//moonlight - [rhett & link]

Chapter 1 - New day

                 *Rhett's POV*
                             —
it's a new day in the city of New York. My alarm goes off, 8:15 am. i wake up, grunting, i really don't wanna go to work today but i still have the strength to go. Waking up, i roll over and see my wife on her side sleeping, i kiss her cheek gently, thinking she's beautiful as always. i stand up, i go to the bathroom and fix my hair and brush my teeth for a total of five minutes. Going into the kitchen, excited for breakfast, i quickly grab all the needed ingredients to make banana pancakes. eggs, flour, bananas, butter, all that stuff. i grab a pan and put it on the stove, processing every step mentally. i put all the ingredients together in a bowl and with a smile on my face, i whisk the batter and pour it on the hot pan. i decide to make about four pancakes for myself and another two with caramel syrup, saved for later, for my wife. When the pancakes are ready, i slide them with my spatula on a plate and sit down. i quickly stand up to grab the whipped cream from the fridge and sit down again, putting a perfect layer of whipped cream on top. i start digging in and enjoying my meal.
-
once i finish my delicious banana pancakes, i get up and start to dress up for my morning shift. i decide to spray some cologne on me, just because why not. i put on a black with a subtle and fancy design buttoned-down shirt with a tie and skinny jeans, since it's quite cold today i wrap a grey scarf around my neck and a beanie, and lastly, brown timberland boots. i grab my phone, wallet, keys, and some tissues. before heading out, i stand before my door, i think about jessie, my wife, my heart rate slows down and i breathe slowly. really wishing i hadn't messed up, unfortunately i can't go back in time, but if i could, i would. gosh, i really would. But maybe i can't hide who i am anymore.
-
"I'm straight, right?" I think to myself.
My jaw suddenly clenches and i decide to quickly brush it off like nothing, i mentally slap myself and just head out.
As soon as i step outside, all the silence gets broken by the nosy and loud streets, cars and people of New York, i like it nonetheless. I put my hands in my pockets and walk my way to the bar, which is fortunately not too far from where i live. without any thoughts in my head except for the annoying, old men that i'm gonna have to serve far-too-many drinks to. After about 15-20 minutes, i arrive to the bar. "Neon Lights Bar" is the name of it, indeed in a noticeable neon green and red design. I check my phone for a bit and text a friend.
-
I put my phone in my pocket and enter, it surprises me how oddly cozy it is in here, despite all the men talking about inappropriate stuff at times and the overwhelming smell of beer, but i guess I got used to it. the thing is, i don't mind beer at all, but being constantly surrounded alcoholics kinda ruins, i don't know, my will of wanting alcohol. which is a good thing i guess, but let's be real, that still doesn't stop from me getting drunk and forgetting my problems often. Anyway, i greet my two co-workers, Derek (García) and Alexandra (Redwell), but here we call her Alex. Both of them are, very, attractive. Alexandra is a pretty, typical new york girl. but despite of it, she's actually quite nice, friendly and very bubbly. She enjoys food just as much as i do and it's great really, we bond over it and joke around. And hang out at least once a week, going out at lunch or dinner. And, well, Derek is quite charming, i don't know really know him that much, but we immediately connected when he first started the job here. He's really good at the job, i'm glad he works here. Derek has an olive tone skin, his subtle spanish accent, hence the amazing body, black hair and hazel, brown yellow-ish piercing eyes. Shit.
No, no, i did not just say that. I meant, Alexandra, right? Yeah...
-
Fuck. okay, i can't deny it. but whatever, okay? Maybe i can deny it, i can avoid it. all of it. I need to, for my sake, but mostly, for Jessie's. Whatever, i shrug it off. While slowly walking my way behind the bar (to finally start working), i look at my wedding ring with a slight frown. despite of alex and derek being busy cleaning out glasses and serving drinks, alex turns her head to me.
-
"Hey, you okay Rhett?" She asks with a hopeful smile.
"Yeah yeah, everything's fine, thank you" i say, rather, lie. but i couldn't bother her with this. not now anyway.
She nods, she probably knows i'm lying but doesn't wanna push it.
I sigh and quickly put on my name tag, not getting distracted by anything else. i just concentrate on serving the ones before me, i barely look at their faces. they're basically all the same to me, there are more men than women coming here, but when they do come, they dress up rather provocatively and talk seductively, which is fine, but when they start hitting on me, i get quite uncomfortable and i don't really know what to say, i haven't talked like that to a girl in awhile, haven't had sex in months either. and it's like i have forgotten everything, but couldn't admit it. i mean, i know how to talk dirty of course, but dear god, to a stranger? absolutely not. therefore, when they hit on me, i just say that i'm married. even though it feels like i've been divorced since i fucked up.
-
With all these thoughts in my head, i continue to carefully serve whiskey to an old man in from of me. And then a margarita to an old, lonely and sweet woman. most of the clients are in their fifties or sixties and watch whatever sports is on, some of them seem decent enough, others not so much. But, occasionally, many men in their thirties come here aswell, usually with a woman though.
Derek, Alexandra and i casually talk here and there between the shift. the vibe in here is often up-beat and rarely boring.
-
eventually, it's lunch time (12:30) and we close the bar for this time. i sigh out of causal boredom, but i'm glad lunch time is finally here. not really wanting to hang out, i decide to tell Alexandra.
"Hey, alex, i- i unfortunately don't really wanna hang out to lunch, i just remembered i brought my sandwich and i'd hate to waste it, is that alright?"
I ask confidently. How did i manage to come up with such a lie so quickly?
"Yeah of course, i uhm, have to see my friends right now and was hoping you wouldn't get upset, so glad this worked out." i nod and smile.
"i'm gonna catch you later if i can, see ya brother."  she waves at me and goes out the bar, i see her get in a taxi with another friend and i wave back at her before the taxi drives off. And clients have left.
Ah, it seems like it's only me.. and, Derek.
great, not awkward at all. i turn around and approach Derek with a smile, while he's still behind the bar, with many and many fancy and expensive bottles of alcohol behind him as decoration, cleaning glasses and adjusting the bottles under the counter. he notices me and smiles back, gosh, i suddenly feel strange, for a second. besides the sound of bottles and glasses, it's totally silent. i reach for a chair nearby and sit on it. he finally breaks the silence, thank god.
"Rhett, buddy, why don't you go have lunch? Didn't you have a sandwich? or would you spend the rest of the day here?"  he says jokingly, and chuckles.
"Well— y-yeah, you're right. i need to go now, hope you enjoy your lunch derek, see you tomorrow." I say, quite softly. i stand up and point my index finger towards him.
"Bye Rhett! Have a good day" his accent transcends through his sentence.
"You too, man" i reply, smiling back. and finally head out.
-
once i'm out of the bar, i just think to myself. jesus christ rhett, what the hell was that? i barely got out of that one, i don't know why i had to lie like that, but i did.
i guess, i guess i'm just in a weird mood today. i shrug it off, once again, walking down the street looking for a quiet and little restaurant, a strange feeling strikes my body and invades any thoughts, feeling it especially in my stomach. i just pretty much feel empty, lonely. i crave and need someone, who is unfortunately not my wife. i try to give feeling a reason and associate it with just being hungry, but, i do crave someone's warm touch, their breath underneath my neck, i'm just unsure. at this point.
the fresh breeze hits me, i continue to walk and looking down at my feet with my hands in my pockets.
-
looking to my left, i notice a quite large library, a bookstore sort of. it's got such an elegant and exclusive design inside of it, it just caught my attention. quite high-class vibe to it. i look up to see the name of it, "Link's Silkreads"
Wow, quite a catch really. I like it. i carefully look at every detail and see inside many people buying and observing the books. I'd really like to go in, but not only am i standing in people's way, but i'm also starving, i don't have my head straight right now. i decide to go, but before i could turn my head to the street, with the corner of my eye i notice a man who's looking at me, an average-heightened man with dark black hair pushed back, crystal blue eyes and with glasses, probably thinking i'm going to blow up the library for standing so long in front of it for no logical reason whatsoever, but he has a smile on nonetheless and shakes his head lightly, i turn my head to him fully, since he got my attention and, understanding the unspoken situation i become a bit embarrassed and awkwardly smile back. meanwhile people are passing by. his eyes look away and he scratches the back of his neck with his hand, holding a heavy book in the other. he seems like he's probably the owner of the library, perhaps. an what-it-seems employee of his is now talking to him, probably about a client or something. he speaks and nods, i still look at him, a bit puzzled. he softly waves at me and i bring up my left hand aswell, not really waving but. before i could even blink, he was gone. and my smile slowly drops. but before anyone could notice what happened, i rush to a mini restaurant of which i knew it was two blocks away, and head in.
-
i get in the short line, when it's my turn, i order a medium meatball sub and a lacroix, i sit down at my table. my sub arrives after 15 minutes, and, i finally enjoy every bite of it. thank god. even though i'm mostly alone, i don't feel lonely. i try not let negative thoughts get into my head at all, and just slowly eat my meal.
i finish and gulp it all down with a sip of water and clean my mouth with the napkin. i get up, pay and head out. not really wanting to go home and deal with my wife, if she was even there.
well, i check the time. 1:45 pm.
okay, i know she's not home, but at work, i could go home to enjoy some time alone watching tv or take a nap, going out later or something. i think to myself. i say screw it, and start walking and looking for a bus stop. after five minutes, a bus comes and i get in. slowly closing my eyes, the man from before pops into my mind and i can't get him out of it. he was, well, gorgeous. probably shy, but i like that.
—
*time skip*
—
i unlock my door and, ah, finally home! i say cheerfully, and throw myself onto the couch and turn on the tv.
after two episodes of the office, i stretch and yawn. I mumble underneath my breath, remembering i have a night shift at the bar. i just lay down on the couch, and, the man from the library rushes back into my mind. he was, truly an enigma. he had something to him, he was wearing a red and black plaid shirt and black jeans, a golden watch on his wrist. now, i'm wondering more now than ever about who he is, how he acts and his overall personality. I'm really considering about checking out the library, maybe it's not so bad. not to mention i haven't read a book in years, maybe this could be something.
i try not to think about him, i sigh, managing to fall asleep in a matter of minutes.

—

// hello!! i'm anna, i hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter/introduction to this book! sorry if it was longer than intended, i promise the upcoming chapters aren't gonna be this long. but yeah, please let me know if you want any more by commenting and liking!
thank you so much :)
~
sincerely yours,
anna <3