Under the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 17

Luna lifted her eyelids slowly, her lungs burning and her dry throat rough as sandpaper against each breath she took. She felt cold, chills running through her, followed by a burning sensation.

She looked around the room, the paper-like sheets around her crinkling with her motions. Beside her hospital bed, her mother was sitting in a wooden chair, her head against the backrest and her eyes closed. Lloyd was sitting on the floor against the back wall, running his hands through his blond hair. He looked up as he heard her move, catching her gaze. He rose to his feet, taking long strides to reach her bedside.

"Luna! I'm so glad you're awake!" He had tear stains down his cheeks, and his words were raspy in his throat.

"What happened?" Her voice was so strained it was almost silent.

"It was Sylvia, I know it was." He responded, almost in a growl. Luna realized that he was shaking, his knuckles white against his grip on his phone. "I promised to call Trae as soon as you woke up, he was so worried."

"He was?"

"We all were, it was terrifying. Trae carried you out to the office and wouldn't let you go until the ambulance came."

Luna winced. "Did he really?"

Lloyd nodded. "He wouldn't let anyone touch you," Lloyd looked down at his phone. "He wanted to be here right now but they wouldn't let him."

"Oh..."

It wasn't very long before Trae burst in, racing to her side. "Luna! You're awake! Are you okay?" He leaned over the bed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and dropping his face against hers. "Are you sure everything is fine?"

Luna nodded, letting him slip out of her embrace. "Yeah, I guess."

"They're saying she just passed out from a migraine. Can you believe that?" Lloyd shook his head. "I don't."

"Well," Trae said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Not many people will believe that there's a high school girl running around with telekinetic powers."

"I wonder what they would do if they did."

Luna sighed through her nose. "Can you two shut up?"

"Why?" Trae looked on the verge of panic. "Are you okay? Does your head hurt? Do you feel dizzy? Do you think you're going to pass out again?" He put a hand on her cheek, studying her face. "Do you need something?"

"I'm fine," she said plainly, not moving to shrug away his hand. "I just don't want to hear about Sylvia anymore."

"Oh," Trae hesitated before dropping his hand. "Are you a hundred percent sure you're still up for going to the park? You don't want to go home and rest?"

Luna shook her head. "I told you, I'm fine. I just want to get out of here and enjoy the plans we made. Sylvia has no right ruining our day."

"Okay..." Trae said slowly. "But only if you're sure."

She looked at him with an even gaze. "Let's just get out of here."

Lana Vis popped her head back into the room—she had stepped out to greet Trae and had just returned. "Are you three ready? Luna's free to go."

"Yes," Luna sighed. "Get me out of here."

☆★☆

"Are you sure you're okay?" Lily asked, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "I heard what happened... are you sure you don't want to rest a bit?"

Luna nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to enjoy today, and forget that wonderful experience."

"So," Trae said, opening his car door. "Ice cream first, then movie, or movie first, then ice cream?"

The others voiced their opinions, getting into the car. Luna put her feet up on the dash, holding an arm across her stomach. "I don't think I'll be able to eat anything, I still feel so nauseous."

Trae sent her a worried expression. "You're sure you don't want to wait until tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go see the movie like we planned. You guys can get ice cream, I'll be fine without it," she put a hand over her eyes to block out glare from the moonlight against the hood of the car.

Trae grimaced, brushing her feet off the dash. "Okay then..."

☆★☆

Luna stretched as soon as they left the theater. "Well, that was refreshing," she scuffed her feet against the pavement, walking back towards the shopping center. "Now I have a headache."

Trae put an arm around her shoulders. "Do you want to sit down? I can take you home if you want."

She shrugged his arm away. "I'm fine, can you stop freaking out?"

"Sorry... it's just you were in the hospital literally two hours ago. I'm sorry if I'm being too paranoid, I just don't want to see you get hurt." He looked down at his feet, his bangs falling into his face.

"I-it's okay... I promise you, I'm fine, and it's okay that you're worried, I'd be the same way if that happened to you. To any of you..."

He looked back up at her. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "Come on, let's go for a walk. We still have to plan my birthday party."

"Our birthday party!" Lloyd called from behind them.

Luna stepped away from her friends for a moment, the buzzing in her ears suddenly overwhelming. They were pitching in ideas for the party, talking over one another and contributing to her headache.

Trae reluctantly let her hand slip through his, watching her stagger with a look of concern.

Luna steadied herself against a tree, trying to steady her thoughts along with her body. The moon was far from full, its reflected sun rays falling from the sky in silver sheets. A feeling of unease settled on her, like a cloud weighing her down. She stepped farther from her friends until she almost couldn't see them, stopping to catch her breath.

The light of the moon falling through the trees distracted her from her pain for a moment, but the ringing in her head continued to increase. She clamped her hands across her ears, continuing to walk down the sidewalk.