*** A/N: Chapter / scene song from playlist - SUSPENSION (Mae) ***
Bo and Luna swung by Olivia's locker on their way to the lunchroom. Olivia was still putting her textbooks away and didn't see them coming, so Bo snuck up behind her and, wrapping his arms around her waist, gently kissed the back of her neck. Olivia melted into his embrace but kept her back to him.
"Oh Logan, stop. Bo's going to see us..."
"Hey!"
Olivia turned around, giggling, and gave Bo a kiss on the cheek.
"OK. Seriously guys... that's WAY too much cuteness for me. I think I've lost my appetite."
"Oh, come on Lu, you're just jealous of me and my delicious boyfriend."
"Yea, that's it" said Luna. "He's pretty irresistible alright, especially when he falls asleep in History class and starts drooling all over his notebook."
"Lu, you have to admit, that class is soooooo boring! By the way, can I borrow your notes? I can't actually read what I wrote."
Bo held up his "notes", which consisted of a repeated pattern of a few legible words followed by the staggered line his pen made each time he fell asleep, and then a spike for each time he flinched awake again.
"Nice Bo" said Olivia. "Sort of looks like one of those heart rate monitor readout things."
"Hey, you're right! Don't worry, my good friend Lu here is going to hook me up with her always well taken notes, aren't you Lu?"
"Oh yea, sure Bo. Anything else I can do for you? Help you study? Write your final paper for you?"
"Ah come on Lu, you know you love me."
"Hello, Bo? I'm right here" said Olivia.
"Hey Liv, no worries... there's lots of Bo to go around."
"Seriously Bo. My stomach." Luna grimaced as she crossed her arms over her midsection. "Olivia, you win. You can have him."
"Oh, quit flirting you two" said Olivia as she closed her locker. "Bo's mine and I'm not sharing him." She grabbed Bo by the arm and started walking down the hall. "Let's go get us some of that always delicious cafeteria food."
"You two lovebirds go on ahead and save me a seat. I'll be there in a few minutes. I have to go wash off some of your cuteness. It's just so... icky."
"OK. See you there. Love you Lu!" yelled Bo back over his shoulder as Olivia dragged him away, feigning jealousy.
Luna stood in the girl's washroom and stared into the mirror. She had a problem. A BIG problem. She could no longer deny that she was beginning to have feelings for her best friend's boyfriend. How could this be happening? More importantly, how could she make it STOP? This was so unexpected and SO unacceptable.
She'd first consciously recognized or acknowledged these feelings a few weeks ago. It hadn't at all hit her like a tidal wave or anything, instead it was just a slow, gradually building thing. Like the incoming tide. And like the tide it had seemed to take on a life of its own without any encouragement from her. She continued to fight it, but it seemed she was losing. She had no idea what to do but she was very certain that there was no way that she was going to be THAT girl, so she knew she'd better figure out how to deal with the situation before things got really awkward.
There seemed to be quite a buzz in the cafeteria when Luna arrived. It was always a noisy place, but this seemed different somehow. She spotted Bo and Olivia and made her way over to where they were sitting.
"Can you believe that Lu?" said Bo, before she'd even had a chance to sit down.
"What? What are you talking about Bo? Did they overcook your burger again or something?"
"No Lu. You know... the announcement. That we all have to get vaccinated against some new mystery disease."
"Wait? What announcement? When did you hear that?" said Luna, confused and already a little freaked out.
"There was an announcement just, like, 5 minutes ago. You didn't hear it?"
"It's true Luna. He's not making it up" confirmed Olivia.
"You're kidding me? I heard something come over the P.A. while I was in the washroom, but I was thinking of something else I guess and just ignored it. What else did they say?"
"They said there was some dangerous, highly contagious new disease spreading outside the fence but that they had developed a vaccine that everyone was going to be getting to make sure it doesn't spread. I guess we have your Mom and Dad to thank for that, eh Lu?"
Luna shook her head. "They never said anything about it to me, but then again they probably wouldn't as they'd know how much it would freak me out. Man, I hate needles! And getting them at school is the worst. I get so worked up about them. It's so embarrassing, but I can't help myself."
"Yea, fortunately absolutely no one remembers you fainting in grade 8 on needle day, or when you puked in grade 9, or..."
"Bo, stop it!" said Olivia. "You're not helping. At all."
Bo glanced at Olivia apologetically before turning back to Luna. "Sorry Lu."
"Ugh! Crud. It's ok Bo. Anyways, they're probably exaggerating this thing. I think I'll just skip school that day and avoid adding to my already long list of embarrassing needle episodes. If Mom and Dad say it's really necessary, then I'll get them to give it to me at home. At least that way I can do my anxious suffering in the friendly confines of my own house."
Olivia and Bo exchanged an awkward glance.
"What? What is it now?"
"Lu, 'that day' is today. Everyone's getting their shot first block after lunch" said Bo.
Luna's face went white and her stomach started tying itself up in knots. She looked from Bo to Olivia and back, searching for confirmation that they were just messing with her.
"No way. You're kidding, right? Today? Are you sure?"
"I'm so sorry Lu" said Olivia. "Bo's right. They said today... right after lunch."
Luna pushed her food tray away from her, no longer hungry, and sat silently with her face buried in her hands. "I can't believe my parents didn't tell me that this was happening today."
"Look, we'll all go together OK?"
"Great" murmured Luna from behind her hands. "That will make everything better Bo."
"Lu, he's just trying to help."
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I am. I'm just so freaked out already and I don't know if I can deal with yet another embarrassing high school memory. I just know I'm going to faint or puke again. Likely both."
Logan and a handful of his jock friends had just entered the cafeteria and were noisily making their way to their usual table when Logan stopped beside Luna.
"Hey Luna. So, judging by the whiteness of your face I guess you've heard the good news, eh?"
Luna stared straight ahead, doing her best to ignore him... hoping that if she didn't react maybe he'd just go away. She knew that was wishful thinking.
"Yea, my friends and I, we all just got the shot. We've got an away game this afternoon and they wanted us to get it before we left." He held his arm and rotated it gingerly, an exaggerated grimace on his face. "But man... ouch! I don't know if I'm going to be able to even throw the ball now. That was a BAD one." He looked around at his buddies who enthusiastically agreed with him, making pained faces of their own. They were all getting in on the fun now.
Bo glared at Logan. "Get lost Logan. And take your girlfriends with you."
Logan ignored Bo and came closer to Luna, leaning his hands on the table right next to her. It didn't matter that she knew he was exaggerating, even lying to her. She still felt tears welling up in her eyes as he continued, his voice now quiet and creepy.
"That was seriously the biggest needle I've ever seen. That sucker was HUGE. And it was really like, thick or something... or maybe it was dull. All I know is that it didn't go in easy. It was like they had to really jab it and push it hard to get it in. And then it was in there for what felt like forever, and whatever they shot into my arm, man, it burned something fierce going in." He rubbed his arm again, dramatically wincing, then turned to his posse. "Isn't that right boys?" They all heartily agreed.
Bo angrily shoved back his chair and was right up in Logan's face by the time he'd turned back to Luna.
"I said get lost Logan."
"Oh hey, Bo. Relax man." Logan held his hands up in mock surrender. "We were just having a little fun, weren't we guys? Very gallant of you though to stand up for your girlfriend. Oh, wait... right. Luna's not your girlfriend. Or is she? I mean, even you must know that Olivia is way out of your league man."
Bo gave Logan a shove that made him stumble backwards.
"Stop it Bo!" yelled Olivia. "Just sit down. And Logan... stop being a jerk and leave us alone."
Logan started to come back at Bo before his teammates grabbed him and held him back. "No, Logan. You'll get suspended. He's not worth it man. C'mon, let's just go eat."
Logan shook himself free and hesitated as he glared at Bo. "Yea, let's get out of here before Luna pukes on us." As he turned and started to walk away, he yelled back over his shoulder. "Olivia, just let me know when you get tired of dating this trash" he said, pointing towards Bo.
Luna, Bo and Olivia sat quietly for the rest of what seemed like an impossibly short amount of time before the end of lunch bell sounded.
"Seriously? Already??" exclaimed Luna.
"Time flies when you're about to get stuck by a needle."
"Really Bo? Again... not helping."
"Sorry Liv. Just trying to lighten the mood."
"Well, there's no sense in waiting at the back of a long line. This is happening one way or another and the longer you wait Lu the more worked up you'll get" said Olivia. "Come on. Let's go."
Since no one was really eager to be vaccinated, Bo, Olivia and Luna found themselves quite near the front of the line, with just a dozen or so kids ahead of them. The people in charge had quite the system going, so in no time the three friends were next up. The attendants did a quick DNA check to confirm their identity so they could record them as being vaccinated. Luna was the first of the three of them to be ready to go in. She was noticeably shaking now, super pale and near tears. She looked at Bo and Olivia but didn't speak for fear of bawling right there.
Bo turned to one of the attendants.
"Excuse me."
"Yes, what is it?" they answered, rather coldly.
"Look, my friend here is having a really bad day and she's really not very good with needles... can I just go in with her?"
"What? Sure, yea. I guess so." They replied, only slightly rolling their eyes.
"Come on Lu. You can do this." Bo reached out and took hold of Luna's hand and led her past the desk and to the nurse who stood waiting for her next victim.
"Just look at me Lu" said Bo. "It'll be over before you know it."
"Can you let go of her hand please" said the nurse.
"I'd rather not" replied Bo.
"OK then. Whatever. Just stay out of the way."
Luna sat and held Bo's hand and stared into his eyes. She didn't faint or puke. Truthfully, she barely noticed the needle. Sure, her stomach was doing flip flops, but she wasn't so sure they were needle related.
After Luna it was Bo's turn and then Olivia's. The three of them met up out in the hall when they were all done.
"Yay Lu, I'm so proud of you!" said Olivia as she gave her friend a hug. "You did GREAT! And Bo, that was very sweet of you to go in with Lu. No wonder I love you so much you big Teddy Bear you." She jumped up into Bo's arms, wrapping herself around him. "Just don't get any ideas Lu" she joked. "This one's mine."
"Ugh. Again with the cuteness guys. And no offence - and thank you Bo for going in with me - but... really Olivia? Bo?? Not if he were the last 'Teddy Bear' on earth. He's all yours girlfriend."