Yellow

Two

The rain was dripping from my face as I reached James' bar. The door was closed and the lights were out. The streets were crowded with men singing and puking all over. Women were smart enough to stay inside. 

I opened the front door with my key and closed it up behind me. A shiver went through me as I walked towards the bar. I took an already opened bottle of whiskey and sat down by a table. I heard a few creaks in the floorboards, so I immediately reached for my knife, but then saw it was just James in his black t-shirt and pyjama pants . 

"Where the hell did you go?," James asked me. 

"I told you," I started, "a girl I tried to rob got lost and I walked her out of the neighbourhood." 

"And you were gone for three entire hours for that?" 

I swallowed and took of the bottle cap. "The neighbourhood is big," I answered. 

"Not so big that you're gone for three hours! It's four a.m. for Christ sake!", he yelled out, "and now you are sitting here again. Soaking wet with a bottle of whiskey. Have you ever taken a good look at yourself, Wolff?"

 "I don't want to talk," I said in a soft voice. 

"Yeah, you never want to talk," James said, in his calm self again, " just... Change your clothes before you get a cold and please just... just for once... try to talk to me."

 I nodded and stood up. 

James sat down at the table and put his head in his hands. I walked downstairs to put on a jumper, a pare of sweat pants, a pair of clean socks and a towel on my shoulders to stop my hair from dripping on my shirt.  I  lay my wet clothes over some chairs. 

"Well?," James asked me just after I had sat down, "you were going to tell me what happened?"

 I rubbed my head and sighed. 

"The girl that I intended to rob appeared to be Laena Red, daughter of Richard Red, granddaughter of Abby Red."

 James' mouth fell open and he tried to speak, but I was faster. 

"Yes indeed, from bloody Red and Riding," I grinned and showed my bare, large teeth, "so yeah, I thought I might get some reward, but we got in a fight, I robbed her after all. She lied etcetera." I rolled my eyes. "Anyways, I walked away from her and she walked away from me. But I didn't want her to get in any kind of trouble, so after she turned the corner I followed her. I followed her all the way until she got a cab and I could think of her as home okay."

 James had been one and only ear during my short story, but also the longest story I'd ever told. 

"Well then..." 

"Yeah..." 

James looked at me with his dark eyes and frowned. 

"You've never looked after anything you're entire life," he said. 

"I'm aware," I whispered.

James nodded and stood up. I decided to let it go and make my way to bed. "I could help you out tomorrow," I requested, "you know, with the bar. Pay you back a bit for the food and stuff."

 James agreed and went up to his little flat as I went down to my little basement. It had been the longest night of my life.

I opened my eyes and with that small movement started a whole new day of being grumpy. I put on the clothes I wore the day before and slapped my cheeks a few times. Ignoring the growing beard and the peeks of hair making my hair look like an even worse mess. I walked upstairs to the bar, where no one sat, but James with his coffee and bread.