Here's a shorter chapter, kind of like a montage i guess. This was cut from the last chapter because it kind of had nothing to do with the relationship between Coraline and Brunette, nor Mrs. Jones. But it had a lot to do with how she was changing the way she thought, as well as changing the way she behaved around other people... I wonder what happened? MUAHAHAHA
This chapter definitely leads to the next one... what's up with Coraline, anyway?
Chapter Eight: That Month…
And her punishment indeed was lifted.
Coraline and Wybourne were running around in the garden, with the garden floor sitting underneath a layer of thick fog. Wybourne had ran to his house to get some things, and returned with a new pair of (familiar) clothes, his motorbike, and his skull mask to help him see under all the fog. Coraline walked right behind while he searched, and the black cat was resting on her shoulder.
Wybourne held a large set of tongs in one hand, and Coraline held her own smaller pair in the other. If Coraline were to be directly behind Wybourne, the two of them could have made a four armed monster.
Coraline was wearing her colorful gloves that she normally wore to school, and Wybourne wore his usual black skeleton ones. The two were hunting for banana slugs; Coraline had missed doing these things with him.
"Found another!" Wybourne called out, but his call sounded like a broken yelp from some dying animal, Coraline only found this amusing, and she blurted out "Roger! Specimen acquired!" She made her voice sound robotic, as if she were playing as the robot butler from the future.
Wybourne revealed the yellow banana slug from under the fog, squeezing it only lightly between the metal tongs, before passing it to Coraline's tongs.
Coraline smiled at the slug, as it wiggled slowly, before she held it to the cat, who sniffed it lightly before sneezing.
Both of the twelve-year-old's laughed, before Coraline put the slug down, and she took off her gloves "Okay, bored, hit me with another idea."
Wybourne lifted his mask up, revealing a pout on his lips, but then he looked at the slug remains on his tong. The slime trailed down to his glove, before he thought aloud "Do you think Brunette would like this kinda stuff that we do?"
Coraline paused, before glancing at him "Why? Do you like her or something?"
Wybourne shook his head slowly "N-No… w-well, yeah kinda, she's a friend, i-isn't she?"
"You tell ME." Coraline suddenly growled, looking at Wybourne angrily and slowly stepping closer.
The boy cowered in fear, seeming a lot smaller as Coraline stood on her tip-toes to make sure she towered over him. The poor boy tilted his head in confusion "Wh-What's all this about? If you d-don't like her just say so…!"
Coraline backed away and huffed, turning her head "I don't mind her. I do like her. Just wondering if YOU… Why-were-you-born… LIKE liked her."
Wybourne was now fiddling with his fingers, unsure on how to respond to that. He then chewed on his lower lip as he mumbled "Of course not."
Coraline was less violent looking now, making Wybourne calm down; sure that he had gave the right answer. The girl then sighed, causing Wybourne to smirk "You're jealous…"
Coraline turned and snapped at him "Jealous? Coraline Jones does NOT get jealous!"
Wybourne held a goofy grin that seemed to make Coraline's cheeks turn red.
He left it at that though, and Coraline immediately distracted herself with the sky "Look! It's getting late; I really need to hit the books." Coraline ran out the garden, and to her front door, while being pursued by her personal stalker.
"Wait!" He hollered "Do you like anyone, Jonesy? Tell me the truth!"
Coraline whined as she opened the front door "No! Now go away! I'll talk to you tomorrow!"
The cat hurriedly leaped off her shoulder before she slammed the door on Wybourne's face, giggling on the other side of the door as she got out of her muddy boots and threw her tongs, gloves, and jacket on the floor "I'm back!"
She immediately smelled food. When she heard the start of a motorbike, then heard it run until the sound faded away, she assumed that Wybourne was gone, and she was going to grab some grub.
Coraline sat at the dinner table, with a wide smile on her face. She was happy that she got to hang out with Wybourne today, and now she was going to eat a decent meal with her family.
Mr. Jones placed the pizza box at the table and opened it up, serving both his 'young ladies' a plate and a slice, before serving himself.
Before Coraline could even bite, her mother cleared her throat, as if expecting to speak up, and Coraline looked at her funny.
"A progress report came in the mail today, on your grades, Coraline." Mrs. Jones said gently "I'll let it slide for now, since I know you're going through some… things, but your C better improve."
Coraline's mouth dropped "Ah… C? That's not right! I was getting good grades and everything!"
Mr. Jones laughed, and Coraline glared at him "Honest! Sorta… but! But Ms. Caroline just hates me!"
"Coraline, honestly, you're being childish." Mrs. Jones said "I told you I'm letting it slide…"
Coraline shoved her pizza slice into her mouth, trying her best not to choke, chewed and swallowed hard, then huffed under her breath "I'm going to my room to do my homework."
"Really? How shocking!"
She groaned at her mother's sarcasm, before she marched out the kitchen, hearing her father's random comment "It better not be that time of the month." As she stomped up the stairs, and slammed the door to her room. Ignoring the outside world.
Maybe it was her puberty talking, but she felt rejected by her own parents. Her mom mocked her by saying she'd let it slide because of her 'problem', and her dad only laughed at her, not even bothering to defend her. He even complained about the month, as if he couldn't complain to her in person and had to say it behind Coraline's back.
She flopped onto her bed, closing her eyes slightly "My Other Father would defend me…" Coraline muttered gently as she laid there and stared at the back of her eyelids. In one month, her life went up hill to down hill it seemed, and still no signs of Other Father, the one good guy possibly still alive in the Other World, to come to her rescue. Coraline doubted that the Other Father was even there, and that the world simply had a mind of its own.
She drifted to sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day…
Without adults getting on her nerves.
At school the next day, Coraline was worried that the freaky Maxwell would suddenly appear again, out for revenge on Coraline and the others, for neglecting to include him in their secret team anymore. She was scared of his smile, scared of him suddenly biting into someone's arm with his wide mouth and gross teeth.
Each time someone came through the door, especially a boy, Coraline and Wybourne turned their heads to check to see who it was.
But soon enough, the classroom was filled, all except one seat… which was Maxwell's.
"Must've hurt his feelings…" Wybourne said, and Coraline nodded slightly "I hope not too bad."
"Maybe he's just sick." Wybourne turned his head and gave Coraline a reassuring smile, before turning back to the front. And other than Coraline watching Wybourne pass a note back and forth to his nerd friends, nothing entertaining happened during class.
After class, Coraline was lectured about her grade. Ms. Caroline claimed that she had the worst grade in class, and that she was one assignment grade away from at least a B. Coraline was given extra credit homework, which she waited until after school to meet up with Wybourne outside and tear it to shreds, stomping on the remains.
"Yeah, I need more stress in my life, thanks doctor Carol-dork!" Coraline huffed and crossed her arms, watching as Wybourne fiddled with his fingers and started to play with his shirt as the two of them waited in silence.
Coraline was beginning to wonder what Wybourne was thinking, before she suddenly saw a panicked looking Brunette in the distance.
The two of them stood and watched as Brunette ran up to them, before pausing to catch her breath, managing to mutter "The door… was left unlocked, Coraline."
Coraline's eyes widened.
Wybourne's did as well. He asked what Coraline wanted to, but was too petrified to do "Wh-What happened? How?"
"I guess… last time we went, we forgot to lock it." Brunette said, focusing the answer towards Coraline. Wybourne glanced at the blue haired girl, and Coraline coughed "Oh God, did anything bad happen? Are you okay?"
Brunette finally caught her breath, and she managed a smile "Nope." She straightened herself up like it was no big deal, and Wybourne blinked "What?"
"I went inside, and took a look for myself…" Brunette smiled proudly, then reached into her purse and pulled out the silver button key, handing it to Coraline "You left this in the door, by the way."
Coraline wanted to punch her in the gut, but instead, slowly took the key, revealing a fake smile, that Wybourne could tell wasn't real.
Wybourne decided to start talking on her behalf "That's dangerous! You know what crazy stuff happens in there? You could've been hurt!"
"But I wasn't." Brunette winked, then she looked to Coraline "You won't even guess… who I met…!" She giggled excitedly, and Coraline froze once again.
Wybourne looked at Brunette, then back at Coraline "What's she talking about?"
Coraline was silent, but her cheeks turned pink.
Brunette stood there giggling up a storm.
And Wybourne stood there, glancing back and forth between the two girls, clueless.