gabbyncat

Skip the before-last step, it’s about to shatter. Button up coat before leaving, since it’s raining. Again. Alex rummaged in his pockets for a cigarette, and once it was clamped in between his lips, shoved the door open with his shoulder. It was heavy, and the hinges screeched. He had left his iPod at home. Sod’s law dictated he would now get stuck in an elevator on his own for a week or something.

Water was dripping from the gutter. It was leaking all over the place, had been for weeks now. Alex added it to the list of things he needed to get fixed without people noticing it was broken. He fumbled with the lighter for a while, struggling to light his cigarette in the face of gusts of wind and rain.

Narrowing his eyes and turning up his collar, Alex walked down the steps and onto the pavement. It was really tipping it down. He glanced at his watch. The last bus had left five minutes ago.

“Alex!”

“Harry? Fuck are you doing here?”

“Reporting, remember? How are you?” Kissy-kissy, stand back, judge. Alex suddenly remembered he hadn’t shaved in ages.

“Same old. But seriously, it’s getting late. How’re you getting home?”

“Getting late? What, you think it’s not safe?” Harry snorted.

“Off the record?”

“Maybe.”

Alex scowled. At that moment, three young men sloped out of an alley.

“Marco, go home, will you? You’ll catch a cold.”

Two of them sniggered at the third, who made an unpleasant gesture at Alex.

“Ah, worried I’ll get mugged, eh? I can handle a few youths, don’t worry.”

“Not Marco I’m worried about. Come on. Let’s go.” Alex laid a firm hand on her shoulder and propelled her towards the exit of the cul-de-sac.

“Well, alright then, let’s. How you getting back?”

Alex squirmed for a moment.

“Left the car at home. Kinda hoping you could give me a lift, actually.”

“Aha! Sounds like someone needs a favour.”

“I’ll walk it if you push me too far.”

“You’ll have to put that out, though.” Harry jerked a thumb at his cigarette. Alex shot her a disgruntled look and then spat the cigarette skywards, grinding it under his heel as he walked over it.

“Classy.”

“One more fag-end isn’t going to tip the block into disrepair, is it? That ship sailed long ago.”
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