The Complex

The Complex: Chapter 15

9 days until the Expo:

Bella's POV

After my encounter with Grant yesterday I'm happy its finally the weekend. I have the whole weekend to recuperate after my embarrassing episode.

I decide I need to do some self-care today so I decide to go to a nearby café and then do some shopping. I'll probably mainly buy necessities for my apartment but it will still be fun to window shop for other things.

I grab my phone after dressing in a pink skirt with a white top and head on out my door and down to the elevator. I enter it and realize as I go down the happy tune is back inside the elevator.

Jeff must've fixed the weird low tone to it.

I guess he can fix things, he just doesn't choose to fix the noises under my cabinet. I roll my eyes.

It abruptly shook to a stop like it usually does and I was about to exit when I got a text.

From Daria!

I stop in my tracks afraid that this is a dream. I quickly tap on the notification and see what she said

Daria: Hey there girl, I'm so sorry I have been MIA and just disappeared on you just like Jeff said, I have a family emergency at home and unfortunately won't be coming back soon. Sorry for worrying you, wish you the best.

what? That's it? I feel like she should've explained more after being gone for like a week but at least I know she's ok.

But her text hurt me inside as it implied she didn't have plans to see me again. I thought i meant more to her than that.

With a heavy heart I continued through the lobby without replying.

I walk past the empty front desk and as soon as I was going to push the front doors open Jeff appears from behind me startling me.

"Bella! Just the pretty girl I've been wanting to see..." He creepily smiles at me and I step back because the stench from him smoking earlier still lingers strongly on him.

and also the fact that this creepy older dude called me pretty. Its fine I guess in general if he were to think of me as his daughter, but one: we aren't close and two: his crazed expression kinda suggests otherwise.

Although, that's his normal expression...but still.

"Something I can help you with?" I politely ask hoping that its not something that'll take long as I have very important things to do! Like fix my growling stomach!

He nods his head and directs me to one of the back rooms behind the front desk.

I wearily follow furrowing my eyebrows and he leads me down this short, musty, and dark hallway. We enter the last room on the right.

"I was wondering if you could help me with a special task young lady?" He asks me as he picks up a medium sized brown box.

"In this box are posters that if you dont mind, id like for you just to put up a few around town, if its not too much trouble." He says while getting one out to show me.

"Unless your not voting for Mitchell Trousey..." He trails off and thinks questionably to himself. I take the time to observe the posters. They're campaign posters for the mayor.

"I would do it myself but ya see I have to stay here and finish some paper work and other lose ends."

"It's ok, I get it I'm going downtown anyways and don't mind putting them up." I say as I take the small stack out of his hands and smile at him.