Through Everything

Sunday Blues

The next morning was a Sunday. Neither of the 'used to be besties' knew that the other was dolouring as much as she was. Even if they did, would it make a difference?

"LUNA!" Her Dad's sharp voice zipped out the kitchen and up the stairs, banging right on her drum. Not that she wasn't used to it.

With a deep yawn, Luna pulled herself up. She stretched out her arms as wide as she could, as if giving the air a giant hug.

"LUNA!" he yelled once again.

Her arms fell flat beside her. "Wait-what?"

She looked around her bedroom. It was messier than usual; blankets strewn across the floor, her phone on the ground, the water jug upset on her table...... 

She scooched to the edge of the bed, bent down, and picked up her phone. "What happened here last night?" 

The last thing she remembered was.....video calling Ivy. Luna fidgeted with her phone, her legs hanging off the edge of the bed. She was yapping on about..... "Oh right. About. Her." she said in a monotonous tone.

Sluggish and heavy-eyed, she walked into the kitchen and slumped down on the counter. On cue, her mum gingerly placed a plate of toast and eggs in front of her. "Coming for church?"

"No." yawned Luna.

"Thought so." said Dad, pulling up a chair beside her. "It'd do you some good-you'll at least get some fresh air."

"Not interested." she answered, picking at her toast with a spoon.

With worried eyes, she went to her daughter, the soft warmth of her hand rubbing against Luna's cold cheek. "Hon, how's your arm?"

Luna lifted up her arm and blinked at it. She had almost forgot about that. Almost. "Wanna see a doctor perhaps?" she suggested.

The community nurse watched as in an instant, Luna's face tensed up and her eyebrows joined in a sharp 'V'. As she reached out to give her a pat, Luna flung away her arm and stormed out of the kitchen.

The last thing she needed was a doctor.

Luna stomped back into her room and banged the door shut.

"Ugh! Why didn't I at least take my toast with me?"

Murmuring to herself, she pulled the blanket over her body and opened a playlist on her phone. Plugging in her earphones, the music instantly put her in a daze. Before you knew it, her fingers loosened their grip, and a calmness cajoled her eyes shut.

She woke up a few hours later, rubbing her stomach in hunger. She looked up at the clock, her eyes-and the rest of her for that matter-filled to the brim with fatigue.

"Eleven o'clock." came out a soft mumble, as she rubbed her puffy eyes.

Hunger pulled her out of bed, and, tired and whining, she wandered into the kitchen. She popped her earphones and scrolled through her socials as she munched on her toast- right where she had left it.

"Still kinda hungry." she sighed, picking at the crumbs on her plate. As she scanned the kitchen cupboards, her eyes fell on a packet of chips on the top shelf. She grabbed the packet and headed to the living room. 

The warmth of the late winter sun shone through the window slits, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow. Luna couldn't care less about it. She lied herself down on the daybed and tore open the chips packet.

"Didn't check Chat today, did I?" she asked herself. "Might as well check it now."

Luna opened HillChat. Ivy's chat was on top.

Her finger hovered over the chat. Visuals of last night rushed to the front of her head-the concert, Jake, Sophia, the video call with Ivy and most importantly.......Jia.

Setting her mind on the fact that she wanted answers about her best friend, her finger tapped on Ivy's chat. She waited as the call rang for a long time. When she was about to cut the call, Ivy answered.

"What is it Luna?" asked Ivy yawning. "It's a perfect Sunday morning and I'm trying to sleep."

"I want to know more about what you were saying last night."

"Oh!" exclaimed Ivy, instantly perking up. "Well then, where did we stop last night?"

"Well, I now know that Jia has been using me all along." Luna tried to sound like it didn't bother her-as if she was numb to Jia-but deep down, even under the effect of the sleeping pills, her heart ached every time she thought about it.

"By the by, just asking....did you have any more pills?"

"None of your business!" Luna rubbed her forehead as she felt another headache roll in.

Ivy smirked. "Just asking. Anyways, back to the topic. Just as I told you last night, Jia has been using you. And you were so caught up in her that you didn't even realise it."

Luna nodded. Ivy knew that Luna was already almost brainwashed from last night; all she had to do now was hit at her core-the essence of their friendship-and her work would be done.

"Jia and you were never meant to be." 

Every word hit Luna with lightning accuracy-Ivy was good at that sort of thing.

Luna let out a groan. Ivy watched as Luna's fingers dug into her forehead.

"You okay?"

"Go on. It's just a headache."

"You know what you want and need from a good friend, right?"

Luna shuffled on the daybed. She didn't even know what a 'friend' was anymore-let alone what she wanted from one.

" Jia will never give you that."

Now, a subliminal terror seized Luna, painfully slashing though her head, through every memory, every thought, every sensation. Of Jia.

Luna's heart bet faster now, pounding back and forth with a crushing weight.

"Ivy, can I call you back?" she panted between silent breaths.

"Since you both aren't friends anymore, she will never hinder or control you."

"That sounds reassuring." Her eyes felt heavy now as a sudden numbness crawled up her body.

"And," Ivy said at last, "she'll never stop you from spiralling."

Luna sat up at once. "What?" Before she could even get the word out of her mouth, she realised that Ivy had cut the call.

Exhausted and heavy-hearted, the pills finally struck her into the second wave. Just before her head crashed onto the cushion, the realisation hit her; she had a harsh reality to face.