11:11
Chapter One: [Alone]
Sounds of the outside world drifted inside the open window as I opened another bottle of wine.
The apartment was empty. Everyone had gone to spend the holiday with their families, never thinking once to invite me.
So here I am, wallowing in my misery, drinking myself to oblivion.
The Macy's Day parade flashed on the TV screen, sending sounds of laughter and music from the speakers.
I took a swig from the bottle.
Somebody had forgotten an entire case of wine in the kitchen. I refused to let it go to waste.
This was definitely an all-time low.
I scoffed at the TV screen as a Spongebob balloon drifted above the massive crowds.
Stupid balloon.
I leaned back and looked out the window.
Oh, look, there goes Spongebob.
I hated how this apartment was on one of the busiest streets in New York. That meant all the parades would definitely pass through.
Parades made me feel depressed.
I shook off the feeling and concentrated on the smell of the apartment. It always smelled this way: like burned pizza.
I kind of liked it though.
I looked back at the TV screen and watched a child bob up and down on a parent's shoulders.
Stupid Thanksgiving.
I gulped down some wine and stared at the door.
I wish someone would just come over.
Everyone had forgotten me.
Suddenly, as if on cue, a knock came at the door.
I set the bottle down and stood up.
I stretched my legs before going over to the door and attempt to unlock the damn door.
I jiggled the knob and gave the door a kick before pulling it open.
The cold of the hallway immediately blew in, causing me to pull at my sweater.
A scruffy looking guy stood in the hallway, craning his neck to check the numbers on the other doors.
The guy looked back at me.
"Oh, um, hi."
I blinked.
Okay, so God had actually listened for once.
"Does...." He checked the address again. "Does Petey live here?'
I gave him a blank stare.
"Petey?" He repeated. "He's got crazy, red hair.... really tall?"
Crazy, red hair.....
"Oh, you mean Sunny?" I'd never really heard my roommate's real name before.
"Uh, sure." He squinted at the address again.
"He's not here."
He was with his parents in Albany.
"What?" He looked at me disbelievingly. "He's not here?"
"No." I sniffed.
"Where is he?" His face looked irritated.
"I don't know..." I shrugged. "I think he's with his family... like a normal person."
"Damn it." He sighed as he a hand through his messy, blonde
hair.
"Did you... need something?" I shifted my weight. It was starting to get cold in the apartment, and I could feel a buzz coming on.
"Um... no, not really." He stuck his hand in his sweater pocket. "I just... I don't know.. we were pretty good friends when I was a kid... and I drove a long way to get here..."
"Oh... well.." I looked back at the apartment. It was a fucking mess. "You can stay here and wait if you want."
He looked at me like I was crazy.
I realized that I didn't even know if he was telling the truth or not. But I already said it, so I couldn't really take it back.
"No, that's okay." He mumbled. "I've got some family here anyway."
"You sure?" I raised my eyebrows and gestured toward the apartment. "I've got a lovely little dinner going on in this lovely little apartment."
Lovely my ass.
Wine and saltine crackers.
Yummy.
To my relief, he just smiled and said, "No, that's alright. I'll probably come back later and see if he's around."
"Okay, then." I sighed. "I'll tell Sunny you were- wait, what's your name?"
"Just tell him Skinny was here."
"Sure, sure." I nodded.
"Alright, thanks, then." He gave a little salute, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked down the wrong end of the hallway.
I poked my head out.
"Other way." I called.
He made a small U-turn, walked passed me again, and disappeared down the stairs.
"Thanks!" His voice called out.
"Your welcome." I muttered under my breath.
I shut the door and faced the apartment.
The case of wine still sat on the table, almost full.
I looked up at the clock. 2:43 pm. I grinned.
I was definitely not drunk.
But I still had a long day ahead of me.
The apartment was empty. Everyone had gone to spend the holiday with their families, never thinking once to invite me.
So here I am, wallowing in my misery, drinking myself to oblivion.
The Macy's Day parade flashed on the TV screen, sending sounds of laughter and music from the speakers.
I took a swig from the bottle.
Somebody had forgotten an entire case of wine in the kitchen. I refused to let it go to waste.
This was definitely an all-time low.
I scoffed at the TV screen as a Spongebob balloon drifted above the massive crowds.
Stupid balloon.
I leaned back and looked out the window.
Oh, look, there goes Spongebob.
I hated how this apartment was on one of the busiest streets in New York. That meant all the parades would definitely pass through.
Parades made me feel depressed.
I shook off the feeling and concentrated on the smell of the apartment. It always smelled this way: like burned pizza.
I kind of liked it though.
I looked back at the TV screen and watched a child bob up and down on a parent's shoulders.
Stupid Thanksgiving.
I gulped down some wine and stared at the door.
I wish someone would just come over.
Everyone had forgotten me.
Suddenly, as if on cue, a knock came at the door.
I set the bottle down and stood up.
I stretched my legs before going over to the door and attempt to unlock the damn door.
I jiggled the knob and gave the door a kick before pulling it open.
The cold of the hallway immediately blew in, causing me to pull at my sweater.
A scruffy looking guy stood in the hallway, craning his neck to check the numbers on the other doors.
The guy looked back at me.
"Oh, um, hi."
I blinked.
Okay, so God had actually listened for once.
"Does...." He checked the address again. "Does Petey live here?'
I gave him a blank stare.
"Petey?" He repeated. "He's got crazy, red hair.... really tall?"
Crazy, red hair.....
"Oh, you mean Sunny?" I'd never really heard my roommate's real name before.
"Uh, sure." He squinted at the address again.
"He's not here."
He was with his parents in Albany.
"What?" He looked at me disbelievingly. "He's not here?"
"No." I sniffed.
"Where is he?" His face looked irritated.
"I don't know..." I shrugged. "I think he's with his family... like a normal person."
"Damn it." He sighed as he a hand through his messy, blonde
hair.
"Did you... need something?" I shifted my weight. It was starting to get cold in the apartment, and I could feel a buzz coming on.
"Um... no, not really." He stuck his hand in his sweater pocket. "I just... I don't know.. we were pretty good friends when I was a kid... and I drove a long way to get here..."
"Oh... well.." I looked back at the apartment. It was a fucking mess. "You can stay here and wait if you want."
He looked at me like I was crazy.
I realized that I didn't even know if he was telling the truth or not. But I already said it, so I couldn't really take it back.
"No, that's okay." He mumbled. "I've got some family here anyway."
"You sure?" I raised my eyebrows and gestured toward the apartment. "I've got a lovely little dinner going on in this lovely little apartment."
Lovely my ass.
Wine and saltine crackers.
Yummy.
To my relief, he just smiled and said, "No, that's alright. I'll probably come back later and see if he's around."
"Okay, then." I sighed. "I'll tell Sunny you were- wait, what's your name?"
"Just tell him Skinny was here."
"Sure, sure." I nodded.
"Alright, thanks, then." He gave a little salute, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked down the wrong end of the hallway.
I poked my head out.
"Other way." I called.
He made a small U-turn, walked passed me again, and disappeared down the stairs.
"Thanks!" His voice called out.
"Your welcome." I muttered under my breath.
I shut the door and faced the apartment.
The case of wine still sat on the table, almost full.
I looked up at the clock. 2:43 pm. I grinned.
I was definitely not drunk.
But I still had a long day ahead of me.