Return to Me

Three

The week has come and gone unbearably slow and I'm grateful for the weekend. Unfortunately, I still have a pile of transcripts to look over.

I look up at the clock from my spot on the couch. It's a little after 1 am. Sleep has been impossible tonight. I wandered from my bed about an hour ago, thinking a little TV would help. It hasn't.

Sighing, I get up from the couch, taking the blanket I have wrapped around me with me as I head for my shoes. Next, I head for the window next to the fire escape and open it wide. I climb out and begin to ascend until I get to the roof. Swinging my legs over the edge, and get off the escape, I have reached my short destination.

Before me is the city skyline, all lit up. The windy city is still awake. I adjust my blanket around my shoulders and take in the marvelous view. I can never get enough of it.

Standing in the cold night, the air making my nose and cheeks red, and just a blanket wrapped around me to keep me warm, I decide that this is what I needed. Just some fresh air. This. Is what I needed.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't know anyone was up here."

I turn at the sound of the voice. Startled more like it--I never heard anyone come up.

"Jack."

"Rosie.." he's holding a blanket and what looks to be a thermos.

"You live here? In this building?"

"I do." I'm shocked. How could I have not known that? I should have ran into him at some point over the week.

I move away from the edge, taking a few steps toward him. I don't want to get too close.

"If I'm disturbing you, I'll just go." he says, sticking a thumb out to the escape, ready to leave at any moment.

"No, that's okay."

Jack nods and walks over to a small bench located on the other side of the roof. The blanket he brought rests on his lap and he opens his thermos and pours something out.

"What do you have there?" I ask, my curiosity getting the best of me.

"Hot chocolate." he says simply.

"Your homemade hot chocolate?" I wonder and I catch a glimpse of a smile from him before it quickly vanishes.

"Of course. Would you like some?" 

I nod and walk over, taking a seat beside him. He hands me the cap of the thermos and I watch as steam rises up from it. I bring it to my lips and smile as the hot liquid runs down my throat.

"How's it taste?"

"Just like I remember. Delicious."

It's quiet then between us, for a long time and I know how awkward it must be for him as it is for me. Frankly, I don't know what I'm doing. All of this is just a bad idea. And yet, I'm still sitting here.

"I'm still mad at you, you know." Jack breaks the silence and I begin to regret coming up here at all.

He waits for a response, but I don't give one. I don't have one. What could I possibly say? Instead I just let him talk.

"If I would've known that of all the places you decided to run away to, I never would've come to Chicago. I should've booked a flight back to Seattle the day I saw you standing on the street."

Ouch.

"I never wanted to see you, ever again. I don't even know why I'm being nice to you. I should be the worst person in the world to you."