Cloud 69

61:

april 28, 2022

"Please, Luna," she begged, tugging on the girl's arm as if that would persuade her. Luna shook her arm weakly, attempting to pull herself free from Madeline, but she held on tightly like a nagging child.  "I can't do it alone."

"No," Luna snapped. She lifted her head, turning her gaze away from Maddie. "You got yourself into this."

"No, I did not," Madeline corrected immediately. "He did this. I'm the victim here."

"You're the victim?" Luna questioned with a raise of her brow. She picked up the pace of her strides in hopes that it would discourage Madeline from badgering her as they walked down the crowded hallway. 

"Is it really so hard to believe?"

"I didn't say that," Luna pushed open the door to the courtyard. She sighed, "It's just, you have a tendency – actually both of you do – to retaliate."

Madeline scoffed, "Yeah, but still. He started it."

"And you wanted to finish it. That's how it always goes." Her brows furrowed. "Or, used to go. You know, before you two started solving all your problems by having sex. Hey, maybe that's what you can do this time, too!"

Madeline rolled her eyes, "You're not funny. And we did not solve our problems by having sex. We solved our problems, and then had s-"

Luna held up a hand, "I actually have zero interest in hearing about your sex life with him."

"You started it," Madeline shrugged. "Just like he started the argument that got us into detention!"

"Okay, he started it, but you could have ignored whatever he said that initially got the fight started. You chose to respond, and that's on you."

"I deserve detention for standing up for myself?"

Luna eyed her over. "Were you standing up for yourself, or were you trying to make him feel as attacked as he made you feel?"

Madeline opened her mouth to speak, but averted her eyes and eventually decided against saying anything at all. 

"Exactly," Luna affirmed. They were drawing near to where Dylan was already sitting, a couple of girls from the cheerleading squad looming over him, and soon he would be in earshot of their conversation. "Look, I know it sucks, but I'm not getting myself into a detention because you and Carson can't figure your shit out. It's a long-time coming, anyways."

"Meaning?"

"You and Carson fought about something nearly every day for most of high school. Getting a detention for it was bound to happen eventually. I'm actually shocked it took so long– it's kind or ironic, too-" she cut herself off with a shake of her head. "Anyways, just drop it. It's an hour of your life, I think you can manage."

Just as they were about to sit down opposite of Dylan, the girls were startled by a heavy arm landing on their shoulders. Jason squeezed in between them, pulling them into his side and almost causing all three of them to topple forward. 

"Jason!" Madeline exclaimed angrily, trying, and failing, to shove him away. 

"What a beautiful day!" He gushed, smiling gleefully as he pulled them down to sit. Luna made a disgruntled noise as she flattened out her skirt, and Madeline edged away to put some space in between them. 

"If by beautiful, you mean hot and sticky, then yes, it's a wonderful day," Dylan chimed in. 

"Who shoved a stick up your ass?" Zach's voice came from behind them. Luna, Maddie, and Jason all turned to see Zach walking up them, Samantha holding on to his hand. They sat down on Maddie's other side, as Dylan responded with the middle finger.