The House Share

Chapter Four - A Productive Day

Unsure what to do with myself, I decided to head down into my room quickly to grab some fresh clothes and get changed. It was still super creepy down there, so I didn't want to spend too long there.

Instead, I grabbed some sketchbooks and a couple of canvases and my trusted paints and supplies before headed back up into the main section of the flat. Deciding to head up to the third floor and get in a shower before I got to work, I turned my music on and headed up the stairs. I stood under the hot water for about fifteen minutes, not knowing if we were on a water meter, since the landlady hadn't mentioned anything in her rush to get me in.

It felt nice to get warmed up, steam filling the room and I sighed, a small amount of the tenseness from shoulders clearing a bit. I thought about my new house and roommates as I dried myself and quickly pulled on my warm, comfy painting clothes, before I headed back down to the main floor. I felt comfortable here, for the most part. But it would be a while before I could trust my surroundings, especially after everything that has happened before.

I started to grab a few more things for when I went out to explore, but I was stopped when I heard a knock on the door.

I froze.

I hadn't lived here for more than a day, I wasn't exactly comfortable answering the door... but I slowly walked over. "Hello?" I called out, trying not to sound nervous. No reply. Frowning, I stepped close to the door and looked out the peephole.
A woman stood there, a blonde bob hairstyle and a vacant look in her eyes.

I frowned, I'd watched too many horror films, so seeing someone in the peephole freaked me out. But I swallowed thickly and opened the door. "Hi..." I smiled anxiously, calming myself down now that the woman hadn't disappeared like they did in horror movies.
"Hi! You must be the new girl. I'm Holly, I work down at the café, I'm one of your neighbours." She smiled.

I vaguely recognized her as the woman who'd offered me a polite wave the day before when I was about to go out to hand out CV's. I smiled with a nod. "Yeah, I just moved in."
Holly nodded back at me, her blonde bob shifting.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Exza." I introduced myself, realising that's probably what she was waiting for.
She smiled. "I only popped by to tell Arnold to get his butt down to the café at some point soon."

I chuckled a little. "I can pass on the message."
"Thank you." She smiled again. "Feel free to drag both the boys down to the café, I haven't had a catch up with them in a while!" She shook her head. "Gotta dash, welcome!"
I smiled, she seemed nice. "Thank you, I'm sure I'll see you again soon."

I watched her go down the short path before I headed back into the apartment, going to my new spot on the ottoman and setting my sketchbook on my lap, flitting through the old drawings as I began pulling my pencils out to begin a new sketch.

I was so focused on my drawing, that I jumped when the door opened. Turning my head, I saw the man from the night before looking at me. We stared at each other for a moment, before he finally decided to speak. "Well, you definitely ain't Rimmer or Lister." He smiled.
I shook my head. "Um... no, I'm the other one." I chuckled awkwardly.
"Oh, alright, well Davey boy told me to come grab something from his room, didn't realise anyone else would be here." He explained. "I'm Peterson."

I remembered Lister telling me about Peterson; that helped relieve my nerves somewhat, as Lister had said he was harmless. I smiled. "Exza."
"Cool, I'm sure Dave'll drag ya to have drinks with us at some point." He nodded before rushing to the stairs and grabbing whatever it was that Lister had asked for, before rushing back out the door with a wave at me.
I shrugged, getting back to my artwork and losing myself in the sketches.

I didn't have much inspiration at the moment, what with only just moving here, but I was always able to sit down and sketch people. It was what I lived for, what I had a gift for. And while I wasn't one-hundred percent sure it's how I wanted to spend my life in terms of a full-time job, it still helped me get by.