Shatter

Chapter Two

Chapter 2

September 22, 2025

116th and Broadway, New York, NY

4:34 PM

Scarlett

Scarlett rushed out of Columbia University after the last class of the day, Ancient Studies. She waited for Luna outside on one of the benches. They were planning to get ice cream after, and then study together in the library.

The afternoon sun beamed down on Scarlett. She moved to a bench under a tree, just as someone else sat next to her. It was a boy Scarlett had never seen before, which wasn't unusual. Columbia was huge. He had dark brown hair and green eyes so dark they looked black. Scarlett ignored him and sent Luna a text.

"So," the boy said. His voice was strangely deep. "What's your name?"

"Um, Scarlett," Scarlett replied, looking away from her phone.

"I'm Ash," the boy said even though Scarlett didn't ask. She nodded, glancing back at her phone. Ash leaned back on the bench and put one leg over the other.

"It's rude to look at your phone when someone is speaking to you," Ash said. Scarlett could practically feel him staring at her, and it creeped her out.

"Sorry, I have to go," Scarlett mumbled, getting up. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched even as she rounded the corner.

When Scarlett exited the campus, she put her bag down and barreled through it. She found the purse inside - she had brought it with her to bring it to the person's house in the evening.

A tap on her shoulder startled Scarlett, and she whirled around with a yelp.

"Hey, why didn't you wait for me? I had to chase after you. And are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost," Luna said, looking concerned. Her bag was slung over her shoulder.

"There was this creepy guy on the bench I was at, so I came over here," Scarlett replied. Luna wiggled her eyebrows.

"What if it was love at first sight?" Luna asked with a snicker.

Scarlett gagged. "More like terrified at first sight. He looked like he wanted to kidnap me."

Luna waved her hand. "You focus too much on studies. You're being paranoid. You should go out and fall in love." She mimicked kissing the air. "Oh, I love you so much! Let's hug and smooch and do all the things couples do!"

Scarlett stared at her, dumbfounded. "You're at the point where you fall in love with nonexistent things."

Luna waved her hand again. "Not the point. My point is, if you had a lover, you could never feel lonely! Ha-ha, so great."

"Sounds very hypocritical coming from you, who has never fallen in love," Scarlett snapped back.

Luna put her hands up. "Okay, okay. So, ice cream?"

"Yep. Let's go."

A few minutes later, Luna and Scarlett ordered cookie dough and raspberry ice cream. They sat around one of the tables, and Scarlett pulled the purse out of her backpack and plopped it on the table. A plume of dust blew out from it, making Luna cough.

"Woah, get that away from me. I'm allergic to dust."

Scarlett frowned. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Luna rolled her eyes. "So, are you going to return the purse today or what?"

"Yeah, tonight."

"Imagine if it belonged to a creepy grandma with a stick. To beat up the kids in her basement."