The Human Luna

Hesitation Will Get You Killed

"Is there no way you can sneak out before they leave and come to my house?" Jack, one of my best friends sounded sympathetic on the phone, sighing when I told him the devastating news of what my parents had just done.

"I can't see how that will be possible," I started, flopping down on my bed dramatically. "And besides, you know my mum would ground me for decades if they found out I had escaped without telling them. The tickets have already been booked, there's nothing I can do." Jack huffed, probably feeling more annoyed than myself. He didn't speak for a long moment, and so I remained silent and waited for him to say something that would cheer me up. Jack always cheers me up.

"Well I guess I'll see you when you come back," he said sadly. Really? Is this what it had come to? I smiled a fake smile, despite the fact he couldn't see me, and blowed a small breath out loud to prevent myself from crying. This summer was supposed to be one of the best summers yet, before we returned back to our final year in school. We had made brainstorms of all the places we could go, and our finger landed on Disneyland Florida, one of the most magical places of all time. Unfortunately though, the day before we were going to book our tickets, my mum had told me that she had made reservations for the family to go to Spain, a country that we had been to many times before.

"Can't we just fake a kidnapping or something?" I proposed, desperately searching for ways that would help me miss this family vacation. I was staring at myself in the mirror, invisibly mindmapping stories that my parents may fall for.

Jack chuckled deeply through the phone, "Ailani, you know that even if we did come up with a fake plan you wouldn't be up for it. You are not the daring kind babe."

I sighed inwardly. He was right, just like he was all the time. As extrovert as I was, completing dares or dangerous tasks was never something that crossed my mind. Dauntlessness was never apart of my personality, nevertheless I liked to describe myself as someone that was fearless, especially after seeing the film Divergent.

"Are you going to go without me?" I asked curiously, hoping that he would say no. Maybe we could go another time?

"I thought of going with Katie and Amanda, but we all came to the conclusion that the holiday wouldn't be the same if we weren't all there." He explained. Katie and Amanda were my other two best friends, but ones that had come later in life, during the start of secondary school in year 7. Jack had been my friend since year 4, my day one.

"I wouldn't mind if you guys went without me," I lied, my lips pursed into a thin line. "Just make sure you take loads of pictures and send them to me so that I can at least feel like I'm there too." There was a long pause, and I was beginning to feel like Jack was considering my advice.

Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.

"Okay!" Jack squealed excitedly. My heart stopped as I absorbed the shock and disbelief of what I had just heard; before I had time to object Jack said his goodbyes and 'love you's' and disconnected the phone call.

What have I done?

**********

"Make sure all your bags are packed sweetheart," my mum said, setting dinner down on the table.

I nodded my head to her as she sat down opposite me at the dinner table, feeling too tired to argue with her again over why it was unfair that I had to go. The smell of Spaghetti Bolognese wafted up into the air, but although it was my favourite dish, it didn't make me any happier.

"Your father will be coming home late from work, so it's just us tonight," my mum said, taking a sip of her water.

I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. I was beyond annoyed, at both of my parents. Fortunately, my mum could sense my disappointment and squeezed my hand softly.

"It will be a great time Ailani, after this you can choose whether or not to come with us next year." Her lips curved into a small smile. Mine stayed straight.

"I take it you don't want to come on vacation with your father and I next year?" She assumed, tilting her head in sympathy. Her hands found their way to mine from across the table, and she placed both my hands in hers, her softness breaking its way through my arrogance. I shook my head, looked down at the table and forked my food absentmindedly. "Well then, look at this holiday as your final holiday with us then. Please, try and enjoy yourself and don't hate us for dragging you away from your friends." 

I didn't look up from my plate. Within two minutes I heard my mum sigh, the sound of a shuffling chair and faint footsteps make their way into the kitchen. I'd upset my mum, and I didn't feel good about it at all. 

**********

It was past 11:00, the moonlight was getting bolder and bolder against the midnight sky, warning me that I only had one hour until it was time to go. I was pacing back and forth, trying to convince myself that escaping, despite the consequences, was a good idea. My suitcase was ready to go, positioned on its side by my bedroom door, blocking the entrance; and I was tempted to unzip the bloody thing and tip out all my clothes on the floor in anger. 

"All I have to do is jump out the window," I said to myself. It was supposed to be easy, since my bedroom walked out onto a small balcony that was faced towards the side of the house, overlooking the pavement. "You've done it many times before."

I was coaxing myself into disobeying my parents, walking out onto the balcony in the cool air and then walking right back inside again. My heart beat was racing wildly, and I hadn't even convinced myself into committing the act yet. If Jack was here he would have jumped by now, wasting no time at all. 

But I'm not Jack. I'm Ailani, and I took my time in situations like this. To get myself to jump I would have to count to ten...or twenty...or two hundred. 

"Just jump you stupid wuss!" I said to myself, placing both hands onto the balcony railing. There was no one around to see me, and it was technically impossible for anyone to detect me in the darkness anyway. The air was getting colder, and the longer I stood outside, hesitating, the more uncomfortable I was getting. 

I looked at my watch, surprised that the time declared that it was 11:30, which meant that I had been doing nothing for half an hour. What the hell is wrong with you? JUMP!

With my mind shouting at me from within, I gathered the courage it took and climbed over the balcony, waiting, with my feet dangling before I daringly let go of the edges and dropped to the ground with a small thud. I thanked God that I hadn't broken my ankle or anything, and then began running across the pavement towards the direction of Jack's house. I had nothing but a small Nike rucksack on my back, which consisted of clothes that I would sleep in when I got to his home. 

My feet were going faster than I had expected, and as I was zooming down the pavement I started to smile, feeling proud of myself. Jack's house was 10 minutes away from mine, and I had already been running for about 3 minutes, meaning I had quite a way to go. 

When I heard my phone ring in my back pocket, I began to slow myself down to a steady jog, answering the call quickly. 

"Jack, what's up?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"Ailani you sound like you're dying!" Jack exclaimed through the phone. 

"Yeah I'm on my way towards your house," I said, smiling a little. "I've escaped."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. Stopping, I took the phone away from my ear and looked at the screen to double check if the call had ended; but it was still going. 

"Jack, you still there mate?" I said, frowning. 

"Ailani, if I were you I would turn back and start sprinting  to your house right now." He said warningly. 

"Why?" I questioned, feeling a little on the edge. 

"Because I just saw your dad's car come past my hou-" 

Jack didn't need to finish his sentence, because just as I ended the call, bright headlights came into view from around the corner, blinding my sight for a split second. The car was going a bit fast, but as it neared I began to notice that the wheels were slowing down, until it stopped right next to me. 

I squeezed my eyes shut when I heard the window rolling down; my heart collapsed when I heard my dads not-so-happy voice.

Shit!