State of Grace - Jack Hughes

015

Allie

I go up to the apartment and knock and wait for Lexie to open the door.

"Welcome home!" She screams and hugs me.

"I can't believe we are finally roommates."

"I know, only took 20 some years."

"Better late than never. Look I know we need to unpack, but I am starving and there is a Chipotle across the street. Want to get food and eat on our floor using that box as a table."

"Well duh".

We hugged one last time and ran across the street. Once we are back at the apartment and well fed, we go down to the van and unpack the whole thing. While we were unpacking, we used this time to catch up. 24 hours with your best friend, a lot can happen.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you, "She exclaims sorting through a box labeled 'kitchen'. "I got a job to work as a tutor with some young kids who need extra help with reading."

"Oh good. I was worried I would be stuck with you while working from home some days." I tease back digging through a box of books. "But seriously, that's great. Good experience for a classroom."

"Hopefully. Or I'll realize I hate children and never want to work them again."

"More than likely. When do you start?"

"2 weeks. I wanted some time to settle and get sorted here before I have to be gone for hours. I don't want to get home from messy kids to a messy space."

"I'll do my best to stay organized for your sanity."

"When do you go back to work?"

"The office reopening next week. I have some random stuff to do but we get a small break from the season ended. Not that I did much, but I'm not complaining. Oh, so next Saturday is Jack's birthday and he invited us to his 'little thing with the guys' as he put it."

"Oooo" she wiggles her eyebrows. "Wait. The guys? That means Nico."

"I don't get your issue your with him. You met literally once for 3 minutes in a hallway, and he was nothing but nice."

"That's my issue, he just seems too nice. No one is that happy."

"Maybe he is. Don't terrorize the poor kid."

"Fine. I will suffer through an evening for you."

"I appreciate your sacrifice. How dare I ask you to spend an evening with a room full of cute hockey players in a city we just moved to. Someone calls the police and lock me up." I say flatly while rolling my eyes.

"I already have the 9 and 1 dialed." She claps back with a cheesy grin. "Wait did you get him a gift?"

"Shit." I stop in the middle of my task. "Do I have too? I have to, right? What do you get someone who you've hung out with like a dozen times, kiss occasionally but aren't sleeping together?" I spit out in a fit of word vomit.

"Just write that in a card, I think he'd love it." She chuckles. "But yes. A gift is probably a good call. We can go shopping a find something."

-----

Officially, I have been a resident of New Jersey for 3 days, and my mattress is still on the floor. My alarm goes off, and I wake up startled. I roll over to the edge of my bed, peer over the edge of my mattress to the phone on the floor. I need a nightstand. I turn off the alarm, it's about 8am. I groan and sit up. I scroll through the notifications. I answer my parents telling them I will call them later tonight when the furniture is in.