Clair de Lune - K.M.

p r o l o g u e

I was only fourteen years old the first time my world was turned upside down. 

I'm laying on my bed on my back with my legs resting against the wall. A classmate of mine, Corinne, is sitting at my desk writing down ideas. 

"Okay, we know we want to do the project on something cool" she says to me. "Any ideas?" 

"Ugh, I have no idea," I groan, leaning my head farther back to look at her. "You know that all of this science stuff isn't exactly my strong suit." 

"Yeah, me either. Damn, I wish we were paired up in music class." 

"I don't," I tell her. "You'd be totally useless." 

"Oh yeah, and you're being such a big help right now," she retorts. I laugh softly and nestle my head back against my pillow. 

"Okay, fine. What if we did something with plants?"  I suggest. 

"Plants are so boring!" she says. "I bet your brother is in the next room right now pouring Gatorade on a flower and seeing if it changes colors for his project." 

"Yeah, I don't think science is Tyler's strong suit either." 

"Do you have another piece of paper?" she asks me, opening up the bottom drawer of my desk. 

"Yeah," I told her, sitting up. "The top drawer to- wait not that one!" 

She paused as she looked in the drawer, reaching her hand inside and pulling out a notebook. 

"Um... that's...uh" 

"Is this your diary?" 

"No!" I lie, my face burning. "It's a journal where I write things down." 

"That's a diary." 

She moves to open it and I stand quickly, trying to grab it from her. 

"Hey, give that." 

"Why?" she asks me. "If it's not your diary, why can't I read it?" 

"Because it's mine," I say, my anger level beginning to rise. I like Corinne, she's a sweet girl, but sometimes she can't really tell when her antics have begun to go to far. 

She holds the diary high in the air and walks to the other side of the room, practically begging me to take it. 

"Corinne, please," I say, trying not to lose my patience. When she doesn't hand it back I lunge for it but she dodges my attempts, switching positions with me. She climbs onto my bed and begins to open the book, starting to read an entry. 

"Dear Diary, you'll never guess what happened today. Matt Donovan told me that he likes Elena! It was a little awkward because I've had a crush on him forever, but I think I did the right thing..." 

"Stop!" I say, clambering onto the bed after her. She squeals and tries to get away from me but I finally grab the diary and pull as hard as I can. 

The force of her pulling on the diary and then having it wrenched out of her hands sends her flying backwards. She trips over the end of my bed and falls hard, smacking the back of her neck on my dresser on the way down. 

Her body makes a horrifying crack as she hits the furniture and lands on the floor with a thud, not moving. 

"Corinne?" I say hesitantly, dropping the diary onto the bed and moving toward her. "Corinne!"