Through Hues of Blue

Chapter 3- Blue Sunglasses

Nove pressed her hand against her apartment door, feeling the peeling white paint against her palm. She rested her head against the wood for a moment, still clasping the pair of blue sunglasses and keys in her right hand. An emotion that was a mixture of both disbelief and belief ran through her body, creating an anxious storm in her heart. There's no way that could've been him... of course, faking his death also seems like something he'd be able to pull off. Nove shook her head and jammed her keys into the door, unlocking the apartment.

Immediately, a scent of mint and eucalyptus wafted up into Nove's face, calming her anxiety just the slightest. She wasn't sure what to do with Marius in Portland, but it didn't help sitting around worrying about him. Nove knew she needed to put some of that nervous energy into her writing. No use putting that energy to waste.

"Before I know it, I'll probably be passed out on the balcony anyway," Nove smirked. She looked around at her dark apartment. It was small, but it was just as she had wanted. The flooring was an ugly brown colored linoleum, mostly covered by some cheap rugs Nove had bought at big stores quite a few years back. Her kitchen had light brown cabinets, which didn't match the flooring in the slightest. Her counters looked like the floor of a diner, a white and black checkered pattern that was quite an eyesore. Nove bought some upgraded appliances to make it look slightly better, but quite frankly it was like putting lipstick on a pig.

Nove's bedroom door was a tiny room off behind the kitchen, which led to an even smaller bathroom. She tried to decorate the walls in her room with tapestries and various paintings she had done herself over the years, one of her most notable being a replica of a Monet painting, only using inverted colors. She really loved the piece. It's one of the few things of the apartment that felt authentically her.

The apartment was atrocious, and Nove knew it. She decorated it with monotone colors and inexpensive, cliche art pieces to try and cover up the ugly, but it still seeped through. Nove always found it strange how her mother adored the apartment, when really the only reason Nove rented the place was for the views. Beyond the living room laid the one place the Nove truly felt home at, her balcony. She threw a couple insanely comfortable chairs out there, a glass table, some fairy lights, and a big green plant she had named Claude, after her favorite artist. The balcony was Nove's sole reason for staying in this place. She loved the views from her tenth floor apartment, the breeze that hit her face every time she leaned over the railing. Strangely enough, she even enjoyed the twinge of vertigo she received while looking at the ground below. It felt comfortable and yet exhilarating, a perfect combination for Nove.

She grabbed an iced coffee from her fridge and bounced out to her balcony, plopping into the chair next to where she had left her laptop earlier in the day. The fairy lights above her created a pleasant ambiance, as well as the small, cool breeze that floated through the air. Nove could hear the traffic and commotion of the city below, but she felt safe so far above. In front of her, a city of light spread out for as far as her eye could see, making for quite a sight. The only thing Nove wished she could add to her view was the stars, but she knew the light pollution wasn't going to allow that.

"It's a nice night, eh Claude?" Nove asked, looking at her leafy plant. He sat still, his thick leaves waving slightly. "Why did I expect a response? You're a plant." Nove shook her head and powered up her laptop, ready to write. She could feel inspiration coursing through her, which was unusual. Most nights she spent staring at a blank document, too worn out to write.

Nove's phone dinged loudly next to her, indicating she had gotten a text from her friend, Valerie.

We still on for tomorrow? Nove groaned, frustrated she actually had to show up for the plans she had made days in advance.