Vincent pulled up at the large building complex that held multiple apartments. He could hear music, laughter, and the sound of people chatting from where he was parked. He sighed, looking towards the digital clock in the rented car.
He had left Detroit around eight in the evening and had gotten to New York around the same time the next day.
He took another look at the apartment complex before taking out his phone and dialing Claude's number. His friend picked up the call soon after, talking with Vincent briefly before hanging up.
Vincent rested his back against the bad chair of the small Toyota. He turned his head a bit, looking towards the building as he waited for Claude to come out like he said he would. He soon saw his friend slip out of the main entrance a few minutes later. Claude was wearing plain black shorts and a loose shirt. He watched as his friend approach the parked car before winding the car window down. Claude soon stopped in front of it, resting his hand on the roof of the car as he looked through the window at his friend.
"Hey Vin, how are you doing?" Claude asked, showing off his pearly whites as he looked straight at his tired looking friend.
Vincent sighed, shrugging as he looked away from him and towards the road ahead. "I've been driving all night, so I'm tired, but that's not something a good sleep can't fix."
"Yup, you've been driving all day, and a good part of yesterday," Claude said in understanding as he nodded at his own words. Vincent turned, following his friend's gaze to the sample bag that was sitting on the passager seat.
"Is that all you brought?" Claude asked as Vincent nodded in reply. Vincent watched as his friend ran a hand through his curly turf before heading over to the other side of the car. Vincent unlocked the car, allowing Clause to open the door and take out the bag. He got out soon after, locking the car before following Claude into the building.
There were no lights to light up the stairway so Vincent had to turn on the flashlight of his phone so they could head up. From the little he could see, Vincent saw the place wasn't well kept. He'd almost tripped on a number of broken stairs for starters, and the patch of wetness on the roof he'd seen while pointing his phone's flashlight upwards made him know it probably dripped water during rains. What puzzled Vincent was that the accommodation was probably more expensive than his.
They finally got to Claude's apartment on the third floor. Vincent watched Claude drop the bag before turning the knob of the old door and pushing it open. Vincent bent down to pick up his bag, before heading to the apartment and its small living room.
"I'll sleep on the couch, you can have my room," Claude said as Vincent's eyes scanned the couch that presently had a pillow and duvet sitting on it.
"Would you like to eat anything?" Claude asked, fumbling with the remote he'd picked up from the center table until the small TV sitting on the floor came on.
Vincent nodded at Claude's offer, watching as his friend ran his hand through his hair again.
"Yes, please, I'm starving," Vincent said, heading over to sit at the edge of the cream sofa.
"I have instant noodles and — well, that's about it," Claude laughed as he scratched his scruffy chin. Vincent grinned at him, he could tell that his friend was trying to cheer him up, and he appreciated that.
"Did you get the ticket?" Vincent asked as he let his eyes move to the TV. A boxing match was on, but Vincent was disinterested since he didn't know the players on the screen.
"Yes, I did," Claude answered, walking over to take a sit on the cushioned armrest of the sofa. Vincent had promised to pay Claude back if he helped him get a ticket to August's next exhibition for him. Vincent had been a little shocked to see how expensive it was when Claude texted him the details, but he had to remind himself that he was doing it for August.
"Thank you," he said to Claude, turning to give him a smile of gratitude.
Claude shrugged, looking towards the television. "It's no problem. Plus, you're paying me back with interest."
"Interest?" Vincent repeated, raising a brow.
"I took out money from my savings to buy a ticket so that you can see your boyfriend. Yes, interest. I don't operate for free," Claude grumbled jokingly.
"Fine," Vincent sighed in defeat with a small laugh as he sat up. "How about those instant noodles? I'm still starving."
"There are two packs on top of the fridge. Help yourself," Claude answered, taking his phone out of his pocket before turning his full attention to it.
Vincent rolled his eyes in disbelief as he got up and headed to the kitchen. On getting in he looked about for the things he'd need. He got things together, and the pot of noodles was ready fifteen minutes later. He headed to the living room with a bowl of it, before settling close to Claude.
"So he said you should come get him?" Claude asked Vincent, running a hand through his scruffy chin as he kept his eyes on his phone. "That's a pretty open-ended demand, don't you think?"
Vincent nodded, resting his head against the sofa. He has somehow ended up sitting on the floor, while Claude sat magnetically on the sofa with a leg lounged on the armrest.
"Have you called him since you saw his text?" Claude asked, making Vincent sit up on the tiled floor.
No, he hadn't called August. He'd been too focused on driving and getting to New York for a good amount of time.
"You haven't called him, have you?" Claude sighed, as Vincent nodded in embarrassment.
"I'll do that tomorrow," Vincent said, looking over at the wall clock. "He won't be awake now. It's almost two in the morning."
"So August doesn't even know that you're here?" Claude asked, making Vincent give a small nod. He'd jumped into the car and drove all the way to New York impulsively. He hadn't been thinking straight for the most part.
"I already said that I'll call him tomorrow," Vincent said defensively, making Claude shrug in response.
"I'm calling it a night. My room is open if you want to go to bed," Claude said, making to lay down on the sofa before yawning. Vincent watched his friend pull the cream duvet at the corner of the sofa over himself before he decided that he should call it a night as well.
He looked up at the clock again — two fifteen. Well, it was the technically morning if he wanted to be honest with himself.
Vincent headed for Claude's room with his bag. He walked into the small place, taking in the sight of the small bed at the corner of the room. Vincent dropped his bag, deciding to change into something more comfortable before he onto the bed with a plain cream bedsheet.
He turned about until he was facing the ceiling. Vincent sighed, realizing that he needed a bath, and something more filling than instant noodles in his stomach.
The noise from the people within the building and the bar from the other end of the street were making it hard to sleep. Vincent's own neighborhood was quiet so he wasn't used to the noise.
He gave up on sleeping when he got up to search for his phone in his bag. He found it, before heading back to Claude's bed to go through it.
Vincent wondered how August was doing. He wondered about the simple things, like whether he was eating and sleeping well.
He bit his bottom lip. Maybe sending August a heads up about him attending the exhibition wasn't a bad idea?
Vincent thought about it for a while, nodding in agreement with himself before he made to send August a text.
To: August.
Hello. It's been a while. I saw your message from before just a few hours ago. I'm sorry that I wasn't there right away to comfort you. If only I'd seen it sooner...
Enough about that. I got a ticket for your next exhibition. I obviously can't do anything to stop what's happening, but I at least what to be there with you.
I'm already in New York. The place is a bit too busy for me, but I'll live.
How are you doing? Are you sleeping and eating well?
2:51 AM.
He let out a long sigh after he sent the message. He felt a lot less tense, and he hoped August would reply to him sometime in the day.
Vincent called it a night after he updated Chuck and Jane about his whereabouts. He forced himself to close his eyes and ignore the flashing lights and noise in other to sleep.
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