Chasing the Moon

After Leanne and I had sat down at our table, I became increasingly aware Aiden's intense gaze. I sent a fleeting glance across the room and saw him staring dead at me. I bit my lip and my gaze faltered before I snapped my head back to the front of the room. The teacher was reciting Shakespeare and pacing across the floor, her hands flailing all around as she tried to emphasize the struggle that her character was going through.

"Tis torture, and not mercy: heaven is here,
Where Juliet lives; and every cat and dog
And little mouse, every unworthy thing,
Live here in heaven and may look on her;
But Romeo may not: more validity,
More honourable state, more courtship lives
In carrion-flies than Romeo: they my seize
On the white wonder of dear Juliet's hand
And steal immortal blessing from her lips,
Who even in pure and vestal modesty,
Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin;
But Romeo may not; he is banished:
Flies may do this, but I from this must fly:
They are free men, but I am banished.
And say'st thou yet that exile is not death?"

I sighed inwardly as Leanne paid full mind to the readings, while I could not stand to understand a single word. I would steal glances at Aiden to find him already looking at me. Such hatred, such confusion in his eyes. I did not know if he wished to hold me once more, or if he wanted to throttle me and destroy the evidence. That tormented me, and I wished I could say I didn't care, but I cared so much.

No, I wouldn't go crawling back to him, but I also could not forget.

That class finally ended a few eternities later, and I darted out of the room, not waiting for Leanne. I was heading to lunch, and I planned on eating outside alone, perhaps in a tall tree. I just needed to be free from Aiden and everything else.

I passed Lucy and Jonathan, who sent hate-filled stares until I had passed by them. My once best friend had deserted me thanks to Aiden's lies. I wanted to tell her that he was wrong, but I knew she wouldn't believe me. Then again why would she? She and Aiden were closer than her and I, so I understood where she was coming from. I never thought losing a boyfriend would change so much.

I climbed rather ungracefully to the top of the tree and sat on the highest branch, letting my feet dangle below me. The wind whipped passed me and my hair blew in front of my face, making seeing quite difficult. I pulled it back into a ponytail and watched as a figure ambled up to me. My heart nearly stopped as I recognized the shaggy dark hair and light brown eyes that used to make me melt for him. His double snakebites glistened in the sun and he walked with a newly found elegance about him. I did not know if it was for my benefit, or if he didn't even realize how gracefully he was approaching, but I did know that I didn't want him near me.

"Please go away," I begged as he stared up at me from the ground.

"No," he mumbled, starting up the tree.

"Please!" I hissed, scooting over on my branch as he sat on it beside me. I cringed when I ran out of branch. "What do you even want?" There was venom in my voice, I knew.

"I want the truth. That's it. Just give me the truth!" he spat, desperation in his whisper.

"About what?"

"Everything. Did you ever even love me?" I gawked at him. "You said you did, but I don't know." I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I did!" I didn't mean to say "did", but it kind of just came out like that.

"So you didn't sleep with me just because you wanted to get some, and I was there?" He sounded confused--maybe almost as confused as me.

"Who told you that? I would never do that!" I glowered at him.

"I just...I was told that you said..." Aiden tore his eyes from my gaze and watched his feet dangle below him.

"Who said that?" Yeah, I was pissed. "What bastard said that?"

"I--I'm sorry. I'll just go."

I watched him drop to the floor and take off, but I wasn't letting him get off that easily. I dropped from my branch and cried out as my feet hit the ground. My knees took all the shock and I screamed as I collapsed to the floor, smacking the back of my head on a nearby stone.

Maybe I'm not as graceful as I had once thought...