23. Whenever It is

It's already morning, but the sun hasn't up yet. James still awaked, realized that the hostess fell asleep faster than he thought. Alice slept with weak smiles on her face, it made him relieved for whatever reason. James looked at her room, a tidy room with the wonderful smell of it.

James lifted her and brought her back to her rooms, covered with a blanket. 'Thank you for what've you done today.' He smiled and pats her head. James back to the lounge room confused about what should he do to spend the day.

He tried to close his eye but it didn't work. Meanwhile, the rain still poured down outside, he tried to check the phone and laptop. Nothing there, except a message from Ed's, he kept remind him to make everything right. Just a few days until the deadline day, he should write another story.

James lights up his cigar and grabbed leftover wine while opened his laptop. He tends to continue to write what he left, his unfinished story. He sat at the benchtop looked for an ashtray and put it next to him. Rubbed his head to made the idea come from his mindless head.

It last until 5 a.m. he wrote 2 hours straight. James wrote a thousand crap, he just typed what he had in mind. 'I don't know if this will become the good story or not, at least I tried. I should do it or I can't eat anymore.'

He rested up for a moment, laid back to the couch. Looked into the ceiling and reminiscing everything he has done. Every time he has done it, it'll be back to Christy again. He kept wondering what she would've done if seeing him like this.

The rain has stopped and the sun already set on the horizon. Now James felt sleepy more than it was, his eyes felt so heavy. He fell asleep miserably in the living room, with his fuck up mind. His wound wasn't full cover, it takes more than laugh and fun. Last night was good for him, but it hasn't enough. He still in pain, and it felt every time he fell asleep.

Suns slowly came onto the top, and times showed 8 o'clock. Alice woke up from her beautiful dream, she was confused. 'Why I'm ended up in my room? Oh my gosh, did he do something to me? But I'm still on my clothes, and where the hell is he?'

She ran outside her room and seeing James fell asleep on the couch. She looked at the opened laptop and cigarette on the benchtop. Alice knows what happened to him, she shouldn't worried about him. 'I forgot, he's not a typical guy like that,'

Alice stretched her body and get coffee to fresh up her mind after an alcoholic night. She hit the shower and get ready for the class, she still got time for the afternoon class. Besides, she couldn't leave him alone.

After two hours of sleeping James finally awake, he woke up with tears in his eyes. He didn't sure what happened, but all he knows is he had a terrible dream.

"What happened? Are you okay?" Alice saw tears in his eyes.

"Ugh, yeah. Just terrible dream, it's nothing." He responded, still gasping for air.

"You don't look good, here drink this." Alice rushed to the kitchen to give him water, "Better?"

"Yeah, kind of. Don't you have a class today?"

"Yeah, I've still an hour remains."

James was still confused and his heartbeat moved so fast. He already had the scariest dream, he asked Alice to use her bathroom. He wants to felt cold water to makes him a little better, 'What the fuck!' He couldn't get rid of the anxiety after the dream, all he wanted to do is put his head under the shower to makes him calm.

Alice knows he had more than a bad dream, but she didn't know what it is. Hope she could help him more but she got an exam in the afternoon class. She didn't have enough time. Alice's looked to James's laptop and see how the progress of his story. It hasn't been done yet but, all she could see everything looks good.

"Hey! Are you leaving now?" Alice's asked after James out of the bathroom.

His head still wet after showered, and he still buttoning his shirt. "Yeah, I can't trouble you more than this, I've got to do too,"

Alice cleared his throat, didn't know what to say, "Umm, you can reach me if you have some trouble—I've seen your story. It's good,"

Alice barely read a book, she didn't know anything about literature. She couldn't tell that was god or not. James looked at her and gave a weak smile. His smiles look like he knows everything about Alice. He knew that she just pretend to understand.

"Thank you again, for your sympathy,"

He put on his clothes and packed his belongings. He ready to leave and shook Alice's hands. Thanked her for everything she did for him. Alice smiled faintly, she still wanted to be with him. Just a little longer, she wants to see his smiles again.

#

James walked out of Alice's apartment, and find for a cab. He full of spirit, he wanted to finish the story before the deadline. He wasn't on his best-of-writing story, but he would give a shot. He wished that in the end, his story could make other people smile, and know that he had put a lot of work there. He didn't stop at his apartment but he heads toward the café near it.

He turned off the internet and his phone, trying to focused on his work. 'Imagination please come here, come!!' He kept repeating that word while closes his eyes and get to find a new idea. It 8 a.m. and a lot of people had come and gone to the café but James hasn't moved at all.

He sat there until 6 p.m. he had drunk a lot of espressos to make sure his eyes still open. Every people who wanted to leave the café always watched James, wondered when he would leave from that spot. They gave up, James didn't move, he poured his soul and life into his work. Spent the whole day sitting at the corner and finally, his story is finished just a day before the deadline.

His eyes were red, his face looked so tired. He lights up his last cigar and leans back to the chair, it wasn't his best performance but at least he can fulfill the demand. He giggled, 'That was surreal, this would be a great story. Different, and I hope they'll like it'

James called the waitress for another cup of coffee before he took off. He tried to reach his phone and sent a short message to Ed's, 'It's done, meet me tonight at the bar. I'll show you, the draft.'

James little relieved, he didn't bring any trouble for Ed and his team. He looked out of the window, there were beautiful night skies after spent all day long in the café didn't care about everything. He could understand something, everyone will through the hardest storm in their life but the sun will shine in their life whenever it is.