• C H A P T E R T W O •

Time

Meanwhile, a few tables away...

"Come on Tom, cheer up!" Tom's friend, Benedict, nudges him, taking a long sip at his glass of alcohol.

"I'm fine, really Ben!" Tom says denying.

Benedict wasn't convinced- he leaned his arm onto the table and lifted his eyebrows.

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Tom cried out over the loud music thumping through the joint.

"Exhibit A." Benedict picks up Tom's glass and slightly tilts it- presenting it. "We purchased these two drink a while back, and observe. Glass is still full- not been drunk." Tom shrugged.

"So? I'm not that thirsty." Shaking his head, Benedict reached into his pocket, taking out a receipt.

"Exhibit B." He straightened it out, showing it to Tom. "Earlier today we had purchased some dinner-"

"Oh, please stop Sherlock." Tom teased and smiled smugly. Benedict glared at Tom, then carried on.

"-in which, I had eaten more than you. This had occurred before..." Benedict knew what he was doing and tucked his hand into Tom's pocket, removing a certain envelope. "... you had received this." Tom went quiet and he watches Benedict fiddle with the envelope. "What's wrong buddy?"

Benedict's buddy combed his fingers through his hair and lightly exhaled.

"I don't know."

"May I ask, what's in the letter?" Tom grabbed it off Benedict and placed it onto the table.

"This letter is from... well, it's an invitation from... Chloe." Benedict's facial expression immediately changed.

"Oh... Chloe."

"It's been a while... it's just weird to hear from her, that's all." Tom slipped the envelope back into his pocket.

"You're glad to hear from her though, right?"

"Course. I just, never thought I'd hear from her after so long..."

"Ah don't worry." Benedict drank some more. "Maybe you could show up?" Tom shrugged.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I didn't think that she'd send me this. Didn't think she'd remember me..."

"I remember how much you admired her. How close you both were."

"I know. I..." Tom squeezed his hand into a fist and that same night was brought back.

Everything that happened with Chloe's father.

Her birthday.

And a small smile crept onto his face.

"I'll be back Ben." Tom gulped down his full glass.

And Benedict chuckled as Tom walked away.

Tom made his way towards a disabled toilets and pulled at the door. But, it wouldn't open.

He frowned and knocked on the door.

"Hello?"

"Sorry, I'll be just out!" The woman shouted.

Tom looked around and waited.

Chloe flushed the toilet and washed her hands, trying to open the door open.

But it wouldn't open. "Sorry, can you help me out!" Chloe cried out and Tom smiled slightly.

"Sure, what's wrong?"

"The door, it... won't open." Tom cleared his throat and pressed his shoulder against the door, thumping hard.

"Um..." He scratched his head. "Hold on, I'll get someone!" Tom rushed inside.

Chloe sighed inside the toilet, happy that a man was on the other side and she was about to leave.

But, even though both Chloe and Tom wished for each other that night- they did not physically meet.

Only the wish of hearing each other's voices had come to pass.