Tunnel

I dragged a bag inside, my eyes full of tears. That's when I saw him. James. But I didn't know his name yet. The beautiful stranger was sitting in a black leather chair, lacing up his shoes. He looked up, his long golden hair dangling in his face. It wasn't until he brushed it away, that I saw those eyes.

"Pretty girls shouldn't cry." he smiled, getting up and helping me with the bag I was struggling with.
"Sorry." I said quietly, my mood instantly shifting from broken, dumped girl, to curious.

I eyed the perfectly handsome stranger up and down, before he finally spoke again, his happy voice shaking me from my trance.
"I take it you used to live in that empty room upstairs?" he asked, pulling out a cigarette from his pack. He pointed the pack my way.
I nodded, and grabbed one. He pulled out a lighter and lit my cigarette for me, before lighting his own, and replacing the pack and his lighter back in his pocket.

"Well, I gotta run. I'll see you around..." he said, before walking towards the door.
"Wait..." he said, stopping.
I glanced up at him.
"James." he smiled, sticking his hand out.
"Clementine." I replied, grabbing his warm, soft hand in mine, and shaking it.
The second my skin touched his, my whole body was covered in goosebumps.
"See you around, Clementine." he grinned, before walking out.

"I see you've met James." May said, walking inside holding the last bag of mine.
"When did he start coming around?" I asked.
I had been gone for 10 months, off living with Robert, my boyfriend, at the time, an hour away from Chandler. I had been completely cut off from everyone I cared about.
"About a month ago. He's a real cool guy." May said, smiling.
"Girlfriend?" I asked, my lips moving into a small smile.
"Hailey. I think. Nothing serious, they're just hanging out." May responded, setting my bag down on the floor.

***

I sat alone in my room, thinking about Robert. I replayed the last few days events in my head, before laying backwards onto my bed and turning on the TV. Even through the pointless arguing of some rich ladies on the TV, I couldn't shake the image of Robert's face as he left me on the side of the road. I pulled out my phone, irritated, and sent a text to my best friend.

"Guess who's home?" I sent, before setting my phone back down on the window sill.
A few minutes later, it buzzed. Garrett's face appeared across the screen, and I swiped to answer.
"COME OVER!" he yelled, before I could even say hello.
"Let me get some pants on, and I'll be right over." I smiled a little, getting up and shuffling around my room for some pants.
"I have a few people over, we're just drinking beers and sitting around playing Mario Kart. I need to see you." he said, his voice mimicking his face. I could always tell when Garrett was smiling when he was talking.
"On my way." I said, zipping up my zipper and grabbing my car keys and purse off of my dresser.

***

I walked inside the familiar house, and was greeted by familiar faces. The smell of booze and cigarettes filled my nose, and I was instantly handed a beer by Garrett, right before he opened his arms for a hug. The house I had come to know for years of my life greeted me back with open arms and smiles.

I stood over in the by the back door with Max.
"What happened with Robert?" Max finally asked, taking a sip of his beer.
I sighed and pulled out my pack of cigarettes, and pointed to the door. Max nodded and we went outside. I lit a cigarette, him following my actions. I exhaled and began.
"Things were going great. Up until I started thinking he was cheating on me..." I rolled my eyes at myself. "So, like a desperate idiot, I did something I would never do. I went though his phone." I winced at my stupid actions.
"Jesus, what did you find?" he asked, before putting his cigarette back to his lips.
"Text messages to our downstairs neighbor. He was telling her he wanted to break up with me. That I was too much to handle. Max, he called me pathetic. Worthless. And she just laughed at it all. Worse of all, I thought she would have had my back. Silly me." I said, and sipped my beer.
"What happened after that?" Max asked, his eyes wide.
"I confronted him, but I panicked. Ended up lying and saying she forwarded me the messages. He took off after a fight, and I packed my clothes and ended up at my friend Kate's house that night. I was considering coming back to Chandler, but I wanted to see if we could work things out. So when he came back, Kate dropped me off at home and Robert and I sat on the porch and talked. He ended up telling me he wanted to work it out, that he wanted another chance and to fix us. So I agreed, because I loved him. Even though I knew it would only end in disaster, I was so hopeful. A few weeks had passed, we were fine, and then all of sudden, one night when we were laying in bed, he asks me to marry him." I said, and looked down at the ground, taking a drag from my cigarette.
"Goddamn, Clem." Max said.
"It gets worse, Maxy." I sighed. "He went to work that night, and when he came home, he kicked me out. He sat on his bed, watched me pack my shit, we put it all in his car, and he left me on the side of the road. I had to call Lynn to come pick me up. I was so damaged, and broken." I finished my cigarette, and put it into the sand bucket Max had sitting on his deck.
"He's gay. That's the only explanation. He's fucking gay, Clementine." Max laughed, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a hug.
"I met someone, Maxy." I whispered into his ear.
Max pulled away, grinning.
"James." I smiled.
"I know that kid. He's pretty chill. Not really much of a talker, but he's pretty cool." Max smiled.
The decks glass sliding doors opened, and Garrett's face popped out.
"Clem, get in here. We need you." he sighed, a concerned look on his face.
I took another sip from my beer, and walked inside, the room much quieter than when I left it.

I pushed through some people before my eyes laid on him. His tall, scrawny body sat on the floor, his long legs laying out and his head hanging.
"I think he's done for the night." Kennedy laughed.
"This isn't fucking funny, Kenny." I sighed, before walking over and picking him up.
"There he goes again. Make sure he doesn't fucking puke on my floors again. You hear me John?!" Garrett yelled, walking over and tapping John in the face.
"Takeeeeeeee me homeeeeeeee, Clemmyy." John slurred.
I set my beer down on the table, and halfway dragged John outside, his legs only working partially, until we got to my car. I opened the passengers door, threw him inside, and walked around the car.

***

"Eat this." I said, handing John a few pieces of bread.
"It's going to killllll my drunknessss." he said, before pushing my hand away.
"That's my fucking objective. Take the bread, before I cram it down your stupid throat." I said through clenched teeth.
He glared up and me and snatched it out of my hand.
"Why do you always fucking do this, O'Callaghan?" I asked, sitting down next to him.
I didn't get an answer from him. He just sat there, eating his bread.
"Fine. Let me know when you sober up. I'm going to take a shower." I sighed, before standing up.
"Thanks." he said quietly, staring at the floor.
"Whatever, John."