"If I ever fall in love and kiss a guy, shoot me," Luna declared after watching Festus, her little brother, pick his nose and eat the booger.
Del Luna had a love-hate relationship with her brothers; she often rationalized her mixed feelings. They stemmed from how she could never understand their boyishness and how they treated her like a princess while expecting her to be fine with their nasty behaviors.
To her, she lived with trolls. Festus was the worst, but she would do anything for him and the others.
"You most definitely will fall in love, and not only that…" Jayden shot at her, "Tell her, Jamie," he nodded to his big brother, who was busy on his phone.
Without even looking up, Jamie joined in, "You'll kiss him, smooch him, and have his babies and—"
"Gross, Jamie! You always go further than you need to," Jared, the eldest, cut in. "I don't think I want my little sister around a guy…" he turned to Luna, who was now burning bright with embarrassment.
They did this to her at every chance they got.
"Guys! Stop it," her voice fluttered as she tried to shun her brothers, who were now laughing at her bright face.
"Ugh!" She stood up from the couch she was sitting on and walked out of the room, screaming, "I hate you guys! I'm telling Mum!"
But none of them heard — or pretended not to — and kept on laughing.
Her pale face was still red as she went out to the garden in search of her mum. Luna was not the last child; she had two brothers after her — Fred and Festu — and three before her: Jared, Jamie, and Jayden. However, she felt her parents favored her more than her siblings; after all, she was the different one.
Aside from being a girl, Del Luna lacked the features her brothers shared. Unlike her brothers' olive skin, dark curly hair, and brown or hazel eyes, Del Luna was different. She was pale-skinned, with hair so white it could pass as silver in the moonlight.
If only it ended there — but she also had protruding purple eyes that changed color with the light.
She used to be bullied about how she looked at school — until her brothers found out and made her bullies pay. Unfortunately, Jared and Jamie were arrested after the incident, but they were still glad they stepped in, and their parents were understanding.
Luna sometimes wondered if her parents were her biological parents, but she never thought to ask because they loved her so much that she didn't care if they were or not. Her dad did his part in making her feel less different and more loved by singing her praises.
Luna might not admit it to anyone, but she loved being praised.
When she was younger, her father would sing, "Del Luna, extraordinary beauty, humans can't comprehend," then he would pick her up and swing her around, making her laugh and giggle. Now, she refused to be picked up. At twelve, she considered herself a woman in her prime.
Luna had not gone all the way down into the garden when she found her mum nestled with a plant. She was singing to it as she watered it.
Her mum was so beautiful, with black locs that fell to her waist, kind big brown eyes, and the warmest smile. She was wearing a brown overall, a glove on her left hand, and a straw hat that allowed her long locs to fall beautifully.
"Mum! The boys are at it again — they're making fun of me," she reported immediately after she got to her mum's hearing.
Bella laughed as she dropped her watering can and walked up to meet her daughter, who was now sulking. She tried to hold her laughter in, but Luna's expression made her laugh harder.
"I am so sorry, Luna," she said between breaths and choking laughter.
"Mum! You're not supposed to be laughing. They said I will kiss him, smooch him, and have his baby," she squealed.
"Whose baby?" Bella asked as she stopped laughing and held her daughter's hands with her right hand.
Luna looked up at her mum's face. "The man I fall in love with."
"Oh," Bella softly replied. "Don't you want to fall in love?" she asked.
"I do not! Boys are gross! Look at my brothers," Luna quickly shot back.
This made her mum start another session of laughter.
"Come on, Mummy," Luna whined in frustration.
It took a minute before Bella could stop laughing. "Luna, listen to me good, okay?"
Luna nodded in response.
"Boys are gross — they are." They both wrinkled their faces in disgust and smiled at their solidarity.
"But they are also the best. They love you, support you, protect and provide for you. As you get older, you will realize this and enjoy it — I promise you," Bella assured her daughter.
"Okay, Mummy, I trust you. So I'll fall in love with a boy and experience all of that." Luna smiled and hugged her mum, who smelled like fresh lavender.
Bella's face constricted into a frown as a thought came to her mind. She pulled Luna away from her body, held her gently on the shoulders, then sternly looked at her.
"As you grow older, you just might meet a man who will consume your whole world and leave you begging for more. Try not to fall in love with him," she smiled, but Luna heard the desperation in her voice.
"Why, Mummy? You said I could fall in love with a boy," she probed.
Bella took a second to wash away any emotion that might try to play across her face or be portrayed in her tone.
"Yes. Yes, you can. But he has to be a man who will provide safety and warmth to your life and your family members. Remember, we are a big part of you, and we all survive together."
Thousands of questions were running through Luna's mind, yet she trusted her mum. She promised,
"Okay, Mum."
She smiled again and hugged her mother, who kissed her forehead and held her tighter.
At that moment, Bella made a silent prayer to the universe — to conceal Luna from her true roots and mate.