Drink Me

24. A MAD TEA PARTY

A MAD TEA PARTY

On Saturday morning Riley woke up purposely early. After one of the most eventful weeks in months, he now needed to keep a straight mind. No distractions allowed. Today he had to stay focused.

Sending a good morning text to Nicole to wish her a good flight, he slipped on his running shoes, joggers and t-shirt, and left his flat.

The city was still glowing with the last few halogen lights reflecting in the puddles on the pavement as Riley's feet started to move in a quick and rhythmical pace. Inhale for three and exhale for three.

The steady breathing helped his lungs relax and his brain concentrate.

Riley went over his plan of action for that evening: he had to be at number 8 of Mercer Street at eleven hundred hours; he had checked, and the place was thirty minutes away from the party's location. He was going to use public transports as it would have made it easier to notice someone following him and lose them. Plus, no cab driver would have a record of that location.

He was planning on excusing himself from the party at around ten-twenty for a work emergency.

Oldest lie in the book but still a classic.

Thirty minutes later, Riley arrived back at his flat, he ran up the stairs to the fourth floor, sprinting until his lungs ached.

Once inside the flat, he got rid of his t-shirt and shoes and headed for his chin-up bar. Crossing his legs at the ankle he slowly pulled himself up until his chin reached the bar and as slowly lowered himself down.

He loved the feeling of exertion; it had always helped him keep his mind straight and alert, exactly what he needed today.

He would have lied if he said that he wasn't excited about the meeting. Those things usually only happened in films but apparently, his life was due to change and he welcomed that.

When his muscles were so sore that it was hard for Riley to lift his own body, he called it a quit.

The sun had finally started to rise, illuminating the living room grey.

Walking on the balcony for fresh air, Riley took a moment to observe the city lazily coming to life and wondered how many people were keeping secrets at that exact moment; some willingly, others because they had no other choice. Lies and secrets had become his reality. He had never thought he was a decent liar, but that was because he had turned out to be an excellent one. That was probably one of the qualities the agency had seen in him.

As his eyes wandered to the street underneath, his heart stopped for a second. For the briefest of moments, Noah had appeared from inside a bus, long enough for Riley to hold his breath as he studied that fleeting figure. But he knew it was all a figment of his imagination, a wishful thought with little connection to reality. As the Noah-wannabe walked away, Riley did the same and returned into his flat.

Great, now I'm having visions.

Just as he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a black towel around his hips, his phone illuminated with a call from Nicole.

"Hey, soldier," said the girl's sultry voice over the speaker.

"Hey, baby, where are you?" Riley asked.

He placed his phone on the kitchen counter and busied himself with some coffee and hot water.

"I'm still at the airport, the flight his delayed," Nicole explained with the slightest annoyance in her voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey. But airport beers are the best so it's not all bad, I guess," Riley said, carefully choosing a designated mug for his first coffee of the day.