Into the Dark (Completed)

Chapter 9

A month passed. 

Things were starting to become routine. Jackson and I's friendship was slowly, but surely progressing. I gave up trying to avoid Tate and Conner. I can't expect Jackson, Marie, or Josh to stop hanging out with their friends because I don't connect with them as much. The guys and Marie were careful to stay out of Tate and I's prank war, which by the way was still going strong. Norman, my mother's now official boyfriend, has been hanging around the house way too much for my liking. He even joined us for Thanksgiving dinner and will probably be spending Christmas with us next week as well. 

"Luna!" I snapped out of my daze. Josh was snapping his fingers in my face.

"What?" I asked, batting his hand away from my face. 

"I said," He dragged out the word. "What are you planning to do after graduation?" 

The lunch table was staring at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. 

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'll worry about that then."

Josh shook his head. "You didn't apply to any colleges?" 

I bit the inside of my cheek. "Um, no. I can't afford it." 

"What about student loans and scholarships?" Jackson added in. 

I just wanted to end this stupid conversation. "I need to be able to buy groceries and other necessities. There is no way that my mother will even give me a cent."

"Get a job and start saving."

"I tried out for the school play yesterday." Marie changed the subject. I sent her a grateful look. "I would make a gorgeous Ariel. Don't you think, Jackson?" 

Marie hasn't made any effort to hide her crush from Jackson. 

"Isn't her hair red, not blue?" Jackson dodged the question. Marie dyed her hair dark blue just last week. Her formally hot pink hair turned pale pink. The faded pink hair with black highlights just didn't look right. Marie agreed and finally redyed her hair. 

"I'd wear a wig obviously." She looked frustrated. No matter how hard she tried, Jackson just wanted to be friends. 

"Conner!" I heard a squeal from behind me. A blonde girl in a cheerleading outfit approached our table. 

"Hey Cathy." He smirked at her.

She frowned slightly. "My name is Katie."

His smirk didn't waver the slightest. "That's what I said."

Katie crossed her arms across her chest. "Conner Lincoln, you called me Cathy!"

Conner turned towards Tate. "Didn't I say Katie?" 

Being the jerk that he is, Tate nodded. 

She watched him suspiciously for a couple seconds before smiling. "I must've heard wrong. I'm sorry baby." Katie wrapped her arms around Conner's shoulders. "Let me make it up to you." 

Conner stood up from the table and grabbed her hand. Together they left the cafeteria. Leave it to playboy Conner to get a girl's name wrong and end up getting laid in the janitor's closet. 

"That boy has game." Marie commented. 

I scoffed. The way that Conner treated girls isn't what I would call 'game'. It's more like disrespect.

"C'mon, Luna. You can't tell me that you wouldn't hit that if you had a chance." Marie glanced at Jackson out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge his reaction.