𝗦𝗨𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡 [eli moskowitz]

chapter 1

new beginnings
🎶 when we were young - adele

 
Winona Shepard was the kindest woman you could ever meet in your life.  She was a woman that left a lasting sense of warmth with every person she ever encountered, and she made sure that the second she and her husband brought a daughter into this world, that daughter was raised to leave the same mark on the world.

Winona was the sun in the universe of Fallon and Hudson Shepard. The shining symbol of kindness in their little family.

Fallon loved her mom, growing up she was her best friend. It was hard to imagine living without her. However, just because she couldn't imagine it, doesn't mean it couldn't happen.

The day Winona Shepard died was the day Fallon finally understood what darkness felt like. The sound of her mother flatlining will forever be engraved in Fallon's brain as a haunting ghost. A chilling song that played on repeat in her mind. That was the day Fallon's life went to total shit.

People kept telling her that she was gonna be okay, and she just couldn't believe they had the nerve to tell her that. She wasn't gonna be okay. She didn't only loose her mother, she lost her father too. She lost everything. That doesn't go away, and everyone needed to stop acting like it does.

Overwhelmed by the changes in his life, her father threw himself into work. He had to focus his mind. So, most nights Fallon fell asleep long before her father even left the office. Through all the extra hours and relentless focus on work however, Hudson Shepard earned himself a promotion. In the valley. So the summer before eighth grade Fallon Shepard packed her things and made the move from New Mexico to California, and if she only knew how much worse it would get.

The once popular and well liked Fallon Shepard found herself staring at the lunch room of West Valley Junior High School and having no where to go.

She couldn't have come at a worse time. It was the beginning of eighth grade, it wasn't a new beginning it was just another piece of the down hill rollercoaster Fallon had been living since she had lost her mother.

Out of distress, the girl found herself throwing away her tray and moving through the halls towards the library. She didn't understand. She didn't understand how it was already lunch and she was yet to make a friend. Had the previous summer changed her that much? Had she become an outcast without even realizing?

Lost in her train of thought, she rammed into another girl in the hallway. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" Fallon apologized, looking up at the girl. She had wild curls and a soft grin.

"Oh, no, no it's okay." The girl replied. "Hey, are you new here?"

"That obvious?" She asked. "My names Fallon." The redhead smiled nervously.

The girl put out her hand for Fallon to shake. "Luna." She smiled. "If you haven't found your place just yet, you can come and sit with my friends and I."

Fallon let out a sigh of relief at Luna's gesture. "Thank you, I would really like that."

The girl smiled widely. "Great! They're in the library if you wanna follow me." However, she sighed and turned back around towards Fallon. "I owe you a warning."

"I'm sorry?" She asked.

"We aren't exactly the most popular bunch." Luna sighed. "I feel like I should tell you that so you know what you're getting yourself into. You know, if you're looking to be popular this is not the direction."

Fallon truthfully felt disappointed at the girls statement. However, she wasn't in much of a position to deny a friend. Besides, she knew her mother would be so disappointed in her if she denied Luna's offer over popularity. "It doesn't bother me, you seem nice. Besides, right now, any friends is better than no friends."

Luna smiled widely at Fallon. "Great! You are gonna get along with Demetri and Eli really well!"

Luna led Fallon excitedly into the library towards a table that sat two boys. "Hey guys, this is Fallon." She smiled.

"Did you kidnap her?" The dark haired boy asked as the boy behind him brought his hand up over his mouth.

Fallon stepped in. "I haven't been kidnapped. Just new here."

The boy's face lit up in realization as Luna slapped his shoulder. "Don't mind Demetri. He doesn't quite understand the concept of making friends. He's rather snarky." Luna said with a side eye at the boy Fallon now knew was Demetri.

"Oh no it's really fine." Fallon smiled turning her head to the boy beside Demetri. "And your name?"

The boy looked up nervously and mumbled "Eli." However, no one could hear his name through his hand over his mouth. Fallon didn't want to ask him to move it, he looked intimidated.

Demetri spoke up, "It's Eli. He's shy. But something tells me he'll warm up to you." Demetri nodded.

"Well, hi Eli. It's nice to meet you." The redhead smiled.