Chapter 3

Mindfully Aware

One blink, and Luna's day was on autopilot. She knew she did things before school, but almost none of it really clicked with her. She felt her feet carry her down the stairs, and her body responded positively to the food on the table. She knew her siblings were there, all doing their own thing, but she couldn't hear them speak.

Her eyes observed each and every one of them. Lola and Lana playing with their food, Leni falling the old "spider" gag Luan loved so much, Lucy reading another bout of poetry no one had hope in understanding, Lynn and Lily having some sort of scuffle, and even Lincoln and Lisa talking about a subject only one clearly understood. No Lori, but she usually left first, leaving only her Dad sitting as the true patriarch of the family.

They all ate without a care in the world, preparing for a day like any other. A full-on assault of lessons that usually resulted in hilarity; that was the Royal Woods way. They spoke their troubles away, while she sat alone in her cocoon of confusion. Her breakfast was left untouched, the only thing she bit being her poor lower lip, becoming raw underneath her trepidations. Above the head of Lana just across the table, a mirror was placed just a little too high, enough to hide her reflection.

Would she be in it? Now that she thought about it, was she even here right now? No one said a word, so where was her proof? Her body grew pale like a ghost, with her fingers trembling underneath a cold flush running against her body. "Why... why did that happen?" she stuttered, gulping as the bathroom incident flashed through her mind.

The mirror, followed by that room, followed by the crying, followed by-

"Luna, you okay over there? You know how scary it is when you aren't rocking this early!"

Her mind was set free from her concerned father, sitting just to her side. She gasped perhaps a little too loudly, feeling embarrassed while her eyes checked on her other siblings. No one heard nor noticed her: somehow that felt like a good thing. The only one keeping their eyes on her was the man she looked up to. Brows furrowed, his goofy expression seemed at odds with his troubles.

It was enough to drive her to guilt, and she chuckled rubbing the back of her head. "What? Oh, uh, yeah, it's all good! Just, er, stuck in a ball of confusion, though I guess that's what the world is today... heh."

To her, that sounded completely unconvincing. She had to stop getting philosophical with her excuses. Still, it was enough to pass by her dad, who nodded while chomping away at his latest masterpiece. Still, one eye never left her. "Ah, I know that feeling. Hand got stuck in a jar this morning! You believe that? I didn't even need a jar! Who does that?"

Yes, clearly the same thing. At least it made her feel better. No matter what spat she got with them, her folks were always the perfect medicine for her troubles. She gave him a smile, and at last began trying her plate. "I hear ya, pop. Sometimes a hand likes wandering over to a snare drum when all you need is a piano solo."

"Hah, classic!"

And her mom should have rebutted, most likely with a sarcastic response born out of love. She loved doing that: always played the rest like fools, all out of good faith and will. Only, there was nothing said. Luna realized Rita wasn't even with them. That perked her curiosity.

"Mom already leave for work? I thought she had the day off?"

For a moment, the whole world stopped, as if she said something wrong. Her father, in the midst of grabbing his drink, seemed to gulp out of fear, while the rest of her siblings were put on pause. Luna shrunk in her seat; something she wasn't supposed to know?

Then, as if the remote was found, everything returned to normal. Her father quickly downed his drink, giving out a satisfying sigh, before nodding at the clock. "Well, would you look at the time? Guess you better get going, huh?"

She looked at him puzzled. Her dad was never good at hiding things, and here he was, once again failing so hard. "What's going on? Something happen?"

He simply closed his eyes, folding his hands. "She went to work early. You know, dentist-shenanigans and all that!"

Her tongue was ready for more questions. All those words were followed by beads of sweat against his forehead; was there a surprise waiting for her? Her mom was a busy woman, but never one that needed to leave home so quick. She shook her head. "Something serious?"

If it wasn't for Lisa, perhaps she would've gotten her answer. "Siblings, why are you all so late? My experiment wasn't suppose to leak until tonight!" She glanced at them all, before shrinking herself. "Uh, I mean you all have splendid and highly profitable days! Yes, that's it."

In the end, the clock struck again. Her family entered panic mode, and amongst the chaos, her father managed to slip away. Luna scrambled to find him, but he was too quick for a rocker like her. Not worth it, she supposed. She had to leave, no matter what. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she was just insane.

And thus, school arrived. She did it. that was clear. Sadly, that was all she knew. No matter what class she was in, she simply accepted it. Did she pass? Was there even a test? She couldn't recall. Just motion lines as she walked down the hall, shivering at even the slightest gust of wind. She opened her locker, and winced at the sight of her own reflection. She saw herself, but bit her lower lip as she continued to stare. Her other self shared that same trepidation, though that offered little comfort. After all, they shared the same disturbed, horrified mind.

If she stared long enough, would she remain there, or would she vanish like last time?

A question like that was enough to rile her up. She slammed her locker in frustration, holding the door shut as she heaved out heavy breath-after-breath. "What's wrong with you? Am I really letting one stupid dream ruin my life?" she cried. She slumped against the wall, eyes forcibly looking up at the iridescent lights flickering against the ancient ceiling tiles. They were all one uniform color, spanning the entire length of the hallway. For some reason, she never noticed that before. They hummed a silent beat, one perfect for giving the average student an ear-splitting headache. They shined a bright white, before lowering their illumination to a dull gray, then back again.

Where other students chose to ignore them, Luna found herself lost staring deep into their glow. Relics of an industrial age free from style, like every building in Royal Woods. They were extremely plain, with absolutely no reason to draw anybody's attention. Only the most pitiful of bugs would yearn for their existence. Yet, no matter what the young rocker did, she couldn't break her gaze. Her body became increasingly numb, and her throat dried to a crisp.

The world blurred around her, with the lights barely holding on as brief halos overtaking her vision. Dirty walls became pure white, and as the student body seemingly fell away, Luna felt her heart beat slower and slower. A distant cry filled the ambiance, and she closed her eyes, feeling every fiber in her being linger off into the unknown, a sickening sadness that made her long for any semblance of hope.

If she remained there any longer, would she have vanished too? A strange sensation she wanted to fight, but for that solitary moment, she forgot all about her own safety. Her voice screamed "Snap out of it! Please!" but she couldn't hear it any longer. The lights have won, and far away, the voice called out. i"I hope you find peace,"/i the wind blew by.

She couldn't save herself, but someone else could. Against the wind, a gentle voice fought back, accompanied by a tug on the shoulder. "Yo, Lunes? You okay over there?" a feminine call came to the young rocker, at last breaking the illusion. The blurriness cleared up, the crying ceased, and the hallway returned, complete with a few onlookers giving her strange looks.

Luna grabbed at her head, groaning in frustration. She turned to face her savior, finding instant relief as soon as their eyes met. Beside her was none other than Sam Sharp, the bassist to the school's music club, perhaps the most talented musician the school ever knew. Also, and perhaps the most important fact, was that she was her girlfriend, an angel that chose to be with a demon like her. Seeing her now was both the best and worst thing possible.

Luna's smile broke into a hesitant grin. She must've looked like a complete wreck. She quickly ran a hand through her short hair, hoping to wipe the flush from her face. She gave her best impression of sanity possible; it wasn't good. "Uh, yo! What's up, Sam? Uh, how's, uh... how you doing?" Her words were fractured like a tune gone wrong. Didn't matter how good she tried looking, there was no hiding the fear within. Besides, her girlfriend was far too perceptive for her attempts.

Sam cocked an eyebrow, looking at Luna with a mixture of confusion and vexation. "Well, I'm fine, but what about you? All day you've been spacing out! You even remember biology?" she asked, hands upon her hips. All Luna could provide was an awkward hand rubbing the back of her head. Blonde hair shook in disapproval. "Heck, you didn't even pull out your guitar during lunch! Don't tell me you lost your favorite pick again!" She slowly leaned towards her friend's face. Normally that would be a positive, but for now, the Loud sister couldn't help but retreat.

Sweat appearing over her brow, Luna tried to sound calm. Why she even bothered was anyone's guess. "Oh, really? Huh. Yeah, guess I wasn't, er, feeling the rhythm today, yeah! Just, er, one of those days, right?" She failed to sound convincing. Seeing Sam's continued-annoyed expression made her sigh in defeat. "...Sorry. Just having an awkward day, is all. Head's been all confused and stuff. Just can't, I don't know, focus."

Her response was met with folded arms. Sam shook her head, eyes closing. It was enough to hurt Luna deeply. The blonde youth turned around, looking straight to the floor. "I feel ya. Something personal?" She watched as the other rocker looked to the floor, shoulders slumped against the locker. Now her heart was hurting. "You know, if something's bothering you, you can always tell me about it. I'm here to help you, aren't I?" she asked so caring.

Guilt overcame whatever fear Luna held. She didn't deserve a girl like Sam. "Of course I know that! Sorry, Sam. But, um, I'm getting over it, really! Just a strange morning got me down. I'll be better for club, honest!" she proclaimed, at last finding a smile that looked genuine. She knew it wouldn't convince her girlfriend perfectly, but at least it was a start, right? The other girl looked her up-and-down, before also sharing a smile of her own.

"Well, all right then. Been wanting to hear that solo for awhile now!" She proclaimed, hugging Luna tightly. It was a sudden expression that made her girlfriend blush, but definitely one that she needed right now. During school hours, showing any signs of affection with Sam seemed strange, but after her rough morning, she couldn't help but return the gesture, keeping it held for longer than truly necessary. She could feel her girlfriend grow flustered. "Jeez, sure you're gonna be good? Don't mind the hug, but still," she added.

Luna chuckled nervously, breaking away from the hold, though secretly yearning for the warmth just a little longer. "Heh, just peachy! Hey, maybe this'll make me soulful! Been trying to add some emotion recently!"

"Tch, you always got soul, Lunes! Well, see ya there!" Sam waved her off, leaving her girlfriend alone again. The hallway cleared out, leaving the young rocker to her mind once again. The school day was nearly up; just another hour, and she could play to heart's content. Even her weary mind seemed at ease.

Luna sighed. "Then let's get it done. Mind, work with me for a little more. If not to keep me sane, then to get me through English!" she cheered. Cracking her neck, she gave herself a peace sign, jogging her way down the hall.