MoonNight Read online

  MoonNight

  By: Renee Thacker

  Chapter 1

  My name is Leslie Woods and what started out perfect, a smart senior graduating a year early didn’t turn out so perfect. Instead of that it turned out more like dangerous men and seductive vamps. Choosing a destiny isn’t that easy after all. This is how it all started.

  8:56 P.M. Los Angeles airport

  “Okay mom I’m fine I’m boarding the plane and I’ll text you once I get in the air. We parted ten minutes ago.”

  “Les-”

  “Bye mom, love you,” I snapped my phone shut, squeezing through people, lugging my carry-on on to the plane.

  As soon as I got to my seat I literally crashed dropping my stuff.

  “Dude watch where you’re putting your stuff. That just hit my toe man.” I glance over to see a hippie guy rubbing his foot but no sooner I’m snoring against the window.

  I wake up to the plane’s intercom telling us to put our seatbelts on, electronics turned off etcetera, get ready for the planes landing. Shoot, I thought, I didn’t text my mom. And by this time my dad was probably home from night shift at the hospital fretting over me too. It was about a six hour flight from L.A. California to Anchorage Alaska. Great a summer in Alaska home of the mosquitos, stench of fish, wild animals, and creepy crawlers.

  I gather up all my carry on and head off the plane trying to find my luggage. Which was easy. My neon pink duffel bag and Cody Simpson suitcase were easy to spot among the dull blacks and browns. I plopped down on the bench with them took out my phone. I checked the single text from my dad first. Hey baby you are welcome back any time hope you’re not lost yet.

  I replied.

  Not your baby anymore seventeen now ‘member?

  Then I read the five million from my mom. Okay minus four million nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-six.

  Please don’t forget to text me

  Miss you already

  Are you on the plane yet?

  Text me right now I’m so worried. Are you okay? What’s going on?

  Again I replied. Fine mom just fell asleep please stop worrying sorry please stop worrying. I’m just going to get a quick something to eat then head to the car rental.

  I hit the SEND button, picked up my luggage and headed to the car rental. Okay I wasn’t going to eat I just didn’t want my mom to freak.

  I headed out into the cold (compared to California) air of an Alaskan summer. The car rental was two blocks down and had really bad service. I had to wait in the waiting room for what felt like forever until a man gestured me to the counter.

  “Need help?” the man asked leaning over the counter.

  “Yeah, uh, car rental?” I gave a questioning look.

  “Sure how long?”

  “Three months.’

  “Yes, yes it’s two hundred a month. License Please.”

  I pulled out my license and he started typing some info into the computer.

  “Okay minors don’t get the best of the best but it’ll be something. I just need to know where you’re going in just-”

  “I’m heading to Cordova just north east of here to the summer graduation program. The car should be at Cordova high the whole time.” As soon as I got the car from the over talkative man I sat in the blue ’04 Volkswagen just staring at the map. It was highway most of the time. Got it Glenn highway take a couple of turns out in the middle of nowhere which was totally not me.

  Halfway there I realized how unbearably desolate it was getting. I groaned and when I pulled into the parking lot an hour later I groaned even louder. The nearest stores or really any normal housing civilization were half an hour away. Until then there were a couple of hamburger stops and a gas station connected to a Starbucks. On the bright side there was coffee.

  I pulled up next a red convertible corvette that had a sticker with a guy making the west coast sign. Weird. I sat in my car a moment longer adjusting my normal style of a plain tee and jeans. I got out of the car heading to the main building. It looked like a huge three story lodge on either side two smaller buildings stood, which would be the dorms. When I stepped into the lodge it was modernized (that was my style). There was a decent size lobby with sofas and a flat screen T.V. on one side and a front desk on the other.

  “Just going to stand there?” I dropped all my bags and squeaked at the sound of the secretaries’ voice. A jeering laugh came at me from all sides, especially where a group of-well-strange people sat watching the flat screen.

  “Uh no um no mam,” I stuttered picking my stuff and heading over to the desk.

  “Name?” she asked.

  “Leslie Woods.” Silence. Stares. My knees buckling.

  Then after a moment everything went back on again.

  “Welcome,” she said. “I am Ms. Lawson. If you have questions come to me. Class changes come to me.” She looked around particularly to the strange group in the corner. “Social problems come to me.”

  She flipped through some files pulling out an envelope that had my name on it.

  “There are four classes every day. You’re here to learn and graduate early so they'll only be the basics math, english, science, and social studies. First period is ten to eleven, second eleven to twelve, lunch twelve to one, and then your other two classes after lunch. Here wait-“She pulled out keys. “Here are your dorm keys Girls west boys east. See you tomorrow.”

  I walked through the first set of doors only to be blocked at the second by the strange group who was moments before sitting on the sofas. I kept trying to walk past them but one of the guys pushed me up against the wall causing me to drop all my stuff.

  “Can’t go without introducing yourself.” His face loomed near. He had brilliant bright green eyes and his hair was perfectly styled. He wore a black tee and dark jeans. I looked straight at his gorgeous beautiful face straight in to those eyes and said: “Let go,” and pushed past him and the rest of his attractive group.

  “Hey we weren’t done having fun!” he called after me. “My name’s Carson by the way, Carson Lund. And you must be Leslie Woods’s right? If you need anything just give me a holler.”

  I looked back and gave Carson a cold glare before shouting, “Yeah don’t ever talk to me again!” I just didn’t do boys.

  I opened my dorm and much to my surprise pink covered everything. Shag carpets, bedspread, T.V. stand, everything. A girl in a jean skirt about five inches to short and a Bob Marley T-shirt was jamming to some retro seventies music. When she finally realized I was there she flipped off the music then plopped on to the bottom bunk.

  “You, you’re that one girl from the south right?”

  I just nodded still standing in the doorway luggage in hand.

  “Well,” she started. “You just want to stand there like a retard or come in and make home?”

  I started moving but-

  “Wait stay right there in the doorway and I’ll do a proper greeting.”

  She got off the bed and held her hand out to me. “Hi I’m Emi Walker. I’m seventeen going on eighteen. I like Yoga, Microwave Popcorn, and Volleyball, you?” Emi juts her hand out farther and I awkwardly shake it. I had never been the social type.

  “Swimming.” I answered.

  “Well I wouldn’t say Alaska's the best place to swim. The coast isn’t to far but who the-“

  And at that moment a group of kids burst in to the room one of them literally knocking them over. I could feel somebodies body land right next to mine. I look over to see Carson Lund his body nearly touching mine.

  “Hey,” his smile melts into me.

  “Ugh,” I kick him. “Get off me.”

  I stand up and threw my luggage on the top bunk. When I turned back around I was shocked perplexed I don’t know what to call it. Th
ere were four guys and three girls. All of them had tattoos on the front side of their neck. For the most part they were the same, circular with symbols but some were paw prints, some dripping fangs, and some claws. The three girls all looked completely different but were all model gorgeous. Two realizations that stood out between the seven of them is that they all had unnaturally bright green eyes and the same perfect shade of tan skin. “Stare much?” I snapped out of it not even knowing who had just spoken.

  “No, sorry it’s just a lot to take in on the first day.” I looked down at my feet.

  “Hey lay off her,” Carson glowered at one of the girls.

  “Well let’s introduce ourselves,” the blond girl stepped forward. “I’m Rosalyne, Rosa for short. The red head is Loren and the girl with the black hair is Tarun no don’t ask none of us are related. “Tarun glared at me and I mean a very genuine death glare. “Anyways.” Rosa continued. “This is Carson, Dimitri, Jeremy, and Regan. We didn’t know they put you with Emi we just came in for a popcorn break.”

  “Thanks for coming in Rosa.” Then Emi turned around and started the microwave.

  I climbed on to the bunk getting my stuff. As soon as I was done unpacking as if on cue my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID: my mom. I stumbled over the group sitting on the pink beanbags, and out to the hall.

  ‘Hi mom this is Leslie.”

  “Oh good! How’s it going tell me all about it.” That’s how my worry over nothing mom always is.

  “Mom it’s only my first day. You know how I always am in school. I’m sure it will be just the same.”

  “If anything goes on honey you call me.

  Pay attention to your classes and maybe participate in some activities. After all this is your last year. Just enjoy iy please.”

  My mom knew I was never the social type. Not that I was different, my personality had always just been different.

  “Mo-oom I’m fine it’s only two more months. I’ll email you everything or anything that happens. I love you mom.”

  “Love you to Leslie.”

  “Bye.”

  “Bye. I’ll tell dad hi for you.”

  “Yeah,” I say clicking the end button. My dad and I didn’t have as close relationship as my mom and I did. But he loved my mom and I loved my mom so we were in somewhat of a truce.

  I walked back into the room to hear the retro seventies music blasting against my ear.

  “Hey, want to join us?” the black haired guy asked sounding polite enough for my liking.

  “Oh no but thanks any way I just got to go check on something over there.” I point to the laptop in the back.

  “It’s fine.” He said.

  I started walking over to the computer but Tarun jutted her leg out in front of me. My body lurched forward head slamming into the ladder of the bunk. I felt the warmth of blood trickling down my face filling my nose with a stench that made me feel nauseous. I heard everyone shouting. “Tarun what were you thinking?”

  “I’ll take her down to the nurses’ office.”

  “No I will.”

  “Fine just hurry.” Every time I tried to sit up I just fell back down.

  I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist and another around my shoulders. Supporting me like I was no heavier than a paperclip. Every step hurt. I felt shots of pain in my head. I stumbled. The arms gripped me tighter, closer. I don’t know when it happened but I made it to the nurses’ office and was being lied down on a bed. My eyelids fluttered open as I looked in to the bright green eyes of Carson Lund. I was aware of both his hands on my waist until he finally pulled away.

  “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  “It’s okay.”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  “What!”

  “Nothing.” I did not just hear that. I did not just hear that. I did not just hear that. I closed my eyes trying to believe that this was all a dream. But when I opened them back up Carson had repositioned himself in the corner, arms crossed, and leaning against the wall. While the nurse was very painfully working on my head which wasn’t even bad enough for a Band-Aid. He was different standing there in the corner. Even though his actions have proved childish so far, he was more mature and experienced then any man. Bulging muscles, the tattoo, and green eyes seemed like they would be threatening. But in truth it was a sweet kind of attractive. Carson stayed there the full two hours of me begging the nurse to release me. After I finally left the room I rounded on Carson.

  “Why did Tarun do that?” I demanded.

  “She doesn’t like you.” He responded.

  “I don’t get it.” And I really didn’t. I was very confused.

  “She tripped you.” Carson paused, green eyes boring into me. “And I saved you.”

  “I know but that’s what I don’t get. I mean why does she hate me.” This was my first hour at the school and I was already connecting with these people in a way. In a very ungraceful way that would always be unexpected of me.

  Carson stopped just outside the girls’ dorm, turned to me and just awkwardly stared.

  “Reasons.” He said. And stalked off.

  I kept staring at the back of his perfect flawless body. He turned around one more time. A look I couldn’t quite determine flashed across his face. Hurt. Pain. Longing. He definitely wasn’t acting like the Carson I first met. The one who pushed me up against the wall demanding me to introduce myself. I took an extra-long extra cold shower to wake myself from the daze. All the guys were gone since they weren’t allowed in the girls dorms after nine. Emi was in one of her other friends’ dorms and I was getting dressed in the middle of a pink popcorn smelling room. I stuck my shirt on and just lay in bed. Tomorrow was my first day of class. My four awfully boring classes. Everything here was way different then California. In California I went to school being the socially awkward one who didn’t have friends and never once attended any dance. Here there were about three hundred kids. Eight I’ve actually socialized with. Emi my roommate, Carson who I swear has multi.personality disorder, the red head Loren, energetic Rosa and Tarun who hated my guts for no apparent reason. The other three Jeremy, Dimitri, and Regan were okay I guess, I haven’t really talked to them much. What a bizarre day, I thought before drifting into my sleep.

  Chapter 2

  A vivid flash of eyes, as bright as two bright lights on a Dodge. It felt as if I were the one speeding down the highway. It was like a movie as the camera swiped up and showed me the moon. Then flew through the clouds making it feel as if it were me. Lightning and thunder were racing towards each other. But before they collided it showed me a beautiful clearing with trees on all sides. And a park with children playing on it. A dream so miraculous I wanted to remember it….

  I woke up to horrible, horrible screeching which turned out to be Emis’ fail attempts at Bob Marley.

  “Finally awake sleepy-head now get some clothes on so we can go eat.” She stopped her screech singing.

  “Down at the lodge?” I asked.

  “Yep.” She replied.

  I slipped some jeans on and a light t-shirt, coating myself in mosquito spray then slinging my bag on to my shoulder. I looked back at Emi. She was wearing sweats and a soccer jersey. Something they would have never of let us wear back at my old school. “Of course,” Emi said it like it was no big deal. “The place is only as bad as your grades. Get good grades and you can basically do whatever the heck you want. Get bad grades and you’re screwed. Weekends can be spent wherever you want. Outdoors or wherever. The only place you’re not allowed to go is north to the forest line.” She made a cutting gesture against her neck.

  This school turned out bland and boring. There weren’t even words to describe it. A few girls talked to me. Asked where I was from, what I liked to do. Soon they stopped talking to me after they realized there wasn’t much to talk about. The next two days I spent with Emi until she got annoyed of me and started spending time with some of her other friends. Carson was still trying to get me to talk to him. Someti
mes our eyes would meet. I would just stare at him as though he was the greatest most beautiful piece of artwork ever created. Which on the outside to me he was. Then I would walk off. Soon those days turned in to a week. Monday morning I was by Emis side in the cafeteria line.

  They served us waffles. Due to homework the night before I had missed dinner so by now I was legitimately starving. All the tables were jam packed with kids except for one table. Like always the tattooed neck people had an empty table to themselves. No one even acknowledged them. I looked back to see Emi squished in with another group of kids. Normal kids. Maybe the others were just siblings. That I did not know. Looking back towards Carson’s table I saw Loren with her bright red hair waving me over to their near empty table. I kept mumbling ‘excuse me, excuse me’ to get through the sea of students finally sitting down with my food. I tried to hear what they were talking about but I couldn’t tell over all the noise and multiple things I had no clue about. It was only clear that they knew each other very well. They just kept right on laughing. I took this chance and scarfed down all my food.

  Maybe I should just go home right now like my mom had offered. I was kind of a loner here. Back at my school in California there were four thousand students not three hundred. Not fitting in with one person there, what was I going to do here? Plus you can’t even swim in the water here, I miss competing. I swam and did what I liked for immediate release. Here I was outside my southern comfort zone.

  “Hey Leslie do you want to come with us?” Carson asked.

  “Huh what?” I hadn’t even realized they were talking.

  “Late night party down on the beach down-“

  “Never mind,” Loren interjected before jabbing Carson and whispering, “We cannot bring the girl. You know why. We will at a different time.”

  What was going on? I’m pretty sure they were just messing with me. And I hated it. There was no way I was going to make friends here. The little hope I had vanished.

  “It’ll be fine Loren, I’ll take good care of her and bring her home on time plus you know about me when I tu-“Carson cut himself off. All heads turned to me realizing what they had just let slip. But of course I had no idea.