Moonstar

Guillotine - Urbandub

Beat, I trudge up the stairs to my old flat. I haven't had enough time to rest or even properly breathe since this morning. Between taking up someone else's cleaning schedule to racing to my full time shift at the resto, my part-time job at the bookstore normally provides me with much needed reprieve; however, that wasn't the case today with deliveries piled to be stored and displayed. I'm not complaining though. Work equates to pay, and I badly need the money now.

I'm fishing for my keys in the smaller pocket of my knapsack when the door swings open and out walks Zach and Maira.

"Luna, where have you been?" Maira asks the moment she sees me. "Where'd you spend the night?"

"At a friend's," is all the answer I offer her, walking into the four-bedroom flat. In its perpetual state of slight mess with the coffee table littered with song and chord printouts, cigarette packs and lighters. The kitchen sink with a few dirty dishes, a coat hanging down a chair's back, shoes scattered by the door.

Following close behind me as I head straight to my room, Maira continues her inquisition. "A friend? You mean that blonde cutie at The Garage last night?"

"His name's Apollo," Zach interjects. "But he also answers to golden boy to me. Yah know, 'cause we're tight."

"Whatever." She rolls her eyes at him before turning her attention back to me. "Hey, what are you doing?" she asks when I pull out my suitcase from underneath the single bed I used to call mine up until yesterday.

I turn to find her and Zach leaning at each side of the door jamb like a fucking tag team read to take me on. I hate doing this to them. They're great roommates despite Maira constantly having a stick up her ass and Zach's nosiness. But I need to do this for myself.

"I'm moving out. Sorry, this was abrupt-,"

"You're moving out!" Maira screeches, and Zach and I wince at the same time. "What the hell, Luna?"

"Have you found a place to move in yet?" Zach asks, understanding clear in his eyes.

"I'm checking out a place tomorrow," I say, turning towards my closet.

There's not much for me to pack. Mostly clothes, a pair of flat sandals I rarely use, and my laptop. I fight the temptation to just shove all my shit into the case. I'm no longer as mad as I was yesterday. Now, I'm just over it. What's done is done. Move on. The end.

The two of them watch me in mostly awkward silence punctuated by Maira's whispered whines and Zach's hushed reproach towards her. Halfway through the task, Maira, no longer able to hold herself back, huffs and stomps down the hall. The sounds of a angry fists pounding on a door echoes and filters into my room. I mostly tune them out of my mind, consumed with only one goal in mind-pack and leave.

"You know this is going to ruin our band's dynamic, right?" Zach quietly says. The youngest member of our band, yet acting the most mature in moments like this.

Sitting at the edge of the small bed, I bring my eyes to meet his while I continue to fold and pack. "It doesn't have to. I'll still be there for rehearsals and gigs. I'm just moving out."

He snorts, mildly amused. "Unless Kai figures his shit out, it's never going to be the same again, and I can see how done you are with him. Should we start recruiting a backup drummer along with a new flatmate?" Cocking his head, he waits for my answer.

"I'm not leaving the band," I say with absolute certainty. Why would I let a breakup take away the only thing I enjoy doing?

Pleased by my response, his face breaks into a grin. "A backup lead guitarist then?" he proposes mischievously.