Ambivalence

Two

Scott couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned, flipped and shifted, groaned and sighed. He was already up and brushing his teeth when the first rays of sunlight streamed into the guest bedroom, and he threw on running shorts and a t-shirt before quietly leaving the penthouse.

No one was awake at this time of the morning, and Scott had surprisingly left his headphones at home, letting himself be alone with his thoughts as he began his run.

The cold air bit at his face, its bitterness a natural representation of the events happening in his life, and he watched as his breath danced in the air before disappearing, the cruelest reminder of what was to come with things in his life that he couldn't keep.

The sky turned into a beautiful burning orange, yellow melting into it from above, and hints of blue from behind the clouds for when the sun would fully rise. Scott found himself looking up at the sky, marveling at the natural beauty of the world and taking in what it had to offer.

He turned at the end of the street, running for another thirty minutes before making his way towards the penthouse again. The day was beginning and the world was chasing after its potential as the first taxis began their routes and people walked to the subway. There was an apartment building straight ahead with a window open, and the sweetest sound of a saxophone was coming from it. Scott almost stopped to listen but continued, hitting himself with yet another reminder, allowing this one to represent the fact that you cannot stay even at times when you may want to.

His destination was nearing closer, and soon he was entering his home, the silence comforting as he placed his keys on the table.

He walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water before grabbing a granola bar and a handful of grapes. He was sure to be quiet with his movements, aware of the fact that Mitch was resting, and in desperate need of the rest as well.

The blonde checked emails as he finished his food and glass of water. His eyelids began to become heavier as his sleepless night and early morning caught up with him, and he put his cup in the sink before returning to his room.

He showered---it was a long, hot one with plenty of soft singing and thinking---before changing into sweatpants and a tank top. He decided to grab another glass of water before going to sleep and walked out of his room towards the kitchen when the bedroom door swung open and a frantic Mitch ran right into him.

"Get out of the way!"

"Woah, sorry."

"Why are you even here?!"

"It's seven in the morning, did you want me to sneak out at 'o dark thirty to avoid seeing you?"

"Didn't you? I heard you this morning."

"I went on a run."

"Look, it doesn't matter. I don't have time. Please just move."

Scott complied, stepping to the side and watching as Mitch---in only boxers and that stupid t-shirt that was Scott's---marched into the kitchen. "What are you doing up anyway?" The blonde asked, walking into the kitchen himself. "I thought you wanted to sleep in?"

"That's a good question! Why don't you ask Michael."

"What happened?"

"Drake wants us back. He is stupid and he thinks he can get away with pulling us around on a leash. And he can. He can do whatever he wants because his sales took up 19% of our total sales this year. 19%! So he wants us back, and if I'm not at the office in thirty minutes, he won't anymore. And I don't need that, I really---God where is the sugar?!" Mitch desperately threw open drawers as he tried to make his coffee. "Why today? Why?!"