"Would you like a bag?" I asked forcing a smile as I served a customer. I got a grunt in return only presuming it meant yes.

I arrived back in Vegas 2 days ago, I had done the photos for the crew and now I was back to reality. Scanning items, bagging them up and processing payments.

There was a stage in my life where I enjoyed this job, I would look forward to coming in and working my shift with a smile spread across my face. But now the smile was forced, I had no enjoyment and I was seriously beginning to detest rude customers.

I had done my best to avoid Mark, I hadn't seen him but from the clocking in sheets, I knew he was here.

"Luna." My manager spoke making me look over the aisle as I headed back to my flatbed of stock.

"Yeah?"

"A word. My office." He ordered.

Anxiety rose up into my tummy as I followed him off the shop floor and upstairs into the office.

"Take a seat." He smiled.

Sinking into a padded swivel chair, I folded my hands on my lap. "Have I done something?" I asked worried.

"That depends.. Have you done something?" He asked playfully.

"N-no. I- I don't think I've done anything wrong."

"I'm playing with you. Relax, just a performance review, you know I try and skip these cause to be honest? They are a waste of time, you know you're doing a good job." He smiled reassuringly.

"Okay." I replied giving a sigh of relief.

"So how are things?" He asked making small conversation whilst he ticked at boxes with a smile on his face.

"Good. Yourself?"

"Brilliant, taking the wife away on holiday this year. Venice, of all places but still, she wanted to go." He replied.

"That's nice. I hope you have a good time, I bet you'll enjoy it more than her." I replied.

"Most likely.... Are you happy in your job role?" He asked looking up to me.

"Yes." I lied, lately this job had been painful.. Very painful.

"Is there any ways you would like to improve your performance?" He asked reading the next question.

"I'd like to learn more about the running of the store, understanding delivery logs and tracker." I replied.

"I can do that. Anything else?"

I shook my head "Can we come back to that?"

"Sure. Sure, do you feel like a respected member of the team?"

"Yes."

"Do you enjoy working as part of a team or alone?"

"I don't mind, it depends entirely on the task, if it's date checking then it's easier to be with someone as it gets done quicker and more throughly plus I get less distracted in having to run back to the till."

"And... Can you explain this?" He asked pressing the remote controller button and watching my face as a recording of Mark cornering me came on the screen.

I froze and felt the colour drain from my face as I watched it.

"H-how?"

"New cameras. They were installed over night. Now Luna, I know you and Mark have a past but what is going on?"

"It's nothing." I replied trying to tear my eyes from the screen.

"He is threatening you, isn't he?"

"No." I scoffed trying to sound convincing.

"He bruised your arm, I haven't spoken to Mar-"

"Wait. How do you know about my arm?" I asked.

He paused looking up slowly, "I was told.."

"By who?"

"Luna it's a-"

"Who told you?!" I snapped.

"Your friend, the guy who came in the other week. Aaron something, he said you told him."

My eyes narrowed. "No, I didn't tell him."

"Then how would he know about Mark?"

"Zak." I replied folding my arms.

"Who?"

"Aaron's friend."

"Black hair?"

"Yeah. He walked into the warehouse looking for me a couple days ago, the safe afternoon as this." I replied.

"How long has this been happening Luna?"

"It's nothing, Mark just got the wrong end of the stick, it's sorted now and won't effect work. I don't want anything happening about this, please." I stressed knowing stitches get stitches.

"Luna its for your own safe-"

"I said no! It was nothing, he took offence to a joke, that was it. I said sorry and it's been dealt with."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Can I go back to work now?" I asked.

"You might as well head off early, Jill has taken over from you and you have like 5 minutes left."

"Are you sure?" I asked him.

My boss nodded his head closing up the booklet and turning off the television as my dismissal.

I left his office as he took a phone call, as the door closed behind me, I took a sigh of relief and walked around the corner when I was pushed against the wall and a hand covered my mouth.

"Don't react!" Mark hissed looking at me with glassy eyes. "Now you're gonna tell me exactly what you told him in there."

I was shoved into the staff cloak room and pinned against a locker.

"I-I said it was a misunderstanding, that you took a joke wrong."

His hand grabbed my chin tightly gripping my face "You better not be fucking lying to me."

"I swear. I'm not." I whispered trying not to tear up in fear.

"You know what happens if you lie.. You get caught." He snarled.

"I- I didn't lie to you. I haven't lied to you. I told him to leave it."

"Good.." he stepped away making me relax slightly before the wind was knocked out of my body as he sucker punched me in the gut hard.

I fell to the floor instantly from shock as I tried to breath, I coughed as I sucked in air harshly.

A boot came into my side sending me back against the locker. I cried out in pain against the floor hoping he'd stop.

Mark crouched down beside me and moved my hair off my face gently "Just let that be a taster of what's to come if I get into trouble because of you." He snarled before standing up and leaving me on the floor.

I didn't move until I heard the door close behind me. Pulling myself up, I whimpered as I held my stomach fighting back the pain that was soaring in my tummy.

Salty tears rolled into my lips making me wipe my face with the back of my hand.

The only person I had to thank for this, for all this was Aaron freakin' Goodwin and his loud mouth.