Jo fiddled with her keys, barely managing to insert them into the knob, turning it and stumbling into the apartment. Dropping her keys onto the table she leaned against the wall, toeing off her shoes and shrugging off her jacket which she hung on a hook next to the door. Stretching her arms over her head, Jo moved further into the studio apartment, stopping to look at the half-finished painting which called her name. “I have time to work on this…” Jo mumbled as she took a seat on the stool which sat in front of the easel. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, revealing the scar which marred the right side of her face. Adjusting her position on the stool Jo reached for her paintbrush just as the sound of her phone ringing caused her to groan. 

Jo reluctantly stood up as she moved quickly through the darkened apartment, hitting her toe on the leg of her coffee table. “Shit! Fuck!” Jo hopped across her apartment, limping over to where she’d hung her jacket. Fumbling for the phone she rolled her eyes when she saw her sister's name lighting up the screen. Answering the call she placed it up against her ear only to immediately pull it away when her sister screamed into it. 

“Where are you, Jojo!?” Her words slurred together and Jo could practically smell the alcohol in her sister's voice as she spoke. “Well?” 

“I’m at home.” 

“You left early?” Her words blurred together into nearly incoherent babble. 

“Yeah.” Then predicting her next question Jo continued to speak. “I walked home. Don’t worry ‘bout me Sky.” 

“Don’t tell me who I can and can’t worry about! I’ll worry about you all I want!”

The artist snorted at her younger sister's proclamation. “Okay but just so you know I’m fine. Have fun without me.” 

“But I wanna have fun with you.” Sky whined and Jo could practically imagine her throwing her head back and stomping her foot. “I never get to have fun with you.” She sounded like she was on the verge of tears. 

“Well you’re gonna have to deal. I’m already home and I’m not leaving for at least another month.” 

“N~oooo!” Sky whined and Jo couldn’t help but laugh. She had always been a whiney drunk. “I just got you to come out.” 

“Really? And here I thought I came out in high school.” Jo snarked, causing her sister to groan. 

“You think you're smart don’t you?” 

“I know I’m smart which is why I’m hanging up.” She paused for half a second. “Now.” 

“Now wai–” Before Sky could finish her sentence Jo ended the call and moved back over to where her canvas sat on its easel. 

Retaking her seat Jo picked up her paintbrush wetting it slightly she dipped it in the paint before adding careful, calculated strokes as she filled in the sketch. She squinted her eyes, pressing her brush hard into the canvas as she tried to hold back the yawn. Sleep beckoned her, pulling at her mind as her eyelids began to feel incredibly heavy. ‘I guess it can wait a little longer…’ 

Jo set her brush back on the table standing up. She took her phone and ambled toward the curtain which separated her bed from the rest of her apartment. Pulling it back, Jo toasted her phone on the unmade bed pulling her shirt over her head undoing the clasp on her bras she tossed it to the side. She shoved her jeans down and over her ass stepping out of them. Falling backwards onto her bed she grabbed her phone out from under her back before rolling over and plugging it in and placing it on her nightstand. Crawling under her blankets she buried her face into her pillow eyes being pulled closed as sleep quickly claimed her. 

X x x x x X

The incessant ringing of her phone roused Jo from her slumber, the throbbing pain of her hangover only adding to her foul mood. She tried to ignore the sound, burying her face into her pillow but the sound was impossible. Snatching the offending device from her nightstand, angrily answering the phone she pressed it up against her ear. "Sky, I swear if you don’t have a good reason for calling me I will jump through this phone and shove my doc martens up your ass.” 

“Oof, I don’t know who this Sky person is but I’m glad I’m not them.” The familiar voice laughed into her ear causing Jo to furrow her brows. 

“Oh your uh,” She paused when she realized she didn’t know the woman on the other end's name. “I just realized I never got your name.” 

“It’s Jackie.” There was a pause and Jo could hear a distant beeping. “I’m the one you talked to last night.”

“I recognize your voice.” She paused. “Why are you calling me?” 

“I just wanted to make sure you got home okay.” 

“Oh, well I did. Made it home in one piece.” 

“Good. I guess I’ll leave you–”

"Wait!" Jo said, voice cracking slightly. "Um, I mean, if you're not busy would you mind," Jo paused as she realized how this was going to come across. "God this probably gonna sound so pathetic but would you mind talking with me? I just don't get out much and my only friend is my sister and I guess I'm just lonely." Jo let out a quiet laugh. 'God, I sound absolutely pathetic. Asking a stranger for company.' 

"Actually, I have to drop my brother off at school..." The voice on the other end trailed off into silence. 

"Oh." Jo felt even more stupid. Thinking that a stranger who she’d had barely half a conversation with would want to continue talking to her. “I guess I’ll let you go then.” Jo quickly hung up, shoving the device under the pillow and burying her face in it. ‘I feel so…’ Jo let out a heavy sigh, shoulders heaving up and down. ‘So stupid.’ She let her eyes flutter close, wanting to go back to sleep and forget that conversation ever happened.