The flight to New York was a blur of lame movies and weird dreams. I couldn't sleep well on the flight. I kept waking up at the smallest sounds. One thing I remember clearly was looking back from my business class seat and seeing Leo fast asleep in his seat, his hair all over his forehead. He looked adorable, and I couldn't help but feel a light flutter in my belly as I watched him sleep.
I met him after immigration at the luggage collection. "Hey" he said. "Right back at you. Sweet dreams?" I asked him. "As if." He scoffed. "Sleeping well on a flight is only possible if you have sleeping pills with you." Leo said and pulled my suitcase off the carousel. I took my bag from him and said thanks. "What about you? Did you manage to sleep?" He asked me. "Kind of. I kept waking up." I said tiredly. "It's okay. We both can crash after we get home. Where are you staying?" Leo asked. I brought out my phone and checked the last message I had gotten from papa. "I'm not sure. Do you know this address?" I asked. I gave him my phone and he looked at the address. "Oh cool! We're neighbours!" Leo said. He got his bag and we began to walk out of the airport.
"Oh no!" I fake groaned and he punched my shoulder. "You didn't know that you were going to be my neighbour?" Leo asked me. "Papa changed my quarters at the last minute. He changed it once we met you, I think. So that I could have the one person I know living close to me." I said. We were outside the airport, at the pick up point. "Was someone supposed to pick us up?" I asked and Leo shook his head. "No one to pick us up here, princess." Leo smirked at me. He raised his fingers to his mouth and whistled shrilly. A taxi came and stopped in front of us. I removed my hands from around my ears and stared at him in awe. "I need to learn how to do that!" I gasped. "All in good time." Leo said. We loaded our luggage into the back (or rather Leo did) and then he helped me into the taxi.
We didn't speak as the taxi drove through the traffic in New York at eight in the night. I kept dozing off. I didn't want to sleep on my first car ride through the city. I was all about firsts- first impressions, first kisses, first sleepovers, first birthdays... I loved remembering them. If I couldn't document mine, I would document others. I kept my eyes open till we reached our building, even if it meant that my eyes would burn like crazy. I wasn't disappointed though. Everything was larger than life. Including our home.
The lobby was huge- as big as the mini ballroom papa had back home. It was extravagant. The doorman helped with our luggage and greeted Leo warmly. Leo lead me into the elevators and pressed the button for the highest floor. "The lobby is huge!" I exclaimed once the elevator began to move. "You think that's big? Wait till you see our penthouses. Our fathers have homed us in one of the poshest areas of New York. Compared to the others, we're spoilt." Leo said. His voice held a hint of pride. I smiled politely before yawning. "You can sleep soon." Leo said.
The elevator doors opened and we stepped out into a long hallway that extended to my sides. At either end there were huge double doors. "The one on the left is mine, the one on the right is yours. I'll show you around." Leo said. He opened the doors to my house and I gasped as I stepped inside.
It was crazy. The penthouse had three bedrooms. The living room was huge- it was as big as my bedroom back home. It was full of boxes that held my essentials that I had sent here before me. The kitchen was stocked with pots, pans and cutlery. I headed into the bedrooms and checked them out. They had basic furniture. Two of them were furnished with a bed, a dressing table and a wardrobe. The biggest bedroom (obviously the master bedroom) had a bed with a walk-in wardrobe. In the wardrobe were shelves for clothes and a dressing table. It would do for now, but I needed to redecorate as soon as I got time. The windows were huge and obviously provided plenty of light during the day.
"You like it?" Leo asked as he walked into the master bedroom "Like it? This is like a dream come true!" I said. "Okay, so your linen is out there in a huge box, I checked. I'll help you set up your room and then tomorrow we can go sightseeing and shopping. Sounds good?" Leo asked. "Yes. It does. Thank you Leo." I said, exhausted. "C'mon. You can't crash yet." He smirked. Together, we got the bedsheets and a comforter over my bed. Leo put some curtains on the window while I stacked my toiletries in the bathroom and unpacked some clothes that I needed for the night and tomorrow morning. At half past ten, we both were tired to the bones.
"Leo. I'll do the rest later. We're both tired and you should head back home. You need to unpack too." I said. "Okay. Be ready by ten tomorrow. I'll take you out for breakfast and then I'll help you make this place home." Leo promised. "Okay." I wished him goodnight, changed my clothes and collapsed onto the bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
YOU ARE READING
My Bully, My Neighbour
Romansa{Previously known as 'Bright Eyes'} Aria is a princess. A real one. She was brought up by her father in her hometown- an island off the coast of Greece. Once she's old enough, her father let's her move to New York and live by her own terms. Life ta...
