Reality

Chapter 20

Sometime in the middle of the night, I stir awake, greeted by the darkness.

Dazed and confused, I sit up in a bed I realize isn't my own and look around the eerily impersonalized room. It looks like it belongs to someone just moving in, only dropping off the furniture. A slight panic runs through me until I realize this is Alex's room, in his new condo.

I look down to find the sheets flipped back on his side of the bed, Alex nowhere in sight.

In the silence, I hear the faint sound of music playing. Getting up from the bed, I walk to the door, pressing my ear against it to find the music coming from behind it.

Slowly, I crack open Alex's bedroom door and the soft music becomes a little louder. Opening the door wider, I step out into the hallway and follow the sound of the music out into the living room.

His apartment is dark, but I can make it out from all the bright lights streaming in from the city through his panoramic wall of windows. It takes me a minute, but I eventually spot Alex sitting at the piano in the corner, his back to me as his fingers dance over the keys. He looks haunted, his silhouette visible, posture slouched and deflated, as a soft, sad tune drifts from the piano.

Cautiously, I pad my feet over the cold hardwood floor to stand at the windows, in his line of sight. When he sees me, the music abruptly stops.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" his voice is hoarse and raspy, but genuinely concerned.

"No," I reply gently, meaning to send him a quick tight lipped smile over my shoulder, but a flash of amber catches my eye.

"I haven't touched it," Alex assures blandly as I gawk at the crystal tumbler filled with alcohol perched on top of the piano in front of him. He stares at the crystal with utter disgust, practically snarling at it. "I just poured it."

I nod, feeling uneasy that he has alcohol and Lord knows what else in this condo to tempt him. But the disgusted look on his face puts me mildly at ease. Letting it go for now, I look out the window and down at the city.

It's a funny thing, seeing New York City at three in the morning. Seeing such a lively city at rest. Only a few taxi cabs silently coast down the streets, some are parked on the side of the street, waiting for the morning rush to begin in a few hours, enjoying the calm before the storm.

The city lights seem to twinkle on forever, even masking the stars in the sky with their brightness. But I don't think even their brightness can mask the darkness looming over Alex emotionally.

I sneak a quick glance at him over my shoulder. He's looking down at the keys, his hands resting on his thighs. Just looking at him makes my heart hurt, watching the darkness swallow him whole and mercilessly, like a shark.

I swallow past the lump in my throat, casing my gaze back out the window.

"It's a beautiful view," I murmur to fill the silence, still mesmerized by the city laid out before me. Sure Nashville is a large city that seemingly never sleeps as well, but I'm not sure it can compete with New York.