CHAPTER 4
NOW OR NEVER

CORALINE had once viewed Michael Langdon as a charity case, a person she knew she could help. She never liked to admit she was wrong in her decisions, but in this instance, maybe she really was.

She didn't expect to enjoy his presence. He was happy at the worst times and asked all the right questions with obvious answers. He didn't understand half the topics Coraline talked about, causing her to have to teach him more than she liked. She even helped him with his homework, because he was determined to finally pass his last year of homeschooling. Being near Michael was different – different than her former friends, and even more different than her new ones. He was like a child stuck in an eighteen-year-old's body.

Coraline was surprised her mom hadn't found out yet, or even her club members. It had been two weeks already. She knew that Francesca would find out on her own someday, but the day of reckoning wasn't upon them just yet. Coraline wondered how'd she explain her befriending a Satanist. "Oh, you know, it started out with just me helping him, but he's actually really nice!" Yeah, that could definitely work.

She sat with Michael at the small, wooden desk in his room. He was hunched over the desk, holding a pencil too close to his face as he ogled the problem on the page. Coraline sat back against the wall, her butt pressed to his desk as she scrolled through an app on her phone. She heard Michael groan from her right, but she didn't blink at the sound. He was trying to figure out a chemistry problem – one of her worst enemies, among other things.

And then his fist slammed on the desk. Coraline felt the whole room rattled.

"Whoa!" She exclaimed, putting out a hand. Casting her eyes across the room, she noticed everything was still. No rattling. Nothing at all. Coraline blinked rapidly and decided that her mind was playing tricks on her. She swallowed hard when she turned back to him. "What's the problem?"

His head suddenly snapped up, brows furrowing with anger. Michael scoffed and threw his pencil across the room. It landed in a pile he already made by the door. He didn't voice a word about his frustration, only crossed his arms over his chest. Coraline leaned forward and peered down at the homework Miriam had drafted for him.

She felt her stomach drop when she noticed the familiar-looking problem.

A 6.0 L sample at 25°C and 2.00 atm of pressure contains 0.5 mole of a gas. If an additional 0.25 mole of gas at the same pressure and temperature are added, what is the final total volume of the gas?

Coraline almost felt woozy. It was like she was back in junior year chemistry class, trying to finish that final exam. Just thinking of the vision made her head pound.

The visions – oh, God. What if Michael ever saw her in that state of mind? It had yet to happen with Eloise, Billy, or Greg, but ... what if? Michael was asking for her company on a regular basis now, saying how excited he was to have a friend to call on his house phone. There were so many ways for this to go wrong. However, when Michael Langdon sent her that famous, happy smile, she knew he was meant for great things. Maybe they could do great things together: the local Satanist and psycho (who was also the Soon-To-Be-Prom-Queen).

"Why are you so mad?" She finally asked, swallowing down the lump in her throat.

Michael frowned. "I'm just upset."

"Is it about the problem?" She placed a strand of brown behind her ear. "Because, I can try to –"

"No, its not the problem. But this homework is really dumb." He sighed and rubbed at his nose, as if he was going to cry.

Coraline raised a brow when he turned his stare to meet hers. Silence became another language for him. "If you're not going to tell me, I can just leave." She gestured with her thumb to the purse sitting in the corner of the room. She hopped off the desk to start walking towards her bag.

Michael instinctively reached for her arm, but before his skin could meet hers, Coraline moved her arm away, a playful grin on her lips.

"Don't," he said. "I need help, and you help me, remember?"

She rolled her eyes and took the familiar seat next to him again. He stared at the scribbles on his homework for a minute longer, eyes dancing over each drawing he made when he couldn't figure out a problem. Coraline realized that he had mastered the art of the Satanic symbol. She wanted to feel scared of that fact, but she wasn't.

"I told Miriam that you were my friend," he whispered, setting his crossed arms on the desk and resting his chin on top. "She wasn't really happy about it."

Coraline stayed silent. Funny how she was in the same predicament, but she was simply waiting for her busy-body of a mother to open her eyes and find out.

"She says I shouldn't be friends with you. Because ... I don't know. Because you're not like us."

She nodded slowly, straightening her back as it hit the cold, cement wall. "I see," she muttered. "Well, what do you want, Michael?"

His eyes flickered to hers, creasing with worry. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," she exhaled heavily, "what do you want? If you don't want to be my friend, that's understandable." She chuckled, but darkness leaked in her tone. "God knows I understand that shit."

His stare went wide. "No!" He shook his head wildly, trying to shake himself out of his seat. "I'm just ... I'm so angry. Why would she want me to exclude my first friend?"

Coraline swallowed hard. First friend. Maybe it didn't mean much to most, but ... Coraline never realized how much power those two words had.

"Maybe she doesn't want you to forget about her," she finally replied. Coraline kept her arms firmly at her sides, afraid to lay a hand on his shaking form.

"I'm not going to forget about her." His mouth wobbled. "Can we just ... see each other in secret? Just until Miriam calms down about this. Maybe her hormones are all over the place." His sadness seemed to wash away, allowing him to finally sit up and smile. "I aced biology last year, if you couldn't tell."

Coraline grinned big and tried to suppress a giggle. She began to hate her laugh after her first episode because someone said she sounded like a psychotic hyena.

"We could be like Romeo and Juliet, except not. Because we're, like, not in –" She shrugged. "You get what I mean."

Michael cocked his head to the side. "I don't."

She finally exposed the chuckle, holding a hand over her mouth. Michael looked even more confused than he was before. The lamp bulb on the desk began to flicker in an odd sequence, but neither of them noticed. As Coraline's soft laughter died down, she let her hand fall and released a happy sigh. Michael hesitated before asking, "Why do you put your hand there when you laugh?"

"Oh, um –" Coraline tried to think of a response that wasn't so self deprecating. Sadly, most choices were. "I just don't like my laugh. People have told me it sounds like –"

"Like a bell," Michael finished, nodding his head curtly and grabbing a new pencil from a stack. He waved the pencil in her face. "People are mean and evil. The only way to stop them is to fight fire with – hmm – an even bigger fire. I like your laugh, Coraline, and I want everyone to realize how special it is. They'll all know someday."

Coraline froze as he turned back to his homework and began the problem all over again. She looked away, closing her grey eyes for a moment, and processed the response. There was a type of weird humanity inside of Michael Langdon that she'd never encountered before. All these people were so scared of him because his presence was attached to the word, Satanist, but Michael was something different. They'll all know someday.

She licked her lips and leaned back in to see his solution. "So, about that problem ..."

•••

Coraline felt her vision cloud at six thirty in the morning.

She was getting herself ready for school, and the best way to wake herself up was to shower in the morning. After scrubbing conditioner into her long, brown locks, Coraline began to wash it out, swinging her head from side to side. As she leaned down to check if her legs were stubbly, her vision went completely black. She knew what was coming, but hardly expected it.

This was the second vision she had in a month. That didn't usually happen.

She remembered gripping the tile walls, but it was no use. Coraline slipped down to her knees in the shower, slapping her hands against the walls. She was breathing heavily. The vision was so familiar, so lifelike: She was waiting outside her high school, trying to run forward towards it. Screams echoed from the inside. Coraline didn't know why, but she had the strongest urge to run back inside. Why was she outside anyways? An arm pulled her hand back, but before she could turn to look at the culprit, the darkness disappeared.

Coraline blinked fast, looking down at her naked body, soaked in water. Breathe, she thought to herself. You need to breathe.

Weirdly enough, she had that vision before. Last month she had almost an exact copy of that scene, as if this recent one was a continuation of the last. Coraline wondered why everything was so out of tune now. What brought on this change? Her gut told her that maybe her visions were really trying to tell her something this time. But how could she figure them out if they didn't give her a clear cut answer? She wasn't one for deciphering.

She needed to get her mind off the visions that haunted her dreams at night. Today was supposed to be a special day. After he had begged her for two whole hours, Coraline agreed to take Michael to her board game club meeting that Tuesday afternoon. He briefed his whole plan to her, one that he seemed really proud of: "I'm gonna to tell Miriam that I'm going for a walk to the store, and then I'll meet you at your school," he chuckled. "Its so genius. She'll never find out."

Coraline guessed the idea of lying to his guardian was exciting, but that didn't mean the lie would fool Miriam at all.

Regardless, Michael Langdon was still there, waiting for her outside the high school entrance at two thirty sharp. He was so much taller than everyone else, sticking out like a sore thumb in a crowd. His head moved back and forth as students passed around him. Some people stared at him; some were too scared to approach him. As Coraline shoved her way through the crowd of freed students, Michael met her grey eyes and smiled big. His expression was infectious, and she instantly found herself grinning in his direction.

"Right on time," Coraline noted once she was standing in front of him, adjusting the straps of her backpack. She gestured to the entrance of the school. "Are you ready?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes! Miriam didn't question a thing, and I'm excited to play a board game with your friends. It's not a usual hobby of mine." He paused, looking around at the unfamiliar people. "Why are all these people staring?"

Coraline viewed away, eyes flickering to all the people looking their way. Off in the distance, she noticed Amalia Beaumont ogling Michael with either wonder or judgment. Coraline wasn't sure which. It looked like she knew him somehow. The brunette fought against the snarl rising in her throat, and instead, gestured with her chin for Michael to follow her. Grabbing the hook on her backpack, Michael shuffled behind Coraline through the hoards of people.

Coraline didn't care that people were staring at her as she walked with this strange boy. Maybe some of them recognized Michael, or knew he was the new Satanist in town. Whatever they thought, she didn't care. However, nerves stirred in her stomach while walking to the abandoned teacher's lounge for her club meeting. She was so terrified of her club's reaction, given that the last conversation they had on Michael and his caretaker almost ended with Greg walking out. Coraline just had to keep reminding herself that she was doing this for Michael.

Through the dirty window of the lounge, she could see Billy and Eloise setting up a chess board. Greg was in his usual seat, phone in hand and a brow quirked as he stared at the little, bright screen. Coraline swallowed hard. She turned around to Michael, and he quickly let go of her backpack. He sent her a sickeningly sweet smile, one that made Coraline's stomach churn. She sighed, "Its now or never."

"What if they don't like me?" Michael began to fidget with his outfit, which consisted of a pair of dark-washed jeans and black sweatshirt. The Converse hugging his large feet were incredibly dirty.

Coraline's mouth opened, but she didn't know what to say. "I ..." She frowned. "I haven't thought that far yet."

Michael chuckled softly as Coraline spun back to the door. Eloise saw her through the window and waved, but a confused expression engulfed her face once she noticed Michael. Coraline quickly turned the door knob and opened it before she could back out, leaving the entrance wide open for them to walk in.

Everyone's head turned as they stepped inside. First, Eloise, then Billy, and finally, Greg. His face was the worst of all. Once he saw Michael, he dropped his phone into his lap. Billy just straightened his back after placing the final chess piece on the board.

"Cora," Eloise hummed, fast walking towards her friend with her hands clasped together. "You ... didn't tell us you were bringing a friend."

"I – um ... I am now," Coraline replied, glancing at the rest of her friends. For a moment, she could've sworn she saw Greg glaring towards Michael. "Guys, this is Michael. Michael, meet Eloise, Billy, and Greg."

No response.

"My name is Michael Langdon," he introduced, causing Coraline to grimace at his repetition. "I've heard so much about you all from Coraline. Sorry for intruding, but I've never been to something like this, and you all seem like nice people."

"Nice people?" Billy laughed, which surprised everyone. "We're usually called, losers. I like the change of pace."

Greg stood and lowered his stare. "How long have you known Cora now?"

Coraline's eyes narrowed as she watched him inch closer. "Greg, knock it off –"

"About nineteen days," Michael answered. "Feels like months, though."

Greg's eyes formed into slits. He viewed at Coraline angrily. "You brought your Satanist neighbor?"

"Can you please stop?!" She exclaimed. Her fists were clenched then, which made Eloise step in and intervene. But nothing could stop the hot blood pumping through every vein in Coraline's body.

"He can't be here, Cor!"

Eloise shouted, "Greg, stop yelling!"

Billy approached the scene with his hands up in surrender. "What's goin' on here, guys?"

Coraline barked, "Greg Ramano, I am not afraid to punch you in the face –"

Everyone went silent once Michael raised a hand to speak.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I don't judge you for what you believe in, so why are you judging mine?" Michael's nose wrinkled. Before Greg could fire back, he said, "How about we make a deal? If I beat you at a game of chess, you let me stay and get to know me, so I can get the full club experience. If you beat me, I'll leave."

Coraline shook her head, refusing to be apart of a dumb bet. Just as she was about to start the argument again, Greg said, "Okay, deal. You start, Langdon."

Board game club suddenly became interesting. It was like one of those pay-per-view MMA fights, except ... it was two teenagers playing fucking chess. Greg was a whiz at this game; it was one of his favorites to play. He always beat them. None of them expected this game to go well for Michael. Even Coraline had barely any faith in him, because she knew the type of player Greg was.

But Michael was ... good. So good that he managed to distract Greg's play by making small talk with the other boy. So good that he got Greg to laugh at some of the things he said. So good that he actually won.

"You beat me," Greg said, awestruck as Michael knocked down his king piece.

Michael smirked and glanced at Coraline's surprised expression. "I've been playing chess for years. I was taught very young." He then looked to everyone excitedly. "Can I stay and play another round?"

Eloise smiled to Coraline before showing the same happiness towards Michael. "Of course, you can."

Billy was now adamant to play Michael. He set up the board quickly, all the while Coraline hung by Michael's shoulder to watch how he conducted his play. She used to think that he had the mind of a child, but maybe Michael was really smart.

"This has been so much fun," Michael said while placing his white bishop right near the black one. Billy sighed in defeat, trying to calculate a move. "I'm so glad I got to meet you all."

Coraline grinned big, hitting Michael's shoulder, as Eloise replied, "We're happy that we actually got to know you, Michael. Right, Greg?"

"Yeah, yeah," Greg tsked.

"Coraline is so welcoming to everyone. I'm really glad she decided to talk to me. No one else has," Michael continued in a soft voice. He rested his chin in his hand. "She must be so popular around here."

Coraline shrugged. "I wouldn't say that –"

"Not anymore," Billy snorted. "Not after she went schizo."

Silence. Complete and utter silence. Coraline's mouth flew open as she glared daggers at Billy. Greg stared at the chess board with wide eyes, and Eloise pursed her lips. "Oh, shit," Billy said. "Was I not supposed to say that?"

"Schizo?" Michael turned to look at Coraline. His brow creased with worry. "What does he mean by that?"

Coraline swallowed down the lump in her throat. She put on a mask, pretending as if Billy's words weren't hanging in the air before them. "Its nothing," she replied, nudging the chess board to Michael. "Your turn."

"But –"

"Michael," she continued, voice dropping low, "its your turn."

He nodded before glancing back to the board. As he knocked down Billy's black bishop, he rested a hand on Coraline's jeans under the table. She inhaled heavily. He can't know, she reminded herself.

Coraline Avery wasn't going to be the local lunatic anymore. Not now. Not ever. And especially, not to Michael Langdon.

•••

A/N: THIS IS SO LONG W O W I'M SORRY

TO MAKE UP FOR THIS CATASTROPHE

ALSO I SWEAR WE'RE GETTIN TO SOME BLOOD AND GUTS SOON LOL I JUST NEED TO DO THESE SOFT MOMENTS FIRST BE STILL MY FRAGILE HEART

P.S.: Did y'all notice that new BEAUTIFUL cover made by the one and only, luciangemini?????? 💖