MOSAIC

Chapter 4: Face to Face

A few voices came echoing in from some distant part of the house as the last few remaining patrons lingered around, the majority of them in a state of subdued intoxication, voices hoarse and energy levels subsiding. It was a bit past four o'clock in the morning and the house's thunderous vitality from earlier had melted down from a wild roar to little more than a simmer. The place was an absolute wreck, even more so than it usually was; a warzone-like aftermath.

​I was flopped comfortably in the cushions of a worn out leather couch, my eyes half-closed and my ears ringing. Bella was seated next to me, head tilted back onto the couch's backrest, eyes closed and slowly stroking the top of my left hand with her nails.

​The muffled clamouring of voices carried over into the now quiet living room from the backyard, looping and bouncing off the walls of the house like an echoing television. I thought I could pick out Lamar in particular, but that was to be expected. He was usually the last one to die down. As for Darcy and Armando, they were likely already upstairs in their rooms, spiralling in away in a state of blackout sleep.

​I felt Bella's hand touch my leg and I rolled my head along the couch cushion in her direction.

​"Hey, do you think you can drop me and Zoey off in Yorkville at my place?" She said with a sleepy smile on her face. "You're gonna drive home since you gotta be at work soon, right?"

​"Yeah no problem I can drop you guys off," I said dozily, flashing her a tired smile back. I didn't really know Zoey, I'd only met her once or twice, but then again I suppose barely even knew Bella beyond a few shared encounters.

​"Okay I'm gonna go find her," she said standing up from the couch and stretching her body gracefully as she took long slow strides out from the living room into the main hallway. She ruffled her messy hair around a little bit before disappearing around a corner.

​I sat still for a moment and stared at the floor, trying my best not to think about the two and a half hours I had remaining before I had to be present at work. Once again, as was becoming more and more common, I wouldn't end up sleeping a single minute tonight. "Worth it, I guess" I said quietly to myself in a low voice, the trace of a slick grin cutting along the corner of my mouth.

​I could now hear Bella and Zoey's voices drawing nearer, the sound of Zoey's heels clopping against the hardwood floor. As they entered the living room I took a moment just to sit there and drink in how gorgeous they both were. In all honesty I was mostly trying to figure out which one of the two I thought was more attractive.

​"Ready to go?" I asked while lazily fishing around for my keys in one of my pants pockets.

​"All ready," said Bella.

​"Thanks for driving us," Zoey chimed, smoothing her jet-black hair neatly behind her ears. "You sure you're good to drive?"

​"Yeah I'm good," I said.

"Okay let's go, you gotta be at work soon," Bella said with a sly giggle.

​"Oh my god, you're working in the morning?" Zoey said, cocking her eyebrows and imitating a gagging sound.