Chapter 23

'So, Hailey, what happened anyway?' Nick asked as he drank his second shot of tequila.

'I don't think I can share this with you,' the girl said, hinting at the friendly relationship between Miller and Foster.

The boy chuckled, grinning to himself. He already knew how to talk a girl. A plan had been brewing in his mind for a long time, ever since Nick had offered her a drink. Hailey gulped down her shot of tequila quickly, setting the small glass down on the table. Her face twitched slightly, but Mackenzie suppressed it so as not to appear weak in front of the boy. The bartender walked up to their table, placing a bottle of whiskey on the table, placing two glasses next to it. He put one in front of the girl, in which there was already rum and cola, after which the young man turned around, returning back behind the bar. The brown-haired man picked up an open bottle of whiskey, pulling the glass closer to him to pour the amber liquid into it.

'Try this first,' the guy said, holding out a filled glass to the girl.

With each offer to drink and with each glass filled, Hailey got drunker and drunker. Everything swam before her eyes when Mackenzie decided to turn back to look at other people. Putting her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her palm, the girl struggled with her heavy eyelids, which would have closed at any moment. Nick noticed his companion's sleepy state for the evening as he handed her another glass of amber liquid along with ice cubes.

'You need to keep drinking so you don't fall asleep, Hailey.'

'But I don't want any more,' moaned the brown-haired woman with a red tint of hair.

She closed her eyes, but after that she regretted it very much. Everything swam before her eyes, forcing the girl to release all the alcohol out, but she restrained herself.

'I am not going to carry your body on me later. No, I would not mind if you were on me in a slightly different position and in a different more passionate state.'

'Okay, I will have a drink.'

Taking another sip, Hailey leaned back on the couch, completely relaxed and no longer even noticing the loud music that pressed against her eardrums.

'Do you feel well?' Nick inquired gently out of his own advantage.

The girl laughed for no apparent reason, laying her head on her hand, which lay on the surface of the table. The young man next to him nodded, realizing that Mackenzie was already in the right state to ask her as many questions as possible, and most importantly, get answers to them.

'So what happened that day?' Nick asked the girl a question, trying to look into her face, which she hid with her hair.

Hailey sighed heavily, muttering something under her breath. The guy tried to listen, but in the end he did not understand anything.

'What?'

'I say James is rude.'

'Oh, I was surprised,' the young man replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

'He wouldn't let me go into his room,' the brown-haired woman caught her breath, feeling the alcohol close to her throat. 'I just wanted to help him.'

'Actually, you really shouldn't go in there,' Miller said, remembering Foster's somewhat strange hobby that he posts on the walls of his room in the right building.

'And what is there?' Mackenzie raised her head, waiting for the brown-haired woman to gulp down a glass of whiskey with ice.

'He writes something on the walls every time,' the boy whispered, not wanting to say more. 'and that's all I can say!'

'Please,' the girl moaned, trying to get one more word out of Nick.

'I won't say anything!' Miller slammed his fist on the table, causing all the drinks on it to wobble.

The boy furrowed his eyebrows, annoyed. The alcohol in his blood made him a little rougher than he was before.

'Okay,' Hailey said, barely speaking. 'I will find out everything myself.'

'He'll fucking kill you if you do this,' the brown-haired man growled, taking a sip of his alcoholic drink. 'Never try to learn his secrets until he tells you about them himself.'

After a short conversation that got on everyone's nerves, the young people called Dean to pick them up from the bar, because they themselves were completely not sober. Miller's fists itched all the time to let out all the rage, and Hailey was too sleepy. Dean arrived in his car, picking them up in a disgusting state. Upon arrival in the right building, the girl was brought to her room in an already disconnected state. Afterwards, Dean drove Nick home, still managing to get punched in the eyebrow by him.

James lay on his back, staring up at the white ceiling. There was some unpleasant and unknown sediment in my soul that made Foster think about everything that had happened to him in a few years. He lifted the hem of his T-shirt, running his fingers over the skin. He did not need to know exactly where the imprint of the past and at the same time the present was, he knew everything by heart. His heart shrinks, his soul hurts, his body resembles every scar, and the thoughts in his head are torn apart, breaking James into sharp pieces. The guy was like in a trance, alone with himself and with his mind.

'I hate it!' Foster screamed furiously into the void, trying to let go of this unpleasant feeling that was like a lump in his throat.

The guy jumped out of bed, grabbing a night lamp, and then smashing it against the opposite wall with one throw. Grabbing the roots of his hair, he sat down on the floor, bending his knees and lowering his head. There were tears in his eyes, but he didn't let them come out. James screamed, releasing the demons of sadness from his soul. He screamed, screamed, screamed... So loud, so long, that he lost track of time. The hysteria just simply covered him with his head, enveloping him in his cold embrace. Reassured, the boy took the black marker from the table, moving closer to the once-white wall, which was now scribbled with small sentences in black. James carefully began to draw each letter, embodying his words on the wall. Having finished, the young man walked away, his gaze making his way over all the inscriptions.

Putting a black marker in the back pocket of his jeans, the guy left the room, entering an empty hallway. Stepping on the parquet, James thought of the girl, wanting to see her again. Unconsciously reaching Hailey's room, Foster quietly opened the door, his eyes immediately falling on Mackenzie, who was curled up on the bed. Her eyes were closed, and her hair lay in a big mess on the pillow, as if a girl had been dancing in a club for three nights without rest. Foster closed the door, quietly approaching the brown-haired woman while smelling a strong smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke.

'Did you have a good walk, my girl?' The guy asked reproachfully, speaking softly so that Hailey wouldn't wake up.

Gently sliding his hand down her cheek, James left a barely noticeable kiss on her forehead, still stroking her body with the same gentle movements.

'I'll leave a little message here for you, huh?' The guy took out a black marker from his back pocket, opening the cap with his teeth.

Gently turning the girl's hand upside down, Foster carefully drew a small heart on the knuckle of her ring finger. Closing the marker, the young man rose from the bed, heading for the exit.

Closing the door carefully behind him, James checked for the key to his car, preparing to leave for the city on business. Cold air hit his face as soon as the blond walked out into the street, which was immersed in sleep, just like the body. The moon shone brightly, creating like a path along which you can find happiness if you reach the end, but as you know, there is no end.

'Jake? I'll be at my house in half an hour, drive right there, buddy,' Foster said by phone, getting into the car in the driver's seat.

'Will Dean and Nick be there? I need to tell you two news that concern us,' the voice on the other side seemed to the guy really excited.

'I'll call them on the way. See you, Jake.'

The guy started the car, leaving the territory of the building immediately onto an empty highway. Dialing Dean on the loudspeaker, James placed the phone on the dash as he continued to drive. Long beeps got on my nerves, but the call was never accepted.

'Fuck!' Foster yelled, slamming his palm down the middle of the steering wheel in response to the signal.

A loud sound deafened the part of the track along which the young man was driving. Foster again dialed a friend, waiting until he still deigns to pick up the phone. After long long beeps, the call was still accepted and a male voice was heard on the other side of the phone.

'Yes, Jay? Forgive me for not being able to pick up the phone the first time,' some unintelligible indignation was heard in the background.

'Where the hell have you been?' The boy growled, losing control of his irritability. 'Take your bones and go to my house, do not forget to take Nick with you!'

There was a long silence on the other side, which made James wonder if the call had ended.

'I don't think Nick can come with me,' the voice said carefully, dropping to a whisper.

'He was drunk, I get it. I am right?' in response there was a laconic silence, which meant consent. 'Just tell Miller he won't be having a good time tomorrow. Oh, and don't forget to add that I still love him just the same.'

James grinned, holding back a smile from his lips.

'I am jealous, Foster. I will be with you in about twenty minutes. See you.'

The call ended and the interior of the car fell into silence. The blond man turned sharply to the right, leaving on another road, which was already more active and closer to the city. The guy turned on the radio immediately getting to the atmospheric song. A velvety voice filled the entire room, and the music and beats dissolved in my ears. Headlights illuminated the road in front of the car, and only now other cars began to appear on the track, leaving in their own personal direction. Nature around fell into hibernation, plunging everything around into darkness. In the distance, bright flashes of a noisy night city - London - began to be seen. After a short time, Foster drove to his house, already from afar noticing two black cars, and next to them were the owners themselves. Driving into the garage, James parked his car, closing it as he exited.

'Come in, dear guests!' Foster called as he opened the front door and let his friends in.

'I already told Dean about our joint problem, which I wanted to tell you about,' Jake said, entering the living room and sitting on the black leather sofa, pulling the soft blanket from the back and wrapping himself warmly in it.

'Can't wait for me?' Foster protested as he locked the front door.

'You'd better sit down, this news will not be very pleasant for you, I would even say worse,' Dean said quietly, positioning himself next to Jake.

Lightly hitting his friend in the side, the guy hinted that he also wanted to cover himself with a blanket. Jake threw the other free half over Dean, then again threw his eyes at the owner of the house, who sat down in exactly the same type of chair.