Good Luck Anna

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   We only stay with Edward for two months before Alex has gathered enough money for us to rent our own place. We viewed a few others but most of them were the stuff of nightmares.

   Alex having a seemingly endless list of questions and checks that he does in every place we look at had led to the revelation of the first one not having a front door that locked properly combined with a weird mirror that made Alex reject it instantly.

  The second one was "two bedroom" unfortunately both rooms wouldn't have been big enough to hold a single bed never mind anything else, Alex also didn't like the outside door fob as he claimed that it also didn't close properly.

  Third one was the worst black mold creeping up the bathroom wall was the least of the issues. Obvious fist marks in several doors, yet more black mold in what would be my room, which also had a cracked window that we were promised would be fixed before we moved in.

  As always Alex politely follows through on the entire viewing, even although I can tell within the first few seconds if he deems it suitable for me or not, as much as I would like to think that we were looking for somewhere for the both of us to heal in, it's obvious he is searching just for me.

   By a stroke of pure luck one of Edwards friend had a flat available which is insultingly cheap for rent. The south is filled with ridiculously wealthy people so I hope that this is just a good samaritan and not some demon who will triple the rent the moment we move in.

  We will be living in a  high rise apartment block, with a fancy sleek foyer that has a doorman and 24 hour security. The elevator also will only work with a key card, all these safety features seems to have put Alex at ease.

   Our new home has an open plan kitchen, living room combo all cabinets and walls are sterile white. A small tiled bathroom is similarly void of colour, two generous bedrooms make up the rest of the flat. It's not very big but already feels like home.

After days of furniture shopping and hours spent lost in Ikea today is finally the day that we move in. I've always wanted a sleigh bed so Alex hunted day and night until he found a massive deep mahogany one being sold just outside of York which he and Edward rented a van to collect yesterday.

Standing in my room staring at the beauty has me feeling giddy, the pictures don't do it justice. Not a single scratch exists on this perfectly varnished wood, combined with the thick mattress and quilt Alex bought me it looks heavenly. I can't wait to curl up in it tonight.

  I'm still grinning at my bed when Thomas wanders in juggling a box of my stuff, he drops it next to the others that clutter the floor. "Bloody hell Anna, the bed big enough."

  Scowling at him I resist the urge to roll my eyes, Thomas has stayed over a couple times since my birthday. No matter how far apart we are when we go to sleep, we always wake up pressed against one another. With a bed this huge I have no excuse to end up in his arms again.

  "Nah, could be bigger" I tap his chest with a wink as I walk past him, Thomas' chuckle follows behind me. Multiple boxes filled with vinyl are piled high in the living room while Alex builds the floor to ceiling shelves that will store them.

   Alex hasn't made much progress over the past two months, he is still withdrawn, not sleeping and has that horribly haunted look in his eyes but working every day is definitely helping. Now he has been requesting to do more and more jobs for Edward, who seems over the moon to have someone to hand off all the tasks he hates doing to.

   He changed therapist a couple weeks ago after she deemed that they weren't a good fit for each other. I'm convinced the guy she has dumped Alex with is actively hindering his recovery.

   Twice now Edward has had to go collect him since the idea of getting back into his car to dive home filled him with such horror that he couldn't stop shaking or panicking for the rest of the night. After the second incident we all agree that Dr. Quinn is shit and are looking for another Therapist who will suit him better.

  It doesn't take us long to unpack the van, since we only bought the essentials with the intention of adding in other luxuries as we go. Thomas and I sort out my room leaving Alex to his building in the living room.

    Thomas is hanging my clothes in the built in wardrobe while I sort out my underwear and socks in the chest of drawers. One my random Indie playlists blasts from the speaker between us.

   "Won't Sofia mind me stealing you two weekends in a row?" We have steered clear of the girlfriend chat since he first brought it up but no matter how terrifying her dad is I can't imagine she is OK with how much time we spend together. I know that I would hate it especially if he was staying in her house, sharing a bed.

   He turns to me confusion plastered on his face, "we broke up, months ago." He scratches the slight scruff on his jaw before realisation lights up his face. "Aw yeah it happened just before all that shit with your dad went down. Must have forgot since making sure you were safe was my only concern." Thomas gazes up at me sheepishly.

   I turn my attention back to the chest of drawers, face on fire, "so why did it end?"

   He scoffs, "we were only together because Debbie continued to push us to be. Mother hoped we would marry so she could get mates rates on the diamond mine Sofia's family owns." Thomas runs his hand through his hair causing it to flop in twenty different directions.

  "Debbie didn't talk to me for weeks after she called it off. Sofia met a guy when back home for summer but was reluctant to end it since gran had just died... I don't hold it against her though, I knew we weren't right for each other from the beginning. Just didn't have the courage to stand up to my mother. Pathetic isn't it." He sighs turning away from me.

  "No Thomas, I don't think it's pathetic. We do a lot of crazy shit to please the people who brought us into this world." Plodding a across the room, I sit on the floor next to him wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Thomas pulls me into his lap where we comfortably remain for a long time.