Hacked

Chapter 21

I had noticed that Luna had been acting strangely these past few weeks and as much I don't want to push her to confess what's been troubling her to the point that she's deciding not go to go school today its still my duty to try and find out. And of course I realize that she could just be sick but the thing about her is that for as long as I've known her she'd go to school even if she couldn't walk straight, the only times she would stay home was when somebody forced her to do it.

So when I checked my phone this morning and the top notification was from her saying that she would not be coming today, I knew I wasn't going to school either and needed to march over with a plan. I gripped the handle of my backpack tighter as I approached her door and took a deep breath before banging my fist against the door and yelling,"Luna Collins, get your butt down here, and open this door! It's freezing out here!"

I held my fist up to yell again but lowered it after hearing the jingle sound of keys and the rattle of the door knob as she opened up for me. I stepped forward and gasped when I looked at my bestfriend who had a red nose accompanied by puffy eyes and her pyjamas. She looked at the ground which was weird to me because it was something she usually did when she was nervous or uncomfortable. "Luna what's going on? You were perfectly fine yesterday, did something go wrong yesterday on your date? Should I go beat him up."

She just shook her head while still avoiding my interrogating gaze. I sighed,"If nothing went wrong then why does it look like you've been crying." I grabbed her wrist and asked,"Do I need t-" I stopped and rubbed my thumb along her arm,"Why does your arm feel so-." She snatched her hand back before I could finish but I grabbed it again and pulled up her sleeve.

I inhaled sharply at the burns on her arm that were blistering red and inflamed and at the wince that adorned her features it was still very painful. I threw my bag onto the couch and quickly ran to the bathroom and to grab the first aid kit and run back."How did you get this burn?! And why the hell isn't it treated it?!" I asked while rolling up her other sleeve as well as my own.

I sighed when she didn't answer I just shook my head at the burns on her other arm as well. I moved her to the couch, opened the kit and applied petroleum jelly to the burns and then wrapped them in a non-stick dressing so they'd be less irritated. At this point I was screaming in my head in frustration and worry, throughout the whole thing she remained lifeless. She never flinched, never explained how she got them and didn't put up a fight to do it herself.

I sat next to her and put my head on her shoulder,"I'm really worried about you. You haven't been yourself for a while. You might think that I don't notice it but I have. Sometimes we'll be talking and you'll get lost in thought and before while thinking you had this curious light hearted expression, now its glum and usually scared or worried. We're best friends Luna, you can tell me anything."

"Nothing is going to change even if I do." she mumbled. I wrapped my hands around her and said,"I'm practically a certified therapist. You never know how great my opinion might be."

She exhaled shakily while rubbing her left wrist,"The.. new boys at school, Griffin and Silas have been bothering me quite a bit. Its nothing too bad, just a bit of teasing and rude comments but I guess what they said was on my mind so while making some tea today I dropped the kettle and hurt myself."

I lifted my head,"Don't lie to me, if it was such a small issue why were you crying so much and why are you always so scared nowadays?" I asked while frowning. She shook her head and answered,"Its nothing really."

"Luna I'm staying with you today, no school for me either. So unless you want me to pester you the entire day, tell me what those jerks did to you! If you don't, I swear I'll go to their house and interrogate them and their parents for raisng such bastards!", I stated.

She got up and said,"Let me get some snacks for us since you're spending the day here." I followed her and yelled,"Luna stop shutting me out! Tell me what's been happening to you!"

She turned around and glared at me while firing back,"What!? You want to hear me admit that they've been harassing me and stalking me! That they watch me at every second and make me do absolutely disgusting things because they'll hurt people I love." Her eyes glistened and she balled up her fists,"You really want me to say out loud that I thought I'd be raped yesterday!"

I stared at her in shock and rushed forward when her legs shook and she crumbled to the ground. I held her and tried to control my anger and sadness while she gripped my jacket and whispered,"Don't do anything stupid, just forget I even said anything. I wasn't lying when I said they're always watching."

She covered her eyes,"I'm so sorry, now you're in danger all because of me. You, Chase and Eden would all be better off if I wasn't aroun-" I covered her mouth and said,"Don't you dare finish that sentence. My life would be a mess without you, we'll get through this together okay?" She shook her head but I glared and told her,"We've solved all of our problems together and you've already gone through these terrible things and you were all alone." I wiped my eyes and smiled,"Let me be here for you."

She looked at me and for the first time she finally let her emotions out as the tears dripped down her cheeks and she clung to me and in that moment I just wanted to hold her. It wouldn't make up for all the times that I wasn't there to comfort her or protect her but right now it was something we both needed.

'I promise that I'll find a way to protect you and I'll absolutely destroy those two for doing this to you. You deserve the world Luna, not their torture.'