"Are you drunk?" I managed to mumble.

　　"Yes, you are!" I said once I smelled the alcohol on his shirt and breath.


　　"Let go!" I tried to pull away fighting with my own inner feelings and resistance of not wanting to be separated from him.

　　"Stay in my arms," was what he said and I felt him stroking my hair.

　　"What are you doing? Here?" I mumbled putting my forehead on his shoulder as I felt him stroking my hair tightening his grip on my waist.


　　"I don't know!" he replied.

　　"What do you mean by you don't kno-"


　　"Ssssh!" his clicking of tongue silenced me.

　　"You sure talk too much!" he whispered into my ears sending a shiver run down my spine.

　　"You smell of alcohol!" I said as I inhaled the smell of alcohol from his mouth because of our close proximity.

　　"You smell good," he inhaled deeply as he rested his chin on my shoulder humming in response. I didn't really understand whether to feel good about it or get worried because of the fact that he was being unusually open and was speaking whatever I had always wanted to hear but couldn't.

　　"Let go! You are drunk," I tried to push him but more I struggled the more iron-like grip he formed around my body.

　　"But I am in sense," he complained.

　　"You don't even know what you are speaking!" I retorted.

　　"And I've heard that a drunk mind speaks a Sobers heart!"

　　His statement made me stop struggling against him and slowly I looked up to look at his face inches away from mine. His breath fanned over my face and I realized that not only was he drunk but he was tired and sleepy too. The bags under his eyes indicated how tired he was and the smirk plastered on his lips made me wonder what was the thing that made so happy at the moment.

　　"Zachary!" I gasped all of a sudden because of the voice coming from behind me. Still, in Zachary's arm, I turned a little and recognized the owner of the familiar voice.

　　"Willi?" I said astonished to see him after a long time.

　　And Zachary? Since when did he begin to call him using his name?

　　"Look who do I have here!" Zachary said and leaned against me putting his body weight on me which made me bend backward. His weight gave stress on my back and that kind of hurt me.

　　"Gaaah Zachary hold yourself!" I panicked as I tried to push him away from me.

　　"Zachary!" Willi was right next to me in a second helping Zachary move from me.

　　"No!" Zachary slurred stubbornly as he tried to hold my shawl and drag me back to him.

　　"Man you are drun-" Willi was cut off by the police's siren outside my house. It was the patrolling team.

　　"Quick! Let's go inside!" Willi said and even before I could respond he carried a drunk Zachary inside the house while I was dragged inside because of Zachary who was clutching my shawl like a stubborn monkey.

　　"Always barging inside!" I muttered as I tried to free my shawl from Zachary's hold.

　　"Oh man!" Willi muttered as he made Zachary sit on the chair.

　　"I have to take him back to his hotel room now," Willi said and put his hand around Zachary's shoulder trying to make him stand but Zachary being too stubborn even to co-operate shook his head rocking to and fro in his seat and clutched onto my shawl even more tightly.

　　What side of him is this?

　　"I am sorry Juliette. Forgive him for his behavior but he is not in his right state of mind," Willie said and all I could do was to heave out a sigh.

　　"It's not your fault!" I muttered and watched as he gave me a faint smile before returning to his act of trying to make Zachary stand on his feet.

　　"Juliett-tte" came out Zachary's slurred voice.

　　"Tell me, how did you both find me here?" I asked as I recalled the question that has been nagging me in the back of my mind since the time I saw Zachary outside my window.

　　"And since when have you started calling him by his name? Are you both I mean kind of friends now?" I asked crossing my arms around my waist and rubbing my left arm, I looked back at Zachary who had his eyes closed but was still holding onto my shawl.

　　"Long story short, you can call us friends and about that previous question I'll tell you everything about it tomorrow,"

　　"Or should I say Zachary himself will tell you about it tomorrow when he is sober but right now we need to move out back to our hotel," he said and I nod understanding but then it struck me and I gasped.

　　"Tomorrow? You mean to tell me that he is going to meet me again tomorrow?" I asked incredulously and glanced back at Zachary who was now leaning against me with his head on the side of my waist.

　　"Of course!" Willi shrugged as if I was asking him a stupid question.

　　"Well, why would he even want to meet me tomorrow?" I asked throwing my hands in the air. The mere feeling of talking face to face once again made my heart race against my chest.

　　Willi bit down on his lips fishing his hands into his pant pockets he looked back at Zachary.

　　"I don't really think that he will need any reason not to meet you tomorrow when he found you after a long time," I heard him whisper.

　　"What?" I asked even though I heard everything clearly.

　　"I know you heard me," and that annoying smile of his was back on his lips. It was the Willi I knew. He would smile without any reason.

　　"Bu-"

　　He cut me off and pulled Zachary's arm over his shoulder and made him stand on his feet.

　　"Well, time to leave! See you so- tomorrow," he laughed and as took a step with Zachary leaning against him now asleep, my shawl slipped off my body as I watched both of them leaving the house from the same way they came in with my shawl still in Zachary's hand.

　　"Coffee?" Kiara asked as I combed my hair furiously tying it up into a ponytail.

　　"No!"

　　"Tea?" She asked leaning against the open door frame of my bedroom.

　　"No!"

　　"Water?"

　　"No!"

　　"Juice?"

　　"No!"

　　"Mr. Sullivan?" she asked which made me glance at her through the mirror.

　　"Never!" I muttered more to myself but my traitor heart yelled against the word that I used.

　　"Oh really?" she mocked me wiggling her eyebrows.

　　"Stop it, Kiara!" I glared at her and straightened the collar of my blue and black checkered shirt.