Becoming the Luna

I spend most of the next hour filling Yanis in on what had happened ever since he left and he quietly listens, looking genuinely interested. It's always so easy talking to him so its no surprise I end up spilling all about Virgil and Dale.

He grinds his jaw when my narration gets to Nicole and Julia, I had left out the bit about what happened at the Spring Dance for two reasons, one I didn't want to talk about it and two I didn't want that as a label.

I'd made up my mind that none of it was my fault and I wouldn't let it control my life or how people viewed me.

"Who is this Dale guy and I'm going to punch Virgil when I see him."

"No, don't." I say quickly.

"Don't worry, Minou, I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for myself." He mutters darkly, a slight trace of his French accent coming through, it only did when he got angry.

He had only met Virgil once and they didn't exactly become friends but they tolerated each other for my sake, Yanis just wants to punch him.

I shake my head at his reply. "You said you wanted to hear what has been happening with me, what about you? How's schooling in Greece?"

"It's actually not half bad, we'd sneak out during weekends and spend the time in the town."

I blink owlishly at this. "What??"

A knock interrupts our conversation. "Hayden?" Shana's voice floats over. "Are you there? Maggie said to come get you and bowl head." She yells from the other side of the door.

I snicker at this, she hadn't seen Yanis yet and I couldn't wait to see her reaction. 

"That's most likely my mom wanting to see you, shall we?" He asks, smoothly getting up from the sofa that we had gravitated to.

"Sure." I take his hand and let him help me up. "Luckily, Greece is also teaching you to be a gentleman, among other things." I mutter, leading the way to the door.

"I'll bet you're still ticklish." He mock threatens.

I cringe away from him. "Don't get any funny ideas." I warn flinging open the door to see Shana staring at me impatiently.

"Well, come on." She prompts, turning around and leading the way.

"Hello to you too, Shana." Yanis says with barely contained amusement.

Shana whips her head around. "Back at you bowl c-cu-cu.. What the fuck! Who the heck is that?" She whips her head around like she expects someone else to hop out. 

I raise an eyebrow at her, pretending not to notice what she's seeing. "Yanis? Are you drunk?"

"You're lying to me." She says blankly, still staring wide eyed at him. "This has to be some elder brother I've not heard about, Yanis isn't hot."

He just shakes his head at her reaction, his sleek dark hair waving slightly. "I'm an only child and thanks for the insult, I see you are still into dyeing your hair in ridiculous shades."

She glares at him. "That red color was my natural shade idiot, now I remember why you're so annoying."

I just laugh at their exchange, bracing myself to meet Mrs Nolan.

"Mon Cherie!" She exclaims excitedly when I step into the room. "So petite, so adorable." She squishes my cheeks when I get to her. "Can I keep him, Maggie?"

"No thank you, Adeline, Renee would have my head." My Grammy says with a slight shudder, a long slip of paper that no doubt includes the necessities for the ball situated on her lap. "I trust that you and Yanis have caught up with each other?' She asks kindly and I use this opportunity to escape from Mrs Nolan who's kissing my cheeks like they're made of candy.

"Yes Grammy."

"Maggie, darling." She corrects absently.

"You know he'll never remember." My Aunt Candy walks in the room. "Is that Yanis? What are they feeding you over there?" She exclaims in surprise.

"Hi, Auntie." Yanis greets sheepishly. "Mother, don't eat him." He scolds his mother, saving me from her.

Aunt Candy makes a face. "I feel like you're doing that on purpose." Then she startles. "Oh! I came here for something, mom, Renee is going to make the party planner jump off the roof." She tattles.

My Grammy startles at this. "You left Renee all alone with her? Oh dear! Adeline, I'll need your help." She gets up in a hurry. "Getting a planner like Miss Park on such short notice is sheer luck."

"I thought you hired her months ago." Aunt Candy frowns.

"Exactly so if she resigns now I'll never be able to find anyone else in time because they'll be too busy planning summer parties and bashes." My Grammy says in a harried voice going out.

They all rush out leaving Yanis, Shana and I, Yanis is still holding my hand from the time he pulled me from his mom and he doesn't look like he remembers that he's still holding my it.

Shana's phone rings and she quickly picks it and listens intently to whatever, whoever saying on the other side.

A dangerous expression settles on her face and her grip on the phone gets tighter. "I see, thank you."

"Who was that?" I ask in concern.

"Virgil and Dale." She says in a dark voice.

Yanis perks up at this. "Really?" He asks, cracking the knuckles of the hand that isn't holding mine.

"And they came along with Nicole and Julia, the nerve of them." She continues darkly, rubbing her hands together.

"This just gets better and better."

Shana glances at him, strangely not surprised that he knows of them. "I have a wonderful idea, why don't we go roll out the welcome mat."

I just keep quiet at this, I just want Virgil to explain to me why he's acting like that, like he doesn't care while Dale keeps acting like he wants me to save him.

I blink at this, if Dale actually feels anything for me then he wouldn't have run right back to his ex at the first chance he got. "I hope this doesn't get me killed." I murmur under my breath, letting Yanis pull me along, I'm not thrilled about having to see any of them, especially when they're together.