Luna

Friday arrived quickly.
The classroom was silent, filled only with the sound of pens gliding across paper. The history test had started twenty minutes ago, and I had already finished mine. Not because it was easy, but because I had spent days preparing for it.

I glanced at the clock above the blackboard, then at my classmates. Some had furrowed brows, others whispered to one another, hoping not to get caught. I couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pride.

When I handed in my test, Professor Brooke gave me a smile. “Already finished, Luna? Well done, as always.”

I nodded slightly, aware of the curious looks my classmates were throwing my way.

“What a nerd,” someone whispered behind me as I returned to my seat. I shrank into my chair, trying to ignore the giggles that followed. Being good at school was satisfying, but sometimes it felt more like a curse.

When I got home, I found Celestia in the living room with her friends. They were all sitting on the couch, glasses of iced tea on the coffee table, their laughter filling the air.

I stopped at the doorway, hoping none of them would notice me, but of course, Celestia did.

“Hey, Luna!” she called out, making her friends turn toward me. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, trying to slip past without drawing too much attention.

“Luna, right?” one of the girls, a brunette with a perfect smile, asked. “You don’t look much like your sister.”

Celestia chuckled. “We’re pretty different, that’s true.”

I didn’t wait for them to continue. I escaped to my room, but after a few minutes, I had to go back downstairs to grab a book I’d left on the coffee table.

As I descended, I overheard one of Celestia’s friends speaking.

“Luna seems so… different from you. I mean, you’re so bright and outgoing.”

“That’s just how she is,” Celestia replied lightly. “But she’s not a bad person. She’s just… a little closed off.”

Hearing those words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I grabbed the book and returned to my room without being noticed.

6:00 PM

The school library felt different after hours. The warm lights illuminated the tables, and the atmosphere was quiet, almost magical. I clutched the club sign-up form in my hands, trying to gather the courage to enter the room where the reading club was meeting.

Finally, I pushed the door open, and a group of students sitting around a table turned to look at me. A girl with glasses—the same one I had met at the fair—greeted me with a smile.

“Hi, Luna, right? Welcome! Have a seat.”

I sat down slowly in one of the empty chairs, trying not to draw attention to myself. The table was scattered with books, notebooks, and sheets of notes. The atmosphere was calm, and for the first time in days, I felt my body relax.

“Today, we’ll keep things simple,” said the club leader, a teacher with a kind demeanor and an encouraging expression. “I’d like everyone to share something personal: a book you love, something you’ve written, or even just a thought. No pressure, okay?”

The other members started taking turns. A girl with long brown hair read a poem she had written, while a boy in a black hat described his love for science fiction novels. When it was my turn, I felt my hands begin to sweat.

“I…,” I hesitated. “I don’t have anything to read. I like writing, but I don’t think it’s good enough.”

“Don’t worry,” the girl with glasses said reassuringly. “I was nervous my first time too. If you want, you can share something another day.”

I nodded, feeling relieved. Even without speaking, I felt like I belonged there.

The weekend flew by, and Monday arrived.

At lunch, I searched for a place to sit. Most of the tables were already filled with tight-knit groups, talking and laughing as if they’d known each other forever. I finally sat at a table by the window, alone.

I looked at my tray, then at the rest of the cafeteria. Celestia was sitting on the other side of the room, surrounded by her friends, their laughter filling the air. They seemed like they belonged to a completely different world.

Why is everything so easy for her? I wondered. Celestia always seemed to know where to go, what to say, how to be. I, on the other hand, was always the one on the sidelines, only noticed for being too “quiet.”

I lowered my gaze, poking at my pasta with my fork, not feeling hungry. I wondered if I’d ever be part of something.

4:00 PM

The theater room was the opposite of the library—noisy, full of voices and energy. Students were talking and laughing, sitting on the stage or scattered among the rows of seats. I sat in the back row, hoping to go unnoticed.

“Welcome to the theater club!” announced a tall girl wearing a colorful scarf. “I’m Jasmine, the club leader. Today, we’ll do some warm-ups and an improvisation exercise.”

My heart sped up. Improvisation? The word alone made me uneasy.

“Okay, first activity: everyone up on stage!” Jasmine clapped her hands.

The others got up eagerly, and I stayed seated for a moment, torn between the urge to flee and the desire to try. In the end, I slowly stood and followed the group.

Jasmine divided us into pairs. The dark-haired boy I’d met at the fair approached me. “Hey, Luna, right? I’m Pharynx. Don’t worry, it’s all pretty informal.”

“Thanks,” I said quietly, though I didn’t feel calm at all.

“The theme is simple,” Jasmine explained. “You’re two old friends meeting again after years apart. You’ve got thirty seconds. Go!”

Pharynx gave me an encouraging smile. “Go ahead, you start.”

I froze. The words wouldn’t come out. The others on stage were laughing and talking, but I couldn’t say anything. I felt everyone’s eyes on me, and my heart pounded in my chest.

“It’s okay,” Pharynx said. “Look, I’ll start. Hey, Luna! It’s been so long!”

His voice was kind, and it gave me the courage to try. “Yeah, um… a long time,” I replied softly.

It wasn’t much, but Jasmine clapped anyway. “Good! It’s not easy at first, but you’ll get better with time.”

When the meeting ended, I felt drained but also a little proud that I had stayed until the end.

That Monday night, as I lay in bed, I thought about the past few days. The reading club was a safe haven, a place where I could be myself. The theater club, on the other hand, was a challenge that scared me—but there was something about it that kept me wanting to go back.

For the first time, I felt like I was truly trying to step out of my comfort zone.