3 am; joji miller

1.9

     I think we had fallen asleep or something, because I woke up and it was dark in the room. The TV had shut off on its own. I raised up and out of George's grasp. I looked at the clock and it was 2:36 in the morning.
    
     I swung my legs over the bed and stood up. My phone buzzed. I picked it up and sighed. 'Sarah' texted me.
   
     'Tick tock sweetie. If you don't get him back in a couple of months, your dad will be gone.'
  
     I replied simply with an 'okay.' I put my phone down and walked to the bathroom. I bent over and twisted my hair up into a bun and put a hair tie in.
  
     I walked back out of the bathroom to find George sitting on the end of the bed, with his head in his hands. My phone was still on the bedside table. I got a little nervous that he had seen the messages. I sat next to him and put my hand on his knee.
  
     "Are you okay?" I asked, the concern for him, sounding in my voice. I heard him sniffle a little bit, and he raised his head. Even though it was dark, I could see the tears in his eyes. He was crying.
  
     "I'm so sorry, Rose. I'm so sorry," he said through continued sobs. I leaned in and wrapped my arms around him. He cried into my shoulder. He started repeating himself. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
  
     "Shh...it's okay. It's okay," I said and held him close.
  
     He pulled away from me. "How is it okay, Rose. We are stuck in Japan. Who knows when we'll get out of here! I almost died and worse, I could've gotten you killed. They're not gonna get off of my back, and they'll never stop hunting you. They know what you mean to me. They know that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I was the reason that you died. It's not okay."
  
     I sighed really heavily. I looked at him and felt the tears in my eyes beginning to form.
  
     "George, things may not be okay, but that doesn't mean that we're not okay. I'm okay, and you're okay. We'll get through this."
   
     He looked at me with his dark, brown eyes. It looked like he tried to force a smile onto his face, because he knew what I said was true.
  
     George took my hand with one of his, and put his other on my cheek. I looked in his eyes and, even through the dark, could see the pain and the regret in his eyes. We sat for a few moments, which to me seemed like hours. Finally, he said something.
  
     "Rose..."
  
     "George..."
  
     He didn't finish his sentence with words. Instead, he leaned in closer towards me. He put his lips on mine and kissed me with passion. Our first actual kiss was in the dark, on the edge of a hotel bed, after we both cried in front of each other.
  
     And it couldn't have been more perfect.
  
-
   
     "So you have experience in what, exactly?"
  
     The English that he was speaking was weak, and slightly hard to understand, and without George it was even harder.
  
     We woke up this morning and got ready to go out. Then we split up and went different ways, hunting for jobs. It's like a search party, but instead of finding someone in need, we're the ones in need, looking for something to help us out. So, opposite of a search party, I guess.
  
     "I can cook American cuisine. I specialize in southern food, like gumbo and jambalaya. But I am a fast learner and can cook pretty much anything if you teach me."
  
     He looked like he was thinking really hard about something. At this point, I'm pretty much giving up hope on this place. That'll be number four.
  
     "You can learn how to make sushi and sashimi? Things like that?" He said, clarifying.
  
     "Yes, I can," I said with a small smile on my face. Okay, maybe I have a chance.
  
     "Can you start tomorrow?"
  
     "I can."
  
     "Okay. Great. I'll have you training with Zayn. He's also American, so you'll have that in common. Zayn!"
  
     A tall guy, who looked about my age, with light brown hair walked up. He stood next to Mr. Akio. He smiled at me and held his hand out for me to shake.
  
     I did the same back and introduced myself.
  
     "It's nice to meet you, Rose. I've got to get back to the kitchen but I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good night," he said. I smiled and he turned and went back into the kitchen.
  
     "Okay, well we'll see you here at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Okay?"
  
     "Thank you so much. I'll see you then," I said and smiled. I got my bag and my jacket and headed out the front door.
  
     I began to make my walk back to the hotel when my phone buzzed. I expected it to be 'Sarah', but it was George FaceTiming me. I answered it and greeted him with a smile.
  
     "God, your smile is something I needed. I've been declined at every place I've gone," he said. He looked like he was walking as well.
  
     "Well, that sucks, but I have good news. I just got a job at "Mr. Akio's Sushi", I'm starting tomorrow."
  
     "That's great, Rose. I'm gonna stop at this McDonald's here and apply for a job and then if I don't get it, I'll bring some food back to the hotel. You must be starving, cause I know I am."
  
     "That sounds great. But, just be careful, okay?"
   
     "You too. I'll see you back at the hotel. Bye."
  
     "Bye."
  
     We hung up and I pocketed my phone and made my way to the hotel. I opened the door and took the elevator up to the room. I unlocked the door and went in to relax before George got home with food.
  
     I put my phone on the charger and laid my purse down before going to the bathroom. I thought to myself. So far, so good. No messages from Scar yet. I walked out of the bathroom and sat down on the bed, reaching for the remote.
  
     *ding*
  
      "Fuck."