Strangers

Pizza

Chapter 4:
My life is going great. I'm having the best day ever. No, lies. These are all lies. I'm having the most awkward, uncomfortable day ever. This is the longest elevator ride. "So I heard you talking to the receptionist." Alex broke the silence. I ignored the question. "You didn't tell her everything." He continued. I turned around. He pressed the button that stops the elevator. " What do you think you're doing!" I turned back around and he was practically in my face. "We're going to talk. And I'm not pressing that button again until you talk to me." I could feel his breath on my face. I pushed him back and he smiled. " Look what did you want her to know. Nothing important happened. I don't even know who you are, and you're acting like I do! And like you heard I have plans in an hour so." He cut me off. " You are something else." He said smiling as he pressed the button. We finally got to our floor and we both got off. I went to my side of the hallway, and he went to his. As I was walking I looked back. He was looking at me. " I guess I'll see you later!" He said. I walked into my apartment and I was still a little salty because of him. Out of all the neighbors it could have been, it was him. The random guy I met at the place I had never been to.
I took off Ava's hoodie and put it at the entrance of the apartment. She'll be here soon and I still have to make food. I ordered some pizza on the phone instead, because I wasn't going to have time to make something. In the meanwhile I'll take a shower and process what just happened. What did I not tell Ava that was so important. So important that it bothered him. I'm pretty sure I told Ava everything. The music store. The truck. The people. The Barnes and Noble. I told her everything. By the time I get out of the shower, got in some shorts and a t-shirt, Ava is already knocking on the door. "Coming Ava!" I yelled at her as I ran to the door. "It's about time you open up." She answers back sarcastically as I opened the door. She walks in and as usual gets comfy. " I ordered some pizza it should be here soon." I said as I left the room to go brush my wet hair. Ava got up and followed me to my room. This was odd because she usually stays in the living room and yells at me across the apartment. " I see you met the new tenant." Ava says sarcastically. "Yeah what great way to meet someone." I said not so enthusiastic. "What do you mean?" She asked. Before I could answer there was knock at the door. We walked back to the living room and kitchen area. Ava stayed in the kitchen getting out some plates for the pizza. I grab some money from my bag and I head to open the door.
As I open the door I see not a man wearing a black shirt and a hat as his uniform, but Alex holding my pizza. I closed the door immediately. I went into the kitchen. "Where's the pizza? Who was that?" Ava asked. "They had the wrong floor." I said. There was another knock. This time I hopped onto my counter and let Ava answer the door. "Mili who is it?" Ava said as she was walking to the door. I heard the door open but I couldn't hear anymore after that. Just some murmurs. I expect to see Ava come back with the pizza. But Ava comes back with not only the pizza, but with Alex as well. "Mili this is your new neighbor Alex." She gave me the look. The look of "behave or I will hurt you". "Have you met Mili, Alex?" Ava says turning back to him. "Actually I think we have" he says smiling at me.
"I paid for your pizza. I saw the guy getting out of the elevator on my way here." He continued. "On your way over here?" I said sitting crisscross on the counter now. "Well I wanted to talk to you." Alex said shyly. "You wanted to talk to her? You just met her?" Ava interrupted him. "Thank You for the pizza but it's getting late." "It's barely almost 7." Ava said trying to break some obvious tension. I hopped off the counter. "You're welcome to stay and grab a slice." I grabbed another plate from the cabinet. Ava got a plate and served herself and walked over to the living room. I stayed in the kitchen making drinks. Alex walked up behind me and leaned on the counter. " I don't understand why you're like this." He said. "Most girls would love to talk to me." " I'm not most girls. Yeah, you're good looking, but I have no idea who you are." I look up at him, he was already watching me. "You think I'm cute" he said blushing at me. "That's what you got from that?" I walked away to grab some pizza. "You know you're cute when you're mad." He said as he bit a slice of pizza. Ava comes in, she puts her plate in the sink, and wipes her face. "You know my aunts calling me back down, I'm gonna go. It was nice to meet you Alex. I'll talk to you tomorrow Mili." She grabbed her hoodie and walked out of my apartment, leaving Alex there with me.
"So do you like to bother your neighbors, because that is going to have to stop." I turned back around to Alex. He laughed at me. "Look I apologize for being weird earlier today. And also for the whole elevator situation. You're just the first person who doesn't know who I am." Alex said sitting down on my couch. "I'm sorry for being rude. I don't talk to a lot of people, so you trying to talk me so soon, was not normal." I sat next to him. "We'll start fresh." He said smiling now with the tension feeling gone from the room. "My name is Mili nice to meet you." I gave him my hand to shake. "Nice to meet you my name is Alex." He shook my hand.