Through It All

II.

The man I'm sitting next to won't stop gaping at me and I want to turn and slap the shit out of him. I hold my composure, as the overly perky blonde walks down the aisles instructing us to fasten our seatbelts and turn off all electronic devices. But as the ground gets closer and closer through the oval window, I start to get nervous about my new life here in Lakmanie. My stomach is churning at the max speed and I can barely hold my composure. Walking through the terminal wasn't too bad and as I easily found my suitcase, I made my way towards the rental counter.

"Holy...Fuck" I mutter to myself stopping dead in tracks. I quickly compose myself and make my way up to the counter.

"Hi, I need a rental car Is this the place to rent one"? I mentally face my palm myself. I can't believe I just asked that and there is a bright orange sign glowing behind him that says Lakmaine Car-Rental. He chuckles while I'm deep in thought about what I just said and he then says,

"Yea I'm Caleb and yes I can get you a rental".

"Thank you, I honestly don't know what came over me, I guess I'm just nervous"

" Wow I didn't know I was that attractive," he says with a smirk, but I quickly shut him down

"Ahh don't go getting a big head it is actually my first time here," I say in my most sarcastic tone earning a wide-eyed reaction.

"Alright new girl what is your name"

" I'm sorry but I don't give my name out to strangers' I smugly smile. "Don't go getting a big head I need your name for your rental car papers"? he says with a laughing smile. "Oh, your clever little boy" I laugh at him. The lady behind coughs clearing her throat clearly showing irritation towards me for holding up the line. "Well Caleb, my name is Ha-" "Excuse me miss, you are holding up the line with your flirting and other people have places to be" I realize she is right and quickly wave goodbye to Caleb and walk towards the exit. I mind as well take a cab, my next step will be buying a car permanently since I plan on being here a long time.

After thirty minutes of country music and an endless landscape of trees, I arrive at my humble home for the next year or should I say apartment complex. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. The apartment has 5 floors and I can hear kids laughing a splashing in the back which probably means there is a pool.

"Excuse me miss are you okay"?

I didn't realize how long I must have been standing there looking at my new home like a doe in headlights.

"Hi yes umm I am okay, I'll be living here for a while and this is all so new to me and, I-".

"No, no its fine, I live here so I was just wondering what a pretty girl was doing standing in my natural habitat".

He's pretty charming I think as I pick up my bags smiling like an idiot.

"Here let me help you with those" he gestures towards my bags.
"Yea yes sure that would be lovely," I say, as I hand two of my smaller bags to him taking my humongous suitcase and duffel bag.

"So, is this all of your stuff"? He asks with a concerned face.

"No, actually the rest of my stuff is being mailed in boxes that should be here tomorrow afternoon at like 2ish ".

"That's great, I get off work at 1:30 if you want I can come back to the complex to help you if there are a lot or just, in general, I'm sorry I keep blabbing on and on"

"Yes, I would love it if you don't mind, I mean if it's not too much trouble". I give a little smile and look up at him.

"No, it's no problem at all," he says with a cheeky grin.

As we make our way through the lobby the security guard with a name tag that says, Jason, greets us with the brightest smile I've ever seen.

"Elevators are straight
ahead follow me"
The elevator is spacious and as I am deep in thought I don't realize he is talking to me. Wait...he doesn't have a name.
"What is your name?"
He chuckles, " Nathan Thomas might I ask the same?"
"Of course, it's Hailey"
"Well Hailey, would you mind telling me what floor and apartment we are going to" he laughs and I hadn't even realized we had been standing in the elevator not moving
"Yea umm... apartment 14c".
"Wow not only are you ok the top floor, but you have the luxury of me being your next-door neighbor literally. I'm apartment 14b"

"Yes, that is such a luxury, which means I can see your sexy face anytime I want"

He laughed and then it hit me what I was saying.

"Oh my gosh I did not mean to say that out loud".

"Its fine, if it's any consolation I think I'm the one with the luxury...you're not even pretty you are beautiful.

God, he was beautiful. I mean how could this on guy I just met be so kind, humble, and sexy at the same time. I know for a fact that I'm going to fall for him one way or another.

"Here is our stop".

"Great, umm you can leave the stuff at the door, I can get it from there, I know you probably have other things to do."

"Oh, okay yeah of course...but just so you know I am free".

"Alright well if I need anything I'm right next door".

"Okay see you tomorrow Hailey," he said and then flashed me a dropped dead gorgeous smile.

2 hours later

After I finished unpacking the few duffel bags and suitcases I had, I plopped down on my mattress that was yet to be made up. Oh shit. All my room décor is m=the boxes that are going to arrive tomorrow. Maybe I could ask Nathan, he should have some I can just wash them tomorrow morning and return them.

I reach for my cell phone and then face palm myself. I don't even have his number ugh I hope he is home. As I trudge over to my mirror I quickly though my hair into a messy bun and plop my earrings back in. Walking toward the door I grab my keys and twist the knob. As I open the door Nathan is standing there like he was getting ready to knock.

"Oh, umm hey Hailey I was just coming to ask you if you wanted to go to dinner since you probably don't know any restaurants or where a grocery store is... I am babbling so I'll stop now ". He says while rubbing the back of his neck.

"yea sure let me just go change into something decent 15 minutes tops I promise"

Alright sounds cool just come over when you are ready".

"Okay"

I shut the door blushing and stand there with my back to the door for about five minutes and then reality hits me. I start rushing through all my bags to find a decent outfit that looks nice but not like I put a lot of effort into it. I quickly through on my true religion light denim jeans and my cropped pink sweatshirt. I spritz some perfume into the air and twirl into so the scent is lightly on me. I then rush over to my makeup bag and fill in my eyebrows coat my eyelashes and apply a clear gloss that I end up tossing into my bag. I let my hair down over my shoulders in its curly state I quickly part it in the front and twist the strands together and bobby pinning they to the sides. I look at the clock 6:27p.m. with two minutes to spare I grab my purse and keys lock up and knock on Nathan's door.

He sucks in a breathe and rubs the back of his neck. Something I see he does when he is nervous.

"You look beautiful to have done that in 15 minutes". He chuckles and then grabs his keys and turns and locks the door.

As we head to the elevator he puts his hand on the small of my back leading me into the elevator. Tapping Lv1, I can already tell this is going to be a night to remember.