Sirens

Chapter One

"Alright Ms. Taylor, here is your key to your apartment. You are on floor 6 and your room number 26D. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask me," the lady behind the counter with the short dark hair explained while handing me my key.

I gave her a small smile and went to go find my room. I soon found the elevator and took my duffel bag and hit my floor number. Just as the doors were about to close I heard a man yell and quickly put one hand in between the doors to stop them.

A strange boy came into the elevator with bright red hair and a large package in his hands. He seemed out of breathe so I take it he ran just to get to the elevator. I had a lot of thoughts running through my head about him and many questions for this kid but I just stayed quite.

"I haven't seen you around here before, are you just moving in?" he asked. I just nodded not saying anything or even looking at him.

"Oh well that's great! You're gonna love it here, I know I do," the red haired boy babbled on. "I'm Michael by the way."

"I'm Jasmine."

"It's nice to meet you, Jasmine. What floor are you on?"

"Well considering when you came in the elevator and didn't bother pressing your floor number, I'm assuming we are on the same floor, the sixth floor," I said in a dry tone. I don't care if I was being rude, I really don't care of what he thinks of me anyway. I didn't move here to make friends with some stranger in the elevator, I moved here to have time for myself and start new.

"I guess you're right," Michael laughed. "If you're moving in, why do you only have one bag?" he asked giving me a confused look.

As soon as I was about to respond, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. Michael offered multiple times to help me find my room but I told him I would be just fine finding it on my own. Don't get me wrong, this Michael guy seems nice and all, but he just doesn't know when to stop talking.

Michael was still walking with me at this point so I just assumed his apartment is the same way as mine. We continued to walk down the long hallway when I finally found my apartment. Room 26D. Just as I was about to unlock my door I hear Michael yell, "No way, I'm apartment 27D! I'm right across the hall from you!"

You have got to be kidding me.

"Well aren't I just the luckiest person in the world," I said with a hint of sarcasm.

I don't know why but Michael seemed to be really excited about having a new neighbor that he coincidentally just met in the elevator about seven minutes ago. He kept going on about how he can't wait to introduce me to his roommate and how we're going to be great friends but I have a hard time seeing that happening considering how much I love people as you can tell.

After Michael and his red hair stopped babbling he asked again, "So why do you only have one bag?"

"Too many things from your past could be holding you back from new beginning."

After leaving a confused looking Michael outside, I opened my door and finally got to see my new apartment. It was everything I had hoped it would be. It had a huge kitchen, big open living room, a door that led to a small outside balcony, and one master bedroom and bathroom. It was perfect.

Every since I was little I've always wanted to leave New York. I grew up in a bad town with bad people surrounding me including my parents and myself. My mom had me when her and my dad were only seventeen. They were young and not the most stable parents. That being said it made my dad panic so he decided to leave my mom and I when I was about two months old.

My dad leaving impacted my mom in a very negative way. After he left, my mom was barely ever home. Between the ages of four and nine I spent most of my time with my grandparents or with neighbors close by. As I got older I started noticing the changes in my mom for myself. She lost a lot of weight, she lacked in energy, she slept most of the day away but was out all night. I knew something was up but at the time it never occurred to me that my mom was a drug addict.

Throughout those years with my dad being gone and my mom not there both mentally and emotionally, I made some bad choices that led me to do things I still regret and also do things that still affect me today. I made a promise to myself that when I was eighteen I would move away and start my life over.

So here I am today; Los Angeles, California, apartment 26D.