Sean placed a potted succulent on the end table next to the couch before stepping back to join us. We all looked around the place, nodding in contempt. "I do think the plants really help bring the are to life," Josh stated and Sean nodded his head in agreement.

"Especially since you don't want to paint the walls."

"White walls, dark wood floors and plants coming out of the ass." Josh turned his head to look at me and smirked. "You're every minimalist millennials wet dream." I actually laughed at that one and punched his arm playfully. While my place did look like the poster child for some Instagram famous young adult, it felt lively to me. The oven beeping brought our admirations away and it was nowtime to be focused on dinner. I had decided to make something I thought would be easy, and Sean helped me choose chicken parmesan. I used to make it for him all the time, but I stopped after a while because I didn't want him to get bored of it.

"I would never get bored of noodles, chicken, cheese and marinara sauce." He joked while we were at the store and his comment helped solidify the idea of making it for our last dinner together. Sean and Josh both worked together to set up the table, while I pulled out the dish and began serving the plates. Josh came over after I finished the first plate and carried it over to the table, following the second and last plate. I walked to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade Sean had made earlier and set it on the table before joining them.

"This is a drastic change from Chinese." Josh joked, referring to the takeout we got last night for dinner.

"I felt the first use of the kitchen should be saved for your last day before you guys head back," I commented and my eyes darted over to watch for Sean's reaction. He still seemed upbeat, but a little less than before now. I felt bad moving out and leaving him, but I wouldn't have decided this if he wasn't with Josh. He had someone that could still love him uncontrollably and help him if he ever needed it. And I also slightly felt this would be a way to push him into getting his license. Or at least have his anxiety to the point where he can ride the train to come to visit.

"What's the first order of business?" Josh asked, picking up on the solemn mood and trying his best to change it. See, this is why I was confident that Sean would be okay. Josh always knew what to do to fix a situation if it was becoming worse. Well, he almost always knew. Sometimes I questioned his judgment.

I took a bite of my chicken before swallowing. "Was thinking about opening a second branch of the bakery over here," I stated and both men looked at me in shock. "Its very popular back home, so I thought it would be interesting to try out the ropes here."

"Mum agreed to that?" Sean asked and I nodded my head, taking a sip of lemonade. Since mum was running the bakery now, I didn't have much of a hand in how things were going like before. I still helped out from time to time, but Josh and Sean were the ones who were more involved than I was. This was partial because I spent the last two years trying to get my ex-boyfriend out of prison and the thought now made me angry. I wasted all that time over someone to dump me a few weeks after he was free.

"She already bought the building and all the supplies. I just have to do the grocery shopping and hire some employees and we're out to sea." Josh decided to take this information to cheer my brother up a little more.

"If there's another branch, that means your mum could send you over to this one if they're understaffed or need help for a while." Sean stopped eating and let his fork fall on his plate.

"Its why I made sure I got a two-bed house and let you decorate the second one," I added in and watched his mouth form into a bright smile before whipping his head to look at Josh.

"We have to leave now! I need to go ask mum!" He pleaded to Josh and we both looked at him amused.

"Just call her."

"She never answers her phone!" My brother whined and I had to agree with him on that one. My mum chided everyone else for never answering their phones, but when you've just had your car towed and are standing out in a parking lot during the middle of winter, she doesn't want to answer her phone. I was still upset about that. I literally called her twelve times before she answered and yelled at me for calling her so much. I glanced over at the clock and saw it was getting late.

"You guys go ahead and leave. I don't want you driving too late at night since you aren't used to the roads here." I told them and though I know Sean was sad to go, he was also eager to get home so he could ask our mum about the bakery.

"I'll plan to come up and visit in a month or so." Josh informed me before giving me a hug, followed by my brother. I walked them to the door, waving goodbye until their car was out of sight. With a sigh, I closed the front door and turned to look at my now empty apartment. I was hoping I wouldn't begin to feel too lonely. Maybe I can go out tomorrow night and make some friends. Yeah right, like I could even last an hour out in public around people. This is why I have only one friend—I hate people. I have too many trust issues and failed friendships to open up my walls to new possible friends.

Trying to decide on whether or not I wanted to stay up a little bit or go ahead to bed, I figured sleep would be a better option. Staying up might lead my mind into thinking about unwanted things and I'll end up getting in a mood. With my mind made up, I headed up the stairs to go take a quick shower. Once clean and in some boxers, I curled into my bed and turned off the lamp on my side table.

"I'll get used to this soon. It'll all be worth it." I told myself as I tried to drift off to sleep, but my thoughts wouldn't shut off. I spent the whole night tossing and turning, only to finally give in to sleep when the sun was beginning to rise. I had nothing to do today, so sleeping in shouldn't be an issue.

It became an issue when I was woken up by my phone blowing up. Not literally, but someone was texting and calling me nonstop and I was starting to get annoyed.

"What the actual fuck do you want?" I grumbled into the phone, not bothering to check who it was before answering.

"Well, that's no way to speak to your mother." My eyes flew open at my mum's voice and I groaned.

"I'm sorry, I got no sleep and you kept making my phone sound off." I apologized and I heard her sigh.

"Perhaps you should get some melatonin. I know it took me quite a while to fall asleep peacefully when I got my own place." She offered as I rose out of the bed to sit on the side. "Either way, I need you fully rested. Tomorrow is a big day and I don't wish to have to come all the way there because you couldn't handle it."

"I know, I know mum. Let me go get some medicine and food and I'll make sure I'm up bright and early." I hoped that reassured her, but her response let me know it didn't.

"Call me when you wake up in the morning. If it's past eight, I'm blowing your phone up again." I could practically see her smile when she spoke and it made me smile in return. We said our goodbyes before hanging up. Throwing my phone on the bed, I groaned and flopped back to stretch. I was still really tired, but that might help some with getting to bed early tonight. Getting up to get dressed, I was soon out the door and using my phone to direct me to the local convenience shop. There happened to be one only a few blocks from my house and I marked the location on my phone since I knew I would frequent this place. It was fairly small but looked very clean and nice inside. I headed towards the back of the shop where most places keep medicine and sighed in relief when I spotted the bottle I needed. Grabbing it, I headed towards the counter, only to stop when I passed some bottles of liquor. I  chewed on my bottom lip as I weighed the pros and cons of getting anything, but threw it all out the window when I realized one thing. I was alone in an area where I knew no one. I deserve to drink if I want to. Grabbing some Cognac, Jameson and Baileys, I set everything on the counter and gave the young girl a smile. She returned it before ringing up my things, reading me my total and then bagging it after I paid. I bid her farewell before beginning the treak back to my house.

Once inside I decided to hold off on the pills so I could have a few glasses of alcohol - Cognac being my poison of the night. And a few glasses turned into finishing the whole bottle and I was now completely smashed in my living room. I was so going to regret this in the morning. My mom was going to be so pissed too. Against my better judgment, I pulled out my phone to call my mom. Squinting my eyes I laughed loudly at how blurred my vision was. I clicked on the contact that looked closest to her name and waited as it rung.

"Hello?" A male voice answered and my eyebrows furrowed together.

"Mum? S'When did chu get a male voice?" I slurred and the person on the other end, who i believed was my mum sighed.

"Alec, you didn't call your mom." Now I was even more confused. Strangely enough, the confusion was sobering me up a bit.

"No, I did. I know I did - ha, that kind of rhymes? Maybe?" I chuckled at myself and slid down to lay on the couch. I needed to close my eyes so the room would stop spinning. "But yeah, I pulled out my phone, tapped her number and boom. She should've answered. Who is this? Why do you have my mums phone?" I snapped, the sudden frustration making me sit up too quickly and groaned when everything whirled around me.

"Clearly mum and Milo are close to each other in your phone." He answered and my whole body froze at the mention of that name. Impossible. I deleted his number the day he broke up with me. Right? No yeah I for sure did.

"You for sure did not," The man on the other end stated. Oops, did I say that out loud. Oh no am I saying this out loud too?

"Yeah, you did. Your ex sounds like a real jerk." The guy agreed and I nodded my head furiously.

"Oh hell to the fucking yeah he is. I spent the last two years of my life working and risking everything to help him and he fucking breaks up with me not even two weeks later. We even talked about getting married before he went to fucking jail!"

The man was silent on the other end and I wondered if I shared too much information. I mean, I didn't even know who I really called since this clearly was not my mom.

"But you know...I don't think I could blame him much." My emotions were starting to change now as I thought about Milo. "I mean, he really cared about me. But I was so sensitive two years ago that I believed he wanted to get with his ex and raise their baby. I even went and slept with a guy that turned out to be an rival of his. Who does that? Who sits there and knows they love someone with their whole life, but leaves them and sleeps with another person soon after when they find out some bad shit? Me. That's who. I'm the asshole, not him." I sighed and placed my elbows on my knees. Fuck I needed more liquor. I wanted to be numb to this pain.

"I gotta get another bottle; where'd the fuck I put the Jameson." I mumbled, moving to get off the couch and go towards the kitchen.

"No. Why don't you go drink some water and head to bed. I'm sure you have things to do in the morning." The person told me, his voice calm and soothing. I found myself closing my eyes and nodding my head to him, but then realize he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, you're right mystery man who answered my mums phone."

"Goodnight Alec." He said softly before hanging up and leaving me alone again. Taking his words, I got up and drank a glass of water before filling it up again and bringing it with me to my room. I stripped from my clothes, falling over twice, before slipping into my bed. As I slowly started to fade out, one thought kept playing in my head.

I really missed Milo.