Somnium

Chapter 1 - Just the norm

"Augh!" My face misses my pillow as I crash onto my bed. Why does college have to be so long? It is unnecessarily long, I mean who wants to sit through a load of lectures on topics they already understand? (Better than the teacher I might add). I don't even see the point in it, I'm doing a media course that's going to get me nowhere. It's such a competitive industry, it's more 'who you know' than 'what you know' so I'm just wasting 2 years of my life. It's so stupid! I don't even know if I want to go into media! This world is so broken!

Sometimes I wish that it would all just fade away. All the people, all the work and all the drama.

"LUNA! Did you not hear? DINNER IS READY!"

I hit my face on the bed again, from one hell to another. "Coming mother..."

Begrudgingly I roll out of bed and what do I land on? My phone charger. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" I stare at the spikey weapon as I sit up and contemplate the meaning of life.

"Are you coming down or what?" Snapping me out of my reverie I stand up and slowly make my way down the stairs. I'm halfway down when I think: Smile, you had a good day at college, nothing is wrong and you're just tired. Putting on my usual forced smile I walk into the kitchen and sit down at the old wooden table.

"How was your day?" I ask my parents before I proceed with the mess on a plate that I can only presume is supposed to be some kind of potato stew. 

"Mine was good, I went into town with Cassandra" My mum replies. Of course she did. You see, my mother is the complete opposite of me: Popular and sociable, meaning she has a lot of friends. Me? The only friend I can rely on is myself, I've never been too good at making friends and the ones I do make tend to betray me easily. Perhaps it's because I'm quiet, or perhaps it's because I'm not interested. No, it's probably because I look like something you've been given and never liked causing it to slowly rot away at the back of a cupboard before being found years later and immediately thrown out.

Looking at my mum I once again wish that I could be like her, she's pretty, like a fallen dark star. Black hair down to her waist that flutters in the wind like a butterfly, and blue eyes like the ocean. When we used to walk out in the street eyes would stop and stare, my dirty blonde hair that easily tangles and brown eyes were of no comparison and they'd walk past, oblivious of the 5 year old girl clutching her mother's hand. It changed when I reached 12 though, I was taller and reached my mums shoulders. Instead of being ignored I was judged, I was a side-by-side evaluation against my mother. I can still remember the looks, distaste, disapproval and disbelief. They weren't wrong. How could someone so perfect create something so pathetic? Even now I still feel the judgement. We never go out together anymore, but I'm still treated like a piece of dirt.

"Luna, are you okay, is something wrong with the soup?" I've been caught not eating again.

"No, mum its fine I'm just too tired to have much of an appetite" Hoping that they don't pick up on my lie I restart my attempt at normal eating. Mid-bite another voice speaks up, this time however it's the voice of my dad "Luna, eat what you can then head up to bed. You'll feel better in the morning." My dad smiles and I nod my head in gratitude. I've never really been close with him but sometimes when I look into his eyes it's like I'm looking into my own. I wonder what his life's been like, it can't have been easy, being the husband of my mum. He's where I get most of my features from yet it doesn't seem to get him down, is that what it's like to be happy? To not care what others think because you've got everything you need?

Pondering that last thought I set aside my cutlery, apologise to my parents and head back up the stairs to bed. Without caring to brush my teeth or get into my pyjamas I bury myself in my duvet. Thinking that I should turn my alarm off as tomorrow is a Saturday I pick up my phone and see that I have 3 unread texts from Liz. Liz is a friend of mine, I guess you could say she's also an outcast of society – they don't really approve of her bright pink hair or her taste in rock music. I feel like I've barely spoken to her recently and I don't really know where we stand. Anyhow she still seems to keep up appearances.