made me want to turn away, to hide, but I didn’t. “She’s my neighbor, so it’s either go and enjoy it or be annoyed by it. I pick the first.” I laughed to myself.

  He nodded, letting his hair fall over his eyes before pushing it back and turning to Peyton. “Then sure, I’ll come.”

  She smiled wide, showing off her white teeth. “Great.”

  “Who is this tall glass of water?”

  I was so focused on the new boy that I didn’t even notice Chance and Matt walking up. Chance fanned himself with his hand while letting his mouth fall open wide. Chance was wearing his famous flamingo-pink shorts with a striped polo, and Matt had on a crisp white tee with light jeans and classic Adidas. Matt was the perfect-looking jock while Chance was the perfect stereotype of a gay boy.

  The new boy just laughed, then extended his hand to Chance. “I’m James.” Chance took his hand and shook it lightly. “And you are?” James questioned.

  Chance snapped out of his daze. “Chance… I’m Chance.” He smiled.

  James nodded, then looked back to me and Peyton. “Never got your names.”

  “I’m Peyton,” she cooed. “And that’s—”

  Matt cut her off before she could finish. “Jupiter.” He puffed out his chest and threw his arm over my shoulder. “This is Jupiter, and I’m Matt, her boyfriend.” He glared at James with a smirk.

  I rolled my eyes. Matt thought just because we were dating, he could act like a predatory douche bag, and I hated it. I had only been dating him for five months at this point because my mom liked him. I mean, I liked him too, but only when we were alone. Around everyone else he was a dick, but when it was just us, he was as sweet as sugar.

  My mom was kind of snobby and hard to impress, but she liked Matt, so that was a win in my book. I kept him around for the sake of not listening to her bitch, and having someone to listen to me who seemed to genuinely care. It was a bonus that, although Matt was a douche, he didn’t ask me for anything sexual. I mean, he hardly kissed me, but I wasn’t complaining.

  “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Matt.” James said his name the same way Matt said boyfriend, full of venom and distaste. His Southern drawl was distinct.

  Maybe Matt has finally met his match, I thought to myself.

  James went to walk away, but Peyton stopped him by grabbing his arm. “I need your number so I can text you details. The party is tonight.”

  He nodded and turned his whole body toward her. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he grabbed her hand and scribbled numbers on the back of it. “Catch ya later, Blue.” He saluted her. “Good meeting you, Chance, Jupiter.” He dipped his head to us, then walked a few spaces over to where a black bike was parked.

  He climbed on top of it, slipped on his helmet, then kicked it to life and sat. For the slightest moment, I was jealous of the bike. The way he straddled it and gripped its handles. I was a serious mess over this new mysterious boy. After all, I was a virgin and I had a boyfriend. What was I thinking?

  Matt looked at James as he rode off with a cocky smirk on his face, before he walked around his car and tilted the seat, waiting for Chance to get into the back.

  Once everyone was in place and buckled, Matt pushed the Start button, then backed out and turned onto the road before flooring it.

  “Matt does sound like a prick. Hopefully that changed with his age?” The woman raises her eyebrow at me before taking a sip of her drink.

  “It did. A lot changed actually.” I push away the bad thoughts of all the memories that are coming to me. “We all changed.”

  “Most people do as they grow up.”

  I nod in agreement and take another drink. Now that the liquor is in my system, it’s making me feel loose. A feeling I’ve missed so much.

  “What are you writing?” I ask the woman, wanting to change the subject for a second.

  She grins at me. “A book. Well, I’m trying to anyway.”

  The liquor speaks for me. “Well, start taking notes. I promise this story is a good one.”

  “I couldn’t do that. It takes away the whole stranger aspect.’” She laughs.

  I give her a warm smile. “You won’t see me again after this. I know that for a fact. Get those fingers to typing.”

  She tips her head sideways in confusion. “Really?”

  “Really,” I say with a grin.

  Matt dropped me, Peyton, and Chance off at Peyton’s house. After I went to my house to grab some things, I went back to help finish setting up for the party and get ready.

  I pushed open the big wooden doors to Peyton’s house and went straight up the stairs where I knew she and Chance would be. Her bedroom door was open. Chance was lying on her bed with his hand propped up, holding his head, while Peyton threw clothes from her closet and whined.

  “I have nothing to wear.” Her eyes met mine as I stepped through her door.

  “Hush. I got you.” I pulled the bag off my shoulder, then dumped the contents into the growing pile of clothes on the floor.

  Peyton’s eyes lit up as she walked to me. “You’re the best!” she squealed, then planted a sloppy kiss on my lips. To say Peyton un
derstood boundaries and space was ridiculous, but that was just Peyton.

  “I know.” I smiled back. “Now go get dressed.”

  She plucked a silver sequin dress from the pile and clutched it to her chest before running to the bathroom.

  I smiled, then walked to the bed and fell beside Chance.

  “You are too good at this damage-control thing, Jupiter.” He set his phone down and turned his head to me.

  “I just know Peyton better than she knows herself. I knew she would need something ‘fresh.’” I did air quotations with my fingers before laughing.

  “I know she’s grateful for you—I am too. I would be so lost in this boring world without my main bitches.” He smiled, then hugged me to his side

  “And we would be lost without you,” I replied with a smile.

  After a few minutes, the bathroom door opened and Peyton emerged. “How do I look?” She turned her body in a small circle slowly.

  She had on the silver dress, white Doc Marten boots, and big silver hoop earrings that peeked between her blue strands of hair when she moved.

  “Like sex on fucking legs!” I cheered.

  Chance whistled before adding, “Yes, babe! Fucking hot!”

  Peyton curtsied to us both before walking to the bed and sitting at our feet. “Okay, Jupiter. Your turn.” She grinned.