It's not a horrible life, just a bad moment in it. Like all the others, it will pass so simply give it time.

I sat and waited forever. I obviously didn't think he'd leave and never come back. It had been over five hours and my thoughts were running wild. I was trapped, alone, and caged by the four walls. With all the pacing I'd done, I was sure I'd covered enough miles to Kenya and back.

When I got tired, I lay on the floor and stared at the not so interesting ceiling above me. How had I arrived at this point in my life? Dead and miserably so?

I shut my eyes and tried to recall the last few months I'd spent alive. For starters, Austin and I had been fighting more than usual. He'd become deadset on proving me wrong all the time. He'd once said my principles were as good as shit since they never took me anywhere. I never really had any other friends apart from Essie and Jack and people always said I stood apart from them and not in a good way. 

I kept hearing that I was too uptight and had no idea how to live life. I mean come on, who on earth knows how to live life! If pledging the overexaggerated YOLO and choosing to drink your liver to cirrhosis, smoking pot, and clubbing till three in the morning gives you the audacity to rule my life out as pitifully island-like, then count me out. I'd rather keep my liver and breathe 'fresher' air than live life like that.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against anyone who chooses to live like that, just don't come at me with your speech on the reasons as to why my choices suck and yours don't. I'm starting to sound bitter, aren't I? Let's leave that drama for another day.

I could not wrap my head around Austin's change of behavior and I was not about to spend my life thinking about it. I know that something definitely changed and the only person who could help me figure it all out had walked out on me because he was such a wuss.

Liam, where, in the name of all things sensible, are you?!

"What a pitiful sight," came a voice that I'd forever register in my mind. It took me a split second to get off the floor and throw myself against the opposite wall from him.

"Who are you?" I asked, trembling. I glanced over at my coat that lay between us on the floor. Damn it!

"So this is Lolita Sanders," he said, walking in slow motion towards me. "You're so full of life for a misplaced soul. If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm Jason. I know my persona lies far from the five-letter word but don't let my skater-boy of a name fool you. I do bite."

Jason...what did I do to be blessed by his presence?

"Why do you look so startled?" He asked, coaxing me for an answer.

"I-uh-didn't expect to ever meet you," I stammered.

"Sorry I dropped in unannounced," he said, laughing quite heartedly. For a split second, I smiled then thought twice about it. "Well, I came to see what Liam dragged in."

The expression on his face alone could drag me all the way to whatever forsaken zone I was destined to end up in.

"I have no idea what he saw in you," Jason said, so close to me now that I could taste his cologne or whatever that was that clung to his skin. "He knows what he's doing, or so I hope. You see, Liam and I have a simple understanding with each other. He can help you figure out your meaningless life and get whatever he wants out of that, but if ever you go out of line, he pays. Dearly. I'm quite certain he's told you all about this, hasn't he?"

"Yes," I replied. "Yes, he has."

"I can now leave and hope that whatever happened earlier does not repeat itself?" Jason asked, eyeing me.

"No, it won't."

Was he talking about the incident at the restaurant? Those little cockroaches snitched! Well, what was I expecting?

"I have eyes everywhere Lolita Sanders," he said, turning around. 

Does he really have to call me by my two names?

"I don't want to ever step foot in this dull room again, understand?" He added, glancing back at me.

"Yes sir," I replied, as respectfully as I could.

"You can have him back," Jason said. "I've gotten what I want out of him anyway."

When he vanished, Liam appeared and fell to the floor, all bloody. His suit was far from ruined and the bruises on his torso brought tears to my eyes. I instantly reached for him and supported his head on my lap. What had I done?