Lunar Distortions

Chapter 5

Eleanor North was a complicated girl.

I couldn't tell if she was beloved by all, or detested. It was like there was a divide within the school. Somehow, she was the most popular and weirdest girl at the same time.

It was kind of backward, considering the prettiest girl is the prom queen. Which she has been, and probably still will be.

Yet, she wasn't constantly flocked by everyone. Captain of the Sterling Arctic Wolves, yet, still looked at like she carried some sort of disease by a handful of other students. I just couldn't figure out where she fell on the social spectrum.

"Should have figured that a Hale would be instant friends with a North."

I peeled my gaze away from the locker Eleanor leaned against, surrounded by a circle of grinning friends.

There was something off about them too. The way they dressed, in skirts and tank tops, when the weather was like the middle of winter.

Everyone else was wrapped up in layers...but they dressed like it was spring.

"Jacklyn. Right?" I drawled slamming my locker shut and quirking a brow. Jacklyn wore her cheerleading uniform with pride. Somehow the dark shades of grey and black only made her earthy skin glow, "I don't even know her; I just got here."

This time, she came to me unaccompanied. I hadn't seen her since this morning, after she was told off by Eleanor.

She and her band of merry idiots had disappeared. Not that I was complaining, this school was so big that I didn't need to worry about many run-ins.

"I thought that your uncle would be the last of the Hales, especially after your daddy left." Jacklyn continued, voice thoughtful. Her eyes were filled with something else though, "Yet, here you are. Like the shiny new toy, everyone wants to play with."

Realization poured through me and I thought back to her behavior around Landon. Was this seriously about the guy my uncle paid to look out for me?

"I'm not a toy." I muttered darkly, shoving off the locker with a glare, "Although, I'm sure there are plenty of guys still willing to play with you."

"Is it true what people are saying?" I hadn't even gotten three steps away when Jacklyn's voice rose behind me. A taunting innocent ringing through her words, "That you daddy was murdered, and you weren't even there to help?"

Beneath me, my knees wobbled as my breathing caught. And then I was reliving it all over again. The thickness of my father's blood, smeared across my knees when I slipped into it. His clammy skin still had a touch of warmth when I grabbed his face, screaming, begging for him to be okay.

My insatiable temper flared before I could calm it. Before I could go over the techniques my dad taught me. I didn't even remember walking back to Jacklyn but here I was, standing in front of her with fury written all over my face.

"Speak about my dad, my family name one more time." My voice was a quiet, enraged whisper. So cold, that even I was surprised, "And I swear on this hick-ridden town, that I'll do something worse to you."

Jacklyn's dark eyes lost their mirth and widened with fright. My fingers were clenched so hard, that I almost wanted to feel the skin on my knuckles split after punching her. I wanted to feel that sting, but the thought of the blood...

When a hand gripped my shoulder and pulled me back, I was almost taken off my feet. Surprise rippled through me when I saw the delicate hand belonged to Eleanor. Where did she get that kind of strength?

"She, of all people, is not worth it!" She whispered gently in my ear, hands coiling around my shoulders to direct me away. Those dancing blue eyes hardened when they landed on Jacklyn, "Unless you want your mother to know about this, I suggest you walk away, Jacklyn."