Sitting still with a large red mug in my hand and a bowl of Cheerios drowning in milk, situated on the small kitchen counter, I watched as the young couple whom had recently started to rent out most of the apartment leaving me in the pathetically sized room just a bit above theirs. The apartment couldn't be classed as a house even though it does have more than one floor, due to the fact that my floor was only made from splitting half the room up. I've never been certain why it's this way, but after living here for 3 years with different temporary renters I've learnt not to question the division in the room, in fact, it's gave me all the privacy I needed.
The two current renters spent the majority of their time either separated at work or together in their bedroom. As much as I tried to avoid them from the awkward tension, I would be stuck hearing what sounds as if a cat was being strangled. I would usually put in some earphones to block out the unpleasant sounds, it would always seem to help. My music would play on shuffle to all different genres which are displayed on my iPod. My iPod isn't in the best condition so I expect it to soon just break since the cracks in the screen and grazes on the edges are either growing larger or wearing thin, although I keep it on me at all times weary of an unexpected situation or just to shut out the world.
I would usually have a small encounter with 'Harry' and 'Cleo' at meal times but that was very rarely since I either skipped meals to avoid them or just have work.
I worked at a small corner shop with Alec and my manager Fawner. Alec has been one of my only friends from years ago, he is just 1 year younger but still acted like a child as he loved to joke around and play tricks on Fawner yet she didn't seem to care as she just laughed along encouraging Alec even more. Fawner is possibly the kindest woman I have ever acknowledged, she didn't seem to have any room for hate in her life. She always said how 'there's not enough time left to judge people' because of her 'old age'.
"I'm off, see you later." Cleo spoke as she brushed her dark long hair back to behind her shoulder. He long fake nails traced the shape of the back of her ear and followed down her jaw stopping at her chin.
"Yeah, I'm going to leave in about 10. Are we still on for lunch?" Harry responded as he neatly placed a variety of fruit on the pancakes which were in a plastic packet hidden in their cupboard.
"Yes, are you still trying to surprise me?" She laughed falsely.
I watched her every move as she tried to show off in front of her boyfriend. I studied her facial features as she bit her lip in a supposedly 'seducing' way. He eyelids fluttered and she tried to widen her eyes. She tilted her head to the left and brushed her hair out of her face again using her long fingernails. She began to push out her lips into a slight pout mixed with a smile. Maybe the most unattractive thing I've seen a girl do.
"Yes" Harry answers simply, he leant forward and gently kissed Cleo on the cheek, she lifted up her finger and pointed to her lips, and Harry followed her finger with his lips. She pushed herself into him and wrapped her arms around his his neck.
I lowered my head trying to ignore the show which was exposed right in front of me. I took another spoonful of my cereal and swallowed it after breaking it up with my teeth. The sound of heels hitting the floor made me realize that Cleo has removed her body from her partners and actually left for work instead of staying with Harry and calling in sick which she often did.
The door clicked shut and Harry I felt the table pushed closer to me making me breath in. The screeching sound of the chair just opposite me pulled outwards so Harry could slip in and sit down, he then pulled the table back into his direction, which allowed me to breathe out again.
"What up with you? You don't ever talk." Harry spoke unexpectedly. His low croaky voice didn't have the same effect on me as Cleo. She was obviously head over heels for it as she would always beg him to speak when they would be in the room, quite disturbing actually. I on the other hand found it quite boring and it just made my lower my eyebrows as if I was cringing.
"I know." I pushed my head down even lower trying to avoid him. I lifted up the cereal bowl with one hand as the other hand wrapped around my red mug which contains orange juice. I pushed the chair backwards and climbed off it and walked to the sink. I emptied the milk into the sink holding back the little cereal pieces and carried the bowl to the bin and threw them into the bin. I then carried the bowl back to the sink and turned the tap on and washed it out.
"Birdie, right?" He asked, with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"Reeve." I corrected him.
"Birdie." He continued.
"I'm Reeve. Not Birdie."
"Then where's Birdie from?"
Honestly I didn't know, but Reeve Birdie is the name that had followed me around from the beginning of my life. I didn't know anything about my parents or origins so I couldn't really get any information about myself from that. I didn't really like people asking about me since I didn't know myself and I just didn't want to be caught up in the mess. I've been fine for 19 years without knowing anything but my name so I guessed I could continue to live that way.
"I've got work now, bye." I said, dodging his question.
"Why don't you like Birdie? It's much better than Reeve, that's a male name." He continued, obviously not letting go of the subject that easily.
"Bye Haz."
I walked towards the front door which my old tatty white converse sat. I leaned down and pulled them onto my feet, as fast as I could.
"Don't call me Haz." His voice was a lot closer to me now.
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because you seemed fine when it was your pretty little girlfriend called it you when you two were busy in your room last night."
"You were listening in, weren't you?" He said with a grin which appeared on his face.
"You're sick." I responded, completely disgusted in his last comment.
"You're stubborn." He shot back.
"As much as I'd love to stay and here your theory of how I'm 'stubborn', I've got work to attend."
With that, I grabbed my iPod, keys, money and phone and headed out the door, and slammed it behind me.
The walk to the bus stop was quite quick as it was raining and I'd rather not be drenched and wouldn't want to work in my damp clothes for rest of the day.
I stood next to an elderly man whilst my earplugs made music explode inside my ears. I watched as the local citizens ran around trying not to get wet from the rain but were failing terribly. Almost all of the people didn't have any sort of coats or umbrellas which wasn't the cleverest thing since England's weather was hyetal and cold every other day.
Just as the bus arrived, I placed my iPod in my pocket and got out some loose change to pay for the bus ride and I climbed on the early and defiantly not busy bus. I took my seat and waited for the fifth stop. The bus seemed to take it's time, but i was probably only experiencing that because i was pressed since i was already late. Much thanks to Harry.
As the bus continued to drive at it's slow pace, I sat alone watching the elderly sit downstairs silently and the teenagers or middle aged people walk up the steps to the top of the double decker. I stared at a elderly couple whom were holding hands and laughing together. The woman seemed extremely happy with her company but there was something about the man which made him seem like he's rather be somewhere else, even though he was making obvious contact with the woman. He didn't look completely satisfied with his surroundings and he kept looking around and would continuesly catch my eyes and would just stare, with me unable to do anything other than stare back. I smiled the first time it happened but as the more it occured, the darker his stare became and the more straight faced i became.
