Chapter 16
-Lunar
The clouds moved slowly in the sky. I rested my head on my desk while I listened to Mr. Johnson talk. It was almost lunch, just five more minutes. At times like these I wish I could be with Sun, but that can never happen. “Lunar please pick your head up,” Mr. Johnson said to me. I picked up my head just to see some people glaring at me. There were whispers. This is just like the beginning of high school, but I don’t care twice as much. I’m just waiting for time to go by until it’s all over. “Mr. Johnson can I get some help with these boxes down stairs,” an old staff lady who usually works in the office asked. Mr. Johnson agreed and brought Dante with him.
I started to pack away my books, but then a shadow was casted over me. I ignored it and took out a book. I didn’t have any lunch because I refuse to go back into that house. Dillon pulled up a chair beside me. “So, Michael wants nothing to do with you,” she said. I flipped a page. “It must really hurt to sit right next to him too,” she continued. I got up, so I can leave, but Dillon pulled me back down. “I’m not done with you yet,” she said in a cold voice. I saw Dillon’s little posy form behind her. “You know I really don’t like you and now that Michael is out of the way, you’re all alone,” she said. Dillon took a bowl of salad from some girl and she poured it on my head. I didn’t move at all, I just rested my head on the desk and closed my eyes. Dillon yanked my hair making me fall to the ground. She placed her hand on my face and dug her nails into my skin. I could feel blood drip down my cheek. Now really isn’t the time for a petty fight like this. I hold Dillon’s wrist and squeezed it making her let go. I got up and brushed off my clothes.
“I’m not done with you,” Dillon yelled. I turned around and looked her in the eyes. “Can this take place another time,” I asked her in a low voice. I’m really not in the mood. This is just reminding me of the past and after I’d gotten beaten up back then Michael was there to aid me, but that was the past. I feel my heart tightened and the emptiness grow. What am I saying? This isn’t like me. “What did you say, I didn’t hear you. Speak up,” Dillon demanded. I stood silent. You could see the anger in Dillon’s face and she snapped.
Dillon ordered her girl army to attack. I ended up on the ground immediately. They repeatedly kicked me all over. I wasn’t sure if I should fight back because I feel so empty, but this pain proves that I’m alive. It makes me realize that this is my reality. A reality… that isn’t worth fighting for. Snip! Dillon had a pair of big red scissors. I picked up my hair that was on the floor. More started to fall on the ground. I almost didn’t notice that the pain stopped. I saw Dillon’s mouth move, but I couldn’t hear a word she said. Someone took my arm and stretched it out, but I was still too busy staring at my fallen hair. My eyes opened wide in pain. “Ah,” I screamed to the top of my lungs. Dillon took her foot off my arm and she looked scared. I turned in her direction and saw Dante. He was furious.
Dante walked towards Dillon as if he was going to hit her. “Hey before you hurt Dillon, how about you take care of Lunar,” Kaitlin said saving Dillon’s butt. Dante helped me stand up and Rose took my other side. I was limping as I walked. At the door I stopped and wondered what Michael was doing while this happened. I looked at him and he was talking to some friends. He caught my gaze and turned the other way. “Come on,” Dante said gently pulling me out the door.
***************
We were at the nurse’s office and there I sat on the bed. “Does it hurt anywhere,” Rose asked as she put bandages on me. Dante walked back and forth on the phone. “A stylist should be here soon,” Dante said sitting on a chair beside the bed. He took my left arm and brushed his hand against the bruise. “There should be some ointment in the cabinet over there,” Dante instructed Rose. She handed him the ointment and he placed it on my arm. It was cold. A lady came in the room and had a case in her hand. She opened it up and took out a pair of scissors and a comb. “Don’t worry this won’t take long,” she said to me, but it felt as if she was talking to Dante. When she finished Dante told me that a car was out front for me. “The driver can drive you home so you can get some rest,” Dante told me. I got up and took my book bag which was brought in by Rose. “It’s okay I don’t need it,” I told Dante and left. He hope in getting through to her when she’s like this. No matter what you say, it’s like she can’t hear you. Right now she’s living in a completely different world from us.” Even she thinks that I’m like the past, but this time it’s different. It’s worst. This time I can actually feel the pain. Pain that’s cause by a wound you can’t see. The worse kind of pain.
-Michael
There were barely any clouds in the sky as I looked out the window. What can I do, I think to myself. He has everything. Power, influence, intelligence, experience; what is it that I have and he doesn’t? Dillon and Kaitlin laugh from a distance. It’s hard for me to think with them around. I took a book from my bag and decided to read.
The class grew unexpectedly silent. I saw a shadow cast before me. I looked up and it was only Dante. He looked mad with his eyebrows arched, fist balled up, and a hint of red in his cheeks, but the most noticeable part was the wildness in his eyes. “What’s wrong with you,” I asked him. He stared me straight in the eyes, refusing to look away. “’What’s wrong with me,” he echoed, “What’s wrong with you, Michael!” I stayed silent. “How could you let them do that you her,” he screamed. “If I didn’t come when I did they would have broken her arm,” Dante continued.
Dante could tell from my face expression that I didn’t care about what he was saying, so he grew frustrated. Grabbing my collar and making me stand on my feet he said softly that only I could hear, “If I knew that you would treat her that way I would have never gave up on her.” The sound of that caught my attention. “If you want her so bad then take her, I mean she’s so mess up now that she’ll do anything by now,” I sighed nonchalantly.
Bang! I slouched against the wall with my jaw throbbing like crazy. I stood up and saw eyes staring. He started to yell various things, but I tuned him out. I got up and saw Rose pull him away. Dante left the room and Rose followed, but then she stopped. Her eyes met mine. She walked over to me. Slap! She slapped me with all her might and it hurt. “I heard her… her screams that still cling to me. I was down the hall and I still heard her. You on the other hand were right next to her and you still didn’t care about what happened,” she said, “Lunar did something unforgivable, I know, but there were times when you would hurt her so much where she would just hold it in. She wouldn’t even go to me, her best friend, but you are really lucky. If she was just another girl you would’ve been abandoned a long time ago, but she forgave you, so I wonder why you can’t forgive her.”
I kept my hand on the place Rose hit me while I watch her leave. I would have never expected this from her. The quiet and timid girl, telling you what’s on her mind, and yet alone slaps you. I started to walk put the classroom, but then I stepped on a small book it was the color of sapphire and it had a flower on the cover. I picked it up and flipped through some of the pages. There were lots of words, but one page caught my attention. It had my name in it so in I decided to read it.
Dear Sun,
Today isn’t really one of my best of days. I had another argument with Michael about Kaitlin. Even though they may have bad history, I can’t bring it upon myself to just shut her out of my life. I mean everyone has the right to be trusted until proven otherwise. I like Michael, but I don’t want to go against what I believe in or I should say what I’m starting to believe in. You know when he yelled at me and walked away I felt like dying. It was like the feeling I had when I lost you. I’m just too scared to lose him. On the other hand, I think I’m doing quite well with opening up to people. Sadly, when Rose asks me what’s wrong and the cause of my pain is Michael, I just can’t bring it upon myself to tell her. I trust her, but I don’t want to burden her with my worries and sorrows. I’ll write to you again, so don’t feel lonely in heaven, okay? You probably made a lot of friends by now. Take care.
-Lunar
So, it was from her. A dairy full of letters to Sun. I shoved the book in my pocket and left the classroom. I need some time to think.
-Lunar
My shoes were off so I could feel the ground better. I was at the river bank. The place Michael took me after Sun’s death. He said that it was a good place to think. The sun began to set with its flames dying out as it kisses the horizon. No matter how much I look at it I always see her face. Sun’s face. I started to walk closer to it. “I’ve been abandon again and now you appear in front of me,” I say to her, “Take me with you this time.” She looked sad and disappointed at first, but then she smiled and reached out her hand. “Lunar,” someone said in a panicked scream.
I blinked twice and realized that the water was up to the bottom of my lip. When did I get in the lake? I turned around and saw nothing. That scream I heard must have been from my imagination just like her, but it sounded familiar. I sat back down on the river bank and looked at the stars. “Ha,” I laughed to myself. Sun tried to bring me to heaven to escape the pain. While it was Michael who made me stay here on earth to not avoid it. All I could picture was a game of tug-a-war.
-Michael
I have finally arrived at the bank. It really is a long walk from school. The sun seemed to have set already, but the moon still looks nice when it shines on the bank. There’s a shadowy figure sitting down on the bank. When I walked closer it was shaped like a girl. The full moon’s light shined on her face and it was Lunar. Her hair barely touched her shoulders, she has bandages and bruises everywhere, plus she looks so thin as if she haven’t been eating. Water dripped from her hair and I noticed that she was soaked. I peered at the water wondering if she had tried to… to… take a swim and never come back.
I reached out for her, but I instantly pulled back my arm. Aren’t I supposed to be mad at her right now? I took a deep breath and sat next to her. She didn’t budge. For some reason she was staring at something. I followed her gaze and it was the moon, no it was the lunar moon. I wonder if she see herself in the moon. “I’m sorry,” the words escaped my mouth. She didn’t respond nor move an inch. “I should have never reacted the way I did,” I carried on, “Lunar, are you listening to me?” she turned her head and looked me straight in the eyes with a blank face. If you stared long enough you can detect the sorrow that she tries to cover up with emptiness. She claims that she can’t feel and act without emotions at times, but under that mask she wears, behind that wall she build is a heart mage of glass, made to contain all the sorrows in the world, but can never shatter no matter how much she may want it to. She can’t run away, not when she won’t allow anyone to help her.
I put my hand on her shoulder and pulled her into an embrace. “It’s okay to cry, you know,” I whispered into her ear. There was a moment of silence, but then she started to sob. Her skin was cold s ice and she couldn’t stop shaking. She reminded me of an abandon little puppy in the rain. Crying like a child she blew her nose into my shirt. Despite what she just did I stroke her hair and hold her tight.
-Lunar
I sat up and whipped my nose with my harm. I must look messy and un-lady like. Michael looked at me with caring eyes and a soft smile, an expression I hadn’t seen before. I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed quiet, but not for long. “Achoo,” I sneezed and rubbed my hands against my arms. “You must be cold,” Michael said taking off his jacket and putting it around me. “I’m sorry,” I said to him. “Don’t worry, it’s not really cold outside,” Michael responded. I shook my head as I grabbed the edge of the jacket. “About Noah, I’m so sorry,” I said while tears form in my eyes. “Don’t worry about that either. I’m more at fault then you,” he said. “But how,” I exclaimed. “Of course Noah would target you and you would tell him what he needs to know, but you would do so because you believe that you are doing the right thing,” Michael said, “Giving people your just until they done something to not deserve it.”
I leaned on him and looked at the water. “I’m sorry about your shirt,” I said. Michael tired not to look at it. I wouldn’t blame him. He hates messes and he’s probably at his limit. “Let’s change the topic. I’m tired of hearing ‘sorry,’” Michael said, “Your hair looks nice short.” I touched the ends of my hair and smiled. I never really took a good look at it, so hearing Michael say that it looks good makes me feel happy. Michael stood up and stretched. “It’s time to go home and eat some of Sarah’s delicious cooking,” he said reaching his hand out. “I prefer something made especially from you,” I said grabbing it. “Not only if you become my official girlfriend,” he said. I leaned towards him and kissed him on his lips. “Is that a good enough answer,” I said staring Michael directly in the eyes. He hold my gaze and I could feel the confidence seep out of me. I blushed and looked away. “You know what I think I’ll past,” I said walking away from embarrassment. Michael grabbed my hand from behind and laughed. It looks like everything is going to be fine.