N o c t u r n a l

(TW: sexual assault, suicide and incest)

Luna's pov: At home, 5:00 AM

"Ugh, I'm going to run out of coffee soon," I sigh, this is my 5th cup of coffee this night, "I guess too much caffeine is harmful for the body but whatever, it's the only thing that makes me feel like a functional human being."  Unlike most people, I don't drink coffee to stay awake, no, I mean I can't sleep even if I don't drink it anyways. I drink coffee because it sparks something in me, and that spark is what keeps me motivated for studying all night long. You can call me a freak for all I care. "Maybe I shouldn't have drunk so much, I can't afford to buy so much coffee." The mid-term exams are coming up soon and messing it up is not an option if I don't want to lose my scholarship, but I have little to no time for self studying after I'm done with my part-time job. "Life sure is complicated." I took a deep breath and reopened my History book, I like history, it's fun.

*Beep* *Beep*

I was startled by the sudden noise, nearly no one ever calls me so it was a surprise. "Who could be calling me this late- I mean early in the morning?" I grabbed my phone which was sitting idle under my pillow for god knows how many decades. When I saw who it was, it nearly gave me a heart attack.

"Hello?" I picked up the call.

"Luna, how are you doing?" She said in her calming voice.

"Umm I'm okay."

"Well that's great then!"

"Um...I'm sure I payed the rent at time, didn't I?"

"Oh my, no, I didn't call for the rent, dear, I have a favour to ask of you," she talks so politely.

"Oh, what is it?" I could feel my soul sliding back into my body.

"You see, there is somewhere I need to be urgently, but a person is moving in the apartment next to you and they have forgotten to take the keys from me, so can you please give them the keys for me?" She sounds really tired.

"Yeah, sure."

"Thank you so much, dear, I'm coming to give you the keys."

"Don't worry, it's no big deal." I hung up the call. I hope she's not overworking herself again. Our landlord is a very kind person and her ex-husband took advantage of that. He wouldn't work all year round and leeched off of her. I wonder if all husbands are like this. Maybe not. One day, her only daughter she loved the most in the whole world committed suicide and soon after, it was found that he was sexually assaulting her for a long time which made her do what she did. Maybe that's why she takes care of me so much, I'm pretty similar to her daughter and I'm almost the same age as she was before she died.

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*Ding* *Dong*

I hurried and opened the door, it was miss Sasha, she came to give me the keys.

"Dear..."  she gently put her hand my shoulder, "your complexion looks terrible. have you not been sleeping properly again?" She looked so worried, how can anyone be worried like this for someone when they are suffering so much themself?