Sincerely Luna Rose

January 13th, 2015 (Afternoon)

Tasha's POV

"Did you pay the bills this month, sweetie?" My mom asks me over the phone as I'm walking down the sidewalk toward Luna's apartment after school.

"Yeah, I got them," I assure her.

"Alright, good. Thanks so much, Tasha, you're really helping us out," She tells me. "And you're picking Cayman up tonight, right? He had basketball practice tonight."

"Pick him up on what? I don't have a car," I remind her in confusion.

"Oh, I know, I just don't want him walking alone after it gets dark," She insists with a worried wave in her voice. "He's only twelve and that's the prime age for kids getting involved in drugs and everything. I want him to stay clean and safe. Please pick him up?"

"I can't tonight. I have to drop something off at Luna's and then I've got to get to work," I tell her apologetically.

"It's okay, dear, we'll figure something out. I'll see if I can leave a little early today and I should make it there in time. What are you doing at Luna's?"

"I just told you, I have to drop something off," I explain to her as I'm arriving at Luna's apartment building. "She wasn't at school today and we have a big test on Friday in math so I brought the study guide."

That's not a lie, I did bring Luna the study guide for our test on Monday but I also want to talk to her about college. My mom doesn't think that it's a good idea, she thinks that it'll be too hard to pay for college and pay the bills but I have some money saved up so I think that I can afford it.

"You know, maybe you shouldn't go see Luna right now," She suggests lightly.

"I'm already there, Mom," I inform her with a small sigh as I try to decide how to get out of this conversation. My mom doesn't really like my friends, mainly Faith and Luna because she thinks that they're a terrible influence on me. I don't know how to argue against that because it's true. "I'm sorry that I can't help out with Cayman tonight. I've got to go though, I'll talk to you tonight."

"Alright," She sighs. "I love you, Tasha."

"I love you too, Mom."

I'm hanging up my cell phone just as I'm knocking on Luna's apartment door. I have to wait a few long minutes before the door opens and Nathan is standing on the other side with a smoking cigarette wedged between his pale lips. I wince in disgust, both at the smoking and the guy standing in front of me, and then I clear my throat. "Is Luna home?"

"Nope," He states, stepping away from the door. He doesn't shut it though, so I take that as an invitation to come inside.

"Do you know when she'll be back?" I ask as politely as I can but considering how much I hate Nathan, I'm sure that I still sound irritated. Oh well. I look down at my phone as I walk into the apartment and shut the door behind me. I have to be at work in an hour.

"Nope," Nathan sighs, plopping down on the couch beside his friend, Frosty, who I try to avoid at all costs. I hate him too.

"Awesome," I mumble sarcastically. "Well, I'm going to wait upstairs."

"She locks her door," He states with a side smile widening on his face. "You might as well just stay down here, sweetheart."

"I'll just sit in the hallway upstairs," I state quickly. "And don't call me sweetheart."

"What? You don't like us?" Nathan cocks his head to the side and I wince in disgust again. I'm rarely ever around Nathan without Luna but I've noticed over the years that whenever she isn't around, he seems a lot more outspoken than when Luna's around. I don't understand it but I do wish that Luna was just here instead of making me have to wait for her.