Rubies And Wine

Part V-Drew-1

My mother told me something when I was very young; the world isn't just black and white. Instead, it is gray. Good people will occasionally do bad things and, more often than not, bad people will do good things.

Now, onto the details. My name is Emily F. Lage. I was raised in Arizona by my mother with the help of her friends. Unfortunately, my father died before I was born but my mother has allowed me to visit his grave whenever I need to clear my head. Although I've grown content without him, I can't help but imagine how good of a father he would be. At least Uncle Langston was always there every father/daughter day.

Currently, I'm headed to a community college in San Diego. I remember applying there and hearing Aunt Sylv squeal over the phone when I told her I got accepted. I honestly didn't think I would get in. I just thought going to school in California would offer up more experiences than I could have in Arizona.

I arrive at my new apartment complex as the sun sets over the towering buildings downtown in the distance. I think that'll be the greatest part of these next few years; Going from two story buildings with dirt lots between them to thriving towers with lush grass and palm trees outside.

PALM POINT

That's what's written with four foot tall steel lettering above the complex's gates. I punch in the code on the keypad that I got after I bought the apartment online. 65189. The bars slowly roll out of the way with a slight squeak and rattle as I drive the Jeep inside. In front of room C24, I see a girl in a black shirt and white leggings with black zig-zagging stripes stepping up the winding stairs at the second level. The only sign of color on her clothes or her notably pale complexion is her light crimson lips and ginger hair where the right side is short and the left is longer to give it a spiral kinda look.

"Suzanne!" I call out just as I park the Jeep in a space besides the stair well. She jumps upward and nearly drops the cardboard box that seems comedically larger than her small frame. She composes herself shortly after and looks down at me stepping out of the car.

"Emily!" She squeals. "I would come down and hug you but I've been kinda busy lugging your stuff for the past thirty minutes."

I begin my way up. "Sorry. I told you I was gonna make a short stop on the way over here," I say while just a few steps away from her level as she waits for me to join her. "Has Drew moved in with the other guys yet?"

"I'm not sure. I thought he'd call you. We can go check up on him later tonight if you want."

The two of us meet as we continue up the stairs to the third level and to the room a few yards away on the corner. "Maybe not today. I kinda want to rest after the long drive over. Plus, I want to get used to the new apartment. How does it look?"

"Well," she begins while stumbling to get the key out of her bra and hold the box at the same time. After a moment of fumbling, she darts the key towards me from between her fingers. "Why don't you check it out for yourself?"

I let a small grin appear on my face, take the key for her, and unlock the chocolate brown door in front of me.

As soon as I open the door, I note my surroundings. To my left, there seems to be the door to one of the bedrooms with the bathroom door along the side of the front door's wall. In front of me is a semi-assembled dining table with three bar stools beyond it under the counter of a bar window looking out onto the kitchen. To the table's left is the living room. A coffee table is surrounded by a couch behind it, a pair of loveseats to its left, and the TV mounted on a wooden stand in front. To the right of the TV is a small hallway that dips back behind it a should lead to the master bedroom with the master bathroom inside. The last detail I can point out is the warm evening sun shining from the glass door behind the loveseats.