Pushing Me Away

(Narrator/Luna's POV)

Morning couldn't have come quick enough, Luna thought to herself as she was locked away in the bathroom, getting herself presentable for her job interview in a half an hour. Adam was still fast asleep which she took as the perfect opportunity to try and cover up the marks from the night before. It was deemed useless though, in the end, because no matter how much foundation and concealer she applied, light tints of the purple bruising still shown through. She was on the brink of giving up when she drew in a sharp, deep breath and pulled herself together. She needed this job, she needed to start saving so she could finally get away from Adam. She also thought that maybe if her wounds were showing, they would catch the attention of someone, that way maybe they could see she was in trouble and offer help. Who am I kidding? She thought again to herself, shaking her head slightly. That was just too perfect of a world to be thinking of. No one cared, especially total strangers. She was in this alone. "I'm leaving now, Adam. Goodbye." I say lowly, barely above a whisper as I grab my bag and rush for the bedroom door. He quickly grabs a hold my hand, blocking my escape. "Come back." Was all he mutters before releasing me and rolling back over onto his side. I shudder, chills running through my body.

I anxiously started on the small walk to the cafe a couple blocks from Adam's home where the manager was awaiting my arrival. I don't see why Adam wanted me to come back, he was going to be busy with that woman anyway. I only wish that I was stronger, that I had more courage, then I would't be in this position. I could just leave and never have to suffer at the hands of him again. But what about him? That sentence kept repeating over and over in my mind all night and morning. I kept my mind busy about the unknown man, he seemed so intriguing. I truly wished that I could somehow meet him, as unethical as that sounded. He needed to know that Adam wasn't only destroying one life, he was destroying two. I needed out, I needed to break free from this nightmare. As I rounded the last corner, my eyes instantly made contact with a lone man, walking with his head hung low and his hands shoved deep in his pockets. I could tell from the look in his eyes as he stopped a few feet away from me to be greeted by another man with dark hair and a goatee, he was heartbroken. It was such a shame, too. He was a very handsome looking man, tattooed skin and short hair, who could ever hurt him so badly? I immediately felt terrible for him.

As Luna watched the man and his friend walk inside, she realized they were going to the same place as she was. To her surprise, the man had held the door open for her, a small but weak smile coming to his face as she thanked him politely. Wow, she thought, even his voice sounded intoxicating. Luna had never felt like this towards anyone else besides Adam, but that feeling had died long ago. She wasn't even sure she was capable of having feelings towards someone else again, but with this man, it felt different. She just couldn't seem to shake off the feeling like if she was supposed to somehow meet this man, bu chance. Ignoring her gut feeling, Luna slowly approached the counter, letting the cashier know that she was there to meet with the hiring manager for an interview this morning. She paid for a small cup of coffee before waiting at one of the small lounge tables for the manager to appear. She kept her gazed somewhat fixed on her phone while a part of her kept glancing quickly every so often over at the men seated at a table across from her. The man with the sad look in his eyes kept his stare glued to the floor while his friends seemed to try their best to help comfort him, from what she could tell. "Luna? Hi, I'm Eric." The manager suddenly spoke, tearing her mind away.

(Chester's POV/Narrator)

"Listen man, I know you're hurting right now, but we've got bigger things to worry about. Are you sure you're going to be able to handle leaving? Especially with, well, you know..." Joe's voice travels some at the end as I clearly understand what point he is trying to make. They're all worried about Ava, about how she's clearly inviting strangers into my own home, about how she could try to take everything away while I was gone. But to me, nothing really mattered anyway, she had already taken everything, including my heart and soul. I was already empty, I could care less if she took anything materialistic or of value from me. To me, love and happiness were the only two things that mattered and as of these past two years, since I married Ava, actually, both of those things were gone. She didn't love me anymore, she wasn't happy with me anymore, and quite frankly, neither was I. But she refused to accept it and instead continued finding solace with someone else. I tried to make her see that this wasn't meant to go on any longer, but she wouldn't take no for an answer.

But I guess I was partly to blame, too. I kept trying to deny the fact that our love was falling apart, I kept trying to salvage what little bit of feeling was still there. Even now, the thought that she was going to be meeting with this Adam person, at my house, more than likely doing things in my bed, tortured me to the core. It truly sickened and disgusted me to think that the private moments I've shared with her in that bed have already been tainted by someone else. I try to keep my attention focused on what the guys are saying, but my mind seems to have already wandered off into far away places. I catch myself staring over at the woman sitting across from me, her grey eyes are what seem to be keeping me there. She has long black hair, her skin is a pale shade of white. She's simply breath taking, to be honest. But something seems to be wrong, I had noticed it from the minute I saw her face when I had held the door open for her. She looked sad, almost crushed. I knew how it felt to feel that way though, it wasn't easy. She's talking to the owner of the place and from the looks of it, it's not going too well. I instantly feel a sense of pain for her, wishing I somehow could help. I notice as the conversation ends and the man walks away from her, she quickly shields her face with her hands, trying to hide the fact that she's about to cry.

Chester suddenly gets up from his seat, leaving his band mates confused as to where he could be headed. He casually strolls over to where the woman was still seated, her body instantly tensing up the minute he says one word to her. Her face is frozen in place as she looks up at him slowly. "I don't mean to bother you, but you seem upset. Do you mind if I sit?" Completely stunned and shocked by his actions, the woman dismisses his comment. "I'm fine, thank you for asking and your concern. But I have to go now." She stands from her spot before turning to leave, her voice is so soft and delicate, Chester can't help but to sigh as he watches her walk away. Like a flash of light, the dark haired woman is gone from his sights as he returns back to his table where the others are unfazed by his actions. That was the type of person Chester was, caring and passionate about the world and the people in it. He was always striving to help, no matter what the situation may be. His friend's praise him for his kind and instinctive nature, but tell him that the important thing was that he at least tried to offer help. "She definitely looked pretty upset, but I'm sure she'll be fine." I try to let Mike's words sink in, but I still can't let the image of her slip away. She was beautiful, but so sad.

(Luna's POV/Narrator)

As I walk back home, defeated and now more heartbroken, I start to suddenly think of the man who spoke to me before I had left. Why did I have to hide my true feelings? Why did I have to lie about everything? Why did I have to hide from it all? Yes, I'm upset. No, I won't be fine. Please, sit with me. Help me. I felt the tears start to pour down my face as I now turned my walk into a slow strut. I didn't want to face Adam, I didn't want him to know that I didn't get the job, it was his fault anyways. If he hadn't of beat me so badly the night before and left me looking so horrible, I probably would have gotten it. I sat down on a lone bench, trying my hardest to get a hold of my emotions before I walked in the front door. But it was useless, it didn't stop. Especially when all she could think about was that in a matter of hours, Adam would be out the front door and on his way to sleep with another woman. It absolutely crushed her that he was doing whatever he pleased while she lay alone at home, crying, battered and bruised and blaming herself for the problems that her and Adam had in their marriage. It wasn't fair, this wasn't how life was supposed to be. "Excuse me." She looked up, her eyes widening in shock. It was that man from the coffee shop. "Yes?" He sits beside me, a sympathetic smile on his lips as he hands me a tissue for my face.

"You left your book." He hands me my appointment book that I must of had forgotten when I left in such a hurry. I thank him softly before tucking it away inside my bag. "You're clearly not fine, either. Can I at least know your name?" I hesitate greatly, my lungs seeming to run out of air as I feel like gasping for breath. Somehow I manage to stutter out my name but barely audible enough for him to hear. "Luna? Like the moon, that's a beautiful name. I'm Chester." He sticks his hand out for me to shake with I do very weakly. "Nice to meet you." I say softer now, clearly afraid that I had just let this mystery man know my name. But he didn't seem to pose a threat, he genuinely seemed concerned and interested in my well being. "It's okay if you don't feel comfortable talking to me, I know I'm a stranger. But just so you know, it never hurts to ask for help." I can't find any words or sounds to make as he says those words. It was truly as if he was seeing deep down inside my soul somehow. Like if he could read my thoughts, like if he could understand exactly what I was wanting to really say but my voice wouldn't allow me to. Could this be the sign that I had been waiting for?

Luna suddenly felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She excused herself from the man, now known as Chester, before answering it. Adam's voice sounded irritated and harsh on the other end. He wanted to know what could possibly be taking her so long to return to him, that he had important business meetings to attend to and couldn't be late for them. She felt the urge to scream at him, to tell him that she was never coming back and that she knew about his so called "meetings". But of course, the imaginary chains on her courage stayed restricted tightly and she spoke quietly and submissively, telling him that she would be there in a few moments as she was just finishing up her interview. Again, she thought. Again she had to go and hide behind all her lies in order to save herself from another beating. Even though she could tell that from the sound of things, Adam was going to punish her for being so inconsiderate and so disregarding of his feelings. She hung up slowly before returning her attention back on Chester, who surprisingly enough, still sat there patiently, waiting for her to finish with her matters. "I'm so sorry, I have to go." She says, a hint of sadness clearly evident in her voice. Chester's face falls but the smile still never leaves his lips.

He puts a hand to her shoulder before telling her that he is sorry for intruding on her privacy. She assures him that it was fine, that she actually enjoyed talking with him even if it was only for a minute. She again thanks him for returning her book and watches as the two of them split off into opposite directions, there she can see his friends waiting for him a few feet down the road. She feels the tears immediately start to fall again after he is out of sight. There he goes, she thought. There goes the only chance I had at finally finding an escape route. She is a mere couple of houses away from Adam's, the anxiety and fear building up steadily the closer she had got. She then suddenly remembers her planner, wondering, hoping, praying, that somehow there would be a note from Chester in there. She takes it out as fast as she can before practically flying through the pages. It was empty, there wasn't anything in there. She wipes away the stray tear that falls onto one of the pages, looking down in complete disappointment. It was too good to be true, of course he wasn't going to just up and leave a note for her, he didn't even know her. She tucks it away back inside before eventually reaching the door. She unlocks it and turns the knob slowly. It wasn't even a full minute inside the house when she see's Adam standing on the other side, waiting for her with his hand in a tight fist. She's unable to cry or scream at this point as he takes a handful of her hair.

(Chester's POV)

"Luna. Her name is Luna." Mike's eyes grow a little wide as I tell them the name of the beautiful woman who I had tried to speak with in the coffee shop. "She's a real beauty, Chazzy. But she's probably taken or something." I shrug my shoulders some, not really concerned about that at the moment. Besides, from the way she spoke on the phone and the way she acted and was so upset, the person she must be with sounds like a complete monster. I then remember the own fate that I must endure as I look down at my phone and see that Ava had texted for the tenth time this last hour, making sure that I didn't come home until the time that I was supposed to because she was having her own private time. Yeah, sure, if you call cheating on your husband and having sex with another man whose married as well your own private time then I guess me talking with another woman and leaving her my phone number wasn't such a bad move then either. Her book, shit. "Hey, Chester! Do you hear that?" I suddenly focus my attention on the sounds of screaming and yelling that could be heard coming from a few houses away from where we were standing.

Chester and the guys raced up the street quickly, but as fast as they heard the fighting, the faster it was gone. They couldn't make out which house it came from either as the sounds of silence quickly filled in the gap. Chester now felt even more heartbroken, there was another person he just couldn't save in time. He only hoped that it wasn't Luna in trouble.