Luna was in her freshman year of high school and her brother, Parrish, was in his senior year. They both went to the same school and would walk to the bus stop together every morning and would walk home from the bus stop as well. Luna will only talk to her brother Parrish but she will not say a word to anyone else, including his friends. Every morning her mother would give both Luna and Parrish a lunch to take to school but they never understood how she was slowly losing weight. Another thing they never understood is why she wore long sleeves during warm temperatures. But then one warm spring day, they found out the truth of what she has been hiding since the beginning of the school year.

Luna and her brother were walking to the bus stop but on the way Parrish stopped her.
Parrish: Luna why are you wearing a sweater?
Luna: Because I’m cold
Parrish: It’s almost eighty out
Luna: Well I’m cold…

Parrish sighed and they both continue walking. When they got to the bus stop Parrish seen some people that he hasn’t noticed there before. As they got closer to the group, Luna started slowing down. Parrish noticed that she was scared and he grabbed her hand and told her it’s ok. She nodded and walked with him. When they got to the bus stop, the group walked up to them. One of the taller guys of the groups came and pushed her down on the ground. Parrish didn’t like that so he punched the guy and threatened him but then he realized that the guy is an old friend of his that is named Zebulun.
Parrish: What has happened to you? You were never like this before.
Zebulun: Things change, I have changed as well.
Parrish: I swear, if you lay another hand on her and I find out, then you will regret it until the day you die.

Before Zebulun could respond, the bus made it to the stop and everyone went in. Luna and her brother can hear the group in the back talking about why they rode the bus that day and their reason was so they could get rid of Luna for once and for all. Luna and Parrish both were a little worried so when the bus got to the school they both were heading for the office but then they heard someone calling out their names. They both turned and it was Zebulun’s friend Skylar.
Parrish: What do you want?
Skylar: You’re really going to go tattle like little babies? I always thought you were immature, but not this immature. Guess I thought wrong.

Just as Parrish was about to speak, a girl named Caitlin came into the conversation.
Caitlin: No. What’s immature are you and your friends bullying others. Is that really how you want to make yourself feel better is by hurting others? That’s just a sign of weakness.
Skylar: You think this is weakness? You obviously do not understand the meaning of weakness. That little freshman thing is the weak one. She never stands up for herself. She is just a stupid coward.
Caitlin: She is not a coward. She is the strong one for not stepping up to you and your friend’s level. If she did that, then she too would be a coward like you.

The bell rang to warn students that class is starting so each of them went to class and then a couple of hours later, it was lunch time for Luna. When she got to the cafeteria, she went to go sit down alone but then the bullies came.
Zebulun: Well look who is sitting alone once again. What no friends still? That’s not surprising. It just looks like your only friends are your brother and the other freak girl.
Luna: She is not a freak and she has a name.
Zebulun: Do I care what her name is? No I do not.
Luna: Can you just leave me alone so I can eat?
Zebulun: *Chuckles* At the weight you are, I don’t think you need to be eating.

Luna rolled her eyes and pushed her food away once again, then took a drink of her soda and a few seconds later she started coughing and her face was turning red and she couldn’t breathe so Zebulun took her to the nurse and told her that Luna was choking on her soda then he left her. The nurse did not really understand what had happened but she did what she could to take care of her but when the end of the day came, Luna was still a little ill but managed to make it to the bus. When she got on the bus, the bullies were there but the brother wasn’t.
Skylar: I see your brother abandoned you.
Luna: No he didn’t?
Skylar: Really? Then explain the reason to why he is in another car driving away.
Luna: He is going to take his driver’s test.
Skylar: Or he is just leaving you.

Luna ignored him and the other bullies and for the rest of the ride, they didn’t speak until they got off the bus and the bus drove away. Zebulun walked up to Luna and pushed her to the ground.
Zebulun: Sorry you were in my way of crossing the street.

Luna was about to speak but then she noticed a car coming in full speed. She looked ahead to where the bullies were and she seen that Zebulun was right in the way so she ran and just on time, pushed him out of the way and he was safe but there was a loud noise and when they looked behind them, she was in the middle of the rode lying dead. They didn’t know what else to do besides call the police and Parrish.

When Parrish got to the place, Luna was already being taken away and one of the officers went to Parrish.
Officer: Are you the brother?
Parrish: Yea, I am. What happened? Is she ok?
Officer: I’m terribly sorry but your sister is no longer alive. These teenagers called us and told us there was an accident and when we got here, this girl was sitting near your sister’s body.
Parrish: Where is the girl? Did she have anything to do with this?
Officer: We’re not sure, she left when we get here.

Parrish drove home after talking to the officer and told his mother the news and they were both torn. A few days later, they had a funeral for Luna. When Parrish was in front of everyone who attended the funeral, he looked in the back and saw the bullies and on the other side, he saw Caitlin and he held his breath to not say anything that he would regret.
Parrish: Luna hid a lot from her mother and I. We didn’t know what she was going through until it was too late. She was bullied every day both physically and verbally. The morning of her death, I finally asked her why she wore a sweater but all she said was that she was cold but now I know the real reason. She was covered in bruises and scars. She was even starving herself. At the breakfast and dinner table, she would only eat a little then ask to be excused. We thought she just had a low appetite but the real reason was because she was bullied about her weight even though she weighed 92 pounds. I remember hearing her crying late at night but when I went to go ask her what was wrong, she just said she was missing her father but after finding a note in her backpack, the secrets are no longer secrets. On this note, she wrote:





“It’s the same thing every day. Constant bullying. Constant beatings. It’s all never ending. It’s all too much to handle and I just don’t know what to do anymore. I try to speak up, but I’m too afraid, so I stay quiet. Every night when I’m alone in my room, I find relief in my closest enemy but friend at the same time. My blade is always there for me, I always feel better as I feel the blood rushing and my mind is set to nothing but the blade.
In school, I’m always being told that I’m not skinny enough and that I shouldn’t be here and many other things I’d rather not write down. In my classes, when the teacher is out, the kids push me around, throw me to the floor, and punch and kick me until I bleed. In the cafeteria, I can’t even eat. And at home, I have my loving mother and brother but my father and sister are both gone.
When I go to sleep at night, I lay there and cry. Everything is just on replay throughout my mind but how can I let my family know? What would they think of me?”

Just as Parrish went to say something else, the bullies stood up. They said it was them who caused her death and Zebulun admitted to adding medicine to her drink. The mother called the police and the police came but before they took the bullies away, Caitlin mentioned how it was her fault because she wasn’t there to stop Luna from dying even though all along, she knew something bad was going to happen. But then Parrish started to think and it came to his mind that it was his fault because he didn’t ride home with her, instead he went to get his license. Then the officer that spoke to Parrish came in and told them what has really happened. He told them that by investigating, and by the cameras that Luna saved Zebulun from losing his life. When Zebulun heard this, he couldn’t believe it. He didn’t know why Luna would do such a thing even after him and his friends bullied her almost all year but then Caitlin spoke up and said that Luna did that because she cared about everyone, all she wanted was for others to be happy. It was the true sign of strength. Luna gave up her own life to let someone else keep their life and she would have done that for anyone.