The Girl In The Night

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

I'm not going to lie, getting off the plane in New York is extremely daunting. I've never really been to a city like this and I find myself feeling very overwhelmed. I stand in the airport, just trying to take in the vastness of everything. There are so many people bustling about and they jostle me as they storm passed me. Some shake their heads and others grumble about me being in the way.

I step to the side, trying to wrap my head around whatever lies before me. I am so far out of my depth here and I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm a small town girl so coming to a city this huge has shocked me. I have no idea how I will cope with this new life, but I have nowhere else to go. Home clearly isn't an option right now, so I have no choice but to make this work.

I head to a coffee shop to form a plan. I need to figure out what I'm going do. I order my coffee, take out the local paper I bought and sit at a single seated table. I take out my cell and text my dad to let him know I landed safely. I'll call when I've got somewhere to stay. Once I've got somewhere to live then I can take my time figuring everything else out. I start to look at apartments, to see what is affordable. My parents gave me a few thousand dollars, so if I just pay my rent in advance, then I'll know how much I have left to live on. I can totally plan and live on a budget.

I see a small apartment about an hour's commute from school, so I give the number a call. A man answers so I introduce myself and tell him the reason for my call.

He lets out a chuckle and says, "That ad just came out this morning. I haven't had any calls about it yet."

It must be fate.

"That's great news for me. Would you mind holdin' the apartment until I can view it please, sir?"

"Can you view it this morning?"

"Yes sir. I've got a free schedule so whenever works for you then I'll be there."

"I can meet you in an hour. Does that work for you?"

"Yes sir. Thank you."

I figure out how to get to the apartment and then make my way there. Greg, the guy who owns the apartment, is waiting outside when I arrive. We greet each other and then he says, "I'll show you around and we can talk while we look."

As he shows me the first floor one bedroom apartment, he explains that utilities are included and a lot of students use the area for off campus accommodation because it's cheaper further out from the university. It's relatively modern in the kitchen, living room and bedroom. The bathroom is a bit dated, but it'll work just fine for my needs. I have my own private entrance because I'm located on the first floor. There's even a fireplace in the living room to make it extra cozy. It seems pretty perfect to me and it's within my budget. Maybe things are starting to go right after all.

Once Greg has finished showing me the apartment, he smiles and asks, "What do you think?"

I nod, "I like it very much. Is the commute to NYU pretty simple?"

"Not too bad. It takes about an hour, but it's relatively straightforward. Are you going there?"

"Yes sir. In the fall."

"Wow, you've got a head start on things, haven't you?"

"Yes sir. I like to be prepared."

He chuckles, "What are you studying?"

"Agricultural Science and Business."

"That might explain the southern accent. You sound a long way from home."

"Just a little. Can I take the apartment, sir?"

"Sure thing. The rent is $1,100 a month and as I said, it includes utilities."