She was quietly reading her book, laying down on her bed while waiting her mom’s call for breakfast. The book was about a guy who was chosen to represent his nation in a tournament filled with violence and sacrifices. He lost a lot of friends in the way, but in the end, he was victorious and saved his nation. It was Luna’s favorite book, she has read it 50 times, no joke. She’s read it all from start to finish, even fun facts not mentioned in the book.

While deep in her own world, she was still waiting for her mother’s call, so when she heard it, she got up fast from her bed and went down the stairs, carefully so as not to fall. Once in the living room, she went to the kitchen were her mother, father and little brother were, all seated and waiting for her.

– Good morning, Luna.

– Good morning, mum. —she kissed her cheek and then looked down at the pan were her mother was cooking breakfast—.

– Hmmm, so that’s why it smelled so good.

– Yes, today I’m doing your favorite: waffles with scrambled eggs.

– Since today is a special day, is the first day of my final year in school. You have no idea how excited I am!

– Yea, we noticed, Lu. —said her father, who was reading the newspaper while drinking a cup of coffee—.

– And I still have my whole life left! —her little sister said, lightly smacking the table—.

– Calm down, you don’t want to grow up so fast.

At that, she could only pout. After a few more words Luna took a seat next to her father while her mother finished making and then serving breakfast for everyone. They started their day like any other, talking about the local news and how excited they were about this new school year.

After breakfast, everyone went to their rooms to finish to get ready. Luna took her new uniform and smiled hugging it carefully as to not give it any wrinkles, it still smelled like lavender. Once she put it on, she looked at herself in the mirror doing little twirls, she still couldn’t believe she had only one year left to finish school.

Taking her backpack, she went back down to the living room and said goodbye to her parents on her way to the door. Outside on the neighborhood she took her earphones out, putting each bud to the corresponding ear and then connecting it to her iPod, looking for a good playlist while making her way to school. She made sure it had all her favorite songs since today was the day that marked a change in her life. She started to walk following the rhythm of the songs, singing a few of them along with some dance moves.

Without noticing she arrived at school, so she took off her earphones putting them away on her backpack along with the iPod. It was noticeable it was the first day, everyone was talking with their friends, telling them all about their summer adventures. Luna spent hers reading books and sometimes going out with her family. There were lots of screams within the girls’ groups and playful punches from the guys’ groups, normal teenager stuff. She just walked through all the people, since Luna wasn’t precisely a social butterfly, especially now that her “friends” moved out of the country. She was totally alone. Sighing she kept on walking.

She went up the stairs, feeling good to be on the last floor, that meant she had only one year left. Once there, she looked for her classroom, it was the last one on the right, at the end of the hall. She walked there, passing through the others sections of the final year’s classrooms. When she got to the room, she slowly opened the door and, to her surprise, it was almost empty, she asked herself where could the others be when behind her, she heard everyone starting to arrive, making her go quickly inside. She searched for her seat and took it before anyone else could, took out her phone and started playing a game until the teacher arrived.

After a while of playing Candy Crush and waiting for half an hour to get more lives, the teacher opened the door and greeted everyone like any other year. Every student had to present themselves, stand up, say their name and what they want to study in college after finishing school.

– My name is Luna Patterson. And I’d like to study in… eh… —she nervously scratched her head, trying to think of something—. I’d like to be a fashion designer. —she said that with some doubt, since she only said what came to her first—.

She sat down again and let out a very long sigh, resting her head on her hand, looking out the window to the bright blue sky. Seconds before the teacher presented herself, someone opened the door, it was a guy.

– Oh, right! Come here.

The guy stood up besides the teacher, looking everywhere in the room. Luna looked at him and he did the same, looking at her from head to toe. Luna felt some strange nerves and goosebumps going up her back and went back to looking out the window.

– This is Zorn Bernhard. He’s an exchange student that’s going to be with us this final year. You can sit there. —she pointed at the empty space next to Luna—. Next to Luna.

Zorn just nodded and followed the teacher’s instruction, sitting down where she indicated. Luna looked at him and again, both stared at each other. She swallowed nervously, blinking rapidly. Zorn just smiled and directed his attention to the front.

At lunch break, the homeroom teacher called Luna. Luna, confused, stood up and went to the teacher’s room.

– Luna, you’ve been in this school since you were little, right?

– Yes… that’s right.

– Then you’re perfect! Could you show Zorn around after school?

– H-huh…? Me?

– Yes! You’ve been here for a long time; you should know this school more than anyone.

Luna sighed and nodded, she really didn’t want to do it, she wasn’t the type of person to get along easily with others. A little hungry, she went to the cafeteria and sat in one of the farthest tables alone, she didn’t have another option since she didn’t have anyone to talk to. When she was about to bite her burger, she noticed a shadow in front of her.

– Hi!

Luna looked up slowly, dumbfounded and with the burger still in her hands.

– Z-Zorn?

– Yea! I see you’re alone; can I sit here?

– I g-guess…

Zorn sat in front of her, coincidentally, they were eating the same thing. Luna started eating a little nervously, trying to ignore his presence. Zorn seemed to be a bright and carefree person. In a few minutes he was surrounded by a group of students that started to ask about him. Luna was surprised at the speed the table got filled with people while Zorn just laughed and answered everything without problem. Luna couldn’t take it any longer and went out to the courtyard to eat, she didn’t like to be surrounded by so many strangers. Zorn stood up and called her name but Luna didn’t respond.

In the courtyard she looked for the best place to sit down. She found a big, spacious tree with some shadows beneath it, perfect to protect herself from the sun. She walked there and sat on the grass. Just when she was about to restart eating, she heard Zorn’s voice calling her name.

– Oh, there you are! Sorry for that… didn’t mean to scare you.

– Why did you come to eat with me? —Luna has always been very direct—.

– Because you seemed interesting and I want to be your friend.

– My friend?

Zorn nodded. He revealed that he too was a solitary person and didn’t have lots of friends. That seemed strange to Luna since not too long ago he was surrounded by a bunch of people.

– That’s just because I’m a foreigner. Can we be friends? —Zorn extended his hand to her—.…

– I guess. By the way… do you have anything to do after class? I was charged to show you around school…

– Really!? That’s awesome! I’m so excited.

Zorn was really happy and all smiles. Luna found the whole situation a little strange, no one ever has gotten close to her like that, she never considered herself an interesting person or anything like that, she preferred to maintain a low profile.

Time ticked by and the next hours went by without problems, since it was only the first day there wasn’t that much material to learn, so the day went by in the blink of an eye. Luna got up her seat and looked at Zorn. “Ready?” she asked, Zorn just nodded excited and got up his seat too.

They started to walk around the 4th floor, showing him the teacher’s room, the others classrooms and the bathrooms. They went down every floor, going through each room, including the special ones used for cooking and art classes. They spent about an hour in total, Luna limited herself to just explaining what he needed to know, nothing else. Zorn asked lots of questions, and when he asked more personal ones Luna stayed quiet.

– And that’s it.

– What an awesome school!

– It’s not a big deal…

– Hey, Luna.

Luna looked at him surprised, suddenly, his tone of voice changed completely.

– Do you like to live here, Luna?

– Huh?

– It’s nothing! See you tomorrow!

Zorn walked off, leaving Luna a little bewildered and confused, in that moment it was as if Zorn were another person. She didn’t think too much about it too much and just went back home.

TO BE CONTINUED.