Chapter 6 Silenced

• Luna’s POV
• Justin slept in. Great. My morning routine when he stays over is usually pretty solid, but today? I’m starting the day already frustrated, and last night certainly didn’t help. He spent hours acting like I didn’t exist, and when he finally did notice me, he... well, he finished before I even had the chance to get into it. It was over so fast I barely had time to get wet. And now, here he is, sitting across from me at the breakfast table with that stupid grin on his face like everything’s fine.
• I bite my lip, staring at him, wondering how things got this way. When we first started dating, he couldn’t keep his hands off me. He used to worship me. Now? Now it feels like I’m some chore he needs to check off his to-do list. It’s been a year, but the passion... it’s just not the same.
• “Justin,” I whisper, my voice hesitant, as if I’m trying to test the waters. He looks up from his breakfast, nodding as if he’s listening. I mean, I guess he is listening, but is he really paying attention?
• How do I even say this? How do I tell him that the sex just isn’t doing it for me anymore? 'Hey, Justin, I’m sorry, but lately, you’ve been finishing so quick I barely even get started.' I can already imagine how that conversation will go.
• “What, Luna?” he asks, his smile still firmly in place as he strokes my hand like it’s just another normal morning.
• Before I can even figure out how to start the conversation, he suddenly stands up, walking over to his jacket. He rummages around in the pocket and pulls out a small box, returning to the table with a wide grin on his face. “Happy anniversary,” he says, placing the box in front of me.
• I blink at it, feeling the tension in my chest tighten. “That’s not today, Justin,” I say softly, confused.
• He shrugs, still smiling like everything’s perfect. “No, but I figured, for this week, you get a gift every day.” He leans forward, planting a kiss on my lips.
• And just like that, any chance of having the conversation I was about to start evaporates. How the hell can I bring up my frustrations now? I look down at the earrings in the box, a beautiful pair that probably cost more than I’d like to think about, and force a smile as I kiss him back.
• “Thank you,” I whisper, running my fingers over the delicate jewelry.
• “When are you going to move in with me?” he asks casually, as if he hasn’t just blindsided me with the whole gift thing. I shrug, unsure of what to say.
• I like my space. I’ve always liked it. Yes, it’s been a year, but the thought of giving up my little apartment, my freedom, and moving in with him makes me feel trapped. He must sense my hesitation because he smiles again, that same carefree smile that always makes me feel like everything’s easy for him.
• “Don’t worry about it, babes. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.” He pauses for a moment, then adds, “But just think about it. Your stalker wouldn’t be able to follow you so easily if you were living with me.”
• I chew my lip, knowing he’s right. If I moved in with him, it might be harder for the creepy gifts and messages to keep showing up. But moving in together already? I’m just not ready for that.
• He kisses me again, brushing the concern away with his usual charm. “Think it over, okay?”
• I nod, feeling the weight of the unspoken conversation still pressing down on me. Part of me hopes he’ll leave soon, so I can have some time to myself before work, maybe a chance to... relieve some tension. But, of course, he’s in no hurry. He starts talking about the party this Friday, and possibly going back to his after, and I cringe at the thought.
• At my place, there’s no space for people to crash. It’s small, cozy—just enough room for me. But his place? If the guests go there after, all of his friends will stay over, and it’ll be impossible to get any alone time. I don’t want to be stuck playing hostess while he ignores me all night, just like last time.
• “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car,” he says, standing up and grabbing his keys. “Just in case your stalker’s lurking.” He winks, and I groan inwardly. He always treats the stalker thing like it’s some kind of joke, and it drives me crazy.
• As we walk outside, his words hang in the air. “Tomorrow should be interesting,” he says quietly.
• I frown, turning to face him. “What do you mean?”
• “Will your stalker know it’s your birthday?” he asks with a raised eyebrow. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. God, I hope not. His gifts are weird enough on normal days—what would he send on my birthday?
• Justin kisses me briefly as I get into the car, his smile as confident as ever. I drive to work, my mind still spinning with thoughts of what my stalker could have planned for tomorrow. It’s unsettling, and Justin’s casual attitude about it only makes it worse.
• At work, Lucy waves me over the moment I walk in, her face already set in a dramatic pout. “Again?” she asks, sitting down beside me.
• I nod, feeling the weight of it all. “Yeah, again.”
• “Did you talk to him about it?”
• “I was going to,” I sigh, leaning back in my chair. “But then he gave me one of the anniversary gifts, and I just... I couldn’t bring it up. I mean, it’s not like he’s using me, but he’s just...” I trail off, not even sure how to explain it.
• “He’s not giving you time,” Lucy says knowingly. Then, her face lights up. “Wait! I have the perfect idea!”
• I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t think I’m going to like your idea.”
• She laughs. “No, seriously! Sexy lingerie, leave a brand-new toy out on the bed, and send him some teasing messages. Tell him you want to be punished for hours.”
• I laugh at first, but then I consider it. Maybe she’s right? Maybe this is the way to get his attention without coming off as demanding. Maybe it’s the playful push he needs to take his time with me again.
• “I think I need to go shopping after work,” I announce, and Lucy beams.
• “I’m coming with you! We’ll find the perfect outfit to have him squirming.”
• I glance at my phone, still amazed it’s functioning after I dropped it in the bath yesterday. “Do you think he’s bored of me?” I ask quietly.
• Lucy shakes her head. “Not bored. Just settled. It happens in every relationship. You just need to spice it up.”
• Before I can respond, Joseph, our boss, calls over to us. “Lucy, Luna, are you planning to do any work today?”
• Lucy snickers, dragging her laptop closer to her. “We’re doing it, Joseph,” she mutters, throwing me a wink.
• “We’ll fix it,” she whispers to me. “It’s just a bump in the road, nothing more.”
• But it feels like more. It feels like Justin doesn’t care anymore. I sigh, looking down at my desk. “He doesn’t even care about the stalker stuff, Lucy. Most guys would be worried, but he just laughs it off like it’s no big deal.”
• Lucy’s eyes widen. “Wait, did something else happen?”
• I nod, lowering my voice. “There was a heart drawn on my window. And then, when I was in the bath, I got a call. Heavy breathing, a grunt, and then he growled my name. I swear, he was... touching himself. Or maybe with someone else.”
• “What did Justin say?”
• “He laughed. Thought I was overreacting because the guy only said my name,” I admit, my frustration bubbling to the surface again.
• Lucy frowns, trying to process it. “Maybe Justin doesn’t see the danger? He’s a guy, you know. If you’d seen the stalker inside or noticed things moved around, maybe then he’d care. But if they’re just watching from outside... maybe he doesn’t get it?”
• “Lucy, Luna!” Joseph snaps again, and we both laugh.
• “Okay, okay, we’re working,” I say, pulling my focus back to the screen in front of me. But my mind is elsewhere, torn between my relationship with Justin and the unsettling presence of my stalker. What is he doing right now?