Across the Hall

1-Heidi

I turned the key to the old apartment building. I had two bags on the ground that I quickly picked up once the door was opened. I sighed when I got inside. I had forgotten that there wasn't an elevator. I started up the six flights of stairs.

The building I was living in had six floors total. The apartments on the ground floor were the most expensive, gradually getting cheaper the higher up you went. I had scored the cheapest apartment in the building. It was the smallest, and on the sixth floor. I was out of breath just carrying two bags up the stairs. I started to feel bad for the movers that had to move all my things to the apartment.

On the fourth floor, I passed a man with dark hair coming down the stairs.

"Do you need help?" He asked when he came to pass me.

I smiled at him. "No, I've got it."

He mumbled something I couldn't make out and started down the stairs again. I continued my climb until I was at my floor. I went down the hall to the last door on the left. I set my bags down again and pulled my keys. Once inside, I took off my shoes and lugged the bags into the kitchen right off the entrance. I looked around the small apartment. The kitchen was surprising large compared to the overall size of the place. The living area was just a step away from the kitchen. A bedroom and bathroom lined the back wall. A wall of windows allowed a flood of light to make the small space seem bigger than what it actually was.

Another thing that made it feel bigger than what it really was was the lack of furniture. The movers weren't going to show up for another three days.

I unloaded my bags. I had soap, three blankets, a pillow, and clothes in one, pictures, books, electronics, more clothes, and a towel in the other. I made a face. I had almost nothing to live with. I had to sleep on the floor until the bed came in.

The kitchen had a breakfast bar which was where I sat to take everything in. I swung my feet back and forth and thought about the last twenty four hours. How I officially left home and was now living on my own for the first time.

I pulled out my phone and called my mother and waited for her to pick up. After it rang eight times, it went to her voicemail. I felt sad for a moment, but I tried to sound cheery for the voicemail.

"Hey mom. I just got to my apartment. It's, um, quite empty. I'll try to talk to you later. I love you." I placed the phone down on the counter.

Outside, the sky was turning from blue to pink. I slid off the counter and walked to the windows and pulled the shades that came with the place. I pulled out the phone charger out of a mix of wires and plugged it into the wall. I sat on the floor and got what little clothes I had and started to refold them.

It was so quiet in the room that when a heard a knock on the door I jumped. I waited for a moment before hearing the knock again. I placed the shirt I was folding on the floor and stood up to answer the door.

When it opened, a tall guy was standing there. He was dressed in black jeans and a black jacket. I looked up and met his dark eyes. "Hello." I said.

"Hi." He looked me up and down. "You're the new neighbor?"

"Yes."

He flashed me a smile. "I'm Leyton Adian, but you can call me Ley if you want." He held out his hand to me.

I took his hand and felt a blush come to my face. "I'm Heidi Oswald."

"My roommate and I wanted to welcome you to the building."

"Is your roommate invisible?" I was trying to seem funny, but I realized how stupid it was the second I said it.

"What?" He asked, a look of confusion painted on his lovely face.