So even if I am in love with you, all this to say, what’s it to you

 Observe the blood, the rose tattoo, of fingerprints on me from you

 Other evidence has shown, that you and I are still alone

 We skirt around the danger zone, and don’t talk about it later

 And I tried so hard to resist when you held me in your handsome fist

 And reminded me of the night we kissed, and of why I should be leaving

– Suzanne Vega

Gail was sitting on the ledge behind the stairs, feet dangling over the five story drop, bottle of tequila held loosely between her legs. She often came here when the world became too much. When she wanted to hide. When she wanted to think. She knew that it was dangerous, and possibly stupid to be perched up here on the edge of the roof like this, drinking, but that was part of the appeal.

Nick had left her again, or maybe she had finally left him, after he had decidedly abandoned her – for the umpteenth time, again. She wasn’t sure. Why did everything have to be so fucking complicated? And why was she always the one who got hurt in the end? Sure, she had cheated on him, with that disgusting little man. But what was that one time in comparison with the six months he had just spent with Andy? She was now convinced that they had wasted no time before hopping into bed together the minute they were alone on that assignment. How could she have been so blind? And why did it take that stupid little bitch, Chloe, pointing it out for her to see what everyone else seemed to already know? She was sure that they were all laughing at her behind her back, again.

She took a deep pull on her bottle and let the liquor burn all the way down to the hollow pit in her stomach. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the wood of the shed behind her.

Fuck.

She took another swig and decided that she should really be getting out of here, the chill of the crisp fall air was beginning to bite at her ears and fingers and nose. Just then her phone began to vibrate. She considered simply tossing it into the abyss for one reckless moment, before reaching into her pocket and looking at the screen.