ONE NIGHT FOREVER

Normally, I don't drink, but tonight was an exception. Laughter echoed off rich mahogany wood and polished glass as the Manhattan bar throbbed with life and vitality, yet I felt completely cut off from the celebration going on around me. The aftertaste of whiskey sour burnt my lips, and even the alcohol couldn't take away the dull agony that throbbed in my chest.I was reminded of the email that had destroyed my whole day by the buzzing notice on my phone. I looked at the screen, anticipating what I would see: *Ms. Vance, three weeks. In three weeks, we must receive the money; else, we will start the foreclosure process. In three weeks, $250,000 will be generated. The benefit it would do me would have been worth a million dollars. My parents had left me the one house I had ever really loved, and it was pretty well gone.A middle-aged guy with a soft smile and weary eyes, the bartender frowned in worry as he observed me. “Another one, miss?” he pointed to my almost empty glass.I ponde

The sun did not rise in a bright and optimistic blaze. That same weight clung to my chest when I woke up, and it dragged itself over the city like a dark, melancholy sheet. Warm and cozy, Vanessa's little apartment was filled with throw cushions, unfinished artwork, and the lingering aroma of coffee from her daily habit. But I still had worry here. The weight of my phone served as a continual reminder of the text message I had yet to respond to, making it an anchor in my pocket."Damien." Even just thinking about his name made me feel unsafe, like if I should keep it hidden to prevent harm."You're awake," Vanessa said as she hurried into the room in her typical morning haste. With a hot cup of coffee in one hand, she held her blond hair in an untidy bun. "How did you sleep?"I said, massaging my temples, "Hardly." The way Damien had made his message seem like a dare had caused my mind to spin. As if meeting him at Delmonico's were that easy. As if he might help me forget the debt tha

In a haze of worry, the hours flew by, and each minute dragged and blurred into the next until I felt almost numb. My work was a frenzy of charts and half-written marketing material, and I couldn't focus. Despite making myself stare at my computer screen, I felt useless. As the day drew to an end, the pit in my gut only became worse as I continued to consider Damien's offer.I startled when I heard someone say, "Hey, Audrey." I looked across at my accounting colleague Jake, who was hovering awkwardly at my desk. His eyes were warm and brown, his smile was kind and charming to most of the women at work, and he looked young. He said, his face pinched with concern, "Are you okay?" "You appear... anxious."I said, "I'm fine," out of habit, even though my voice was strained. "There is just a lot going on."Despite his lack of conviction, he gave a pitying grin. "A group of us are going to O'Malley's if you need a drink after work."Almost, I responded, "yes." Jake's offer seemed to be safe

I didn't get much sleep that night, and when daylight arrived, it brought with it nothing but a stifling sense of dread. Still haunted by Damien's message from last night, my phone rested on the nightstand like a ticking time bomb. He wanted to see me again, and while I knew I should avoid him as much as possible, I couldn't help but be drawn in by his interest and fascination.Vanessa walked carefully into the room while holding a plate of coffee and bread. My heart tightened at the sight of the tired, worried expression on her face. “Breakfast,” she murmured, attempting a grin that fell short of her eyes. "I thought you might want to eat before we make a decision on how to proceed."Rubbing my blurry eyes, I sat up. As I generic the espresso cup with gratitude, I said, "Thank you." It felt comforting and warm, and I clung to it as though it have been my lifeline.Her face softened as she stored a decent eye on me. "You were not asleep, have been you?"Gazing do

As the rain continued to fall, it pelted Kyle's little apartment's windows. The monotonous bustle of the metropolis out of doors did little to calm the intellectual maelstrom. I cuddled up at the shabby sofa and stared on the flickering TV screen, hardly ever paying attention. were miles away from The Vista, yet my heart continued to race, the adrenaline still there.Vanessa sat on the floor, cross-legged, and determinedly browsed through her phone. Even though Kyle didn't know anything about what we were fleeing from, he hung close by, providing protection. I worried he wouldn't be able to fulfill his silent pledge to keep us safe, and he hadn't asked many questions.Throwing her phone away, Vanessa murmured, "Nothing in the news." "There are no reports of any events occurring at The Vista."As if anticipating danger to burst through at any second, Kyle said, "which means whatever went down was kept under wraps."I clenched my knees, my mind fixed on Damien. Was h