Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 1

I am sitting in the living room, looking with sleepy eyes at the screen of my TV, which is on. The news is on, but everything that is being said does not come to me at all. The only thing I have heard is that the race in Zandvoort will be a noise nuisance for the local residents. What a load of crap! The people here in the Netherlands don't know better than to whine and get their way. They don't even know what it does to the Formula 1 fans! I try to catch the last part of the news about the weather, but even this I do not get. Why am I still so tired? Didn't I go to bed too late? No, that's not possible. I usually go to bed around seven! Although most people think that's too early, but I do have to get out of bed pretty early. Today I got out of bed at four because I have to work. I work in a bookstore where you have to be at the door as early as five o'clock. It's just too crazy for words, but unfortunately it is! Because then you have to fill everything and there has to be change already in the cash register and much more. I once suggested if we couldn't replenish in the meantime while working to the boss of the store, but he thinks it's unnecessary.

My hand goes to the remote and I turn off the television. The picture flickers off and I am now in a dark living room. Too lazy to get up I grab my phone, which is next to me and see if I can do anything on my phone.

1 new message

I tap on the notification and see that it is a WhatsApp message. Immediately I open it and see that my best friend June has sent me a message.

JUNE:| Hey Rox! I have to tell you what? 04:05

04:30 Tell me! That is? |ME:

JUNE:|I'll tell you later. Maybe you should
leave, Rox! Otherwise you're going to be late! 04:30

04:31 Whoops! I'm going already! See you later, see you in a bit |ME:

Quickly I close WhatsApp and immediately jump up. Even though I'm not fully awake yet I put my phone in my pocket, after which I quickly check if it's really in there I run to the hallway.

'Ships! Now where are my shoes!" I ask myself out loud. My eyes shoot in all directions except the right one. Where the hell are they! Got me again. Wait! I already put them in the living room!

Quickly I sprint back to the living room and find my shoes next to the sofa. Ooops! Thank goodness. I step into them, quickly tying the laces but it's not quite right. Oh well, whatever! As long as I arrive at work on time.

Quickly I grab my house key and car key from the drawer of the closet in the hallway, after which I storm to the door and pull it open. You would almost think that I live in a normal house, but no! No, I live in an apartment on nine floors. I run up the corridor and rush to the stairs, because unfortunately they don't have an elevator here. So it's not that expensive to live in this apartment. Your house that you live in is only about forty-five square meters. So it's not a lot of area that I live in!

Meanwhile, I arrive at floor six and start running even harder now. Everyone is still asleep, so I can't just run over or in front of anyone. Panting, I arrive back at floor four. For a moment I lean against the wall to catch my breath. Why did I have to live so high again? Oh yes, because then you have super nice views!

After a minute or so to catch my breath I run further down the stairs again. Meanwhile, I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, but I pay no attention to it now. I might be late, because I had to look at my phone to see who was calling me!

Finally I arrive on the first floor and quickly walk to the front door. Roxanne, when will you pay your rent?" I suddenly hear the boss of the apartment ask. He comes running out the door. Jeez, he's up early too!

'Tonight I'll pay the rent! But I really have to go to work now. Believe me, I'll pay it tonight!" I shout at him and then rush past him.

'I'll hold you to that! No later than tonight!" he practically screams at me. I sigh and run outside, then run towards my Volkswagen Up! Quickly I open the car via the car key and quickly run to the driver's side door, then get into the car. I put on my seatbelt, after which I adjust my mirrors properly and then turn on my lights to automatic. Then I put my right foot on the gas pedal, but don't press it immediately by putting my heel on the ground. With my left foot, I push the clutch all the way in and put the switch in its 1, leaving it out of neutral. Slowly, I lift my left foot and give a very small amount of gas, then turn the steering wheel to the right so I can drive the car into the street. The car starts to move and I look through my inside mirror to the back, then I look through my outside mirror and finally I look over my right shoulder and don't see anyone coming. Then I steer the car onto the street and drive off the parking lot. Now off to work!