Life Turned Upside Down

Sammi at home

It was a cold December evening and I was walking the streets of a dark night in New York, Manhattan, you could see the mist from the street lights making it seem eerie. I was walking home from work back to my loft, I was a local bar tender and hostess at one of the largest clubs, Red Light District, it was a pretty fun job but stressful as I was working up to be a manager in the bar. It was nice because it wasnt far from where I lived, I only lived a couple of blocks from my loft. I got the biggest loft that they had in the apartment building but it was in the middle of where it was always busy.

I got back home as I unlocked the door and threw my purse down next to the first closet. The only light was the city lights beaming in through the oversized windows. I was the only one who lived in the apartment, I could afford it easily but it was too big of a space for one person. The entrance opened right into the oversized living room with the L shaped couch that faced one set of double floor lengthen windows and brick wall, upon sat a large smart tv perched on the wall. Underneath an open fireplace that really needed to be cleaned out.

I sighed as I walked over to the far left of the loft into the bedroom closed off with hazy glass door, I changed clothes and made my way to my large kitchen and whipped up some hot tea, looking out I could see the city lights of Manhattan. It was busy like every other night. Here I was home alone, I took off the tea kettle and pored hot water into my cup and dipped my tea into the cup. Stirring it around I watched as the tea infused into the water.

In the distance, I could hear sirens going off, that was the third time this week. I glanced as my phone as I saw a text from Derick:

How are you? 

Me: Im good, just got off work, having tea watching out the window at the sirens for the third time this week, you in one if the patrol cars?

Derick: nope, stuck in the office, slow night, they have me on paperwork tonight.

Me: thats nice, at least I know youre safe. Idk why youd want that job. Smh.

Derick: you know why, I get off in a couple of hours, want me to stop by?

Me: doesnt your wife want you home?

Derick: ex-wife, and no she doesnt care.

Me: right, my fault.

Derick: its all good, want me to bring over anything?

Me: nope, just your sweet self. 

Derick: nice, alright, got to go, got to finish paper work.

Me: alright see you later, kisses.

Derick: see you later, kisses.

I sighed as I locked my phone, smiling at myself, Derick was a guy I knew in high school, when he was in college we didnt talk too much, but we recently picked back up, he wanted to become a cop for the longest of time, his father and grandfather were cops and he had lost his mother in a shoot up, he lived in the bad part of the streets, but he wouldnt let the streets define him, and he never did, he too was working towards a higher position on the force. It looked like odds were in his favor, I was happy for him but I was scared too, hed be more out into the field, I couldnt lose my best friend.

He always considered me his little sister that he never had, he always cared for me throughout high school and protected me from anyone that seemed like they gave me a dirty look, now that Im working in a club, hes more worried than ever, always afraid some loser will try to put their hands on me, I knew how to defend myself, and I did have guys who always tried to put their hands on me, but it wasnt a problem because I knew how to handle myself.

For the rest of the evening I entertained myself by watching Supernatural and scrolling through Facebook on my phone, time dragged on as I waited for Derick to get off work. The room went silent for a bit as it was switching over to the next episode as I hear a large bang on the roof of the building, what the hell was that!? I slip my phone onto the kitchen counter and get up to check outside, living on the top floor gave me access to the roof which was nice, I technically wasnt allowed on there but the manager of the building was pretty cool, so she didnt have a problem with it. I grabbed my keys off of the counter and went outside to the last door in the apartment building and worked my way to the top, I struggled to pull the old door open as its hinges were so rusted, I thought they were going to fall off.