Less Than Nothing

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Alex, you have to let go of me." Grace sighs. "My taxi is downstairs."

"I don't want to."

"You have to. I'll miss my flight, and you'll be late for work."

The sun snuck up sooner than either of us were ready for. It's already time to say goodbye. To lay the last blissful twelve hours we've spent together, to rest.

"Let's quit our jobs." I suggest. "We're pretty enough. It'll be easy to find rich men to take care of us."

Sounds ridiculous, but in this moment, I wholeheartedly mean it. I would plead with the creator of time itself if it meant more hours with my best friend.

Grace's laugh raises the confirmation that she's not on board with that plan.

"If only."

Finally releasing her from my grasp, I take in her face one last time.

"I am going to miss you so much." I say, attempting to swallow the tightness in my throat.

During my initial move to New York, I sobbed the entire plane ride over. Sobbed so hard, the flight attendants asked if I needed medical assistance.

It wasn't home I was sad about leaving. It was Grace. And I am reminded of that sadness right now, as we prepare to go our separate ways again.

"I don't even want to think about how much I'll miss you," she replies. "I'm already counting the days until I come back."

She gives me a long squeeze, and we say goodbye.

Grace only spent one night here, and yet my apartment already feels empty without her. I hate it, but there's no time to dwell. I need to be at work in twenty minutes, and it's a thirty minute commute.

***

Mastering the art of running in heels, I was able to transform that thirty minute commute into a fifteen minute one. I received multiple death glares from icy New Yorkers as I sprinted through the congested subway station, but getting to work on time made it worth it.

"Hey Alex!" I run into Andrea on the way to my office. She's standing in the hallway, a boat load of papers in her hands.  "You just missed Adrienne, she told me to tell you that she's taking her meetings virtually for the day."

I pause, and then throw my head back in aggravation.

"So you're telling me I didn't need to be here this early?"

Drea laughs. "Basically. She did say she left some paperwork for you on your desk though, so maybe not."

"Got it, thank you."

With Adrienne not being in the office physically, there's inevitably less pressure around my daily responsibilities.

I can work at my own pace, and maybe even grab a coffee!

There's this place down the street that serves coffee that tastes like it was made, and transported straight from heaven. It's always packed, but remains one of my favorite places. After all the drinking I did last night, and the emotional distress of this morning, I deserve a nice breakfast.

Inside my office, I set my bags down on the desk. The first bag is my regular everyday bag, which holds all my random necessities. Then, beside it, is a stay-the-night bag. Or, a subtle attempt of one, at least.

Ryan warned me in advance that he wasn't going to let me go home tonight, and that it's in my best interest to pack a few things.

He didn't ask me, he simply told me.