Jack Daniels || Michael Clifford ||

4

"I'm on a love driven journey to return a packet of cigarettes-"

"Terra, what are you mumbling about?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"An assignment." She answers cooly. "I have to write a paper." She closes her laptop. "Azlyn, can you please eat something? It's been like, two days."

"I'm not hungry."

"Yeah, because you're always smoking and drinking. Please just like, make a sandwich or something."

I roll my eyes. "Alright, fine."

"And you can't drink for the rest of the week."

"Why?" I groan.

"You're going to get alcohol poisoning." Terra says with a frown. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with a little drinking." I tell her, putting a piece of lettuce on my sandwich bread.

"You drink too much." Terra mumbles.

"No, I don't."

The front door opens and Quinn steps inside. She shuts the door behind her and looks at me with a gentle smile. "Hi." She says simply, walking into the kitchen.

"Everything okay?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Everything's great." She answers. "Just came to get some clothes."

"Spending the night at Jeremy's again?" Terra asks, opening her laptop again. She types something in and smiles at her screen before closing it.

"No. I have this stupid overnight shit for work. I'll be back tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Okay." Terra and I say at the same time.

"Can you two can handle yourselves until then?" Quinn asks. She walks down the hall into our bedroom.

"Yeah, I'll take care of Azlyn." Terra calls out.

"I don't need you to take care of me." I say, sticking my tongue out at her.

She rolls her eyes. "Shut up and eat your sandwich."

I flip her off and take a small bite of my sandwich, carrying it into the living room. I take a seat on the opposite side of the couch as Terra. I turn the television on and flip through the channel before settling on a reality tv show.

"What are you doing?" I ask Terra, who's typing quickly on her computer.

"I already told you. Homework."

"Bullshit." I tell her, taking another tiny bite of my sandwich. "I see you smiling. What's his name?"

"Oh, you wouldn't know him." She says.

"I didn't ask if I knew him. I asked what his name was."

"Bye guys!" Quinn says, running into the living room. She gives us both a hug before rushing out the front door.

Terra bites down on her lip. "Um..."

"Terra, you always tell me about guys you like."

"Well... I don't really-"

"Oh, is he like, gay or something?"

"Yeah!" She answers too quickly. "He's totally gay. Just a really good friend."

"Well, what's his name?"

"Landon?"

"Is that a question or an answer?" I ask. Terra rolls her eyes. "When do I get to meet him?"

"Never. You're too rude."

"Wow, thanks." I say, rolling my eyes and taking a bite of my sandwich. "I'm full. Do you want the rest?"

"You didn't even eat a fucking tenth of that sandwich."

"But I'm full!" I whine.

"Eat the sandwich." She says. "So, how's work going?"

"I take pictures for a living." I tell her. "How do you think it's going?"

Terra laughs. "Damn, don't be so bitchy about it. I was just wondering if you were doing anything."

"Yeah, well I'm actually going to this place downtown to take pictures. It's really cool. There's like-"

"Where exactly downtown?"

"Why? Do you want to come?"

"I just think I should know where you are in case anything happens."

"You can just call me."

"Your cellphone has been dead for over a week and you haven't even bothered charging it."

"Fair point." I tell her. "Alright. I'll be downtown by that little deli and the restaurant that we go to every year for Quinn's birthday. There's a little alley behind it. That's where I'll be. It's so soft grunge it hurts." I tell her with a smirk.

"Sounds ideal." She tells me.

I roll my eyes. "I'm gonna go outside for a smoke."

"Not until you finish your sandwich."

"Fuck you."

---

I bite my lip and squint, twisting the camera lens so it focuses. I take the picture and look at it on the camera's screen.

"Fuck. It's blurry." I mutter.

I get into my previous position and take a deep breath. I refocus the lens and get ready to take the picture.

"How many pictures have you taken?"

"Fuck!" I yell, putting my hand over my heart and turning around.

He's leaning against the brick wall of a building and I groan.

"You messed up my shot! I've been trying for an hour to get it!"

"An hour for a picture of a rain gutter?" He asks, looking amused.

"It was the water coming out of the rain gutter. There's symbolism."

"Would you mind elaborating?"

"How the fuck did you find me?" I ask.

"Why don't I tell you over lunch?"

"After you ruined my shot? Hell no. What are you even doing, Michael? We had a one night stand and that's all. There was no strings attached."

"Call me crazy, but I want to get to know you. Not like, have sex with you. Although the sex was pretty great. I just want to get to know you. As a person."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"You cocky little bastard."

"So, lunch?"

"You better be paying." I tell him, shoving past him with a smirk.

He catches up to me and gives me a lopsided smile. "Oh believe me, I'm paying now."