Stuck In Quarantine

2.

James heard a loud beep from the kitchen. He shot up from bed, confused by the noise. But remembered he had just made coffee, the loud beep, meant it had finished brewing. He stood up, left the room, and entered the kitchen. The strong aroma of coffee, had filled the kitchen. He poured the coffee into his half cup of Bailey's, cooling off the hot coffee. James took a big swig, the caffeine bite awoke his senses, and the sweetness from the Bailey's brought a smirk to his lips.
He leaned himself up against the granite counter, beside the coffee maker. And had a moment to himself. Letting the phone call he had with Stacy and Robert, sink in. He didn't want to jump to conclusions on her cheating. But unfortunately all the red flags he had seen this last year, pointed to a, yes. And It killed him inside, they were together for over four years. She was with him when he published his first book. And she stuck by James through all the rejections, late nights, and stress he went through, trying to get his written word out to the public.
James then started to blame himself for it all. Thinking he had done something to push her away, and make her want to run into another man's arms. But everything he thought of pointed to a, no, it wasn't his fault. He had stuck by her through those four years when things were bad. He was always there for her, for emotional support and support with whatever she needed. He sacrificed a year of his writing, to get a full time job, while she went to school. James paid all her dues and schooling, rent, and groceries.
After awhile the thought of what he had done for her. And what she's now doing to him, made him angry and bitter. Stacy had alot of late nights working with Robert. And everytime she came home, she wasn't herself. She had become more standoffish with James. And even their sex life had began to die. No matter what, she always turned him on, and drove him wild for her. He always wanted to be with her, no matter how tired or stressed he was. He truly did love her and want her, like no one else. But she wasn't showing the same to him, and she always had an excuse.

"Fuck..." He quietly said to himself. As he continued sipping on his coffee and Bailey's.

He finally finished his cup, and laid it on the counter. Then he grabbed the bottle of Bailey's and began to drink it straight. And he thought to himself for awhile, coming up with an idea to see for sure if Stacy was cheating on him. He put the bottle down, and left the counter, walked over to his apartment door. And opened it and yelled out into the hallway.

"Hey Spongebob! You there?!"

He waited for a few minutes. But got no response back from his neighbor. He went back inside and went to his bedroom. He pounded his fist against the adjoining wall, between him and his neighbor.
He waited for a few seconds, before he banged again.

"What?!" Was yelled. Muffled through the wall.

"Hey Spongebob, can I borrow your cellphone?" James yelled back.

"Don't you have your own?" She yelled back.

"I have to do something, and I can't use my own phone."

"What?" Was her muffled reply.

"I have something to do--, ah forget it! Just come to the hallway!"

James left his room and went to the hallway again. And waited for her appearance. He leaned up against his door frame, with his arms crossed. He could hear her unlock her door, with all the clicks and latches he heard. You would've sworn her door was a vault, instead. But she finally emerged and stepped out, with her hands in the air, confused.

"What do you want?" She asked in confusion.

"I need your phone Spongebob."

"Umm why?!" 'Doesnt he have his own phone?' Celeste though to herself.

"Because what I'm doing, I can't use my own phone. Please, can I use it quickly? And you said if I needed anything, don't hesitate to ask!"

His neighbor rolled her eyes as she went back inside. Emerging a few seconds later, with her cell phone in hand. Wiping it down with disinfectant wipes and unlocking it for him. She squatted down and slide the phone to him. James picked it up, but accidentally clicked the lock button.

"What's your code Spongebob?"

"I'm not telling you!" She said. "And why do you keep calling me Spongebob?! My name is Celeste!"

"Just tell me... I'm not going to go through any personal stuff.. I just need to make a call. And I call you Spongebob, on account of your fabulous attire." He said, darting his eyes to her Spongebob pajama pants.

"Well my name is Celeste!"

"Sounds like a strippers name..." He quietly mumbled to himself.

"What was that?!" She exclaimed.

"Nothing! What's your code?"

She crossed her arms, and stared at him hard. Acting as though she was not budging on telling James her phone code. But he stared back and raised his eyebrows. Waiting for her answer. She rolled her eyes after a few seconds, and threw her head back in defeat.

"Ugh! It's, 1992!"

"Your birth year I'm guessing?" James asked.

"Yes. My birth year."

He clicked in the numbers and the phone unlocked. And went back into his apartment, leaving his door open behind him.

"Where are you going with my phone?!" Celeste yelled. But James didn't hear her.

He went and grabbed his phone, and looked up his contacts. Grabbing Stacy's number, and punching it into Celeste's phone. The phone began to ring, and was answered after the first, three rings.

"Hello!" Stacy said on the other end.

But before James could answer, he heard his worst fear on the other side.

"Robert stop!" Stacy said with a giggle, "I'm on the phone! Go back to the bed, I'll be there soon!"

"Who's on the other end?" James could hear Robert ask.

"If you'd get your hands off me, I'd be able to find out baby!" Stacy said, with another giggle.

James felt short of breath, and could feel his heart almost jump out of his chest. His suspicions were right and he hated that fact. And James hated himself, for ignoring the signs. He had really hoped deep down, he was overreacting and just being a, jealous-idiot-boyfriend. But that wasn't the case, and it killed him.

"Hello?" Stacy asked again, "Is anyone there?"

But James hung up the call. And just stared blankly off into space. He couldn't catch a proper breath, his chest felt tight and he felt lightheaded. 'Why did I have to ignore all those signs!?' he thought to himself. With Celeste's phone still in his hand, he slowly walked back to the hallway. Celeste was still standing with her arms crossed, up against her door frame. She was still angry with James, but when she seen his face appear out into the hallway. With a look of shock and sadness painted over it. Her mood changed.

"Hey? Is everything okay?" She cautiously asked.

"Um yeah." James replied, as he snapped back into reality. "Here's your phone, thank you."

He slid the phone back to her. She picked it up, and crossed her arms again. Looking at him with curiousity and worry. She wanted to pry and find out what had happened. But she didn't feel right, since she barely knew James. But he didn't hesitate with telling her.

"My girlfriend is stuck over the boarder, and she's cheating on me..." He softly said. Not thinking.

But before Celeste could say anything back. James went back inside and slammed the door behind him. And Celeste stood there, in the empty red hallway, staring at the door that had just slammed. She truly felt sad for James. She knew better than anyone, at that moment, what it was like to be cheated on. She had just went theough that herself, a few weeks back.
She wanted to go over to his apartment, and talk to him. But with the quarantine and social distancing gong on. She could do nothing, but stare at his door and shake her head. Celeste made her way back into her apartment, before she closed the door behind her. She said out into the hallway, "I'm sorry..."