Becoming the Luna

Chapter 43

We're here." My mom's gentle voice rouses me from my slight doze, I sit up and rub my eyes, the sun was already beginning to set, from the little I could see through the trunks of the trees.

The journey inside the house is blurry and I can't remember if I walked in all by myself or my mom carried me.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyydddeeeenn!!!" Shana screams as soon as the door swings open, I barely blink to take in my surroundings before she launches herself at me.

"Why would you do this to me?" She demands, in half anger, the other half is her trying hard not to cry, the scary marshmallow. "I was worried sick! I searched everywhere!! I was so scared" Her voice fades at this point and she's just outright sobbing.

My heart breaks at this, what was I thinking?

"You just disappeared without a trace for an entire day! I was ready to pull Elise's cobwebs for hair out of her head but we had no proof." Shana starts to rant, her sobbing fading to an angry sniffling. "I knew the bitch was lying, she had that smug look on her face that I wanted to claw off"

I just subtly move us to a couch, because I'm actually exhausted and I'm not going to be able to hold up Shana's angry weight for long.

"I'm sorr"

"I died so many times today that I lost count." She interrupts me, hugging me so tight I'm scared I'll bruise. "If you ever do that to me again I'll kill you." She says seriously, moving back to peer at my face.

I nod gravely, I'd have actually died if any of them disappeared for a day without any trace, I was actually selfish. 

"I know, I'm sorry." I whisper.

"If you're sorry, you'll tell me why you not only skipped school all alone but also tried to murder yourself in the woods." She says in a stern voice which has me cringing.

I note that everyone else that had settled on couches to watch Shana's reaction leaned closer to hear what I had to say.

Virgil and Dale look downright murderous and I know that even if I don't die after telling them, Elise would, someone was definitely going to die.

I avert my face, a bright red flush climbing up, wait hold that thought I am definitely going to die.

It seems so ridiculous now that I'm calmer and take a look at it, Elise just claimed that she was Virgil's girlfriend, I've known Virgil all my life but the proof she had went a long way in convincing me, Virgil has never held me like that I shake my head, what is wrong with me?

"Um" I mumble, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. "Can I freshen up and eat first, it's not like I'm going to try to run away again." I tease lightly and instantly regret it as they all collectively wince.

Shana isn't inconsiderate so she agrees. "Fine, Renee and I will prepare something for you and you will let me feed you." She orders.

I nod quickly, knowing I either get fed or stabbed with the cutlery. "I'll be back in five." I throw into their middle, extricate myself from Shana's hold and tear up the stairs.

I don't stop running till I get to my room, the door is fixed now and I've never been happier to be able to lock a door shut. I fling myself on the bed and have a mini panic episode.

I can't do it! I can't!

What would they think if I said that I nearly killed myself because I found out that Virgil has a girlfriend?

I groan and roll around on the bed, I wanted to just stay up in my room until I get old and have a mile long, grey beard but I never get what I want so I drag myself out of bed and go to the bathroom to clean off the grime and dirt of the hectic day I've had.

The nights are getting warmer so I throw on flaxen pyjama bottoms and an old shirt, time to face my death.

My heart is thumping fast and I feel like puking but somehow I make my way down to the living room, as soon as my leg leaves the last stair the room suddenly seems hostile.

Hesitantly, I walk forward, They're all huddled around something and my mom sits a little bit away from them like she had just done so, a heavy frown on her face.

"I-Is something wr-wrong?" I ask, walking in.

Virgil's hands are in fists and he's suddenly looking at everywhere but at me, Dale grits his teeth but is actually looking at me, way too intensely for comfort and Shana just walks forward and grabs my hands.

"Food first!" She announces, yanking me along with her.

The dinning table is a sombre affair and I remain tense throughout, it seems everyone knows something that I didn't and it also made them angry and disapproving.

I'm so confused but I dutifully let Shana feed me, hopefully it might take their minds off me for the night and tomorrow, my reasons for running away might not sound so ridiculous.

The meal is almost over when my phone starts to ring, I had wanted to read a bit so I had set an alarm to remind me.

I look around for the point of the sound, all the while trying to remember the last place I saw my phone, I dart my eyes around the room until it finally rests on Virgil. I look down to his hands and my phone is held in that tight grip.

"Um, w-why are y-you h-holding m-my phone?" I stutter, looking at him with wide eyes.

He glances down at it like he doesn't remember holding it then his expression darkens.

"P-Please don't kill my phone." I blurt out, already reaching out for it. Just then a memory hit me and I remember that I had gotten a text just before Elise ambushed me and ruined my life.

I switch on the phone and flick through it to my recent notification, I briefly go through the message and whip my head up. "W-What" I trail off frowning.

It was a text from Virgil telling me to stay away from Elise and not to believe whatever she says. 

"Y-You sent me a text?" I inquire, looking up at him.

"I was too late though, you couldn't even read it yet." He replies tightly and I frown.

"T-Too late?" I repeat blankly.

"Let's move this to the hangout room." Shana announces. "We're all done eating anyway, want to join us Renee?" She asks my mom.

My mom seems lost in thought but she answers with clarity. "No, I've got to make a couple calls and yell at some people, just leave the dishes, I'll clear them." She adds, rubbing her jaw thoughtfully like she's ruminating over a master plan.

The walk to the hangout room is short and uneventful, everyone looking like they had so much to say which I didn't mind at all, I had a lot of questions.

"We saw what Elise said to you, she texted it and more photoshopped pictures to you." Shana says darkly. "The nerve of that bitch."

Dale just pushes a hand through his hair. "I can't believe she actually did all that, I honestly thought you guys were just exaggerating about her blackmails."

I frown harder, I'm not sure whether to be mortified that they had found out or to be shocked that it had all been a lie, and the pictures were...photoshopped?? They had looked so real.

"What? W-What is going on?" I ask, confused.

"Why would you think I had a girlfriend?" Virgil is the one who speaks this time and I try to hide inside myself.

"B-Be-Because" I trail off toying with my fingers, we had all settled on the couch and I wish I had chosen the bed so that I could hide behind my blankets. "I-I don't know." I finally say in a tiny voice.

"It's not Hayden's fault, I know Elise, I practically grew up with her, she can make you think that the sky is purple not blue." Shana says.

Oh wow! Virgil doesn't have a girlfriend??

It finally hits me then and I just spend a full minute blinking and staring into space. "Y-You a-aren't dating Elise?" I blurt out, beyond confused.

"No." Virgil says coldly, not bothering to grace the question with too many words in the reply.

"Ew." Shana exclaims. "I'd sell him to a slave dealer if he even thought about doing something like that."

Dale just had an intense look of disgust on his face.

I blink again, now that they had given me answers, Elise words seem ridiculous and I wonder how I ever fell for them but Virgil is a really sensitive matter to me or so I've found out in recent times so it probably didn't take much for me to fall into her trap, hook, line and sinker.