These Wicked Games

Chapter 8

Since I left his side, Hayes' last words when I left his car, stayed in my head.

"Don't trust anything you see. And don't trust anyone, not even me."

What does that even mean? He's literally waiting for me in the car downstairs. He's been working so hard to get me to trust him it seems, so then why tell me I shouldn't? I don't get it.

I'm back in my old apartment packing whatever little I didn't already sell for cash into those big black garbage bags to take back to my new apartment. Yes garbage bags.

Standing in here, as I look around at the empty room, it's bittersweet.

This apartment has a ton of memories, good and bad. It was the first apartment I was able to afford on my own years ago. It was certainly an upgrade from renting a room. It's not much but it was mine and I was proud. I came here to New York City, dropping all my friends and whatever was left of my family with the premise that I'd make something of myself.

I always said, the day I leave this place, will be the day I move into my first home. Funny how life throws wrenches in your plans. You think you're finally doing okay and your outlook for the future is good and then the universe kicks you on your ass and you land on a pile of shit. That was where I was at, that pile of shit.

I don't know how I got to where I'm going right now and to be honest, I'm scared. I'm so scared because I'm not getting any younger, and I can't be making stupid decisions in hopes for a better life. I need to be sure. Every decision needs to have purpose but right now I'm lost.

I take the key to this apartment off my keychain, set it on the counter, drag my garbage bag out to the hall and say goodbye one last time before closing the door and starting the next chapter of my life.

Let's hope it's a good one this time.

——————

Hayes drove me back to the new apartment, dropped me off and said to text him whenever I wanted to hang out or talk. It's Wednesday and my first day doesn't start until Monday so I am free for awhile, but want to take some time for myself a little bit.

A knock sounds at my door and my heart beats like crazy. Is it Hayes already? He literally just dropped me off an hour ago. Why the hell am I so giddy and nervous all of a sudden?

I check the peephole and see Evie. "Evie shut the fuck up you got hired too?" I say obnoxiously loud when I open the door for her.

"Girl! I'm on probation but I don't give a fuck, we're getting fucking blasted tonight. I heard you come in earlier. I'm legit across the hall. We're fucking neighbors yo!" She's holding a bottle of Hennessy and 2 shot glasses and we both laugh.

I bow as I let her through and she heads straight for the kitchen. "OMG your pad is a mirror image of mine, fucking trippy. Here take a shot with me! We're celebrating."

I meet her at the dining table and pick up the shot she passed me. "Cheers!" We say and start sharing stories about the last couple of days.

Apparently she was at the same dinner party an hour before me, dressed in a low cut red satin dress and a black mask that sounds similar to mine. She ended up getting close with Faye and I told her about what happened in the bathroom. She told me Faye's harmless but to watch out for Rina for sure. She's Alek's girl and so she's basically head honcho next to him.

We spend most of the night hanging out, ordering some burgers from the chef's kitchen and she showed me around her apartment too. It is in fact a mirror image of mine.

Cookie cutter shit, I don't like that. I got to start decorating so that I can start feeling like this place is more mine instead of some corporation's.