Origin of Inspiration

Tense

There was a movement next to her. She was warm, and in a dark and unfamiliar place. Though she knew she wasn't alone, she was unsure who she was with. As she moved around under the thick blankets, she noticed that she was almost naked, in just a sweater and underwear — where was she, and did she have sex? Confusion was the only thing on her mind.

"Al," she heard, whispered from behind her. She glanced over at the nightstand next to her. It was four-twenty-eight in the morning. She sat up slowly, her head pounding, her neck aching a little. She looked next to her and saw Riley, half-undressed under the blanket, messy hair and morning stubble, smelling of strong wine.

"Riley? What happened last night?"

"We both had too much to drink... we have to be on set in two hours, we have to get up."

"Did something happen?"

He sighed, groaning as he stood up and shook his head. "No, you wanted it to, though."

She lay back down, rubbing at her eyes and sighing — it was unlike her to launch herself at someone, especially somebody so new in her life. Someone she didn't really know at all.

Riley pulled the blanket away from her and smiled his cheeky half-smile, standing at the bottom of the bed. He turned away as he yawned, going into the bathroom and brushing his teeth. Her body ached as she sat up again, forcing herself to stand up. Though her stomach was doing barrel-rolls, and she knew she was going to be sick, she stumbled out of the room and down the stairs. Her clothes were nowhere to be seen.

As she went to go back upstairs, Riley stopped her, handing her the jeans and tee she'd carelessly thrown to the floor the night before, his voice low and sleepy.

"Here, throw these on... I'll go make something to eat, and I have to go have a shower."

"Yeah, you do," she said, playfully. She went into the downstairs bathroom and turned the light on. Through the window she saw light rain gently splashing against the glass panels. In the mirror, she looked a mess. Her makeup smudged around her face and her hair knotted and tangled. Alice let her head rest against the wall for a moment, closing her eyes and laughing. What mess had she gotten herself into, she wandered. She needed a cigarette, and badly. Without much grace, she dressed herself, almost throwing up into the cool white and black sink in the marble counter, and then walked out.

"There's a brush on the sofa if you want to use it." She nodded, and quietly picked up the round brush and tugged away at the knots in her hair. "Shit."

She turned around, staring at him. Riley was on his phone, one hand against his forehead and both of his brows curled downward.

"What's wrong?"

"Tabby, my ex, she's called. She knows I'm back here and she wants to come round and get some things."

"But it's half four..."

Riley threw his phone down onto the counter top and went into the cupboards for coffee. "Yeah, you never met Tabitha. She's on her way."

"Do you need me to leave?"

"No, if I have a friend stay over, it's not her business anymore. Anyway, coffee?"

He put the kettle on and pulled two mugs out of the gray cabinet, putting two teaspoons of coffee granules in each.

"Do you smoke, Riley? I need a cigarette."

There was a thud as he pulled open the draw underneath the kettle, and then he pulled out a packet of cheap cigarettes and threw it onto the counter next to the coffee. "I don't smoke, but I keep these around for when I want one. You can smoke in here, there's an ashtray next to the TV."