Gentle Breath of Heaven

Chapter Three.

Francis rose from bed finger combing the hair from her face. Her head was pounding and the revolting smell she gave off made her flinch. This would be the last time she drank alcohol no matter how bad things got. Yesterday, she had handed in her letter of resignation. After aiding her boss in fashion week she was given two days to empty her workspace. It wasn't until she entered the tents for fashion week that she had realized what she had truly done. She could barely pay for her city lifestyle as it was, now how could she do it jobless? 

Adele rang throughout the room, waiting for Francis to take the call. She left the bed to search for her bag, it was then that she saw she was wearing an unfamiliar pair of clothes. It was a large shirt that hung from her body reading a school that she had heard of but unfamiliar with. She also noticed that she wasn't in her room, or any room she was familiar with.

The phone stopped ringing. She looked at the study desk where her phone sat, beside it was a note. 

Clothes in the bathroom, lock the door before you leave.

Francis grabbed the note crumpling it into her hands. Had she done what she thought she'd done? If so it was completely out of her character, and she felt completely dirty for doing it. she grabbed her purse, and quickly went to the bathroom to change.

When she was dressed she roamed the home searching for some type of photo of the person who lived there. In the apartment where two rooms, and on the door of one read "Keep out" in bold red lettering. Francis played with the ends of her hair as she looked about. She opened the door to a red light, and hundreds of photos suspending through the air. She walked in slowly closing the door behind her. 

She studied each photo lost for words by the beauty each one was able to depict. As she descended down the row of photo's she saw herself. At first she could not recongnise herself, but as she looked again, she saw she was wearing the clothes she had . But even with that she did not look like herself. She couldn't stop looking at herself trying to figure out what had changed about her. 

She looked at the clock that hung in the corner of the room, it read three a clock. Five was the time she promised to see her mother. She grabbed her things, the thought of the person who took those photo's running rampant through her mind. Little did she know that this indirect meeting would not be their last.

+ + +

His head became heavy as the focus on his professor blurred. He had only gotten three hours of sleep on his sofa, and the professors monotone lecturing was not helping. Last night had gone so wrong. What started as a kind gesture ended in pure torture. He knew of people having a drunk habit, but he never thought he'd meet one where they took to hitting. just from carrying Francis, (he had learned her name through a long story of her dislike for it), from the car to the his apartment he had been hit at least twelve times. Following each one she always giggled saying things that sometimes didn't even make sense.

He laughed to himself now. he wouldn't be surprised if she was still in the same spot he had left her. Vanessa was staying over her Parent's so he wasn't worried about her seeing the unexpected vistor.

Adrian was startled by the sound of books and people moving, class was over. "Paper due on the twenty- seventh" the professor shouted as the students left. "Great", he sighed under his breath. The only time he ever fell asleep...

As he excited the building he was greeted by Tyrek who walked in step with Adrian. "Thanks for helping me out yesterday." 

Adrian shrugged, "It was nothing."

"But where'd you go last night? Vanessa Must have called me twenty times asking where you were at."

"Shit", he wasn't ready to deal with Vanessa. He knew she had to be mad.

"Man, I don't know what you see in her."

He shrugged the comment off. "You don't know her like I do."

Most people are turned off by Vanessa's personality, but when you get to know her she really isn't all that bad. Adrian met Vanessa three years ago, his senior year of high school. Back then he used to like taking pictures of the people on the train. Every morning he would spot her on the train, heading to school. He had to admit that he may have started liking her before she even noticed him. He liked that she always asked what he was taking a picture of. Back then not many people supported his photography career, and it was nice to have her interest. When he moved in she even surprised him with a Developing room. Vanessa always supported his career, and maybe that was one reason why he stuck around. 

" I saw you leave with that girl at the bar, don't tell me you hit that. I may not like Vanessa, But she's a ten, and that girl last night was half that, and tipsy."

Adrian laughed, " Hit? I wouldn't even want to stand within a ten mile radius of her. I would be glad if I never saw her again."

Tyrek looked at Adrian, his eyebrow raising. " Damn, what did happen to you last night?"

Adrian and Tyrek finally arrived at Adrian's car. Adrian unlocked the door then looked at Tyrek.

"Don't ask."