This was it. No turning back now.
Her legs wobbled as she hopped out of the U-Haul from both the long hours she spent behind the wheel as well as anxiety. Was she making the right decision, basically leaving her old life behind for an uncertain future here in Michigan? Quinn had been asking herself that the entire trip and she still didn't know, nor did she know how to turn off these spiraling thoughts in her head. She took a deep, heavy breath and walked around to the passengers side door where she kept a bag of clothes and essentials and slung it around her shoulders before heading to the brick building labeled "J".
She had no clue how she managed to score such a perfect place within her meager budget. It certainly had somewhat of a sketchy vibe but that just added to the charm for Quinn. It was on the outskirts of the more lively part of town, overlooking the nature reserve and bike trails which offered somewhat of a view that she was very excited about. She didn't look forward to lugging all of her belongings and furniture up a flight of stairs on her own, but at least in the end she could sit on her balcony and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature and enjoy a joint.
It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot and her sweaty hands were making it feel a lot longer, having to carry several other bags that she grabbed from the back of the truck. She was about to set down her suitcase to open the door to the entrance when she heard a voice from behind her.
"Oh, lemme get that for you," it said.
A little startled, she turned her head to see a lanky looking man, his mousey brown hair pulled back into a loose bun. In one hand carried a case of Miller Lite. He smiled as he opened the door for her and his intense dark eyes felt like they were prodding into Quinn's soul.
"Sorry for scaring you," the man said with a slight chuckle.
His smile made her cheeks feel hot. "No it's fine," Quinn replied with an awkward grin. "Thanks."
"Sure. I can help you carry one of those if you want, I don't mind. I have a free hand," he said as he looked down at her full ones.
Not wanting to inconvenience him, she replied, "Oh you don't have to do that, I'll be okay. I'm just up the stairs here around the corner."
"Are you sure? I'm headed the same way, I'm in 87," he said, sounding genuinely concerned.
It was already rather arduous carrying them just to this door, she thought to herself, but she still felt a little guilty. Reluctantly she gave him an okay and he reached for the largest bag before they headed upstairs. He trailed behind her until she stopped at the unit at the very back right corner.
"Thanks again," Quinn said.
He offered another smile and set the suitcase down. "Yeah no worries. I'm Sam by the way," he said. He tossed his head back to the door behind them. "My brothers and I live across the way if you ever need anything."
She smiled but avoided his gaze. People weren't this friendly where she came from and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. It didn't help that he somehow both beautiful and handsome at the same time, either. People that looked like that were never this friendly to Quinn. "Oh nice, thanks. See ya around, I guess."
She fumbled with the keys in her hands until she was able to get the right one in the lock and made her way inside. Finally a wave of relief flew throughout her body, sliding her back against the door until she sat against the ground. At long last it finally felt like a new chapter in her life had begun and the hard part was over. After a few minutes, she stood back up and threw her bags into the corner to look around her new home. A studio size was all she needed; she didn't have much to her name anymore, as she got rid of a lot of her more meaningless possessions before the big move, but with a little bit of thrifting she was sure she could make it feel a little cozy. For now, it was bare and uninviting with plain beige walls and a shaggy carpet to match.
