Shadow and Stars

Seventeen

"Thanks," I say to the cafeteria lady that gives me my chicken sandwich and a warm smile.

"Have a nice day, sweetheart," she drawls, and I force myself to answer with a smile of my own, but I am certain it is strained.

Entering the cafeteria, I glance around for a place to sit. For the past weeks, I'd been eating with Julian, but that is now out of the question. He is sitting at our usual table, earbuds in, making such an effort to not look up, I'm sure it isn't on accident.

The last week without Julian by my side through all of this has been, frankly, miserable. I don't have anyone to talk to about Aurora and Luna, I can't concentrate on the project, and as much as I hate to admit it, I miss his little stolen touches and our flirtatious banter.

After looking around the cafeteria and seeing nothing but unfriendly or apathetic faces, I take my tray outside and sit under the trees where I first spilled my guts to Julian.

I stay outside as long as I can without being late to my next class, and after taking my tray back to the cafeteria, I root through my backpack for my Spanish homework.

"It's in my locker," I mumble to myself. Rolling my eyes, I head in that direction. Talking to yourself now, Young? That's just perfect.

The crowd in the halls is thinning out by the time I reach my locker. The warning bell rings just as I swing the door open, and my heart jumps to my throat when I realize what I'm looking at.

My mom's black leather jacket is hanging on the hook inside, as if that were exactly where it belongs.

Torn to shreds.

Slashed leather and gaping holes streak straight down the back and sides of the garment as if someone had taken a knife to it. With shaking hands, I pull it out of the locker and hold it in front of me. The rips go all the way around; there isn't a space on the material that isn't destroyed.

Hot, angry tears roll down my face and I feel my palms heating. Slamming my locker shut, I turn and bolt toward the double doors to the parking lot. I pay no attention to who's around me; I could've knocked the principal down and not had any idea.

When I reach my car, I toss the jacket in the passenger seat and slam the door. Without a second thought, I jam the key into the ignition and drive. I know it's dangerous to drive while I'm crying; I know I'm cutting class, but right now, I just need to get away from everything.

Glancing at the jacket, I grip the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. Luna did this. For what? To show me she could? Just to upset me? If that had been her motivation, well, it worked.

I drive without even realizing where I'm going, but when I end up at Lookout Cove, I'm not surprised. I snatch the jacket, get out of the car, and clutch it to my chest as I lean against the hood of my Honda.

What does surprise me, though, is the cherry red Mustang that pulls in one minute after me.

My pulse quickens and I look down at the ground, trying to get a hold on my emotions before Julian gets out of the car.

"Camryn, what happened?" he asks as soon as he reaches me, pushing my hair out of my face like we hadn't just spent the last week ignoring each other. "And don't say 'nothing.'"

I turn to him, tears brimming my eyes. "I don't want to talk about it, Julian. Please. I'm fine," I say, my voice breaking on the last word.

"Oh my God," he mumbles, leaning on the fencepost opposite me. "You're not fine."

"I am," I insist, laying the jacket on the hood next to me. His eyes dart to it then back to my face.

"You're not. And it's okay that you're not," he murmurs over the whistle of the wind through the trees.