The lunch bell finally rang and kids popped up from their seats to dash to the cafeteria. Lily hated crowds and usually waited until the classroom was empty of just her and Riley. Riley wasn’t here though. So it was only Lily, hunched over her desk, hiding the threat of tears pouring down her face.

“Hey.” a voice called, making Lily lift her head up. Chrys McCarthy looked down at Lily, a slight frown on his face. He seemed unimpressed, bored even, compared to how he joked with his other friends.

“Hey Chrys.” Lily said carefully.

“Wanna get lunch?” Chrys asked. Lily blinked in response. He didn’t really look like he wanted to have lunch with her. “So? Are you gonna speak or what?” His light Irish accent rang through in his last sentence.

“S..sure.” Lily said. She got up from her seat, rushing to follow Chrys as he began walking out of the classroom.

As the two walked down the hall of the school, Lily wondered why Chrys of all people was talking to her. The only way Lily knew Chrys was through Riley. Riley was like a magnet, drawing anyone towards her, even pretend delinquents like Chrys McCarthy. Sometimes when Lily went over to Riley’s house, Chrys was there, smiling at whatever Riley had said. The conversation always stopped once Lily got there, and Chrys’ smile would drop when he looked at Lily. He would get up and swiftly leave, not even acknowledging Lily. She asked Riley why she talked to Chrys so much, but Riley laughed saying, we all have much more in common than we think. That was the only connection Chrys and Lily shared, Riley. Lily wondered if Chrys adored Riley as much as she did. Somehow that made Lily’s chest hurt, but she didn’t know why.

Suddenly, Lily was yanked aside, and the two kids were engulfed by darkness. Lily couldn’t speak a word, frozen in the dark. A bright light flicked on and Chrys’ face was inches from hers, shadows covering his already stoic face. There was an awkward silence.

“This is...” Lily began.

“Janitor’s closet.” Chrys finished, backing up into the handle of a broom.

“I thought...”

“Lunch? Really? No, I didn’t really want to have lunch with you.” Chrys said quickly. Lily may not have known Chrys much, but his words made her wrinkle her nose. “We have more important things to talk about.”

“Important...things?” Lily asked.

“God, is that all you can do? Repeat what I say?” He snapped, making Lily flinch. He ruffled his blonde hair and sighed, “Sorry, just a little stressed.”

Lily looked down at her feet, unsure of what to say.

“It’s about Riley,” Chrys said, “and about Moon.”

Lily snapped her head up. A cold shudder ran through her spine, like her body felt something wrong and was trying to get rid of it.

“We’re...we’re not supposed to mention that...outside- wait, how do you...?” Lily stumbled in her words.

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“Yeah yeah I know, listen, I don’t have time to explain everything right now, but Moon,” the two both shuddered again, the mere mention of that place felt wrong. “Moon...is back up and it’s going live tomorrow night.”

“It’s...back up? It’s been...months since- how...how do you know?” Lily asked.

“Didn’t you get the message?” Chrys asked, surprised at Lily’s reaction. “I thought this was common knowledge.”

“No...I’ve been away...too busy to really dream...” Lily said.

“Either way, you should have gotten a message. Shit, whatever.” Chrys scowled.

“That was a swear.” Lily gasped.

“How fucking old are you?” Chrys asked, a dry smile on his face. The cursing made Lily’s face bright red with guilt.

“Was- was that all you wanted to talk about?” Lily asked. She rubbed her foot on her ankle.

“I guess you’ve been gone all summer huh...” Chrys said as if he didn’t hear Lily.

“Yes?”

“So has Riley.” Chrys mumbled. He was staring off into space.

“Maybe she went on vacation,” Lily swallowed. Deep down though, she knew it wasn’t true. Right before her own trip to Canada she recalled Riley sighing in dismay at being stuck in this Simpleton town.

“Yeah, maybe...she was acting strange though, a little after summer break started.”

“Strange how?” Lily whispered.

“She didn’t seem happy to see me or anyone for that matter.” Chrys said. “She came out of her house twice in the beginning then nothing.”

“But-

“The car was always in the driveway.” Chrys went on, “It’s just not right.”

“But-!” Lily said louder, instantly regretting as Chrys stared at her. “Uhm, but what are we supposed to do?”

“Don’t you get it? Riley loves Moon more than anything else. She hasn’t said a word to anyone from school but I know she’ll be there tomorrow night. There’s just no way she’d miss the reopening of Moon after-

The cramped closet’s only light seemed to flicker in annoyance.

“You’re not supposed to mention it so much!” Lily whined, afraid.

“Alright alright, sorry, God. Anyway, you better be there tomorrow night. I can’t find her on my own and you two went traveling more than she did with me so… just be there got it?” he snapped.

“O-ok I guess.” Lily weakly answered but he was already speeding out of the closet.

~

The rest of the day, Lily spent somewhere else, nestled in a faraway corner of her brain. Her pencil moved across pages, and her eyes glazed over math equations written by Ms. Gold, but her mind was occupied by what Chrys told her. Lily imagined Chrys seeing Riley for the last time that past summer. The face she saw in her dreams, of Riley’s sunken face, her hair broken from its usual pigtails, fit itself into her imagination. Lily shuddered and the image faded. She started to remember Riley’s brightness, the sparks in her brown eyes like little hazel fireworks. They drew Lily in, encouraged her to be herself. There was a throb in Lily’s chest. She felt impatient. It was rare for Lily, whose identity was overwhelmed by her timidness, but today as the last bell rang, she pounced out her seat for the door.

“Goodbye Ms. Gold!” she called over her shoulder, pushing the door open and slipping out.

“Oh, Have a nice–

Ms. Gold’s voice was cut off as children poured into the school hallway.

Lily ran down the hall, dodging kids playing ball and those tackling friends. As she reached the entrance she slowed to a walk. The five elder sisters were scanning the traffic jam of kids squeezing to get out the door.

“Ms. Treble! No running!” they barked at those trying to whizz by their all-seeing eyes. When they spotted Lily, they all smiled at her neat walk. “Ms. RidingHour! Have a lovely evening! Yes yes, good day, straight home! Put all your effort in your studies!” they chirped.

“Goodbye Ms. Queens...s” Lily replied and joined the rest of the sardines, wiggling her way out of the school. Once she was outside and out of sight from the Queens, she started to run, heading into the neighborhood. When she came up to her street, Dixen Dr., she paused, peering at her house, just a bit further down. Lily adjusted her backpack, a sign she had made a decision. Then she planted one foot in the crosswalk and took off past her street and towards Riley’s house.