Eternal Moon

CHAPTER 5

It was a week after that encounter I had with Meryl at the bench. I couldn't stop thinking about her face and voice. It wasn't what I was expecting. My thoughts faded as Ven and Alesa came up behind me. 

People were in a rage right now, since prom was coming up. I heard a bunch of people gossiping about who they'd take to prom, since it was two days away. I definitely didn't care about it like they did, another reminder of just how different I was from everyone else. I wasn't trying to be quirky, but I definitely didn't feel like a prom king. I wasn't going to be, anyways. Ven wanted to ask out Adam Marriot. 

We called for hours about it on the phone, having me calm him down before his big day. I hoped that Ven succeeded in that. As for Alesa, things got awkward very quickly. She stopped me in the hallway when we were both alone, and proceeded to ask me out to the prom. I was speechless and confused. I don't know how to dance, or to do anything. 

To get out of there, I profusely apologized about everything. I didn't exactly have those types of feelings for Alesa. Rather, I suggested that she asked out a different friend of ours, Jacob Nolan. He was popular, and quite the handsome jock according to a lot of girls. I knew he liked Alesa. He always tried to ask me about her, trying to get closer with her. I didn't mind it. As long as I didn't have to break Alesa's heart.

I sat alone again at lunch time, but this time I decided to sit by the tree. Recently, I had a strange habit of secluding myself from everybody else. I usually did enjoy my friend's company, but now I felt like being alone for some time to wrap my thoughts. I finished my novel study a day ago. It took a lot of time for me to come up with an essay for it, and the meanings behind the book. It's sort of drained me and my energy. 

Now, I was relaxing with a different book open in my hands. It was some sort of book that Ven had lent me. The cover looked interesting. A pair of pale, porcelain hands that held a red apple in the middle. It reminded me of Meryl's pale skin. I don't know why I kept thinking about that. It was just something so particular about it, so unnatural and so strange. It was like an enigma of beauty. It was something that my brain didn't understand at that time, but would come to understand later in my life. 

I begin to feel drowsy while I read that book, mostly since I didn't get to sleep the night before. I slowly drift to sleep, but then jolt awake at the sound of the tree branches above me. They rustled in a spooky, uncanny way. It irked me off the base of the tree, looking up to see if it was a squirrel or something. 

The silence is eerie as the wind howls through the October day, rustling the leaves with a haunting melody. I can't help but feel a shiver crawl up my spine, as if unseen eyes are watching my every move. 

The slight darkness seems to hold secrets, and the air is heavy with anticipation. Goosebumps rise on my arms, and my heartbeat quickens, eager to escape the unsettling atmosphere. What makes it worse is that it's two days before Halloween. I've never felt this sort of fear before. It was anxiety.

"Boo."

I jump up, letting out a blood-curdling scream as Meryl seemed to have materialized in front of me. My heart races in my chest, and I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. It takes a moment for my racing mind to catch up and realize it was just a harmless prank, but the shock lingers, leaving me breathless. 

I can feel the irritation bubbling up inside me, like a kettle about to boil over. It's one thing to have a little fun, but this prank just crosses the line. I can't help but roll my eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. Time to take a deep breath and remind myself not to let it ruin my day. It took me a moment to even realize that Meryl had done that. But why?

"What was that for?" I asked, clearly confused.

 "Huh? You don't like pranks?" Meryl had a mischievous smile on her face. I lowered my gaze. To be honest, it was embarrassing, and really stupid. She was giggling to herself. 

"I'm sorry." She had a painfully sweet smile that curled up her lips, as if she really enjoyed my reaction. "May I join you for a moment?" Meryl asked. 

"Uhm.. sure." My response sounded like a question. I was unsure. Meryl used her heels to climb up the bark of the tree, and she sat on one of the branches. It irked me how effortlessly she climbed trees. 

Most people would struggle getting up trees like these, even the school's most athletic people. Meryl looked like a model, not an athlete. It was strange. This girl was strange.

"You look lonely. Maybe I can fix that." She rocked her feed back and forth, like a child on a swing.

"What do you mean?" I looked up from my book. Meryl seemed to be chuckling to herself, like it was some inside joke that no one knew but her.

"What are you reading?" Meryl asked. She ignored my question. I decided it was best not to pry or ask her to answer me. I didn't want to start anything with her, or every other boy would start coming for my neck. I didn't want to, anyways.

"It's a book my friend gave me. About vampires and stuff.." I shrugged. Meryl looked interested.

"Twilight? Really?" She giggled again. "I've read it before. My friend Juniper bought it. I like it." She seemed intent on doing small talk. I didn't mind it, but being Meryl, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of anxiety. What if I said something wrong? I didn't know. But I was interested in talking about books with her.

"Do you like vampire stories?" I casually asked.

"Mhm. It's interesting to see how each author interprets them. I find it entertaining." Meryl's hand stroked the bark of the tree.

"I'm not exactly into fantasy-supernatural. I'm more of a horror story kind of person." I said, running my fingers across the spine of my book.

"Have you read H.P Lovecraft?" She asked. "Of course I have." I chuckled back.

"Interesting. You should recommend some books, sometime." Meryl looked like she had something on her mind.

"Sure, but.. Uhm... you look like you wanna tell me something." I gazed at her from my shoulder. Meryl looked down at me, as if she had been caught red-handed.

"You can tell?" She seemed surprised. "Well, Jason." She hopped off the branch, landing effortlessly on her heels. Meryl rummaged in her pocket, and took out a piece of paper.

"Be my date for prom. It's now or never, Jason. Of course, you don't need to accept my offer." Meryl said.

"Huh? What-? Prom?" I instantly panicked. This HAD to have been a prank. No way Meryl would ask out a nobody, scrawny deadpan teen boy like me. To something big like prom, too.

Before I could tell her to stay, it was as if Meryl had disappeared back into the October wind, not to be seen for the rest of the day.

I was so god damn confused.

(END OF CHAPTER 5)