One week into summer break…Luna is already bored. She didn’t have summer homework because she didn’t even know who her teachers were going to be in August. During the week, she was bored, during the weekends she was having fun because then her parents would take her and Kennedy out. Kennedy was lucky, she had the rec center to go to during the week, which meant she saw people. Luna didn’t like being outside for long. Her body would overheat fast and she wasn’t a fan of it. She would look at her computer and know that she was tired of scrolling through FaceBook. She heard a tap at her window, but this time she saw what tapped her window because she had her blinded open to let in the sun. She didn’t want to see people just yet, but she did offer a shoulder to cry on if needed during this summer. She looked out the window and no one was there, she went to Kennedy’s room to see if they moved. Next thing she knew, she heard a knock at the door. Chewie was howling at the door because he doesn’t know anyone aside from the people in the house. Luna was about to freak out, but she looked through the peephole and it was Aaron. She opened the door to step out and see what was going on.
“Happy summer vacation, what do you want?” She said with the utmost cheerful face.
“For someone that said that if I ever needed to talk to someone to come see them, you are so rude.” He wasn’t wrong but also she didn’t want to deal with drama until after a month into summer vacation.
“True, but I’m tired.”
“It’s 1:15 in the afternoon, how are you tired?” Luna lost track of time, she woke up at 7 am to walk Chewie and someone came home and next thing she knew it was 5 pm walking Chewie again.
“My life is tiring, so how can I help you today?” She sat on the swing on her balcony, she patted it to offer to Aaron.
“Well, I spoke with Derek like you said I should. I was glad I did, he thought the same thing but for himself. We both agreed that we are going to talk to our parents tonight. I am just scared about what to say to them.” She felt relieved that he did talk to his brother first before talking to his parents.
“Don’t be scared, just be honest with them. Remind them that you guys love them but that they shouldn’t get a divorce over arguments. Tell them how you both are feeling about the idea of having to deal with a divorce.” She didn’t know what to really tell him because her parents weren’t married when they had her. Like they were dating but they weren’t planning on ever getting married, and her mother reminded her from time and time again. Luna was struggling to say everything but she just felt run down, she didn’t know why either.
“Thanks Luna, also are you okay? You don’t look okay.”
“What? I don’t look like Miss America? I was going for her in my head, but I guess I was wrong for trying.”
“Luna, what’s going on with you? You haven’t looked this bad since the beginning of our friendship.” She didn’t want to think about it anymore.
“I was told that you beat someone up on the last day of school, I defended you but in the process I feel like no matter what I say someone is going to say something about our friendship. Also, my boyfriend not boyfriend…well I pretty much led him on to a point that I would understand if he didn’t want to be with me ever.” Saying it, she sounded like she was going through all the rings of hell.
“Luna! Why didn’t you tell me on the bus? Is that why you sat by yourself on the bus ride home?” She felt ashamed saying it because she doesn’t want to be a burden on him, he has enough on his plate to be dealing with her problems.
“I tell no one my problems, but yeah I was drained out from all the issues that came out on the last day. It’s fine, I mean I can handle it eventually. I have all summer to figure out why I chose to hurt the guy I love.” Saying it out loud, wow all she could think was wow.
“Luna, you can always come to me too. I know you don’t like pity parties but I will throw one for you, but you need to say something out loud because I don’t see you daily for school. I do worry about you dummy. Are you home alone during the day?” She nodded and could tell where this may be going.
“Okay, whenever you are feeling this way and you are home alone, I want you to hit me up online and we can hang out until your parents come home. Got it?”
“Sure, I just have to let my mom know because she does randomly come home for lunch and if she doesn’t see me here I might as well be dead.”
“Fine, I just don’t want you dealing with everything on your own. You are strong but you don’t always have to be strong for everyone else. Now, explain everything starting from me beating someone up?” Luna spent a good hour telling Aaron what happened on the last day of school that didn’t include him telling me about his parents' possible divorce. She even got off the swing to do the scenes correctly, which made them both laugh. Luna felt so happy to finally be letting this stuff out of her, she couldn’t talk about it with her mom and she didn’t have Laurissa on her phone or anywhere else to talk to her about what happened and how she has been feeling. As she was telling him everything, she wasn’t keeping track of time.
“Luna?” Her mom was at the dog gate looking at her.
“Hi mom, this is my friend Aaron.” Aaron was scared to say anything, but with everything he knows from what Luna said, he was a bit worried that Luna would get in trouble.
“Hello Aaron, are you ready to have lunch or am I having it alone today?” Luna was at a crossroad, if she said yes to being ready for lunch, she would have to explain how close her and Aaron were; now if she said no, she would have to deal with it later when she got home for the day.
“Yes, I am. Aaron, I’ll talk to you later. Okay?” He understood why, she didn’t want to get in trouble and since he wasn’t in the house she definitely wouldn’t get into any trouble. He nodded his head, and said goodbye to her mother. Luna and her mom walked into the apartment, quietly.
“Soooo Aaron? Where did you meet him at?” Yes mom, Luna met him at a party that she was never invited to or she met him at that club that doesn’t exist.
“School, he actually takes the bus with me and my friends. He and I were just talking about some stuff.” Try to be vague! Less details the better!
“What kind of stuff?”
“His parents might be going through a divorce, so he was asking what is it like to have separate parents that have separate families?”
“Oh, that sucks for him. You didn’t let him in the apartment, did you?” Yes mom, Luna let him into the apartment. He met Chewie personally. He looked at the so-called dirty apartment and said gross.
“No, he stayed outside on the balcony with me. We sat on the swing and talked but I was trying to cheer him up. I offered him some water, but he had some on him already.”
“Okay good, I don’t want you bringing strangers into this home. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal clear.” Does he count as a stranger still since her mom met him? The answer is don’t bother because Luna didn’t want to deal with that headache. As her mom left her alone again in the apartment, all she could think of was how Aaron truly made her feel like a little sister. She needed a big brother that she knew was going to stay around, like she has her brother Joseph but he lives with his mom 90% of the time. She knew what that was like, she hadn’t heard anything from her dad in months. Ever since Christmas break, he has been radio silent. Luna would spend hours online just to see if he would message her on there. She was worried about her dad but she didn’t want to focus on him, she was tired of worrying about him. Time flew by because she heard someone opening the door again. Aaron didn’t come back. It was her mom first.
“Luna, go walk Chewie. I believe someone is out there looking for you.” She was confused, she put Chewie in his harness and leash, went outside and it was Aaron.
“You can stay out until 8:30, but first walk the dog. Deal?”
“Deal!” She took Chewie around the block and she made sure he did everything before bringing him back. She took Chewie out of his harness and leash, she grabbed her keys and her phone. She ran down the stairs and grabbed Aaron’s arm and they both ran. Aaron was trying to keep her speed but he was faster than her because he has longer legs.
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