Still Into You

Eight

Eight





This week is more of a hellish week for me. The first Monday since I got out of the hospital, I didn't think twice on my decision on going to work. I face my team and boss, looking sophisticated with my dark navy blue suit and back Louis Vuitton pumps; though my whole image didn't look as killer as I expected it to be with the cast on my left arm - there wasn't much I could do with it.



My first plan of action when I came in Monday morning is to have everyone file reports on the progress of the articles, design, the catalogue, and everything else that needs to be done. I might seem bitchy in that moment - I feel bitchy while doing it - but it somehow help me got back on track in which action I should take for the designs that needs to be polished. And at these time, I thank the gods that I took all those extra hours before the accident to makes most of it already; so, all I had to do for the rest of the remaining week before publication is polish.



It feels quite refreshing to be back on doing something you are comfortable and confident that you know you wouldn't screw up. Even if I was almost dying in my death bed, I know it wouldn't hinder me from doing the job I know I can do. Thus, for the whole week, I kept myself focus on work. And, on my free time at home, I spend it on packing up my things to move to my new apartment. My previous landlord liked me enough since he gave me two weeks to have my things move to my new place while I only pay half of the rent for this month. I think he is only doing this since he felt pity on me, which I feel a little annoyed. I'm not someone to be pitied. But, anyways, since he did only make me pay half of the rent, I didn't point it out.



When the week past, I felt like a jelly. All of my energy was drain out of me from work. I might sound like I'm wining about it, I'm not. This is just to express myself that I'm actually human and can get tired too - since everyone in my work place thinks that I'm some sort of advance species from the human race who had found or unlock some inhuman trait. Do I feel insulted when they call me a robot? No. I'm actually flattered since that would mean I'm doing a great job on being heartless, which had been a goal after all the things that's been happening to me.



As of the moment, I'm at the balcony of my new apartment, drinking my favorite Caramel macchiato from the coffee shop across the street, which is now my favorite coffee shop. I'm taking a few minutes break from rearranging some of my furniture that was already delivered to my new place. My new landlord - well since it's a girl, the right term would be landlady - gave me the keys to the place yesterday after calling me that I could move in anytime since the place had already been emptied out from its previous owner, who moved out last month yet still hadn't taken the initiative to get his stuff right away - and yes, the previous owner was a man, no wonder the place smelled like filth at some parts.



So, without any delay, after I got the keys, I call a truck service to help me move a few of my stuff to my new place. Thus, for the whole morning until noon, I was helping them move some of my things to my new apartment. There wasn't much we could salvage yet, a few chairs and table for the living room, and that's about it. I had some of my clothes brought and a mattress for the bedroom.



My phone suddenly rings, interrupting me from my thoughts. I picked it up and clicked the open button to view the message.



'How's the move going?' the message states. It was from Annette.



'Fine. We could only have a few things over, but it's going great. Maybe by the end of the day, we could have the rest of the dining room furniture over.' I replied, hitting the send button.



'Do you need some help? I think Tri would be home early today.' She replied after a few seconds.



'No. I think I'm good for now. Maybe tomorrow... :D' I texted back.



'Oh sure. I'll tell Tri to cancel all his plans then... are you going to stay in your new apartment?'



'Yeah. I think so... Text me tomorrow then...'



'Okay. see yah!'



For the rest of the day, I did nothing but supervise the move. So, by the end of the day, I was dead beat. I crash down on the mattress that I brought in my bedroom. It feels kind of bare as I lay down on the floor with only a mattress between me and the floor. I pulled the blanket around me tighter as a breeze came in from the open window. Since I hadn't had the air conditioner fixed yet, I'm suffering the consequence on sleeping in a cramped room with nothing but fresh air to keep things cool. It felt like I was a bum sleeping on the side of the streets; but, I'm not complaining. This is actually very comfortable and serene.



The next morning, I woke up from someone nudging me by my shoulder; then, a soft giggle followed. I turned my attention to the sound, still slightly unconscious from sleep. I don't know why I didn't feel alarmed by the situation I'm in, maybe this is a robber who came in to rape me; but, the giggle somehow gave away the identity of the person who was nudging me.



"Annette... if you don't stop kicking me, I'm going to bite that foot of yours..." I said and grunted as I slowly pull myself up in a seating position. "Who let you in?" I added, asking her out of curiosity.



"We asked the landlady for a key. Tristan convinced her that we are related." She answered nonchalantly as she walked away from me towards the closet. "Uhm... you still have lots of things to move..." she stated as she peek to my mostly-empty closet.



"Isn't that why you're here?" I asked, smirking. I got up from the mattress, folding the blankets after, and stretched myself like a cat, yawning a little. "Why are you guys here so early?" I added, grabbing the hoodie that I've stash with my other clothes that I've brought with me.



"Tristan wants to see the place before he goes to work..." she started and sighed. "I know I said I'll tell him to clear his sched, but the boy is stubborn as hell..." she continued, nodding her head in disagreement with a smirk on her face.



"So, you're all the help I have?" I asked playfully, sighing with exaggeration.



"Baby... I'm all the help you need..." she answered, using her poor impersonation of a guy trying to pick up a girl. I laugh hard as those words left her mouth. Definitely, she is all the help I'm going to need.



As we both chuckled in tune from her reply, Tristan walked in the room, looking at us like we just gone crazy. "What are you talking about?" he asked curiously, eying us both.



"My... my... don't get jealous honey... I could do double..." Annette said seductively and winked at him.



"Are you trying to seduce me?" Tristan asked her, looking confused; after which, he turned his head towards me and asked. "Is she trying to seduce me?"



"Pfft... Don't look at me." I said, and chuckled. "What did you feed her this morning to be like this?" I added, gesturing towards my best friend from head to toe, who is still looking at my brother hungrily.



"I don't know! Uhm... she had coffee..." he answered frantically, getting flustered as Annette put her arms around his neck, pulling him down. Tristan gaze at her and gulped loudly.



Because of that, I burst into a roll of laughter. Annette let go of Tristan slowly after she kissed his cheek, chuckling in tune with me. I felt bad for my brother to be under the love spell, which made him go weak easily. He crumbled under Annette's gaze in just a second. I hate to admit it, but I'm proud that my best friend holds that kind of power to my brother. It kept him focus and out of trouble since he laid eye on her - well, not really in the moment, when they started seeing each other to be specific.



After showing Tristan my new crib, and taking a short, fast shower and change, we all went out and ate breakfast at my new favorite coffee shop. I'm glad that they serve some sort of solid food, which doesn't only consist of sugar - and, I don't have any aversion to it. I like some good meal from time to time that isn't coated with sweets.



"So, how was work this week? Did you make anyone's balls drop?" Annette asked after our meals were seat in our table.



"Work is doing great. And no, I haven't done such a thing... yet..." I answered, wiggling my eyebrow, and pause for some drama at the last word. I took a sip of my caramel macchiato - I can't help it, this drink is becoming addictive - as I nodded my head in disagreement, smirking at Annette's words.



"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Annette said sincerely, with a small smile.



"So, how are things with the pregnancy?" I asked, changing the topic, since she is starting to look at me with worry.



"God! Please don't start!" Tristan answered, exasperatedly.



"Shush! You are not allowed to complain... I'm the one carrying the baby." Annette said angrily at Tristan before turning back at me, looking exited. This must me the first sign, mood swings.



"You have no idea... It's wonderful! I've got to eat for two... I don't have to watch out for my weight...It's awesome! But, I can't say that I like the thing where I have to always pee almost every second..." She said, sounding excited at first, and then, her tone lowered as her face looked slightly annoyed. This woman is absolutely pregnant.



"I'm happy for you, Anne. Though, I'm not happy about the pee thing... you know what I mean..." I said, trailing off as I took a bite of my eggs - okay, that didn't sound right.



After we ate our breakfast, Tristan excused himself and went to work while Annette and I went to my old apartment to start moving things from my old apartment to the new one - with the help of a moving truck, of course. So, for the rest of the day, we packed and placed my furniture to my new flat. By the end of the day, and I thank the heavens that we've moved everything that I've owned - which is mostly everything in my old apartment except for the television and some few electronics that he owned personally. I asked my old landlord to contact my ex-boyfriend to have his things out of the place after I was done moving; that way, I wouldn't have to deal with him.



Annette and I are now seating in my couch that we've just finished unwrapping, feeling dead beat - well, mostly I was the one who is tired, being that Annette's pregnancy meant she shouldn't be in any stress plus she can't carry heavy things. She took the initiative to make lemonades and popcorn when I suggested that we watch a movie after we finished. So, now, I'm taking a huge gulp of refreshing lemonade as I clicked play on my laptop - as I've said, the television belongs to my ex.



"Good job! The place looks more livable than thing morning..." Annette remarked as she handed me the popcorn.



"Ank you..." I replied my mouth filled with popcorn.



"Honey, don't talk when your mouth is full." She said, eying me.



I swallowed the popcorn before commenting. "Now, you sound like a mother..." I remarked teasingly, and then turned my attention to the small screen of my laptop.



We are currently watching the movie '27 dresses'. I don't know about you, but this movie is really hilarious, plot wise. When we got to the part where Jane, the main character, is taking an interview with her leading man, modeling for him all of her bridesmaid dresses, someone knocked on the door. I clicked pause on the laptop and walked up to the door, looking through the peephole before opening it.



"Hey, how's work?" I asked Tristan as I opened the door wide for him.



"Not really in the mood for it. Where's Annette?" he said and asked, looking like he was in a hurry as he step inside and walked towards the living room. "Annie! I'm here... I think we should go. I'm beat." He stated as he reached her. I trailed behind him silently, not really hurt on him acting rudely. He's only rude when his having an awful day.



Annette understood the aura around Tristan - like she can read him inside out - and stood from the couch, grabbing her purse and coat. Tristan walked back towards me, well passes me to be precise, and walked out of the apartment without even a goodbye. He just definitely had a bad day.



"I'm sorry for his rudeness and Thank you for today." Annette said, softly as she pause in front of me to give me a huge and a proper goodbye.



"No problem. And thank you too..." I said, hugging her back. She let go of me after a few seconds and walked towards the door as I trailed behind her. She turns and looks back at me as she reached Tristan by the elevator and waved. I waved back and smile grimly.



When they stepped in the elevator, I lingered in the door for a moment, staring at the closed metal doors. When I finally gasp that they were gone, I went back inside my new flat, locking the door behind me. I didn't anymore bother to finish the movie and turned it off. I stood there in the living room, looking at the empty apartment. And, for the first time, the weight of being single just dawn on me. It sure can be lonely at times.



I turned off the lights in the front room and went to my bedroom, which now have a proper looking bed in it, not a mattress. I washed up and went to bed. The next day, I had nothing planned. Usually, my Sunday's are more eventful; but, since I'm now single and I don't have much reason to go anywhere in particular, sleeping is a good option. Plus, if I were to go somewhere, that one place I would go isn't an option right now - which I concluded with Tristan's bad mood, if you guessed that the place is Annette and Tristan's house. So sleeping it is.



The next morning, I woke up from the sound of my annoying alarm clock, which had slowly become a routine since last week. After the break up, mornings aren't anymore my favorite part of the day. I dragged myself to the bathroom and got ready for work, leaving early than usual. This is also another thing I've becoming acquainted with, not cooking anything for breakfast and going to work earlier than I used to. But, there is a new addition to this new routine of mine. I stop by my favorite coffee shop near the apartment and have my favorite coffee every morning - well, I take some of it back, my mornings didn't suck as much unless I have my caramel macchiato. And also, another new addition to the new routine - which is slowly becoming like a list -, I walk to and from work. It's a good exercise since I don't do much in that department - only when I feel like it, or when my jeans don't anymore fit.



As I was walking towards the next step on the agenda on my new morning routine, which is the coffee shop, a woman in long white dress with a yellow scarf around her neck and dirty blonde hair tied in a ponytail, approached me as I locked the door of my place.



"Hey! Are you my new neighbor?" She asked, with a smile, her hazel eye sparkling. "I'm Rayne. I live next door from yours." She added, not waiting for my reply.



"Hi. I'm Allison. It's nice meeting you too." I replied with a smile.



"So, how are you settling in? Did you get your things alright?" she asked, talking slightly fast.



"I'm fine, thank you. The move was successful..." I replied, still keeping up the smile on my face.



"Oh. Okay... That's too bad... I could have the guys help you with the move." She said, tsking as she snapped her fingers like she lost an opportunity.



"Uhm... Oh..." I started but trailing off, not really sure how to respond to that. "Uhm... who are you referring to?" I asked, confused.



"Oh! You haven't yet met the guys?" She asked, looking slightly shock at my oblivious expression.



"No..." I replied, my voice sounding unsure.



"Well, I don't blame you. You just moved here anyways... How about we have a small welcoming party?" she started, and then asked excitedly.



"Party? I don't know..." I replied hesitantly, feeling the pressure of the situation. Looking at her excited face, though she was a stranger whom I just knew the name, I couldn't resist someone's face glowing with happiness. I don't even know why she was happy about throwing a stranger a party. Plus, I don't know who the guys she was referring to are.



"Oh...don't worry. I'll provide the drinks and dessert. It would be just us and the guys living in this floor." She said her voice insistent. And, from the sound of it, I knew she wouldn't let this go if I don't agree.



"Sure. We could have dinner this weekend at my place." I said with a small smile, sighing in defeat.



"Okay! I'll tell the guys then..." she said and beamed.



After she said goodbye, I lingered by the door trying to look busy with my phone as she went ahead from me to the elevator. It wasn't that I was avoiding her; well, I am avoiding her. She might want to fish out some more information from me or try to make me do something. I'm not a push over or a people pleaser, I just don't like explaining to people why I don't want to do it. Things like that involves a lot of background story that I don't want to talk about, so I'll almost agree to anything that people offer me that is within my moral bounds.



When I finally reach down at the lobby, without any signs of Rayne, my slightly annoying, pushy neighbor - I admit, I sound judgmental right now -, I walked out of there as fast as I can and skip coffee and walk directly to work. It was pretty unlikely that people who works in these streets walk to work. As I reach the confines of FACE magazine's company building, I breathed a sigh of relief. For the past week, the casted arm didn't much bother me at all; but now, it's starting to ache for no apparent reason. Maybe, it had to do with my lack of food and caffeine intake. When I reach my office, I kindly asked my assistant, Kate, to get my food and coffee.



For the rest of the day, I was yet again in work mode. The ache in my arm had muted as I shallow two huge sandwiches and gulped down the latte which Kate got me for both breakfast and lunch. By the end of the day, around seven, I was beat. I forgot the encounter I had with my neighbor this morning and the aches in my casted arm, all being drown by exhaustion. I didn't dare walk home and haul up a cab back to the apartment, paying a few dollars was worth it since I was able to peacefully rest inside the cab.



I walked up to the elevator in a daze and got inside my apartment, at the point of dragging myself inside. I didn't bother anymore with dinner and crash down in my bed with my work clothes on. In a few seconds, my eyes are already close and I feel myself fall into complete darkness. Sleep sure numbs everything.

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A/N:

Hello lovies. how you been? Here's to another chapter of Still Into You. Sorry for the lack of thereof with Romance in this chapter... I promise the next chapter would be the start of it all...

Comment. Vote. Both are welcome and appreciated. Always. ;D