You stare out into the darkness as you exhale the smoke from your lungs. This is only the third time in your life that you have ever smoked. Frankly, you think that smoking is a disgusting habit, but this felt like a smoking moment to you if there ever was one.
Strangely enough, you find yourself at Lance's house, which is right up the street from yours. He's out of town at the moment, but really, he�s hardly ever in town. The spare key was just hanging on the hook by the backdoor so you grabbed it on your way out.
If he ever even notices that you're missing this place should be pretty far down on the list of places that he'd check. You and Lance never really bothered to become friends in the past few years.
It's becoming so hard to fight the effects of the sleeping pill that you took earlier. You make you way back into the house and curl up in the plush armchair. You stop fighting and fall into sleep.
"Howie."
A hand rests on your arm as the owner of said hand gently tries to wake you.
"Howie, what are you doing here?"
"Josh...." You croak out as you try to open your eyes.
"No. Howie, it's me, Lance."
You see that it's the truth as your eyes finally manage to focus on the man in front of you.
"Nick has been worried sick wondering where you are. It's a good thing that I stopped by here to drop off my bags before heading over to your house."
Lance helps you sit up in the chair.
"What are you doing back in town? I thought that you were in the middle of some really big project. Of course, you're always in the middle of something really big, but....."
Lance rests his hand on the small of your back and begins to rub small circles.
"Honey, you know why I came back. I told you that I'd be back today."
"Sure. O---of course. We should get over to the house. I've been gone all night and he'll be worried. I don't normally do this kind of thing."
"Well, we don't need to rush. I already called Nick and told him that you were over here. You take a few minutes to gather yourself together."
"No, no. We had better go now. Josh is gonna be so worried."
Lance's hand stills against your back. "What?"
You take Lance's cellular from his other hand and dial your home number. The phone rings twice before the other end is picked up.
"Hello?"
You smile at the sound of his voice. "Josh, baby. I'm heading over with Lance right now, okay? I'm really sorry about last night."
"Howie?"
"Oh, Nick. I'm sorry, I thought you were Josh. Could you get Josh on the phone?"
"Josh can't come to the phone right now."
"Oh, then tell him that we'll be right....."
Lance puts his hand over yours. "Howie, give me the phone." he says gently.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't even ask if I could use it."
"That's okay." Lance's smile appears a little tight as he puts the phone to his ear. "Nick, can you please come over here to us? Thanks." A quick press of a button and Lance hangs up the phone.
He takes a deep breath before turning to face you. "Howie, JC isn't at the house. He died day before yesterday, remember?"
You look into Lance's eyes. They're all bloodshot from too little sleep and too much crying. Lance's eyes don't lie.
You nod. "Oh yes, that's right."
A tear slips down Lance's cheek and he brings his fingers to your cheek. He brushes the tears that have fallen away as others follow. You hadn't even realized that you were crying.
The end.