The making of a Luna

Chapter 8

Ashley

I'm sitting on the bottom of the stairs leading up to the second floor, waiting for Ed the next morning. After Mr. Bleckbourne dropped me off, I got ready for bed with the hope of reading before sleeping. That did not work out as I planned and I woke up this morning with my bedside lamp still lit and the book, fortunately in one piece, on the floor.

At seven sharp Ed rushes through the door looking like he has the devil on his tail. He doesn't see me as he runs into the common room. Two minutes later two older boys slam through the door, looking left and right. Their faces are lit up with leering delight as they start for the common room. I was on my way there as well to look for Ed, but I halt my steps to address the boys.

"Is there something you need help with, boys?" I ask them politely but without a smile, indicating that I most surely know what they're up to. They quickly try to mask their mirth to look innocent and compliant.

"Eh. No Miss. We're alright." They shuffle their feet on the spot as I continue to watch them.

"Perhaps you should eat your breakfast now. You wouldn't want to be late for school." I say and they look sideways at each other before nodding and heading towards the dining hall instead of the common room. I keep watching them until they disappear behind the doorway. They throw glances over their shoulder the whole way and discuss heatedly between themselves.

When they're gone, I go to the common room to look for Ed. I can't see him anywhere so I call for him as I walk through the room. On my third call he crawls out from behind a large jug filled with decorative dried plants. His face is pale and he throws frightened glances at the door to the entrance hall.

"They went to have breakfast." I say from my spot a few feet away from him. He has the same dirty jeans on that he wore yesterday, but at least he's wearing a clean, although slightly ripped shirt. "Didn't you wear a jacket? It's pretty cold outside." I glance through the window at the gray sky and the rustling trees.

"Um. I forgot it." Ed mumbles with his eyes cast down towards the floor.

"No problem. I have a jacket that you can borrow. It might be a bit big, but it's better than walking around in a t-shirt in this weather." I smile brightly towards him. His face burns from embarrassment but there is a smile on his lips.

"Now, I think you promised me some company for breakfast." That turns his smile into a full out grin. Without a word he hurries towards me, grabs my hand and drags me to the dining hall. I laugh as I follow behind him.

Once again I feel slightly conscious about everybody staring at me when we enter the dining hall. But then I see that the glances are full of dislike and are directed at Ed, not me. I feel anger boiling hot in my stomach at the audacity of these people.

Ed doesn't seem to mind their glares as he piles his plate full of food before showing me to his usual spot. It is in the far away corner where it is harder to be spotted. On our way there I glance towards Mr. Bleckbourne's table to see if he is there, but it is empty. I guess he eats earlier than this.

"What happened with the older boys on your way here?" I ask him as we have settled down and started eating.

"Bill and Steve? Oh, that happens sometimes. They want to chase me because they think it's fun." He speaks nonchalantly.

"Do you think it's fun?" He clenches his jaw and sends an unsure gaze at first me and then around the room. His eyes stop and when I follow the direction I see Bill and Steve glaring in our direction. "Do you?"

"No." He whispers and avert his eyes towards his plate again.

"Do you want me to come and pick you up tomorrow so we can walk here together?" A quick glance at me and then a small nod. "Then I will do that." I smile at him and he gives me a small smile in reply.

After breakfast I take Ed up to my room to help him clean up and brush his teeth. He looks around the corridor with wide eyes as we walk to my room.

"Is that the alpha's room?" I scrunch my eyebrows and glance back at him.

"Alpha?" His face pales and his eyes fill with fright as he looks up at me.

"I mean the mayor." I smile at him. I have heard others say the word alpha as they look at me or when speaking about Mr. Bleckbourne. I guess that is another word they use which differs from the regular society, like pack house instead of town hall.

"Yes. That is his room. My room is next to his. He thought that I would be more comfortable up here than 'living together with a bunch of others', as he phrased himself." I giggle and Ed joins me with some snicker of his own.

I take out the jacket that I rarely use while Ed washes up in the bathroom. It is a jean jacket and will not do much to protect him if it starts to rain, but at least it's better than nothing. And since it is made of jeans it looks gender neutral enough. Just as I suspected the jacket is a bit big on Ed's skinny build, but still he's shining with happiness as we make our way down to ground level.

On the way to school we talk and joke around. Ed is slowly warming up to me but I can feel the slight resistance he's putting up. I understand why. He has been the victim of neglect, maybe even abuse, for at least two years. To trust another human after such experiences is hard but I will work hard to earn his trust. As we approach the school Ed slows down.

"What's wrong, Ed?"

"Will you follow me inside? To the classroom?"

"Of course. If that's what you want?" He nods his head but the happy kid I walked with right before the school came in view is gone. Now Ed is tense, hard-set and serious. As we make our way past the kids loitering outside the school and inside the halls he shrinks and steps closer to me.

"Should I come and collect you when your classes are over?" He nods but doesn't answer with words. "What time are your classes over?"

"Two."

"Should I wait outside or do you want me to come to your classroom?"

"You can come here." Before I can answer a voice calls me from down the hallway.

"Miss Simmons." I turn to see principal Banks make his way through the sea of pupils towards me and Ed. He has a wide smile on his round face. "How good to see you again! Ah, I see that you have already met Edward." Ed cringes as the headmaster mentions his name.

"Yes. I met him yesterday. He was very helpful in making me feel welcome." I grin at Ed and he shyly smiles at me. "Am I assuming right when I say that it is Ed I am going to work with?"

"Yes, yes. That is correct. It is good to see that you two already work well together." He smiles down at Ed and then back at me.

"Yeah. We're like best friends already." I nudge Ed with my arm and he smiles shyly at the floor. Principal Banks chuckles.

"If you want we can sign all the paperwork and I can show you around the school today?"

"We can sign the paperwork but I think I would like Ed to show me around instead. I'd like to get his version of the school first and foremost."

"Sure, sure. That sounds fine." Ed's teacher, Mr. Frank Clayton, arrives and I introduce myself.

I say goodbye to Ed with the promise to be here when school is over and then follow principal Banks to his office. He sits down behind his desk with a content sigh, before he turns more serious.

***

It seems like Ed is having trouble co.existing with the other children. Both the older and the younger ones. Let us hope that Ashley can make his days easier and lessen the conflicts he gets into.

There is going to be a bit of change. The story will be updated once every week from Monday next week and forward. So after chapter 12 it will be updated weekly on Mondays. 

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