Luna

Chapter Three: Bad Ideas

So, this was a bad idea.

Annnnd, I knew it was a bad idea. But Dahlia insisted... and so what if I was a little curious myself?

"Hurry up, Lune!" Dahlia was several paces ahead, but took a moment to send an amused look back my way. "He's heading for the subway. This will all be for naught if we miss the next train!"

Talk about dramatic. Maybe Dahlia was the one that needed to let out some steam in musical theatre.

"Okay, okay," I huffed, trying to look bored and indifferent. I picked up my pace considerably though.

After a week of really long, painful physics classes, where me and Noah sat silently stewing across from one another, one of us (me) connecting together lego pieces rather randomly, Dahlia had decided enough was enough. Apparently, as my best friend, she had a duty to make sure my life wasn't a living hell – and getting Noah out of the picture was the best way to do that.

"This is a great idea," Dahlia said breathlessly and not ironically at all, as we collected our tickets and headed for the platform. Her hands, decked out in her usual fingerless gloves, were on her hips as she scanned the busy underground.

I rolled my eyes. "Erm, for the record? I happen to think this is a really bad idea."

Dahlia waved a hand dismissively, and then her face brightened. "There he is," she said way too loudly. Panicked, I pulled her against the wall, where it was a bit darker.

Now that we were actually at the station travelling toward the east end of Brenton, an area I never really travelled to, I was feeling apprehensive. Dahlia and I weren't in some fantasy movie, where we hide behind pillars and discover all the hidden truths of the universe. This was a really, really bad idea.

"It's coming," Dahlia whispered gleefully. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears, before her tall, slender frame dashed toward the train, tugging my hand so that I was right behind her.

Apparently, someone really needed to remind Dahlia of what real life was actually like.

And then I caught sight of him. Noah, clad in his dark navy jacket, a black hoodie underneath. He looked so brooding, with his earbuds in and that notebook tucked securely under his arms. I bet if we could get our hands on that notebook, there would be absolutely no need to stalk him. I could only imagine what eerie secrets were kept inside.

Or, Luna, maybe he just doodles drawings of cats all day.

I groaned as the doors shut, and a recorded voice started to track our journey. "Next stop, Hedgeway Gardens..."

"Did we really have to stay in the same train cart as him? He's going to see us!" I whispered furiously, while trying to meld in with my seat.

"How else are we supposed to know where he gets off? And look, we'll stay all the way over here, pretty much as far away from him as possible." Dahlia leaned her head outside our little safezone to catch a good look at him. "We're not leaving until we get some dirt on him," she warned.

That was the plan. Follow Noah to his dark, villainous home, where he performs satanic rituals – or whatever other creepy things he's into – find our smoking gun, and get out before he has a chance to spot us.

"And then, you can take whatever evidence we find to Ms. Desmond, have real proof as to why you're uncomfortable working with him, and bam. You're saved." Dahlia reiterated, a gleam in her eye.

"Or," I interjected sweetly, digging my hands into my coat pockets, "he catches us within the next five minutes, gives us one of his weirdly intense stares, and then fashions voodoo dolls with my face on it."

"Just your face? My, my, we are arrogant aren't we?"

Dahlia burst out laughing at the look on my face, and I had to pull her back into our little nook before anyone saw us.

"How do you get me into these situations?" I grumbled, feeling chilled. If I had known I'd be going on such an adventure, I'd have worn something warmer than tights and a skirt.

"Don't lie," Dahlia said, smiling. "You want to know about him as much as I do."

I felt my cheeks grow hot, and turned to face the blackness outside the window. My own guilty reflection stared back at me. 

It was true - for some unfathomable reason, I wanted to know the ins and outs of Noah Hadley. And, I wasn't so sure it was just to get out of being his physcis partner.

But, I wasn't quite ready to explore why just yet. So instead, I shrugged.

"I just want my life to get back to normal," I mumbled. At least that was true. 

And I was willing to do anything to get back to normal. 

* * * 

A/N: Okay, so, confession. I am really, really into writing this story. We had a few snow days here, and I literally spent most of that time writing & thinking about Noah and Luna. I am really excited about the next few chapters, so I hope I can write them well enough that you are too! :)

I am sorry that this chapter is so short. But! I'm almost done the next chapter, and I promise to have it up soon!