Fixing Luna

08

Filming continued for the next three days and much to Luna's relief, everything went well inside the hospital after her breakdown a few days ago. She didn't mess up for the next three days, which surprised her a little especially when Lexus was not there with her and France.

The cold metal hiding underneath her shirt calming the nerves knowing that today, she has to do everything on her own. France will be accompanying Cheetos to the vet, leaving Luna alone to fend for herself for the next few hours on set.

"Come on baby get up we need to burn your fatty fats," She cooed at him, but Cheetos completely ignored her by closing his scared eyes.

"You're so stubborn," Luna mumbled, tugging a small smile on her lips.

"Cheetos' so stubborn," she whined next to him, it was a beautiful day and Toby asked her to come out of his suffocating room. Cheetos was just a three-month-old bulldog, but the little fur baby wouldn't stop messing her room, biting and wrecking everything that his mouth could bite.

"Yeah, just like you," Toby replied cheekily, pulling her straight to his lap, and kissing her lips before she could even say a retort. They stayed for a few more minutes until the sun completely left the horizon, and the starless sky came into view. And just like all the moment that she was with him, Luna prayed that it will never end.

The memory was so vivid, she could picture him standing right in front of her with that same cheeky smile and the ocean that dances on his eyes hiding underneath his thick glasses. It was a nightmare that she has to live for the last seven years, finding traces of him in every place and reliving all the painstakingly beautiful memories that Toby's existence had left.

"Miss Luna, they needed you inside in five minutes," Chelsea's cute little voice pulling her out of the trance that she was in, Luna gave her a small smile, hoping that was enough to send the woman back inside the hospital. She needed a moment to composed herself and sent Cheetos away with France.

"You okay babe?" France brows furrowed, wondering what her expression was for him to asked.

"I'm fine babe," She replied, pulling a reassuring smile as she handed Cheetos leash to him.

"Come here big bully," France knelt to the ground, waiting for Cheetos to come crawling in his arms which he quickly did. His black fur settling on his broad arms with ease.

"Bye baby, mommy got some works to do," Kissing Cheetos' head, Luna went inside the hospital before France could stop her again. Because as much as France hated the idea of leaving her alone, Luna had to do this on her own, at least for today when Cheetos had to go see his vet. What could possibly go wrong during his brief absence, right?

It's been two grueling hours of being under the scrutinizing lenses of Director Bennett and Luna finally had enough. She was exhausted after filming a week worth of scenes and was desperate for a much-needed rest. Pressing herself deeper on her chair, Luna closed her eyes tightly, trying her best to drown the noise inside the room. Ignoring her grumbling stomach with hopes that France was on his way back from the vet and dropping Cheetos back to their house.

"Long time no see Miss Gorgeous," But of course, the world seems to hate her a little too much, disturbing her was one thing but seeing a man that she didn't recognized towering over her with an annoying smirk on his chapped lips, Luna was a minute away from lashing out at him.

"Thanks, now get lost," Luna replied dryly, hoping the man would leave because entertaining a fan wasn't part of her schedule for the day.

"Still the same old Luna," The man replied brazenly, Luna could no longer hold her temper in check, how dare a stranger tell her that she was the same old Luna when clearly, she was nowhere near the girl that she once was.

"Take this freak out of my face!" Her scream piercing inside the room in one fell swoop, gaining everyone's attention at her sudden outburst. Luna could care less about her image right now, there was something about the man standing before her that thrown her in a defensive mode, and the sooner he gets out of her sight the better.

"Is everything alright here Miss Cooper?" Dale, one of the cameramen was the first to approach her, his balding head and huge physique was intimidating enough and yet for Luna who was used to being around bigger guys didn't even bat an eye.

"Take him out of here now!"

"Hey, wait I didn't do anything! I swear!" Luna watches in satisfaction as the colored drain out of his face so fast she could barely see the brazenness that he has earlier now that Dale was right in front of him.

"Paynes!? What the hell are you doing here!?" Director Bennett came out of the crowd gathered around them, the surprised and annoyance on his face was quite funny to watch if only Luna wasn't too pissed and agitated to care.

"Oh my god buddy! I swear I didn't do anything I swear!"

"It's okay Dale, unfortunately he's my cousin," Hearing that, the crowd disperse like a bunch of bees flying away from them, leaving an annoyed Luna, Director Bennett and his cousin Paynes who was the source of all the commotion.

"The hell are you doing here!? I specifically told you not to go, seriously what's wrong with you dude!?" Kyler whispered yelled, the veins on his neck peeking slightly on his tan skin, trying his best not to snap at his cousin who was grinning like a fool in front of them.

"Oh, hush I'm not here for you, I'm here to see Luna,"

"Sorry Luna's unavailable, if you'll excuse me boys, I have better things to do that entertain your sorry ass,"

"Oh my god I can't believe this, you haven't change with the attitude!" Luna could feel her inside clench, Paynes seems to know more about her than anyone else in the room and she doesn't like it one bit.

"Do I know you?" She finally asked, watching the grin on his stupid face grew wider.

"Paynes Reed Class B, dated your best friend Athena during senior year, ring a bell?" Fuck, out of all people that would grace her presence, it has to be someone from her High School days.

Clearly, France has every right to be worried about her, because the moment that they left her alone and completely defenseless, the shadow lurking on the deepest part of her existence came waltzing into light so smoothly that Luna could barely braced herself before the impact hit her straight into the scars hiding underneath her shaky defenses.

Because as much as Toby's absence broke her from the inside out, Athena's leaving them without a word makes it a million times worst, because it was something that none of them had seen coming. One day she just disappeared with a single note stuck on their kitchen counter. Sorry. A mere apology that didn't explain a single thing.

"I see, still a jerk, aren't you?" Hiding her emotion underneath the mask that was meant for the world to see, Luna swallowed the pain down, hoping that no one was the wiser to tell just how much Paynes and the memories that he brought with him was affecting her.

"So, Sheldon's little devil is now a celebrity, won't you mind giving me your autograph milady?" she rolled her eyes playfully but ended up signing Paynes leather jacket that he's wearing. Even though Paynes didn't stayed long with their group in the past, he was someone that the rest of them approved of.

They catch up a little more before Director Bennett yelled that the filming would resume in five minutes. Throwing a disapproving look towards them, Luna brows arched in question.

"Don't mind my cousin he's an ass,"

"Yeah, must have run in the family,"

"Anyway, how's FATAL? I didn't know you married the love of your life, you managed to get the hot nerdy Toby after all," the sound of his name leaving him struck her like lightning, shaking her core and crumbling her defenses back into the ground. The funeral, the entire town grieving alongside the Cooper's and everyone who shared his short life with. How can Paynes forgot what happened to Toby so easily? It wasn't fair.

Gathering the last ounce of her sanity, Luna jumped out of her seat so fast that she could barely see anything else but the glowing exit sign on the end of the corridor and before anyone could grasped what's going on, she was running out of the building. The desperation to escape from there so strong she could taste the bile rising from her stomach straight to her throat, scorching hot like fire burning her alive as the car started moving away from the city.