The Young Luna novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

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People were dancing around me but I wasn't in the mood to join in. I sat on the couch and sipped a very strong alcoholic punch. The end of school party was being held at Rich Yarkel house – Rich Yarkel was a guy at my school who I didn't know, or maybe I did I just didn't realise. But it didn't matter who he was, because I was popular now so I got invited to end of school parties.

But, no matter how much Shawna had tried to cheer me up, I wasn't having a good time. After my fight with Seth, he'd stormed out and stayed at Josh's house for the evening. The Beta had phoned me to ask if I was alright, since Seth wasn't talking to him, and I had broken down in sobs of tears. Within ten minutes of the phone call both Shawna and Dean were at my house, looking after me.

I didn't tell them what the fight was about, because I was too embarrassed. I was a bad mate. Seth knew everything about me because he'd been paying attention to me, even when I didn't realise it, but I hadn't been paying enough attention to him. I could defend myself that it was because I was young, in a new pack and slightly overwhelmed. But that was all bullshit. I hadn't paid attention because I hadn't cared enough to.

Not that I didn't care about Seth, because I did, but it was more the fact that I was happy with how our life was going so I hadn't tried to push on. But when I realised that I did want more – it was already too late.

So I didn't mention anything to Shawna or Dean, just went to bed and felt sorry for myself. And at school, all the next day, I was quiet and kept to myself. And even when I'd let Shawna dress me in a flowy black dress and pumps, and pull me to the party, I was still no happier.

I'd convinced Shawna I was fine and she should go and have fun. She'd stayed with me a while, drinking the punch, before she was asked to dance. She was slightly drunk so stumbled onto the makeshift dance floor with the guy. I kept an eye on her but I knew she was sensible enough to look after herself, even with the alcohol pumping through her bloodstream.

"You look like you could use a drink" a voice said to me. I turned to see a human boy, who I didn't know, sit on the couch next to me. I raised my red solo cup slightly.

"Got one" I mumbled, taking a quick sip. The guy chuckled – he was average looking, ashy blonde hair with bright green eyes.

"I can see that. It was actually just a conversation starter" he laughed. I gave him a hard look but didn't say anything. "Ah, so not much of a conversation starter".

"What do you want?" I asked. I knew he was flirting with me, he may have not been the best looking boy at the party but he was still way out of my league.

"See, my buddies and I were having a little debate" he began, and I noted the devilish glint in his eyes and I got a bad feeling. He nodded to a group of boys in the far corner – I noticed some of them from the Football team but I didn't know their names. They smirked, laughed softly, before the guy next to me carried on talking.

"See you seem to have half the school running after you, despite the fact you've been at school for a few weeks. So we were trying to work out why that is".

I snorted unattractively, "yeah and what is the theory?"

"Sex" he blurted out and I almost choked on my own spit.

"Excuse me?" I hissed, offended and confused all in one go.

"You see, you're not exactly pretty and you're not exactly clever or over confident. Sure you got the coach getting a hard on over you because you can shoot a bow, but really there is no reason that you should be so popular".

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I was speechless as he tried not to laugh, his eyes full of mocking. He was insulting me right to my face and he thought it was hilarious. It hurt but I was more angry than anything – he could say what he wanted but I knew that, despite our arguments, I still had Seth and he wanted me regardless.

"So I realised that you must be popular because you're good in bed. If you fuck really well then all the boys will be around you, which they always are, and the girls will want to befriend you because all the boys are around you" the boy laughed.