**

The Sun pulses life

The Moon’s ballad echoes death

Meeting in limbo 

**

Why am I actually excited to hang out with this Seth guy? I walked to the fire stairs, the place we’d decided to meet after school. I’d given him my number the day before so we could communicate outside of school with any leads we’d come across. He was a pretentious texter, all of his sentences not only grammatically correct but punctuated. It was oddly refreshing. I’d always kinda hated the unnecessary abbreviations everyone tended to use.

 As for my excitement, I still could find no explanation for that. It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with anyone, ever since the shit with Zoey. I crumpled the thoughts of my ex like a soda can in my palm. 

Seth looked up from under his hood as I ascended the stairs and turned the corner. I could’ve sworn I saw a small smile flicker across his face before he could hide it behind the film of carefully crafted indifference. I let my smile widen to fill the gap. This is still 8-ball we’re talking about. Remember, they call him that for a reason. The thought lingering in the back of my mind. 

“Hey,” he said. “You actually came.” 

His genuine surprise made me regret my apprehension. In all honesty, any information I had on him I’d gotten from rumors and gossip, not the most reliable sources. I was starting to realize I should probably, you know, talk to him before joining the collective bias against him.  

“Yeah, I did. Now let’s go find the Disciplinary Committee, and hopefully some answers.” 

As it turns out, the Committee was a disappointment in more ways than one. 

We asked around until we were directed to the second floor, room 29.

“This must be it,” I said, as I read the hastily scribbled “Disciplinary Committee meeting in session, KEEP OUT” sign taped to the door. Admittedly they were in a session of sorts -- a session of playing one geeky, fantasy MMO or another, like a giant dork orgy. Most of them looked like seniors, though a few I recognized from band class freshman year. One of them truly sucked at the sax, unless he’d put in a whole lot of practice the past couple years. Judging by his dedication to the RPG, I really doubted it. 

“Hey!” one of them, a girl with a brain-achingly tight blonde ponytail exclaimed indignantly. “Didn’t you guys see the sign? Er, wait, did you guys get caught, well, uh…” 

“No! We didn’t get caught doing anything,” I answered before she could complete her assumption. “We just have a couple questions to ask you.” 

“Well, make it quick,” sax-guy interrupted. “I’m in the middle of fighting the Everwatcher and I don’t want you to kill my groove.” 

“Uh, ok. Do you guys know anyone named Daphne?” I quickly asked, so as to not kill sax-guy’s “groove.” 

“Daphne? Nah, I don’t know a Daphne. You guys know her?” Sax-guy asked, briefly looking up from his laptop at his committee-mates. They all shook their heads in unison, fingers continuously tapping on their keyboards. 

“Guess not. Sorry dude,” Sax-guy said. 

“It’s Emil.”

“Ok, well, we’re in the middle of official business, Emil, so get lost,” ponytail-so-tight-she’s-probably-braindead said, and began pushing Seth and me out the door. 

“Wait, Emil?” Sax-guy asked, finally looking up at my face for the first time. “You played the trumpet right? Freshman year?”

“Uh yeah,” I answered. 

“Heyyy, long time no see, man. It’s me, Brandon,” Sax-guy, rather, Brandon exclaimed, gripping my hand like we were old war buddies. 

“Hey, uh, Brandon,” I greeted awkwardly in return.

“If you wanna find this Daphne chick,” he said, elbowing me suggestively, as if he’s ever experienced what he’s implying. “You should go to the administrative office. They should be able to tell you who she is.” 

I thanked him, as did Seth, before we were both shoved from the room by stupid-ponytail. 

“Well, that was weirdly unhelpful,” Seth said. I snickered at his remark. 

“Yeah, but at least we’ve got another lead,” I offered.

“You don’t have any classes with Daphne, do you?” he asked, voice edging toward uneasy. 

“Not one, you?”

“Nope. Maybe she doesn’t even go to this school,” he wondered aloud.

“Maybe she escaped from an asylum,” I added. 

“I doubt it. She seemed too stable for that,” he said, obviously missing the joke. 

“Well, whatever the case we just have to go to the administrative office.” 

“They’re closed. They all go home and lock up after school is over,” Seth said. “Rachel used to change classes a lot. That’s why I know.” 

That’s the first time he’s mentioned her, that girl… 

“Oh, alright,” I answered, pushing my curiosity about Rachel aside for the moment. “Wanna go tomorrow then?” 

“Yeah, let’s do it!” Seth said with more gusto than I think even he intended. He was getting invested in the mystery of it all as well, evidently. 

“Which one is yours?” I asked as we walked into the parking lot, eyeing the few remaining vehicles. 

“I, uh, I don’t… drive anymore,” he mumbled. It took me a moment to realize what he’d meant. Shit, of course. 

“It’s fine though. The walk home is only a couple miles.”

“Screw that. Come on, I’ll give you a lift,” I said, walking up to my car and opening the passenger door, leaving no room for discussion.

“Sure, yeah, thanks,” He gave up whatever argument he was going to make. A smile of satisfaction split my lips, and I closed the door behind him.