Luna entered school the next morning with more nerves and less anxiety. She wasn't worried about kids looking at her so much anymore because she was thinking about everything that had happened the night before.
She wondered about the possibility of everything being a dream. Maybe her mind just cracked from all the stress and took her to an alternate universe where she had this eccentric aunt. But then she remembered the vivid smell of the flowers and the near-death experience driving home and she knew it was real.
Her real father had a sister and she'd come around for some reason. She was free to ask any question that she wanted and though she had a million of them only two really mattered: where was her father and why did he leave?
Luna didn't know how her mother would react to her...aunt being back so when her mother hurried downstairs, dressed in her red skirt and matching blazer for work, she kept it to herself.
At least until she got some more answers.
She was deep in thought as she wandered the hallways to head to class. So she wasn't paying attention as she ran into someone who were, themselves, lost in the big new school.
They collided and lost their footing, stumbling all over the place before finally hitting the solid floor hard. Their books and papers lie together in a large pile.
The lights above them beamed bright before they exploded, sending small pieces of glass and sparks raining down on them. The girl screamed a light delicate scream, one that seemed to float over to Luna.
She turned to the source of the noise and her words were lost in her throat at her beauty. Her piercing ocean blue eyes, nearly matching the hair that flowed well past her bra line, glowed behind the round-rimmed glasses. Her round lips were parted in shock as she rambled off all the apologies she could manage. Her skin glowed the vivid color of brown sugar, even in its flushed state. Through the flawless makeup she could spot light freckles sitting comfortably on a slender nose, bringing even more life to the sharpest cheekbones Luna had ever seen.
She was without a doubt breathtakingly beautiful.
Luna stuttered as she swept away glass.
"Oh no, did I bump your nose? You're bleeding!" She said, She picked through her Prada handbag for something to mop it up with.
Luna waved her off and used the back of her hand. "It's fine. Happens a lot now apparently."
"I'm sorry, I'm just lost around here looking for this class. I wasn't paying attention," she said as she struggled to sort through the papers.
Luna eyed the expensive brand backpack she was wearing and the designer clothes she wore and knew what crowd she would best be suited for. She decided that she would just gather her things as best as she could and scurry on.
"Wait, wait. Don't go! I have one of your papers! Luna, right?" she smiled through pink lipstick as she held out the homework she had to turn in when she got to class.
"Oh, thanks." Luna gave a small smile and took the paper and placed it carefully in her backpack.
She went to walk away from the girl but she called out to her again. "Do you think you can help me?"
"Um...I'm not sure I could help you honestly. Maybe some of the other people could?" Her gaze drifted over to some of the more popular kids who were currently huddled in a locker not to far away from them.
The girl looked over her shoulder. "I don't think they'd be much help. I tried talking to them earlier and it was about as stimulating as a conversation with a dead fish."
Luna laughed at the accuracy. "Yeah I can see that."
"See? You seem much better already. I'm Mavis." she stuck out a strong but delicate manicured hand.
Luna took it and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mavis. Let's, uh, take a look at this schedule."
She scanned the paper for the current day and class.
"You're going to follow me actually. Our schedules aren't all that different." She concluded, giving Mavis her schedule back.
She smiled and slung her purse across her forearm. "Awesome! Lead the way!"
They walked carefully around the glass and took a series of turns which landed them outside of their basic calculus course, just in time for the school speakers to chime for class. Luna handed in her homework then lingered for Mavis who introduced herself to her teacher.
They headed over to the normal corner of the classroom where Tristan and Sam waited for them. Sam jumped up and went to hug Luna immediately.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, I promise to punch anyone that says anything stupid!" Sam said as she held up three fingers, "Scouts honor."
"I didn't know you were a girl scout." Luna stood perplexed.
"I wasn't. But it's like a universal promise system isn't it?"
She laughed and shook her head. "No, I don't think it works that way."
"You don't have to be in the girls scouts to use it. It's like holy shit. You know poop isn't holy, it's just used for emphasis."
"No, I think that in this case--"
"Argh enough with the technicalities. I'm trying to say that I love your ass and I got your back." She smiled and set a hand on Luna's shoulder. Luna touched her hand and returned the smile before remembering Mavis standing there. "Right, guys, this is Mavis. She's new to school and to town I guess. Mavis this is Samanatha but call her Sam and Tristan...call him Tristan."
"I love your hair to infinity and beyond!" Sam flew forward to admire the rest of her look while Luna raised an eyebrow to Tristan.
He shrugged his shoulders. "We watched Toy Story last night."
She smiled at the idea of grungy Tristan, watching a kids movie in his dark jeans and muscle shirt.
"Holy balls is this the new Prada bag?" Sam gawked at her hand bag.
Mavis nodded. "A gift from my dad. An 'I'm sorry you had to move again' gift."
"Are you parent's in the military?" Tristan inquired as we took our seats.
"No...they just don't feel comfortable staying anywhere for too long. But my mom promised me that this might be permanent."
"Ugh, it must be so nice for them to just buy you stuff. My parents made me get a job at the mall because they wanted me to learn the value of hard work."
"Wish my parents would let me get a job." Mavis griped.
Luna stared at the door as the teacher shut it, signaling class was about to begin.
"Where's Matt?" She whispered to Tristan as the teacher started to wind down the talking.
"I don't know, text the group chat."
Before Luna could even pull out her phone, it vibrated with a message from Sam: Earth to Matt!! Coming to school anytime soon???
Luna smiled and pocketed her phone before the teacher could notice.
They were leaving their last class of the day before they finally got a response.
"'Woke up shitting out my guts. Be back tomorrow'??? Ugh nasty." Sam said, making a face.
Luna texted: Want us to stop by? Need anything?
"Well at least he ain't dead," Tristan said as he took Sam's hand and nodded in Mavis' direction. "We're already outnumbered as it is."
Mavis pointed to herself. "You're counting me?"
"Oh, sweetie the second I saw your hair and this outfit, you were counted!" Sam said as she gestured to the soft pink skirt with matching sweater and crisp white tank top underneath.
Mavis pulled her glasses down and gave a wink of mock seduction to Sam. "Thanks, babycakes."
"Assuming Matt doesn't die, we should go to the movies tomorrow night," Sam stated. "There's some assassin movie that Tristan wants to see I guess and I don't wanna see it alone."
"Aw yeah, I saw the preview for that!" Luna sounded excited about something for the first time in a while. "I vote yes."
They all turned to Mavis who was already nodding with excitement. "I'm down."
They shuffled through the hall together and out the front doors with the other students. Luna instantly spotted the Cadillac shining with pride and a fresh wash across the street.
She immediately turned to her friends. "Hey guys, I gotta deal with some family stuff, text me later?"
"Definitely, lemme know if I gotta kick some ass." Sam said with a wink.
She smiled and wandered across the street to her aunt, currently bobbing her head to Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know.
She smiled wide when she saw her niece and cranked down the window. "Hop in, honey."
Luna was apprehensive but she'd been thinking about this moment all day. So she hurried around the passenger seat, remembering to quickly buckle her seat belt as her Aunt Evie took off.