Loving His Broken Luna

Chapter 25

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Renee

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Jason is back to his annoying, overbearing ways, Renee noted with no effort to give him the attention he seeked.

His behavior is just like theirs.

There was no reason to give into him anymore and the thought was devastating. Especially after what he pulled to get there. Being kind. Making sure she ate. Pretending to care… their kiss?

It was her first one…

It was supposed to mean something.

Instead, it felt like being used.

And he left her, satisfied with the broken bits inside of her…

Surely, he wouldn’t need another reason to stick around.

But here he is, smothering her in class.

“Whatever happened in the last fifteen minutes you were gone,” she murmured, “does not give you the right to be in my space now.”

Only, he couldn’t come to terms with the fact that she said anything at all. Jason simply inhaled and exhaled heavily, erasing her complaint from their shared space.

“Does anyone know yet if the storm was a power leak or an actual weather occurrence?” Corey asked, almost hopefully.

“Synthetic storms are actually harder to display than one would think,” corrected a girl in the back Renee never bothered with.

“Yeah, and do you know how much dust and bacteria that would take to create to keep the snow fluffy?” Renee felt the need to chime in.

“It’s plenty fluffy right now,” Corey deadpanned. “What’s your point?”

“Storms based on powers, aka synthetic, don’t reach the high altitudes normal ones do,” Colla protected those she could. “Which means we’d need a volcanic eruption and a pandemic for someone like Kendal to bang out a snow storm like that.”

“And it would happen faster…” the other girl added.

“So… natural?” Corey asked.

“He’s learning!”

With that the bell rang signifying another switch where Renee knew Jason would be right up close.

“You need to give me more space,” Renee mumbled.

“The space you have is enough,” he retorted.

Uh-huh…

… Maybe if you weren’t being creepy, I’d consider.

“Ya know what’s creepy, Rey?” Jason forgot his promise. “How you let me take a look inside and gave me nothing tangible.”

Renee’s eyebrow raised and fell, her silent response as she packed her bag.

“You won’t even fight back. Why’d you…”

“Look for your reasons on your own. Believe whatever you want,” she replied stone faced only to be pushed against the classroom’s closet as she left.

“I want to know why!”

“Break your own mind and then come back for answers. Dare to put your trust in someone that gave a damn then get turned out like trash. Tell me how that goes,” Renee rushed out.

“Jason? Is there a problem here?” Mr. Andren questioned as the flow of students bottled up around them.

“No sir,” Jason offered Renee his arm, to which she ignored. “My girlfriend is just touchy today.”

“Ah,” Mr. Andren commented. “Renee, respect needs to come from both parties…”

Renee glared back at her teacher.

… Was everyone losing their minds?

… Or was she just losing hers?

Instead of reacting she sassed off in her head about how it wasn’t his role to butt in and take Jason’s side automatically. The thought of Jason manipulating people on the fly began to settle in as she glanced away from them into the hallway she so desperately wanted to escape to.

“You wouldn’t want to go ignored in your relationship, would you?” Mr. Andren pressed.

… WE ARE NOT FVCKING DATING!

Renee’s mind, despite the way her body rattled with fury, remained impressively blank. She imagined a tiny, yet stronger version of her internal self assuring her that no one would enter.

… She’ll get through this.

… She has to.

“That actually doesn’t sound so bad,” she growled under her breath.

“You don’t mean that,” Jason purred. “I’m good to you.”

Renee scoffed and pushed her way through the doorway, leaving her teacher and remaining classmates murmuring in her wake.

… Let them talk. They don’t know anything.

The hurt that pretended to burn a hole through her heart simmered just beneath the skin.

… Why the hell did Mr. Andren have to get involved anyway?

Renee thought of Jason, wondering if he controlled the man but quickly batted it away. Could demons even do such a thing? Probably not. It was in her head though. What if he decided to use her as a puppet?

The feel of brushing up against someone as she hauled as.s down the hallway made Renee quickly pull her arm away, only to have it hooked with someone else.

“Jason, I swear to goddess…” she trailed as her arm hit a slender one.

“Yeah I’d swear to every goddess if that freakshow was following me,” Colla muttered low enough for only Renee to hear.

“Uhh…” Renee failed to reply.

“I’m saving you,” Colla reassured Renee to which she cracked a small smile.

“There’s no end…” Renee whispered back.

“Is that Jason saying it? Or the school brainiac?” Colla asked.

Renee frowned.

“I’m not a brainiac,” she replied, deflecting an answer she couldn’t come to at this time.

Of course it was her saying it, but it couldn’t be explained without getting some life ending heat.

“Uh huh. And you’re sixteen, outsmarted plenty of you kind to graduate early and never come back to this… establishment,” Colla rolled her eyes with distaste for the system, “like the rest of us.”

“There are plenty of other students that…”

“Don’t,” she warned. “I see every past. A select few can do what you do every generation.”

Renee sighed.

“Fine, what’s your point?” Renee asked as they pushed through the doors leading to the stairwell.

“For someone that has accomplished so much in two years of being here, I would think she would know how to vanquish a bastard and take control of her life,” Colla answered frankly.

“It’s not that simple,” Renee tried to peel out of Colla’s hold. “Why do you care anyway?”

“It’s disturbing to see.”

“Then close your eyes.”

“I can’t,” Colla replied haughtily. “You’re in my path.”

Renee frowned.

“I wasn’t when I asked you to encase me,” Renee retorted. “You were all for it then, like we were close or something.”

The prick of her ego felt more like a crushing blow, because for a fvcking moment, Renee thought she might have had a friend.

… But Colla was using her… and blaming her for it.

“Uh, no! You don’t understand,” Colla rushed out.

“Yeah, I bet,” Renee whispered and took the lead up the stairs.

“Renee!”

“Colla, just stop,” Renee waved Colla off. “I don’t want it. Whatever it is.”

Renee could feel Colla’s presence chasing her. It seemed no one knew how to give up!

“Attention swim team,” a team member read out. “All those that did not show up at practice, you have dryland after school. Keep in mind that there is a limit on the weight room and a solid hour is required to make up for what you missed…”

“Mother fvcker…” several other students complained.

“How the hell am I going to do that?”

At least she wasn’t the only one.

“... If you’re looking to go to the YMCA to fulfill this, your requirement is a class of the following: cycling, aqua-aerobics, or pilates. Thank you!” the announcer handed over the microphone to another individual.

Renee blocked out what they had to say.

There was no way she'd get back to the gym or be able to sneak into a class. She didn’t have a membership.

Renee groaned to herself as her night became clear. She’d be waiting out the hockey team to go through her stations. Those guys took so long to get their s**t together, acting like they lived at the gym and all.

Chatter filled in after, clouding her issues with theirs as she made her way to Advanced Calculus.

“I can vouch for your illness…” Jason eased himself beside her once more.

“I’m not sick,” Renee replied, as if he never left. “You made something up.”

“And you didn’t fight it.”

“If you’re going to lie for me, at least make it sound like it’s feasible.”

“You not eating is part of the reason I’m here,” Jason urged.

Renee crossed the threshold into her classroom and found her seat. Jason moved in behind her and casually sat down.

“I could be so good to you, Renee. If only you’d let me in.”

Renee settled her bag by her chair and sat down. She bent down further to pull at her bag’s zippers and retrieve her notebook.

“I did, Jason,” she ground out. “I was good for you and let you in…”

“Barely,” he scoffed.

“Just because you couldn’t find it doesn’t mean you didn’t get to try.”

“Holy s**t! You two are doing the dirty?” Gavyn chortled.

“No!” Renee seethed while Jason nodded contently.

“Don’t be proud bro,” Gavyn snorted. “If you can’t find her spot, what good are you?”