Chapter 7

"So basically, I think Lukas has gone insane," Emily stated to the table, which was absent of Lukas, who was sleeping, and Rochelle who was.. well, Cassie couldn't say she had a clue.

"Well, duh," said Marietta. "He's always been a nut."

"I disagree," said Cassie.

"Yeah," Emily said, "he used to be f-"

"-with both of you," Cassie finished. "He wasn't insane, and he still isn't."

"Then what do you call him? Angsty with the red eyes-"

"No. This isn't the works of insanity, it's- ugh, nevermind." She became frustrated. "Nothing you'd understand, anyways."

"Oh, I understand," Emily said. "It was love, wasn't it? But, see, you'd have to be a piece of work to love Rochelle."

"SHUT UP, EMO, OR I'LL HEX YOU."

"M'kay."

"You don't believe me?"

"No. I just don't care."

In Cassie's hand was her fork, gripping it tightly in anger, and without a thought, and simply a reflex, she chucked it at Emily.

"What the fuck, Cassie?" she said, barely not getting hit by the fork. Cassie whipped out her wand.

"Shut up Emily, just shut up." Her hand shook and her wand pointed directly between Emily's eyes.

"What's your problem?" Marietta asked.

"Psycho," Cho chimed in.

"Just as bad as Lukas himself, with those temper tantrums like a little kid." Cassie turned red, lowered her wand, and without a word, departed.

"Have you ever had a friend who you can't stop being friends with, but you want to absolutely KILL their ass because they're a heartless bitch?"

"Not exactly," Luna replied thoughtfully. "But I get the idea. I haven't really, well, had friends. There were people who acted like my friends, and then ran away from me." Her wide eyes blinked. "But you've just got to keep on living, am I right? What's the point of getting hung up on the bad stuff?"

"Yeah, true," Cassie replied. Luna's blue eyes seemed to twinkle innocently on the warm night. They were, once again, sitting up in that beech tree, but this time there was no rain, not even a cloud in the sky. The stars shone above, and the crescent moon hung over them.

"This is rather fun, I can't say I've ever had a friend like you," said Luna. She looked at Cassie. "I'd have to say you're nicer than anyone's been to me. People always talk about those best friends they have, and I get what it's like to have someone who's actually there for you, if that makes sense."

"It does, and I'll always be here for you. People say you're Loony, but.. there's nothing wrong with you." Cassie smiled, Luna smiled.

Rochie rummaged through her trunk, to come across a glowing jewel. She clutched it in her hand tightly. "Shit." She brought her index finger away from the jewel. It was bleeding where it jabbed her. She carefully placed it in her pocket. "This'll be for your own good, Lukas."

She headed gracefully down the spiraling staircase from the girls dormitory. The common room was empty, and wind blew through the window. It almost felt.. eerie. Rochelle shook off the thought and headed out of the portrait entrance.

Ahead in the corridor, a short, blonde Japanese man tripped over his long, "goth" pants, dropping a wand that slid across the floor, and stationed in front of Rochie.

Smiling, Rochie handed the wand back to the man.

"Arigatou, uh.." he thought for a moment. "Zank joo."

"Anytime, Tooru."

"Oy." His cheeks reddened and he muttered something in Japanese, which was something about those "damn Brits." Rochie replied back, in Japanese "Watch it, Kyo-kun."

He seemed surprised of Rochie's fluent Japanese, but simply scowled and continued walking. Rochelle smiled.

"How kawaii."

"Hey Luna," Cassie said. "You said you never had a friend before your fourth year, but what about Lukas?"

"He has a stone-hard shell," she said with no emotion, except the usual dreaminess. "I'm probably the closest thing to knowing him really. I wouldn't call it a friendship though. He doesn't really care about me, or anything, seeing as it's hard to crack the shell, but in a way he needs me. You see, I'm like the one thing in the world that come close to making him.. calmer."

"So you understand him pretty well, I take it?"

"He denies it, but he knows I know him, maybe even more than he knows himself."

"It's like that with Rochie and I. I can put her feelings into better words than she can."

"Lovely power, isn't it?" Luna replied dreamily.

"Power?" As she heard a rustle through the grass, Cassie put her finger over Luna's lips. She looked down at the girl walking across the grass, with a bad, familiar feeling. As the girl came closer, she was right.

"Luna," she whispered, "don't make a sound.."

It was her.

"It's Marina."

Rochie was nearly at her destination. She felt almost blank, withdrawn from herself.

Turning the corner, was Atsushi.

Rochie froze, with half of her senses, thinking of what to say, if anything.

"You wanna freedom?" he asked suddenly.

"Lets go to hebum," Rochie shot back, feeling excited.

"I see you are a fan."

"I see your English has improved much."

He stuck out his hand. "I am Sakurai Atsushi."

"Watashi wa Rochie desu." She shook it.

"I shall see you later, Rochie-san." As he walked away, Rochelle felt a melting sensation. She no longer felt up to her deed, and headed towards the library instead.

Her bare feet brushed against the grass. She wore an old, frayed black dress, and her dark hair went loose in the wind. She moved in a hypnotized fashion towards the calm lake.

Marina, what are you doing? Cassie thought.

She stood on her tiptoes and took one deep gaze at the moon. She spread her arms up, and closed her eyes.

"Is this the ancient Roman spiritual ritual?" Luna whispered curiously. Cassie said nothing in reply, her eyes glued to Marina, who seemed to be falling in slow motion into the Black Lake.

Cassie dove from that tree branch without a second thought. It was now time to stop ignoring her. Next thing she knew, the water chilled her skin, and she was falling deep, deep into the depths of the lake.

As she took Marina's cold hand, she wondered if they would die there. Just die, as remains of what wasn't.

It was there, the light, the blinding light, and her senses faded away. Is this what dying is like? she thought, losing her consciousness.

"..the hell?" Cassie gasped, coughing water out of her lungs. The night had preserved itself for what felt like days. It could have only been minutes, or it could have been hours.

Cassie, soaking wet, lay on Marina's unconscious body. "Yeah, you're beautiful," Cassie whispered, "but you're not for me."

An fifteen minutes passed, and Marina regained consciousness. They both lay there without words, for a whole hour.

And then they fell asleep.

Cassie was unaware of Luna above her in the beech tree, watching over her.

"I won't let my best friend die," Luna said to herself.

A new day began. Marina and Cassie, for the first time all night, looked at each other.

"I really am sorry," Marina said.

"Me too," Cassie replied. She looked upwards, realizing there was a sleeping body on the tree branch. "Luna. Has she been there this whole time?"

"Does she normally sleep in trees?" Marina inquired.

"I'm going to take her to her bed," Cassie said, and then yawned, "then I'm going to take myself to bed."

"Are we friends again?"

"A friendship renewed." Cassie nodded, and as she carried the darling, sleeping body of Luna, her mind went into confusion.

I'll hold onto you, Luna, Cassie thought.