Between Here And You (on hold)

1.0

Epigraph
You say I'm such a cliché
-The 1975

Nick

It's 2:24 a.m and I'm out of the confines of my bedroom again and out into the open of my city. Dawning nothing but my black canvas jacket, ripped jeans, some random shirt I'm not even sure is washed, and a metro card; I'm on my usual embark. I've always heard there's only two things that are out this time of night; things that can kill you and things that can seriously fuck your life up. Honestly, I've probably have stories about both, therefore there's nothing I really fear of this city anyways. While most are afraid of being in a city of eight million, alone , and during the middle of the night this city and I have both something in common; We both never sleep.

I walk downstairs to the station and automatically get hit in the face with the stench of hot air and food that I can't even recollect, but it the usual for me. Being this late at night there are probably around ten to fifteen people here including staff and officers. Swiping my metro card and going through the turnstiles I sit down and look at my phone with the time flashing 2:30 am. I turn it back off but turn it back on again to admire my lock screen, a picture of Isias , Raina and I from last week; "Graduation" I said aloud. My train of thought was interrupted by the gust of wind that swept my hair across my forehead, I put my phone back into my pants pocket before heading on the train. "It's not gonna take that long maybe ten minutes to get there, it's only one stop" I quietly thought to myself while scrolling through the countless messages I have flooding my phone. All from former flames or fast fucks to get my fix, don't get me wrong but I only used them how they used me. There's always something they wanted from me, wether it be money, clout or just screwing around, I never got my emotions involved and drew a clear line where my intentions were. Nevertheless, I always left on good terms with whoever I fucked around with, last impressions are as important as the first. I look up from my phone and notice the train car almost empty except me and a man who looks as if he's in his late 30s and got off of a night shift. I swiftly got onto my feet as the train stopped at 79th street station, again empty I make my way up the stairs onto the streets where a brisk chill greets me. The early June air is slightly cooler than normal but feels good given that there are over seven hundred thoughts scouring my head at the moment. I walk only around the corner to my usual, Nicos pizzeria, open almost 24 hours and a sanctuary for me since I was 14.

I open the door to the familiar dimmed fluorescent lighting and the smell of oregano and mozzarella. John, the youngest son, greets me and prepares my usual. He and his family has known the gang and I for years since I stumbled upon this place years ago. "A hole in the wall" it's usually referred to but have the best pizza in my vicinity, plus it's a welcoming place compared to the expensive and hipster food places around here. Wholesome. I pay for my usual order of two slices of sausage pizza and an order of mozzarella sticks. I sit down at the beaten up red stall and table and eat only half of the food there while looking at my dimly lit phone screen, I refreshed my timeline and looked at some pictures of my friends from school or friends from Seoul partying it up with late night shots of Soju. Another picture of Raina and her bags from a usual shopping spree, I scroll some more before I turn my screen off and sit there at the stall for a good second. Looking out the window catching the reflection of my face lit in red lights from the neon "open" sign. Another night fit to my liking, greasy cheese pizza, a head filled with the usual late night "what if's?" And true solitude. I sit there for around ten more minutes before asking John if I can have a bag for the rest of my stuff before texting Isias.

Hey

What do you want dumbass? It's almost 3 in the morning.

Can I come over?

Go to your own house🙄

... I have food

....

I'll leave the window open.

See you in 5 minutes

Fine

I put the usual five dollar tip in the jar near the register and proceed to walk out the shop and down the street to Isias' apartment. I go to the side of the building and start climbing up the fire stares to the eighth floor where I open his window. His room, a cluttered mess of papers and notebooks never seem to loose it's warm feel despite the sliver-ish lighting coming through the window. I only called him less than ten minutes ago and he's already back to sleep, despite this I chuckle to myself putting the food on his light wood desk and climbing into his bed with him. One rule we always established was that I was always big spoon no matter what; I wrapped my arms around his medium build and rested my chin amongst his long dark brown waves. Can't help myself but to whiff his hair that smelled of coconuts and hibiscus, or to peer at those long eyelashes I always teased him about. I could've sworn he was knocked out cold until he rolled over on his side so both of our stomachs were resting side-by-side. " Hey nick you know what you reminded me of right then?" He said to me in a raspy sleepy voice. " what sunshine?" " One of those "bad boys" you find in books or movies, you know the one that climbs through your window late at night and you know you'll get in trouble when caught?" "So I'm one of those cliché bad boys huh?" He laughed for a second before replying "yes, pretty much". I rolled my eyes before looking down at him, he's looking up at me with half-hooded lids with a slight smirk on his face. I smirked back before stating "Does bad boys get you pizza at two in the morning? If so I'll just eat the rest of it". "You wouldn't dare". "What are you gonna do about it?" I almost instantly regretted saying that before his foot landed in my lower stomach and me falling out of his queen sized bed. To say he's only 5'7 he have some incredibly strong legs. I groaned at my sudden contact with the floor before I laughed and got back in removing my beaten up sneakers and shirt, getting underneath the covers with him. "I'm sorry, I should've known that was coming". "You know how I feel about my pizza nick". He said with a yawn. I saw my phone screen light up on his night stand, I looked back at him knowing he's fast asleep again, I scanned my phone looking at the messages that was sent. I turned my screen off and rolled back over, interlocking my arms around my best friend and joined him in sleep.