Artifice

Empty Rooms

I was standing in front of a large brown door, my hand grazing over the wood. The sound of a television on the other side was present and a lump in my throat grew.

My fingers tapped on the door gently, causing barely an audible noise, as if I was waiting for a part of me to bail out.

In a split second, as if my conscious pushed the helpless girl away, my fist tightened and knocked hard on the door. I backed away again, now to wait for someone to answer the door.

Remember, you're angry. You're pissed.

The door swung open and my eyes set on Liam who looked as if he had just woken up from a nap.

"Eva?" He asked confused by my presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Is Harry here?" I asked him, trying to stay calm and collected.

"No, after he came back from trying to get you, he didn't leave with us." His hand rubbed his eye.

I didn't know, what now? Me showing up here was done on a limb, going against every impulse not to. But now he wasn't here I couldn't help feeling disappointed.

"Where is he?"

"Don' know, he said he wanted some alone time and to not expect him to come tonight. I have no idea where he would go though, all our mates said he didn't show up at their places." He shrugged, it amazed me how little he cared that his roommate was out at this time, who knows where?

It was as if a lightbulb magically appeared above my head, realizing where he could be.

"Eva?" Liam asked, seeing that I was turning away and leaving at a fast pace.

It was sheer desperation, and I couldn't lie to myself about it. I wanted to see him, I wanted to hear him out, I also wanted to yell at him and make sure he knew how much he hurt me. After that, nothing was clear, I didn't know if I would forgive him or not I just needed to see him.

-

I was impatiently waiting on an elevator, fidgeting with my nails or hair to pass the time quicker.

It was surprisingly easy to get past the security man, somehow he recognized my face and name and I was relatively quickly let to pass to the elevators. The man that had a peculiar mustache and a police cap on to cover his evidently bald head, insisted he started his shift not too long ago and was not aware of anyone coming in.

34

35

36

A ding noise rang inside the small space, as soon as the doors opened big enough for me to step out I rushed out.

My brain racked trying to remember the turns to reach the room I remembered.

Once I found the distinct burgundy door amongst other glass ones, I twisted the handle. The door opened easily, making no noise.

My eyes first caught the large wall that was entirely a window, showing the still illuminated city.

Instead of it being completely empty, a body was propped up near the window.