Chapter 5: Save me. I'm here.

—Luna

"Why the hell are you here, Luna?" Her eyes darted at me when I entered the back door.

"I worked here obviously" I took off my jacket and sat down for a bit because my body starts to feel heavy again.

Before going to work I checked my temperature and it's 39 degrees. It's not that high right? I mean I can still work though, it's just a fever. It'll go away once I get used to my schedule again.

"No! You're not going to work! You're so hard headed, my god!" She came close to me and checked my temperature using her hand and comparing it to hers.

"Damn, Luna! You're burning up! Go home now. You need to rest your ass or else it'll get worse"

"But I need to work," Riley crossed her arms above her chest.

"Or else what? God knows how overworked you are, Luna! You work all day long and you don't even get enough sleep. You should rest or else you'll be fucked up. Do you hear me? I'll spell it out for you. F-U-C-K-E-D U-P! Fucked up! Don't act like you're a superhero who likes to abuse her body! You know that there will be a time that your body will get back to you after you abuse it while you're young!"

I smile at her and she groans in frustration because I am so determined to work today. No one's gonna stop me.

…

The lights were flickering to the rhythm of the music. I can feel my heartbeat joining the sound.

I always encounter this but I can't get used to it. The work at the bar is so tiring because aside from doing the waitress thingy you'll have to deal with different kinds of customers. The good and nasty ones. Sometimes you'll get hit on and you just have to act like you don't care and decline them properly.

They all have the same reason why they came here. It is to get drunk and forget all the things that's been bothering them. To party and makeout with strangers is the second on the list.

I just can't believe that there are people who pay thousands just for drinks to have fun. I still don't get it. Like how much does fun cost because ever since I was a child I've been dying to know its price.

I want to experience it as well. Because when you have fun, happiness will come along with it. So it's like winning two prizes at once.

Before I thought that getting adopted was the only way to feel happiness because I was always watching and observing kids getting adopted and their smiles are contagious.

Getting adopted is a dream that every orphan has always wanted to achieve but when I experienced the worst of being adopted by a family I no longer included myself as one.

You're lucky enough if you get into a family who genuinely accepts and considers you as their true family.

I was about to let myself drown with my own thoughts when I heard a glass shattered.

I quickly grabbed the broom, gloves and dustpan and rushed to where the location was.

"Cienna, you can't just create a scene like you're a five years old kid throwing a tantrum" The voice sounds so familiar so I lowered my head, got down on my knees and started to wipe the liquid that splash on the floor.

"I don't fucking care if people are watching me! They don't even know me, so what?"

I heard him groan in frustration. Probably losing his temper with this...I glanced to the woman's side and our eyes met.

"What the fuck are you looking at? Do your job! Clean up this mess"

Don't mind her, Luna. Breathe. This is just one of those customers you always encounter. You know how to deal with this so suck it up!

"Yes, Ma'am" I complied and started picking up the broken pieces of the glass.

I was about to finish it off but someone grabbed my hand and forced me to stand up. I stared at his face and the worry in his eyes flashed.

"You're hot," He whispered.

I know! Kidding! My god, Luna! Stop that! You're crazy!

"What the freak are you doing, Devon? Let her finish her job! Now!"

"Pick it yourself! You did this mess and you can't just order everyone around to clean this up" His voice sounded like thunder.

The woman immediately grabbed the broom and swept the floor. She also grabbed the gloves off my hand.

Devon suddenly pulled me and walked towards the exit.

I saw Dale mouthed the words, "You, bitch!" and Riley was beside her standing, eyes widened and probably shocked because of the scene of me leaving with a man.

Dale probably knows about him. She always has this look on her face like she wants to sing that Tiktok sound 'I know something you don't I know something you will never know'

I heard the woman called for Devon's name but he didn't even bother to look back. His steps were fast and obviously in a hurry.

I stopped my tracks so he looked back at me. His eyebrows furrowed and without saying a word he carried me in a bridal type of way.

"Put me down!" I demanded while I threw punches on his shoulder.

But that didn't do anything. It was useless.

I ended up sitting in the passenger seat while torturing myself with the cold and silent atmosphere inside the car.

…

"You can worn yourself out all day long but can't even do one single thing that is very important." He sounded mad.

I don't care! He doesn't have any right to be mad.

"Sir, pull over" I said.

"Don't play tricks on me, Luna. Stop pretending like you don't know me. And avoid threatening me with calling the cops cause I'm not buying it"

The gut of this man!

"Ugh! Where the hell are we going?" I asked.

His eyes were fixed on the road and hands were busy with the steering wheel.

"Hospital" He replied.

"Why would we go there?" I know it's obvious but I want him to talk so I played dump a little.

"Your fever is high, you need to get meds"

"I can take care of myself, no need to go there so do a U-Turn and I'm going to go back to the bar. I still have work to do"

"Who said that I will let you?" My eyes rolled heavenwards because he was causing me a headache.

"Take care? Of yourself? Are you serious?"He scoffed. "As if you can do that properly. You have a high fever still you insist on working instead of resting your body to feel better. Don't make me laugh, Luna"

"God! Why do you care? This is my life, okay? If I die because of being over fatigue then let me! You're literally just a stranger so please mind your own goddamn business!"

I didn't expect the next thing he did. He suddenly stepped on the brake. My eyes widened.

Like what the fuck? Does he want me dead?

"How dare you call me a complete stranger? How could you act like we are? We've been friends for years in the orphanage before. Is this how you treat your friend after several years of living different lives?"

He didn't raise his voice. It was just cold and too flat.

I inhaled and exhaled and faced him. He was looking outside and fist was holding the steering wheel tightly.

"Look, Devon. I will admit that I pretended not to recognize you because I am mad. I'm mad at you!"

He faced me and spoke.

"Why are you mad?"

"Because you freaking broke your promise!"

His brows furrowed in confusion.

"I didn't. I came back for you as soon as I turned 18 but you're no longer there."

"Because I was adopted right before you even came. Do you even know how long I waited for you to come and save me from that damn hellhole? Do you even know how hard it was for me to end up in a family that treats you like you're just some freeloader they adopted to be their slave? You don't have a clue how much I waited for myself to die because I know no ones going to save me…..even you"

I tried so hard not to let these tears fall but guess what? My eyes were a pair of traitors. The tears started to fall and slide to my cheeks.

I heard him cursed under his breath.

He faced me again and cupped my cheeks. My vision is blurry because of the tears that kept on coming.

I can't stop myself. I just let it all out cause I'm tired. My walls totally collapsed and showed him this weak side of me.

He wiped my eyes using his thumb and smiled bitterly.

"I'm sorry for not being there. I'm sorry for being late, and I'm sorry for not being able to save you when you're drowning. I know you needed me in those times and I'm sorry for not being around" He pulled me close to his chest and hugged me tight.

"Don't worry, I'm here. I will protect you from everything. I'll be by your side and I will not go anywhere. You're safe with me"

The moment I closed my eyes was when I embraced the darkness. I let my body feel all the emotions I've been trying to ignore.

All I could think of while floating in this pain is his words.

He assured me with his words for the 2nd time.

Should I trust him again?.....