Chapter 2 - Last Night

Hope you like this chapter, thanks for reading.

*two nights ago*

It was freezing. So cold it could snow and James sat alone in the frost, waiting. He checked his phone for the fifth time, finding the message he had sent Mazie, making sure they had agreed to meet here. The message remained the same 'I'll meet you there at 6'. It was now 6:45 and Mazie had not turned up. He wasn't sure how long he would sit there but he was sure it wouldn't be much longer than he had already waited, she had been very reserved lately. She wouldn't speak to him and when she did she never smiled, he wanted to change to whatever it was she wanted but since she never said anything he had no idea what was wrong with her. If only he could read minds, life would be so much easier. Just as James was about to get up and leave, Mazie walked around the corner and sat silently next to him. He looked at her, hoping she would give an explanation or just say something, "James." She said quietly. "What?" He asked kindly.
"I don't think this is going to work anymore."
"What?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, you can't act like the past few weeks haven't been bad."
"I hadn't noticed."
"James, this is exactly the problem, you don't notice things."
"I don't...what...you want me to notice things more?"
"Not just that... it's just, I don't think this is going to work anymore."
"I don't understand."
"I've known you for five years, this is already hard enough, please just let me leave now."
"This is really bitchy of you."
"Bitchy?" She shouted angrily. She abruptly got up and started to walk away from James who shouted for her to come back several times, but she just ignored him and continued to walk further away into the harsh wind. "Shit." James said under his breath as he too got up and stormed back to his apartment.

*dot*

Tom knocked loudly on his neighbours door. "Hello!" David said smiling widely at Tom as he walked into their apartment.
"Hi, is Andrew in?"
"Yeah." Andrew shouted from the back of the flat. He entered the room and sat down on the sofa next to Tom. "What's up?" Andrew asked confused as Tom didn't usually come round.
"I saw you yesterday." Tom said smiling.
"Ok?" Andrew replied, now even more confused than before.
"I saw you with Frances."
Andrew's looked shocked as he took in the information Tom had just said, "You saw me with Frances?" He asked cautiously.
"You were with Frances?!" David shouted loudly turning to face them, they had all heard the stories Andrew had told about Frances, the girl taking the same course as him who he had never spoken to but really wanted to, he wanted he ask her out but he never did and his flatmates thought it would never happen.
"I started talking to her after my lecture on Monday and then we went on a date yesterday."
"What?!" Ben shouted from his room, running into the kitchen to join the rest of the group, "You spoke to Frances?"
"Yes, I spoke to Frances."
"Holy shit." Simon said looking up for 2 seconds from the video game he was playing, this was a rare occurrence.
A sharp knock came through the wall, "What?" Tom shouted. "Jess is here." Michael shouted back. Tom got up saying goodbye to his neighbours, leaving them to, no doubt, question Andrew for a while, He returned to his flat to see Jess giving Michael help on his essay.
"You're actually doing work?" Tom asked, shocked to see Michael writing.
"Yes." Abrupt as usual.
"Brilliant, you ready?" He said smiling at Jess.
"Yep." She smiled back taking his hand as they left to go to the cinema.
"Make sure you're back for the party!" Michael exclaimed just before the door closed.
"Stop worrying." Tom replied rolling his eyes.

*dot*

Benedict stood in his room staring harshly at the mirror, the party was tonight, why did he ever agree to go? He cautiously left his room and went to meet all of his flatmates and the neighbours in the hallway. Jess and Tom were there and Andrew and Frances, Andrew S was there and he never went to parties, even James was there, Benedict hadn't expected him to actually go, especially since Mazie. Everyone he knew and didn't know appeared to be here. He was getting nervous, alcohol did something weird to him, not that he had ever witnessed this, he could never remember what he did but everyone made sure they told him of whatever adventures he had gotten up to the night before. "Here he is." Michael shouted and the large group cheered happily, already feeling the party spirit. A few people had Santa hats on and most people had something Christmassy on. The ever growing group of Christmas costumes walked towards the largest apartment in the building that had been lent to David by one of his best friends who had already gone home for Christmas. Benedict couldn't believe he was going to another party, as if his past experiences weren't enough to put him off parties. "Benedict," James shouted over to him obviously in a better mood today, "try not to burn the house down this time!"
"What? Did I actually do that?!" Benedict was shocked, until James began to laugh loudly, of course I haven't burnt down a house, idiot, he thought to himself.
They reached the apartment and rushed in as though their lives depended on it, apart from Benedict who waited for the crowd to disperse slightly. Then he walked in to be stopped by Andrew S, "Do you want a drink? You look a bit worried." Benedict was taken aback, Andrew hadn't spoken to him much, "Urm, yes please but just water Andrew." He smiled knowingly and walked towards the kitchen.
"Andrew!" Michael said patting him on the shoulder, "Are you getting a drink?"
"Actually, I'm just getting some water for Benedict."
"Oh I'll get it for him," Michael said, "you go enjoy the party." With that Andrew left into the crowd and Michael took the bottle of vodka out of the cupboard. "Michael." James said warning him.
"What? It looks like water."
"But, it's not is it?"
"He doesn't have to know that."
"Michael."
"Oh come on, he is very funny when he's drunk, you can't deny it."
"Fine, but just this drink."
Michael smiled mischievously at James and strolled over to Benedict, a cup of vodka in his hand, waiting to see what Benedict would get up to tonight.