Out of Touch

Movement Three: Areabile

I had gotten a pass first thing in the morning. Seeing my Luna was worth it. Sure, I'd miss out on practicing but I would get to see Luna, my Luna. I could miss practicing once or twice, just for her.

I stop outside Alina's homeroom. It would only be polite of me to make sure she doesn't go alone the first time she goes down. She shoots me a weird look when she steps out of her homeroom.

"Come to escort me, huh?" She asks, a small sliver of a smile on her lips.

Still not enough.

"Well, I wasn't just going to leave you alone. So how has your day been?" I'm trying to keep eye contact but she keeps avoiding it until she responds.

"I've been doing okay. I think I failed my test third block." She stops walking, quickly turning around. "I can hear you." She grins.

I turn around to see Matt. He's never quiet, it's those keys he's got on himself.

"Oh yeah?" He asks.

"Glad to see you could make it down." Alina waits for him to catch up before we walk again. "So, you've both got other friends?" She tries.

"What?" Matt looks at her.

"Of course we have other friends. Who could stand being around the Slut all day?" I laugh.

"Okay, yeah. I didn't mean it it like that, I just wondered how many more there were." She looks down, feeling embarrassed I presume.

"If you think I'm weird, prepare to be amazed. I mean, you've already met the worst of the worst," I gesture to Matt. "The others have their own quirks too."

I push open the door, holding it for Alina. I let it go, forcing Matt to fend for himself.

"Fuck you too." Matt walks in.

We go up to the counter, checking in with the head librarian, Mrs. Stencil. She checks us off her list. I go over to the cluster of two person computer tables. I set my stuff in the same place I did last year. Alina sets hers down next to mine.

"Nooo that's for my Luna." I whine, sitting down.

"Fine, I'll sit next to Matt." She says hesitantly.

She goes back a table, setting her books next to Matt's. He's already pulling out his school laptop, getting ready to work on whatever he's been doing. He's got his music in one ear, plotting to ignore.

Vinh walks in, setting her stuff on the table in front of mine. Ava sits right next to her.

John comes in. He pulls a chair up to Ava. Jay arrives, sitting by himself. Solitude is his. Nicole comes in, as does Mickey. Megs sits at the table next to Vinh's.

Where's my Luna?

"Vinh, where's my Luna?" I look up at her.

"How the hell should I know?" Vinh walks away.

I ditch practice for my Luna. Where could she be?

Then she walks in. She sets her stuff down on my table.

"Hey Andy, it's been awhile since you've come down here. I'm happy you're here." She smiles at me.

Yes, another smile from her today.

"Well, I had to come down and see you." I stand up.

"I doubt that's your only reason," Luna laughed.

"It isn't, but I wish was. This is Alina, I brought her down for introduction purposes."

"Try because I told you to," Vinh stood beside me.

"Shhhh," I shushed her. "Alina, this is my Luna. That's Jay, John, Megs, Nicole and Mickey. This is the rest of the insane gang."

"You all honestly don't seem crazy at all." Alina stands up. "But I guess that's just how it goes."

I could see Mickey move out of the corner of my eye. Alina was in for a surprise.

"I've also met some of you before, I just never really talked i guess." She shrugged.

There it goes.

Alina shrieked quietly as Mickey's hands wrapped around her body and groped her boobs. Mickey was tiny. She was also known for molesting us and rating our asses with Megs. I know I was second on the nice ass list, below only Matt. Just because he had a round ass and I didn't. But I liked mine the way it was.

Everyone burst out laughing. Mickey stood next to her, unable to breathe for a moment.

"Megs, hers are the best." Mickey grinned.

"Why did you do that?" Alina took a step away, crossing her arms.

"It's what she does," Vinh shrugged.

Mickey held out her hand, going for an apologetic handshake. "I'm sorry," she smiled. "Female inductee tradition."

Alina awkwardly shook Mickey's hand. "What do the guys get then?"

Mickey slipped her arm between Alina's arm and side, squeezing her ass.

"That," she laughed.

"I don't have much of an ass," Alina shrugged as her face went red.

"Yeah, you're low on the list."

My Luna looked over at me. "Well, that was a thing."

"Luna, did I show you my list recent French music artist finding?" I pulled out my phone and earbuds. "It's an artist named Stromae."

I handed my Luna an earbud and stuck the other one in my ear. I leaned close to her. I could feel the heat coming off of her, smell the rain. She was always warm, it reflected her kind soul. I wanted to put my arm around her. I resisted the urge with all my strength.

I looked up from the music video. Alina was watching me. She smiled at me, making a heart with her hands.

I got her to smile! She had a pretty smile too, even if it wasn't perfect. I wanted to make her smile more.

Twenty-four.

I smiled back. She dropped her hands as my Luna looked up. My Luna grinned at her before focusing back on my phone. Alina winked at me, picking up her phone. She'd want to talk to me about this later, I could tell.

Maybe I would let her in on my plan. I had been planning it for a little while but I was still unsure I was ready.

Maybe I'd have to let her know a bit more about me first.