Blue Moon: (Blue Raspberry Series #2)

by D. K Lake

  "You punched me." I remind him, and an old lady collecting her mail from her box overhears me and gasps and gives Mitchel a dirty look that makes me laugh.

  We walk in silence for a few blocks. I'm still super mad at him, but what's the point? I don't even mention the bowling alley, I know he'll just lie about it.

  "So are you going to talk to me?" he asks.

  "I dunno. Are you going to tell me why you were fighting with Zeke?"

  "Do you like him?"

  "Who, Zeke? Are you kidding me?"

  "Do you?"

  "NO!! Is that what you were fighting about? Are you insane?!"

  "Amber said Zeke was at your house at the weekend."

  I laugh out loud. "And you believed her?! My mom phoned my dad and told him you were in my room and Amber's sister, you know my dad's new girlfriend, well, she told Amber about it and Amber being Amber decided to stir shit up and told everyone it was Zeke."

  "Huh."

  "Yes, huh. Why would Zeke even be at my house, let alone in my bedroom? I mean, it's my bedroom for crying out loud, not some dirty motel room. I don't let a different guy in every night. I can't believe you fell for her lies."

  "JT said he heard the same thing."

  "Your brother lied to you. And you fell for it. How is Zeke? Is he still breathing?"

  "He'll live."

  "Why did you do that?"

  "I thought...I just..."

  "You think I'm a slut that kisses all the boys?"

  "No."

  "Then why did you believe her?"

  "I don't know. Look, I'm sorry. I just lost my shit."

  "I know, I saw it firsthand."

  "Zeke didn't deny it."

  "What?"

  "When I confronted him he just smiled."

  "'Cause it's Zeke. He's a player! If there was a rumor going around that he was banging the creepy lunch lady he wouldn't deny it. I don't know the guy but I still know what he's like."

  Mitchel stares at me like he just figured it out and he knows I'm right.

  "Anyway, you have no right to behave like that. We're not together....you're with Phoeebeee, remember?" I say her name in a silly voice that is kinda childish of me but I'm pissed.

  "No, I'm not. Who told you that?"

  I laugh. "No one told me, I saw the photos of you and her at the bowling alley all close and cozy. And she likes to brag and she told everyone about your amazing make-out session and how talented you are with your tongue." I try not to gag.

  "You weren't supposed to find out."

  I stop and stare at him, unsure if I heard him correctly or if he meant to say that out loud. I shake my head and cross the street again.

  "It's not what you think. I don't even like her. JT's got me-"

  "Got you what?" I spit. "Is he forcing you to make out with Phoebe?"

  "No, it's just...you don't understand, it's not what you think."

  "You know what, Mitchel, I really don't care anymore."

  "So that's it? There's nothing I can say or do to make you believe that I don't like her?"

  "How about the truth? If you don't like her then why are you hanging around with her? And why is JT with Amber when he made it clear he doesn't like her and now he's making out with her in the school corridor. It doesn't make sense!"

  He doesn't say anything and I put my earbuds in my ears and turn Twenty One Pilots up loud and leave him standing on the corner.

  I'm glad when he doesn't follow me this time.

  I can't even face school after that, so I head back home and call in sick to school and put on the best Mom voice I can, the school receptionist sounds busy and doesn't question me. I spend the day watching daytime TV and even take a nap late morning. I ring Nessie at lunch and tell her what happened but she's too distracted with Cole. He's back at school and they're a thing now.

  I'm pleased for her...sort of. I still think he's a creep.

  I prepare dinner like a good daughter but I don't eat any of it, and instead, I make myself a peanut butter sandwich and take myself up to my room before Mom gets home, and blink-182 sings me to sleep.

  32

  Wednesday morning I catch the bus with Paige and I only make it three steps inside the school before Nessie drags me off to the side and into the girls' bathroom.

  "Slow down!" I say, tripping over my own feet and falling into a freshman girl and Nessie makes a noise that is between a grunt and a growl and the girl scurries out of the bathroom.

  "What? What is it?" I ask as she pulls me toward the sinks.

  "What is with the cap?" Nessie asks, pulling my hood down and pulling my cap off.

  "I wasn't sure it was you. I only recognized the MCR hoodie you live in."

  I take the shades off before she can rip them off along with half my hair.

  "Let me look at you." She grabs my face and inspects my bad makeup job.

  "Did you even put concealer on this morning?"

  "Yes, but it's nearly all gone and I was running late this morning."

  "Good thing I remembered to bring mine."

  She pulls out her makeup bag and starts fixing my face.

  "So what was so urgent that you dragged me in here?"

  Nessie chews on her lip as she dabs my face with the makeup sponge.

  "What's happened now?"

  "Mr. Hastings and Principal Hayes are still calling people into the office to try and find out who was fighting on Monday."

  "What's that got to do with me?"

  She raises an eyebrow and looks at my eye.

  "I wasn't fighting. It was an accident!"

  "Let's hope it doesn't rain just yet and wash this off then."

  "This week is turning into a nightmare. I need a distraction." I say as I pick something out of Nessie's makeup bag and twirl it between my fingers.

  "There's a party this Friday. I'm cheering. Amber hates it." she says smugly and sticks her tongue out at me.

  "I can't, still grounded."

  "Ugh, how many more weeks?"

  "Three, including this week. I like this color." I unscrew the lipgloss and go to put some on my lips.

  "That's eyeshadow." Nessie snatches it away. "Will you stop moving for one minute so I can finish your face."

  I let out a frustrated grunt. I hate having my hair and makeup done.

  "Do you think if you behave she'll give you your phone back this weekend?"

  "Maybe."

  "There! I think I did a good job. Take a look."

  She turns me toward the mirror. I'm impressed. Nessie did always have a magic touch when it came to makeup.

  "Now you don't have to wear that ridiculous cap. You look like a gangster."

  "Hey, I like the cap." I say, sliding it back onto my head.

  Nessie frowns and spins the cap around.

  "That looks mildly better."

  "The point of the cap is to cover my face." I turn it back around and put on the shades.

  "You look crazy, it's about to tip it down outside."

  "I don't care. It stays."

  "Come on, Cole's waiting for me."

  "Great, I'll be the third wheel."

  "No you won't, Richard is always with Cole."

  "Ugh. It gets worse. I hate him even more!"

  The day drags and at lunch, I have to sit opposite Richard Moore.

  "Why is she sitting at our table?" Richard asks and does everything but point at me.

  "She's Nessie's friend." Cole reminds him.

  Nessie is sitting on Cole's lap with her arms around his neck while he tries to eat his burger. Every now and then she looks over at Amber's table where JT is. I pretend I don't see her purposely trying to get his attention, but JT is just as bad and is practically groping Amber under the table. Mia sits next to two other cheerleaders and Mitchel and Phoebe sit at the end of the table, chatting to each other, she's showing him something on her phone and he's smiling.

  Every so often he looks my way but I look away before he can catch me looking.
>
  It's not what you think. I don't even like her. I hear Mitchel's voice inside my head.

  "Why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?" Richard asks with his mouth full and I see today's menu moving around inside his mouth.

  Gross. I hate this guy. We've never gotten along.

  "The light affects my eyes." I tell him to shut him up.

  "I heard you got hit in the face by some butch lesbian."

  "Shhh!" Cole whispers.

  "I'll see you in history." I say to Nessie and quickly leave.

  "Wh-Kelsey, where are you going?" Nessie calls but I'm already halfway across the cafeteria.

  JT doesn't show up for history and Nessie pouts like a little kid and flips her hair and watches out the window for him. She pretends to hate the guy but I know her too well, she has a major crush on JT but won't admit it.

  Twenty minutes into the lesson the school receptionist knocks on the door and asks for Nessie and me to go to the Principal's office.

  Nessie and I share an 'oh shit' look and make our way to the door.

  "What do you think this is about?" I ask.

  "What do you think? You better put those shades back on." Nessie points to the shades I have hooked on the inside of my t-shirt collar. I had taken the cap off hours ago because it was itching my forehead. I put my shades back on and zip up my hoodie.

  "And let me do the talking." Nessie says.

  "You're acting like we've done something wrong. All I did was try to help Zeke, now I wish I had left him to fend for himself."

  Nessie knocks on the Principal's door and he calls us in.

  I've never actually been inside this room. I'm sweating like I'm about to lie my way through a police interrogation.

  Nessie opens the door but stops when she sees JT, Mitchel, Boston, and Zeke inside.

  "Ladies, come in." Principal Hayes says.

  We shuffle in and I close the door and don't even look at Mitchel.

  Zeke is sitting in one of the chairs and looks as though he should be in the hospital. JT is sitting in another chair next to Boston, and he's yawning like he's bored and wants to leave. Mitchel is standing near a filing cabinet with his arms crossed.

  "Do you know why I've called you in?" Principal Hayes asks us.

  Nessie and I shake our heads.

  "I have been speaking to a few students about the fight that took place on Monday after school in the parking lot, and we have narrowed it down to the people inside this room."

  "Excuse me? You think we had something to do with some lame-ass fight?" Nessie chirps.

  "I heard some worrying information this morning about one of our students getting hit in the face by another student."

  Nessie and I look over at Zeke.

  "I was talking about one of the female students."

  I start to feel hot. I pull at my hoodie and start unzipping it and then re-zipping it like I have OCD. Nessie elbows me.

  "Owww." I glare at her.

  "Now this is a very serious matter." Principal Hayes starts talking but I zone out and look around the room and focus on all the cat figures on the bookcase.

  "Miss. Moon, I said would you mind removing your sunglasses."

  "Yes. No. I would mind. No. Ok." I babble.

  "Now."

  I reluctantly slide them off my face and smile.

  Yes, I'm smiling like an idiot. I don't cope well with these types of situations. I hate authority figures. I always say the wrong thing.

  "Do you mind telling me what happened to your face? It looks a little bruised." Principal Hayes raises an eyebrow.

  I look at Nessie and she clears her throat. I'm guessing the makeup wore off a bit, but then I remember I had been resting my face on my arm in history class. I glance at my hoodie sleeve and see the concealer evidence. Crap.

  "Miss. Moon?"

  "Door." I blurt. "There was a door. I walked into a door. You know the tall oblong things you find on the walls?" I say unable to stop myself.

  Nessie makes a little noise that sounds like a squeak and Boston is trying not to laugh.

  "Yes, I am well aware of what a door is, Kelsey. Are you saying you got that from a door?"

  "Uh-huh. I'm just so clumsy."

  Too much?

  "Miss. Conrad, were you with Miss. Moon when this accident took place?"

  "Yep, she's such a klutz." Nessie says and tries to laugh it off.

  I don't know why I'm covering for Mitchel. I should just tell Principal Hayes the truth, that Mitchel has anger issues.

  But I know he'll most likely get expelled for hitting a girl and nearly beating Zeke into a coma.

  Principal Hayes leans back in his seat and sighs.

  "Are you still sticking to your story?" he asks Zeke.

  "Yeah, like I told you, I got into a fight after school downtown." Zeke says casually, picking at a loose thread on his jeans. He looks like shit.

  Principal Hayes looks at Mitchel. Mitchel flexes his hand and rubs his bruised knuckles.

  "I already told you I got in a fight with my brother."

  JT nods to confirm what Mitchel has said.

  "And you saw this fight, Mr. Boston?"

  "Yup, PS4 game got a little competitive." Boston responds.

  "So you are all sticking to your stories?"

  Everyone mumbles, 'Yeah' or 'Yup'.

  Nessie and I just nod. I wonder why Zeke hasn't ratted Mitchel out. But I guess he's afraid of JT.

  "I will be keeping a close eye on all of you and if I hear about any more fighting I will be calling your parents in."

  Everyone gets up to leave and I quickly open the door and Nessie links her arm with mine and we start to make our way back to history.

  "Kelsey!" Mitchel calls.

  Nessie groans and I ignore him.

  "Vanessa, walk with me for a minute." JT says, jogging to catch up to us.

  "No, thank you." Nessie laughs but within seconds he's pulling her away.

  He doesn't give her a choice and puts his arm around her shoulders and walks her in front and Boston trails after them. I look around and see Zeke slinking off down another corridor and Mitchel is standing right behind me.

  "What do you want?" I ask.

  "Why didn't you tell Principal Hayes I did that to you?"

  "I dunno." I shrug.

  "I would have been expelled."

  "Yes, I guessed that. Why didn't Zeke say anything?"

  "We paid him off."

  "Money or baking powder?"

  Mitchel laughs and licks his lips.

  "We gave him like a year's supply of weed."

  "Well, it's the least you can do after what you did to him."

  I turn my back on him and carry on walking.

  "You still hate me?" he asks.

  "Are you still a lying jerk?"

  "Kelse..." He grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop.

  "What now? I have to get back to my history class." I tell him, sliding my shades into my pocket.

  He moves closer and I look around to make sure no one is watching us. He backs me into the lockers and I turn my face away and stare down the corridor. I should be kicking him in the balls but I can't bring myself to do it.

  "What are you doing? We should be in class."

  "Let's go somewhere." he says and runs his nose along my cheek and whispers in my ear, "C'mon, Kelse, let's get outta here."

  "No!" I say firmly, pressing my hands against his chest.

  His eyes travel to my lips and I pull my bottom lip into my mouth without even realizing it.

  "I want to kiss you so badly right now." he breathes. What?

  "Well, try to control yourself." I push against him but he presses his body up against mine leaving no breathing room.

  "I can't control myself with you." he says right before his lips crash into mine.

  Don't kiss him back. Don't kiss him back.

  My lips don't seem to listen, though. I kiss him back and a little moan escapes from the back of his throat. Ho
w is he faking this? It feels so right. So good. Is this real? No one kisses like this if they don't mean it...do they? I slide my hands around his neck and into his hair and pull him even closer. He pushes his tongue into his mouth. I should bite it. He lied to me. He lied to me.

  He unzips my hoodie and slides his hands under my t-shirt and around my back, they feel cool against my flushed skin.

  Then I remember we're in the middle of school.

  No. No. No.

  "No." I say, pushing him away but his lips move straight back to mine like a magnet.

  "Mitchel, stop. We can't-" I'm cut off when I hear Phoebe and Mia laughing around the corner.

  I give him a hard shove and he stumbles back, looking at me confused. I look in the direction of the two girls and he quickly recovers and wipes his mouth. I stand up straighter and zip my hoodie back up again.

  "Meet me after school?" Mitchel whispers.

  "What? No." I say, sticking my hands in my pockets.

  Phoebe trots around the corner with a bathroom pass around her neck and spots Mitchel and practically skips over to him. She pulls him down to her level and kisses his cheek, and glares at me.

  "Can I help you, Feta?" Phoebe asks. Bitch.

  Mia giggles and I want to smack her. Mitchel doesn't say anything and just stands there and lets Phoebe put her hands all over him. I want to yank on her hair and stomp on her face. But I take a deep breath.

  "Do you need directions back to class?" Phoebe continues.

  "Do you need directions to the family planning clinic? You're looking a little fat." I snap and walk away. Phoebe's mouth is nearly on the floor it's hanging so low.

  "Bitch!" Phoebe hisses once my back is turned.

  I hurry back to class but when I arrive back Nessie isn't in her seat but all her stuff is still on the desk.

  The bell rings and I pick up all her stuff. I can't leave it here because the next class will be coming in. I stand around in the corridor and finally spot her walking my way.

  "Where did you go?" I ask, noticing her hair looks a little messy and the buttons on her shirt are done up all wrong.

  "Err...what happened?" I start to say and point at her buttons.

  She quickly takes her jacket from me and slides it on.

  "Are you ok?"

  "Yeah, I'm fine. Come on." she says, taking her bag and walking away.

  Seriously, what is going on? Is everyone mad? Is there something in the water around here? JT and Nessie are obviously hot for each other but they pretend to hate each other's guts, and Mitchel pretends I don't exist when Phoebe shows up.