Fixing Luna

26

San Diego was a place that she called home once in her lifetime yet felt like a completely foreign state now that the home that she knew no longer existed under the same San Diego sky. Luna never thought that she'd be coming back to San Diego other than visiting the graveyard where the rest of her existence lies. And yet, here she was making her way downtown with France holding her hands so tight she was scared it might break.

"We're almost there," He whispered, kissing the top of her head gently. Every year, France and Lexus would come back to San Diego with or without her to commemorate Toby's death anniversary, or for any other reason that required them to fly back home in no time.

Unlike Luna and her family who left their home six years ago, France and Lexus still live in San Diego.

"Tyra said to visit her once the filming was done, what do you think babe?" Tyra and Timmy still live in Oakwood, in the same house that she'd never visited even once. Too scared to see the reminder of the person that they had lost.

"I don't know France," Luna was scared shitless, it wasn't part of the plan to be in San Diego for the last part of the film, it was supposed to be in Cleveland or someplace that was not San Diego, and yet here she was inside the car headed to the location of the last scene that they have to film for the day.

Luna had a vague idea about the filming location, she'd been in denial for the rest of the ride but seeing the familiar path leading to the art gallery on the outskirts of town, she knew that the pain would come out of the surface anytime soon. Whether it would break or make her, she was too scared to know.

"We're here," France announced as if she didn't see the entrance to the gallery. The memories flooded her head before she could even take a single word out of her mouth.

"Art gallery? Really now Cooper?" Luna exclaimed, out of places to spend one of their peaceful days out of the hospital, Toby chose the art gallery. Not that she minds seeing that shy smile on his face.

"It will be fun, I promise," Toby pulled her inside the gallery before she could even protest, the smell of paint lingers heavily in the air, and the walls were covered with paintings, some full of color and life while some were black and white. It was a completely different world from the grey walls of the hospital rooms that she had gotten used to.

They spent their time playing with colors and canvasses until Toby started feeling sick, and before they knew it, they were back in the hospital room. Later that day, Luna found out that Toby was painting for a charity event that the art gallery was raising. He finished one huge mural painting for it, yet Toby never made it back to the gallery ever again.

"Babe?" France pulled her hands away from the hem of her shirt, he looked anything but impressed as he strengthened her fidgeting fingers.

"Hey, I'm here. Everything will be okay, you hear me?" he said, yet Luna couldn't hear his words clearly over the loud beating of her heart.

She wasn't sure how France managed to get her out of the van in one piece, or how she was now standing in the middle of the gallery with the paintings on the walls looking back at her.

Calm down, Luna tried calming herself. The camera was now rolling, and she had a role to bring to life, only this time the scenes were too familiar for her to differentiate who's who. Lauren Walts lost her husband Kevin to cancer, and so did Luna. But what was so different about her character and the real Luna Cooper?

"Let's take a break," Director Bennett's voice was loud and clear, cutting into her internal turmoil and capturing everyone's attention in an instant. He was walking towards her with a serious look on his face.

She didn't have to look around to see that everyone was looking at them, watching their little exchange and probably waiting for another episode of them exchanging heated words and petty insults.

"Come with me," he said without looking back as he headed straight to the backdoor exit of the gallery. Luna was too exhausted to protest, more like she wanted to run away from the room in a heartbeat and Kyler Bennett so happened to be offering the easy way out. So, she followed him.

The backdoor leads to a small playground with a broken seesaw, rusted slides, and a makeshift swing that looks like it might break anytime soon. Director Bennett sat on the swing, looking like an idiot as he tried to sit as properly as the swing would let him fit in its seat.

"Come," He motioned her to the other swing next to him and again, Luna followed without a complaint.

"You know, I'm not gonna ask what's bothering you, or why you can't do the scene that I want like you always do," Luna felt shaken by the gentleness of his voice, many times they had spoken alone, or even with people around them, yet none of those times that Kyler Bennett spoke to her in this manner.

"But, honestly, I'm not gonna tell you not to do the scene if you don't want to because frankly speaking, we're running out of funds, and we have a really tight schedule to follow. So, I'll ask you a favor instead," Kyler was not looking at her, a fact that she was quite grateful for, he was staring at the open yard or maybe, something far than what her eyes couldn't see.

"You know, this is my debut film, don't you?"

"What do you want Director Bennett?" Luna managed to choke out the words, she wasn't sure why Kyler Bennett was even talking to her like this. It was far from the Director Douche that she knows, and frankly speaking, Luna wasn't sure if he likes him better this way or not.

"Finish the film, I don't care how many takes or how long before we can get the shot that we want. Just finish the film. Can you do that?" There was something about Director Bennett that day, he was acting all strange, no lashing out and stupid remarks. His words filled her head, and for whatever reason unknown to her, Luna managed to get herself together.

Three takes, it took Luna three takes before she managed to get the scene perfectly. And all three takes, Director Bennett didn't say anything. He just was there, behind the camera, watching her intently and patiently until she got it right.

"Cut!" His voice rang inside the room, as everyone erupted into cheers and words of gratitude reverberated inside the room.

"Good work babe, I'm so proud of you," France wrapped her in his arms protectively, he was patting her head, a cue of him for her to let the tears out now. But Luna no longer feels like crying, strangely enough, she felt calmer and at peace. A completely unfamiliar feeling that warms her heart.

"Thank you, France," Luna pulled away from France, straining her neck, and managed to give him a peck on his cheek ignoring the puzzled look on his face as she thanked everyone who worked hard and bear with her attitude during the entirety of the film. It must have been hard for them to deal with her outburst and bratty attitude for the last four months.

"Good work, Ms. Cooper," It was Director Bennett, he was looking at her with pride in those warm grey eyes that caught her off guard.

"Good work too, Mr. Bennett," Luna replied with a genuine smile on her lips, they came a long way. From her little stunt on the first script reading, their banters and prideful conversations, surely, Kyler Bennett was more than happy to be parting ways with her at last. 

The San Diego sky watches over them like it usually does, the orange hue from the setting sun seeping into the darkness of the car that they were in. Luna was curled up in the back of the car, eyes closed, as the sound of State Champs played on her head along with the memories that had been hunting her for the last seven years, but unlike most days, today, it doesn't hurt as much as it usually does.