The Shadow Of The Lunar Curse

Chapter 2: At the Party

At a small clearing in the woods stood an old house. In the yard of the old house, a party was going on. Everyone was wearing headphones, and they all danced while drinking alcohol. Others ate snacks or pizza.

Soon, a light green jeep drove in and joined the line of packed cars. Two figures stepped out of the jeep. As they emerged, the cool night breeze blew past them, carrying the strong scent of alcohol.

When Jerry got down from the vehicle, he stretched his arms, yawning, while Tim bounced out of the driver's seat, full of energy. Jerry was a bit nervous as he stared at the crowd that was dancing and drinking. Jerry was wearing a simple gray T-shirt, dark jeans, and casual sneakers. His brown, curly hair was a bit messy and unkempt, and his bright blue eyes shone with a hint of curiosity. He had a lean, athletic build and was an average-height, 17-year-old teenager, though still taller than Tim. The night breeze blew through his hair, making it swirl around his face. Jerry felt a bit nervous as he scanned the crowd.

Tim, on the other hand, was wearing a bold black shirt with neon green stripes. His bright blond hair was perfectly styled. He wore dark jeans like Jerry's and black sneakers, looking quite confident. He still had that excited look on his face.

As they stood at the parking spot, watching the people party and dance, the sound of laughter and happy screams echoed around the small clearing in the woods. Tim's excitement turned to impatience, and he started walking toward the party floor confidently, leaving Jerry behind.

Jerry watched for a bit, then followed Tim, still looking nervous. His stomach was filled with butterflies as he continued watching the party.

Just as they got close to the dancing crowd, a pink-haired girl in a white dress approached them. She had a warm smile on her face.

"Hey, guys! Welcome to the party!" she said, still smiling, handing them each a silent disco headset. "Here, take these. The party has already started!" she said softly, her voice gentle.

Jerry took one of the headsets from the pink-haired girl's hand while nervously smiling back at her. After taking the headset, he examined it, a bit intrigued, his bright blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. Tim, seeing the look on his friend's face, smiled and took the other headset from the pink-haired girl. He wore the headset confidently, his blond hair staying perfectly styled despite the headphones.

As they both put on their headsets, the music exploded loudly into their ears. Tim couldn't help but dance to the beat, moving his hips and making other slight body motions. He smiled, nodding to the rhythm. He held the left side of the headphones with one hand and clenched his other hand into a fist, waving it above his head.

"Yo, man, this is the life!" Tim exclaimed, smiling at Jerry and continuing to move to the beat.

Jerry, on the other hand, just stood there, forcing a smile while glancing at the pink-haired girl. He put both hands on the sides of his head, holding the headphones in place, and made slight body movements like he was dancing, nodding to the music.

As Jerry danced, his eyes never left the pink-haired girl, and he couldn't help but feel a little shy. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her. The pink-haired girl swirled her hair with her finger and smiled at them.

"Enjoy the party, guys!" she said, walking away to greet other arriving guests.

Jerry stared at her back as she left. Then he looked away, now watching Tim's silly dancing.

Jerry's thoughts drifted back to his family. He remembered always waiting up for his dad to come home every day, only to be ignored or dismissed. His dad never had time for him. He felt a pang of sadness, realizing he'd never experienced the warmth of parental love. A lump formed in his throat as he thought about his dad's character.

As Jerry watched Tim, he thought about Tim's dad, Urek Vik, a detective at the Roomba Police Department. Urek had brought Jerry's dad home a few times after Harrison Blade, Jerry's dad, had been drinking.

Jerry's gaze returned to Tim, who was still dancing enthusiastically. Jerry felt amused as he watched his friend let loose.

Tim suddenly stopped dancing as he stared at something. Jerry puzzledly followed his gaze and saw Erin Moore, the hottest girl in Roomba High School. She was holding a beer while laughing and chatting with a group of girls and cool-looking guys. Some of them were still wearing their headsets, dancing to the music. Erin's long blonde hair shone in the disco party lights. She was wearing a red dress and looking stunning with her red lipstick.

Jerry took his headset off and hung it around his neck. He leaned toward Tim and whispered, "Hey, isn't that Erin, your biggest crush? Why don't you go talk to her, man?" His voice was barely audible.

Tim's face dropped, and he suddenly became nervous. His face was now filled with anxiety as he gazed at the twins standing near Erin. His mind raced with worst-case scenarios.

"Are you kidding me?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "That's Raiden and Raiten from the Talen family standing in front of Erin Moore. They're the most popular guys in our school."

Tim's face twisted in dissatisfaction, his brow furrowing in weariness. "Raiten might not be very aggressive, but I'm wary of his twin brother Raiden. He's a big bully."

Jerry's expression became calm and composed as he looked at the twins, but his eyes showed a hint of sadness. "Yeah, I guess he's a bully," he said with resignation, his voice barely above a whisper. "Plus, he's the best lacrosse player. Both he and his twin brother are cool and good-looking. They have numerous girls chasing after them."

Jerry let out a low sigh and started recalling some sad memories. He looked down, his gaze fixed on the ground as he kicked up some dirt with his sneaker.

Jerry thought about his past, when he was first put on the training field for lacrosse. The coach had paired him with Raiden, who had made his life miserable since he joined the team. Raiden had played a prank on him, tripping him up and making him fall flat on his face during practice. Everyone had laughed at him. Jerry's face burned with shame as he remembered the incident.

Another memory flashed through his mind—this time in the changing room. Raiden, Raiten, and their friends had come up to him, putting bubble gum in his hair. Jerry had gotten angry and punched one of them out of frustration, but in return, he was beaten up and thrown into a trash can upside down. The humiliation was still fresh in his mind.

Jerry's eyes dropped, and he swallowed hard, trying to push away the memories. He clenched his fists, struggling to contain his emotions.

As Jerry stood there, lost in his thoughts, Tim noticed the change in his demeanor. Tim's expression softened, and he reached out, placing a hand on Jerry's shoulder.

"Hey, man, are you okay?" Tim asked, his voice low and filled with concern.

Jerry nodded, brushing off the memories. Still, Tim's gesture touched him. A lump formed in his

throat as he looked at Tim, grateful for his friend's support.