Chapter 24

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I wake up at 2am. My stomach's churning. Looks like the oysters finally got to me. I dash to my bathroom and hurl in the toilet. I wait for a bit longer, just to be safe. Once I'm sure that I'm out of vomit, I go back to bed. Too soon, my alarm clock beeps.

I get ready and head down to the kitchen. After drinking a glass of water (because that's all I could manage), I drive to work.

The door handle is freezing. My hand has already turned white. I open the door and head to my cubicle. It feels like I'm in a winter wonderland. I sit on my chair, the seat is as hard as a rock. The computer turns on and I start working. I don't even know how the computers work in these extreme temperatures.

My ham sandwich does not seem like the best option for food today. When I eat it, it feels like I'm having a bag of Doritos. If only there was a microwave.

The only good thing about the cold, is that it frosts my eyes open. Since I can barely blink, I can't close my eyes to sleep (which I really need after going home after midnight and barfing at 2am).

Everything is blurry and my eyes are stinging. I have fog breath now. Can they turn up at the AC already? I promise not to fall asleep. My fingers have already become numb. I've dealt with temperatures like this before, just never this tired.

Once it's time to go, I head home. I'm way too tired to do anything. I just want to go to sleep. Then, I remember I'm out of groceries.

I take a U-turn and drive to the grocery store. I wish I could afford someone to get groceries for me. I stop at a red light as the pedestrians walk across the road. I notice a teenage boy laughing with his friends as they cross. The goofy smile on his face reminds me of my teenage days.

I was a lot more reckless and wild back then, but I was still a good kid. I'd love to tell stories of my younger days to my kids, if I ever have any.

It makes me think if I could ever really find love. I don't have time to meet someone outside of work. I can barely socialise inside of work. Colleagues are just colleagues, nothing more (except for Anna). Would I be able to find a relationship? Maybe God even wants me to be alone forever. I don't like the thought, but it's possible. I hear aggressive honking. The light is green. I drive over to the grocery store.

I get to the grocery store and buy what I need. I head to the cash register.

"Geez, you look terrible," Arthur says.

"I went to this dinner party with Joanna yesterday, it really wore me out. Worst part, there were oysters," I gag.

"Tough life bud," Arthur chuckles.

"I know," I yawn.

"Well, as your best and only friend-"

"Not my only friend," I interrupt.

"As I was saying, I won't keep you long. Go and sleep," Arthur smiles. I say goodbye, and drive home.

A few days later, I ask Anna to go to the movies with me.

"Why not? A movie would be nice," Anna smiles. We head over to the cinema. I check what movie we should watch while Anna buys snacks. I choose a comedy and pay for the tickets.

"Looks like we're set," Anna says. I nod and we go into the theatre. I think I have great taste in movies, cause we end up laughing throughout the entire thing. We got a few stares from people, but that didn't matter. What I cared about in that moment was how much I was enjoying my time with Anna. We head out of the theatre, putting our trash in a nearby trash can.

"I haven't laughed that much in a long time," Anna smiles.

"Yeah, I should watch more comedies. I've really needed a good laugh," I sigh. We walk along the street. We usually walk when we hangout. Maybe because it's quiet, the air is cool, the stars are shining. Walking in the night is so peaceful (when you're not scared something/someone might pop out of nowhere and attack you).

"Howard, I wish you would've asked me to hang out with you before," Anna says.

"Me too, I guess before I didn't want to go out. I didn't want to have much of a life outside of work since it takes up so much of my time. I only thought about getting as much sleep as possible. While I'm not getting the best amount of sleep, I do feel better actually going out other than for groceries and the gym sometimes," I explain.

"You go to the gym?" Anna asks.

"How else would I be fit? My job is sitting on a chair for 13 hours straight," I say. Anna laughs.

"I should probably go to the gym too. I'm really out of shape," Anna tells me.

"You definitely don't seem out of shape," I respond. Anna looks very fit, not just because she's skinny. You'd expect her to go to the gym every day.

"Fast metabolism, just because I look fit doesn't mean I am," she smiles. I never thought about that. I feel pretty stupid. Especially since I also have fast metabolism.

"I could give you the name of my gym, it would be nice to exercise together," I say.

"I'd like that," Anna answers.

"Beware though, I go to the gym occasionally. So don't expect to see me there every day," I explain.

"I'm not going to the gym just to hang out with you," Anna says. I smile. I hope Jace's girlfriend will be there to keep him occupied if I train with Anna. A moody Jace is not a good one.

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