Chapter 6

Luna and the Mirror

Four full periods. She got through the morning, and lord help her, she felt like dying already. Each class dragged on more than the one before, with her professors droning about their subjects as if they were the only things that mattered in the world. Perhaps that was the truth, but it didn't matter. Normally she'd at least listen, and hopefully score good on the work that followed. That's what any student would do.

But today she already figured would be a much harder trial to overcome. Every hour that ran by made her stomach growl harder. Her brows became harder to hold open, and her grip on her pencil or pen felt weak and sweaty, like she was doing an elaborate exercise by writing notes. Didn't take a genius to notice how much of a wreck she looked compared to everyone else. At least she was in the back of the room most of the time; nobody really cared to notice.

With the final bell before lunch ringing, Luna slumped in her seat. "Finally... maybe now I can get some grub?" She whispered to herself. She needed it, no matter what. Head snapping or a voice telling her off, none of that mattered. She could barely stand at this point. How the heck would she survive the rest of the day on an empty stomach? She naturally forgot to pack her own, but there should be something to pick up once she got down there. If not, Sully always brought excess; she hated to be a mooch, but he did owe her.

Inside, the voice snickered. "Yeah, mooch. Sounds like a plan, right girl?"

Back of the classroom, yet first out the door. She held her head low, carrying her bag tight around her waist. Seeing the coast was mostly clear, she briskly walked towards her locker, growling deeply at that little worm that wouldn't leave her alone. "Shut up... why're you doing this? Just leave me alone for the rest of the day! Please!"

It didn't respond. Did she scare it off? Hardly. Even without hearing it, she felt its ugly presence lingering behind her eyes. While a group of kids watched her with their own laughter at her strangeness, she leaned against the wall, feeling her head growing heavier and heavier.

She said it again. "Leave me alone. I'm getting real sick and tired of you!"

Opening her locker, at first it seemed quiet for once. The heavyness vanished, and just for the fleeting second, she felt like her old self. A little ragged from the chaotic morning, but she could easily recover. Besides, lunch was the perfect place to unwind for a little while. A spare guitar, courtesy of Sam, would be donated, and they'll jam like there's no tomorrow. Especially when Sully and Mazzy get their tickets.

Luna looked down at a lone book lying still in her locker. Its white pages made her heart yearn and ache for what happened earlier. Tiny outbursts that got out of hand fast replayed themselves in her mind, making sure she'd never forget what she did. Luan's crying face and Sam's horrified confusion plastered themselves in her eyelids, refusing to leave as guilt weld up in her soul.

A sigh, but at least one that felt like hers, and hers only. "Gotta apologize to them, Luna. Heh, last thing you need is your beautiful angel feeling sad."

With everything all set up, she adjusted her attire, trying to at least look somewhat presentable. Come tomorrow, she seriously had to straighten her appearance up; today was just a throwaway. Nothing too wrong with that. Get better, and have a wonderful time come the next sunrise.

Sadly, she should've figured her body would rebel at least one more time. Her stomach growled, but not for just hunger-reasons. A giggle left her mouth. "Jeez, all these personal problems made me forget about nature! Heheh, so this is what Lisa feels... ew." Shouldn't take too long, she supposed. A few minutes before lunch, that's it. Besides, a nice wash-up in the bathroom could help her psyche. Maybe this was the best thing that could happen.

Thus, she entered the bathroom beside the lunch room, quickly finding herself a stall. She rarely used the public restrooms, only in emergencies such as this would she ever change her mind. It wasn't that they were unsanitary or anything; it was more how creepy they came across. The dim lighting, the strange smell of chemicals in the air, and especially in this particular one, the bizarre graffiti that loved revealing itself. Luna found herself drawn to the words beside the mirror. "Don't trust Lola. She's the glitter-master!"

"Lols, how did you... Oh, why do I even bother asking?" She complained.

She did her business, and found herself at the mirror. She washed her hands, but as soon as the last of the soap left her fingernails, she quickly got another look at her face. Bugged-out eyes bounced off her pale cheeks, with her freckles seeming more pronounced than ever before. Her hair was a mess, looking more like she came straight out of the 80's over anything else. She didn't mind the era, but lord help her, it didn't fit her personally.

"Well, get that washed up. Yikes, can't let the others see me like this! Did I seriously survive looking like a reject?"

She turned the water on and allowed it to flow, before dunking her hands and head into the faucet. The mixture of cold-and-heat flushed against her skin, and for once, she felt honestly pretty good. Even if it was something simplistic, having her skin open up was rather relaxing and soothing. Just what she needed. Something to make her mind feel clean and clear. She smiled as she rubbed some soap against her cheeks, still seeing her friends jumping for joy with those tickets in their hands. Sure, Sam held onto them for now, but she knew her girlfriend. She wouldn't distribute them until she arrived. She'll still revel in that sight.

Wiping a spare paper towel over her eyes, she looked at her reflection one more time, giving her a finger-gun along with a wink. "Welcome back girl! Get through this day, and it'll be smooth sailing to Mick! Ya got this!"

She laughed. Her reflection laughed. She stopped. It didn't. Luna's eyes grew wide once more, her body flailing back towards the wall. She slid against the cold glazed tiles, watching as her own body within the mirror didn't move. All she did was laugh, pointing a finger at her real self.

Luna slapped her face, hoping it would go away, but all she accomplished was her doppelganger laughing harder. Shaking, the rocker eyed the door, but found her feet locked in fright. "W-What's going on? W-Who are you?" She asked, tongue feeling ready to choke her throat out.

The mirror laughed, with her reflection shaking her head. "Oh come on, dude! You seriously asking that? Who do I look like, for crying out loud? Go on, be honest! I know you're dumb and all, but you got this in the bag!"

The Loud sibling gulped. She held herself tight, feeling cold all of a sudden. "Gotta be a Lisa experiment. Has to be!"

Her reflection groaned, rolling her eyes at her other form's ignorance. "Jeez, what part's the experiment? All the doubt you had, or right now? Because let me tell you, this ain't no experiment!"

"Well it gotta be! This ain't normal!" It was creepy, but Luna charged back to the mirror, staring at herself deep in the eye. "You the voice that's been talking to me? you have to be something strange, because I never felt this crap ever in my whole life!"

Her reflection was surprised at her sudden boldness, but that only served to make her smile even bigger. "So you think I'm nothing more than a strange concoction most likely crafted by your little, noble-peace earning sis? Yeah, sounds dumb, but what do I expect from an ugly pig like you!"

Luna stomped her foot. "Stop calling me that! Whatever you are, just go away! You're ruining my life, dude!"

"Go away? The only way you can make me go away is, well, you yourself do it!" She leaned forward, practically breaking her head through the glass. "So, what're you waiting for? Make me leave!"

If Luna was more of a thug, she'd wrap her shirt around her fist and break the mirror. That should be effective, right? Still, she relented, and leaned against the sink, bringing her face closer to the reflection. Her doppelganger did the same. "You... You want me to kick you out? What the heck have I been saying all morning? Go! Leave!" Lean any harder, and she'd break the poor washing apparatus. "Because of you, Luan's crying and Sam's... grr! I hate you!"

It didn't flinch. Rather, Luna watched as her other self folded her arms, looking so ugly and smug towards the rocker. "Oh, I did? I'm the one that did it? Not the ugly piece of crap that's finally getting it through her head that she's worthless?"

Luna froze. That word. She felt her blood run cold, something her evil side quickly caught. It laughed, slapping her knee and sticking her tongue out like a little brat. "Yeah, you heard me. A worthless piece of crap like you made them cry and hurt, not me. After all," she huffed, "I'm you, aren't I?"

"No... you're... you're not..."

"Pretty weak, brah. Pretty weak." She looked at her fingernails, feeling disgust in the process. "You see, babe, you ain't nothing around here. All you're good at is making people disappointed, and I guess making them cry to boot. I mean, when was the last time Luan actually shed a tear? Even Leni looked sad, and you know she's a lost cause!"

Luna looked down to the ground. "Stop..."

"And even past them, what about the rest? Sam probably hates you now, and she'll tell your band, and they'll hate you, and you know what? You deserve it? You're worthless, and heck, you want to mooch off your keyboardist? That's disgusting. Just throw the guitar away and become the thief I know you can be."

"Please..."

"And your little bro? Probably regretting taking those tickets! You're acting like such crap, he probably thinks he did something wrong again! You love making him hurt himself, huh? Remember the luck incident? Do you? I know I do!"

Luna's face was filling with rage. "I said..."

Her doppelganger wouldn't stop. "Maybe that's why you're getting fat and ugly! It's not just the stuff you're pouring into your mouth, wasting all your family's supplies; it's also your soul leaking through! That makes sense! Ugly bitch. So much flab and sweat. Man, I hate that I look like you..."

She snapped. "... Shut up!"

The room became quiet. Her reflection looked at her, before shaking her head. "That... that it? Nothing else? No attack? No attempt to prove me wrong?" The doppelganger laughed. "Holy... I thought you had some hope left. Nah, I guess I should know more than that! You can't be trusted for anything, you're not reliable, and now I'm having doubts you know how to play guitar! Do you think Mick has time for ugly girls like you?"

Luna let her rage out, and it did nothing. She was still feeling sick with hunger, and the reflection remained. She even patted the stomach, pointing at the flab she no doubt had. The real teen slumped against the sink, unable to hide her tears any longer. "Who are you? Why won't you just... why?"

Once more, the reflection leaned forward. "Luna, babe... I'm you, in all your ugly glory. The useless runt of the Louds who wasted her parent's money. That's all I am, heh heh!"

Outside, Sam and the rest of the Moon Goats looked about, worrying about their friend. Lunch had been going on for quite some time, and their fellow leader was nowhere to be seen. A few texts were sent, but no response was given. Mazzy scratched her head, looking at the bathroom door. "You think she fell in? That's kinda been a nightmare of mine..."

Sully snorted. "Tch, of course it is. You're the short one!"

"You wanna say that again, pretty boy?"

Sam shook her head. "Guys, focus!" She knew her girlfriend had to be in the bathroom. It's the only place they hadn't checked yet. All the classrooms were barren, and Luna often washed up before lunch. Still, why wouldn't she contact her? Just what the hell was going on with her girlfriend? With a sigh, the blonde cracked her fingers. "Come on. Sully, keep an eye out here. Mazz, with me!"

"Ya got it. Sulsters, don't fail us!"

"Like you failed trig today?"

"Focus!"

The two girls looked about inside the bathroom, but came across just a quiet room, sans one stall that was occupied. Whoever was in it was extremely quiet, to the point that they could've assumed nobody actually occupied it. Even still, Mazzy played herself bold and knocked against it. "Yo, if yer Lunes, when ya coming out? I mean, I know the pain of awkward bathroom breaks, but this is ridiculous!" She laughed, before realizing the alternative. "Uh, but if yer Miss Thalacher, uh... since I'm checking on your well-being, mind shaving off that F? Please?"

Sam rolled her eyes, but came across something interesting in the sink nearby. Based on the water splashed about, somebody clearly used it recently. However, all that water couldn't stop the true sight that made her gag. A small crack was in the mirror, and directly underneath, some fresh blood.

She had no reason to believe it, but deep down, the blonde feared for her girlfriend. Whatever was happening was breaking her up, and she felt so useless in helping. Holding her gaze to the floor, she walked over to the occupied stall. "Lunes... if you're in there, I won't pry. Just... talk to me when you can, okay?"

Mazzy looked at her confused. "What? Why ain't she answering? What up with this 'blow-off' game? You guys get into a fight?"

Sam closed her eyes. "I wish I could say..."

The two girls left, all while Luna sat crouched in the corner of the stall, burying her head in her knees. She wanted to open that door so wide and hug her girlfriend, but hearing those teary words truly broke her heart. The ugliness of her body became more pronounced as she looked up, realizing she was alone once more.

Well, almost alone. "Heh, you suck, Luna," the voice taunted. "You must hate her as much as you hate yourself."

Her face went right back to the knees. "I hate you..."

It laughed again. "You hate yourself..."

Luna cried to herself as the lunch bell rang the period's conclusion, all while her hands felt coarse, with blood leaking down her palms. So much pain for a worthless girl.

A worthless girl who couldn't even defeat herself.