Hail Mary

CHAPTER TWO

The ride went by like a blur. It took more than an hour to arrive at the final stop. And as soon as I stepped off the train, I was welcomed by the crowd bustling about. I combed through the bodies of strangers. I bumped into each faceless individual unintentionally and tried not to make eye contact as I did so.

God, my head was killing me. It felt like a rope gradually tightening around, waiting for my head to burst. I took a detour to the washroom and put my bag by the sink. I sifted through the pockets of the black duffle bag and searched for the aspirin but to no avail. I grunted exasperatedly. To hell with it.

I placed my palms on the sink but regretted it as soon as I felt the cold tiles against my skin. I bowed down so I could take a huge gulp of tap water in my mouth, which was surprisingly warm considering the weather. I guess the pipes here were insulated.

I exited the room, but not before taking a good look at myself in the mirror. I did not know what to think about the bags under my eyes or the scruff of uneven hair around my chin. I was often told I'd look decent and worth dating if only I'd taken better care of myself -- like I'd consider dating as my way of life. I already had enough on my plate for just myself. Adding another person for me to put into the mix would just spell out more trouble. Plus, feelings are just an inconvenience, especially for me.

I shook my head vehemently at the thought and willed myself to wriggle them out. I have more important matters at hand right now. Dating would be the last thing on my mind.

I went back on course where just right outside the exit of the station, Stig would be waiting for me.

Stig is a friend from Fordwich. He didn't exactly live there. He was a visiting relative of a neighbor that I would constantly cross paths with within the small village. We hit it off eventually with a common interest in art, spray painting, to be exact.

My thoughts might have summoned him because I saw him instantly at that very moment, standing next to his black jeep, waving me in awkwardly. It was not that hard to locate him, to be fair. Stig was very much a cliché -- tall, deep blue eyes, blonde clean-cut hair. He was so good-looking that he stood out in the crowd like a sore thumb.

"Cliff, Cliff, Cliff!" He repeated my name as if I'd disappear right before his eyes if he didn't. I could feel his excitement. I squirmed a little. "Missed ya, man."

I just nodded and made my way to the passenger's side of the jeep.

I heard him grumble under his breath, but I did not mind it. I do not have it in me to socialize now. My brain was buzzing, and I just wanted to get this day over and done with.

A matter of minutes into the drive, I had finally acknowledged the elephant in the room -- in the car, at least.

"Sorry."

"Hmm?" Stig pressed on.

"Sorry. I'm just so out of it right now." I explained a bit, leaving out the part where I had downed a whole bottle of whiskey and almost died due to dehydration.

"Well, obviously." He gave me a concerned look. Stig was the kind of guy whose thrift with words but not to worry, his face full of expressions would tell you the rest of the detail and give you a better explanation.

I rolled my eyes a bit and slid down my seat so I could rest my aching head on the backseat. I watched as the image of London whizzed by hastily on my side of the car, blurred by the ice that had formed on the window.

---

I failed to mention that Stig was a pub owner and had offered me a job so many times just so I could escape the hellhole that is Larnwick. Imagine his surprise when he finally got a call from his estranged buddy just a day prior, asking him for a job and a place he could crash in indefinitely.

I felt lucky, to be honest. And I was grateful for having a friend like Stig, but I would never dare say that out loud. Stig would have a heart attack.

He ushered me inside the pub and into a separate entrance, up to the next floor to his residence. He told me to feel at home, which honestly meant me to do whatever the hell I needed to do. We never talked much after he told me we'd meet down at the bar at 4 in the afternoon to do some proper orientation on my attempt to become a bartender.

Stig disappeared to his pub on the floor below after that.

I found solace in the sofa. This was going to be my nest for the coming days. I finally laid myself back, the foam slightly massaging the tense muscles in my body.

I released a satisfied sigh, thankful to finally have gotten the chance to put rest on my eyes.

It was only 11 o'clock in the morning so I decided to catch up on a much-needed sleep, wishing for relief to come to my head when I woke.

---

My head was still banging when I woke, but it was one I could manage, fortunately. My eyes darted to the clock on the wall. The room had now become slightly darker than earlier, so I squinted my eyes hoping that doing so would make the hands and numbers clearer.

16:07 PM, the clock reads.

Fuck. I was late. s**t. s**t. s**t.

I stumbled over my bag on the floor when I tried to get up. I cursed at my clumsiness. I should have put away my stuff before going to sleep if only I'd known it would come back for a sneaky vengeance. Just when I was in a hurry.

I pulled a change of a random shirt from my bag and wore it on, put my boots back on, and headed downstairs to Stig's pub.

Here goes nothing.