Whoo, second story! :) Hope you enjoy it :3

"Come on James! It'll be fun!"

"I don't know."

"Come on, please? You don't wanna be known as the like, party recluse."

"I'm not a party recluse."

"Do you want me to respond to that?"

I sighed. He wasn't going to give up on this.

The clock than hung on on of the white walls next to the large window still read two thirty, and looking at it every two minutes wouldn't make it move faster. I sighed, then coughed as something spicy Aisha in the cubicle next to me was eating wafted over and caught in my throat. After hacking up my insides a bit and glugging down as much water as possible, I returned to frowning at Tom, my supposed best friend since childhood. Now, when we were both twenty two, he still acted like a child at times.

"Just for the helluv it?" He grinned, the grin which apparently swayed many a decision. I gave in. Not becuase he was convincing, just because he wouldn't leave otherwise.

"Fine, fine-"

"Great!" He exclaimed, standing up and starting to leave. "We leave tomorrow, five in the morning, be awake or...I don't have rhyme, so just be awake!" He yelled loudly across the office as he walked-ran to the stairwell, waving, causing multiple disapproving frowns from my co-workers. This would not go down well. It never did when Tom turned up at my work, probably having thrown a sickie or just stretching his lunch break.

"Wha..." I started, but he'd already gone, his footsteps echoing up the stairwell and into the office. Tomorrow morning? Less than 24 hours notice? Be awake? Is he bonkers?

"Mr. Clement? Mr. Clement!" Oh, that was me. I'd still never gotten used to people calling me 'Mr. Clement'. It made me feel more important than I was.

"Yes, Celia?" Celia, one of my co-workers, skittered into my cubicle, clutching documents. "These need to be sent out by the end of the day, and I was thinking..." I drifted out of it as Celia rambled on about mail and something or other. I couldn't concentrate on any work at all today. Earlier, I'd actually fallen asleep at my desk, head leaning on the computer. Luckily Tom managed to barge in loudly and uninvited at that moment and wake me up. Maybe a holiday would be what I needed, a break...

"James?"

"Oh, yes, I'll drop them off when I leave on the way to the tube," I answered, as Celia smiled and placed the papers on my desk.

"Okay, great," She said, and stood there awkwardly, fiddling with her thin blond hair and blinking rapidly behind her thick glasses, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. Okay, awkward.

"Um...See you later," I tried. She straighted up a bit.

"Um, okay. Um, bye," She skittered out. Weirdo, I thought to myself. Now, to convince my Boss that I deserved a one week holiday that I didn't really want to go on, but would anyway.

I stood up and started over to her office. It always came to my attention that I was actually one of the only male workers here; apart from Bob, who was a bit weird. The rest of my collueges were women; and to someone like Tom this would be great, and to me, who actually comes to work to work, shock horror, it wouldn't really have the same effect. Especially from the likes of Celia and co, who even Tom didn't hit on.

"Come in," I heard her call from inside after I knocked, and I turned the door nob. I was lucky; my boss liked me a lot, for some reason. Since I actually hadn't taken a day off all year, she might let me go. Probably. If she was in a good mood. "Ah, James. Nice to see you today," She smiled from her chair, pen in hand, telephone in other. Okay, good mood. Good start.

"Hi Fiona," She insisted everyone called her 'Fiona' instead of 'Boss' or something similar, "I was wondering if I could discuss something with you..."

Half an hour later, I was a free man as I jogged down the stairs. Fiona had let me take the time off, saying everyone needed a break now and again. I was lucky to have such a nice boss, Tom often told me, then he would comment on how I was also lucky to work in an office full of women. Right, because that's all Tom thinks about, ever.

I passed Celia on my way out, who gave me an awkward grin as I walked out onto the street in front of the office. I half smiled back at her, then started a brisk walk towards the tube station, passing the post box and depositing my letters on the way. The station was already packed with people, and I struggled and pushed my way through the barriers, then the stairs (naturally, the escalators weren't working) and after a while, crammed against the door in a crowded carriage, my phone beeped, and I akwardly pulled it out of my pocket.

RENEM TOMOZ IS GUNA B MENNAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL

Obviously, a message from Tom, he was the only person I knew that wrote everything in capital letters, and used chatspeak not because it was quicker, because he probably couldn't spell the proper words. I sighed, and was about to text back when a woman in front of me stepped backwards to let someone pass, and knocked into me, sending my phone flying out of my hand, and onto the carriage floor with a smash. Shit.

"Oh God, I'm sorry," She gasped immediately, turning around and trying her best to bend down in the cramped space and pick up my phone, which was now in two. I sighed, and tried to crouch down next to her.

"Its okay, I think it isn't broken," I said, thankful that only the back had come off. The woman passed the pieces to me, a worried look on her face, her dark brown eyes concerned.

"Are you sure?" She asked, standing back up, as I did too. I nodded, slotting the phone back together.

"Its fine, really," I assured her, smiling. She apologized again, and exited the carraige at the next stop, glancing over her shoulder at me for a second, smiling shortly, then she was gone, her dark blond hair a blur as the train drove away and into the tunnel.

It rained as I walked home past the tall office blocks and apartments, bright lights from the shops lining the roads becoming smudges of colour through the rain. Naturally I had no umbrella, as it had actually been sunshining this morning when I'd left for work, and the walk was at least ten minutes back to my flat. It was okay, just a normal flat: a bit drab, but okay. It was how you imagine a typical twenty two year old man's flat to look like, I guess. I wondered if my roommate would be home by now- he'd only been living with me for a few months, just to move closer to work, he'd said. I dragged myself up the stairs (typically, there was no lift) to the fourth floor, soaking wet still, and jammed the key into the lock and turned it.

"Niko? You here?" I called as I opened the door. He was, as usual, hunched on the sofa, PS3 controller in hand, face furrowed in concentration.

"Mh," He mumbled, thumbs flying across the buttons. I chuckled, dropped my bag next to the wall, and headed to my room. To pack, I guess.

R&R please! :D