ONCE

Chapter 10

"This apartment is a little different from the others that I showed you," the relator says as she walks into the apartment "It's set back from the New York rush, the street is a lot quieter than others. It has two bathroom, three bedrooms and a joint kitchen and living room/dinning room."

I look around, it's very modern but it has a rustic feel to it. The ceiling is high with one chandler hanging over where the dinning table would be.

"The floors are Italian red oak, they're easy to clean, just have to run a steam mop over them and they're done. One done side to the apartment is the windows." The relator gestures towards to huge windows surrounding the living and dinning room. "The main problem with them is that sometimes people can see in if you forget to close the shades, other than that I think it's great."

"What do you think, James?"

"I love it, would about you?"

"Same."

"Nastasia, you should get it," my mother speaks up. "It's exquisite."

"Jax, what do you think?" my mother asks.

"It's nice, very homey feel to it."

"So, baby cakes, should we get it?" James throws an arm around my shoulder.

I nod. "Let's do it."

"Great," Cheers the relater. "It's $600 a month, that's alright?"

James and I nod. $300 each.

"I'll just garb the papers and you can sign."

I sequel with excitement.

"Nastasia, are you sure you're going to be able to afford this apartment? You don't work, so where are you going to get the money?" My mother announces.

"I'll get a job if I have to," I sigh.

The realtors heels clicks along the floor boards.

"Here's the papers." She waves them in the air. "Are you both going to sigh? Or just one?"

"We'll both sigh," James says, looking at me for my agreement.

"Great! Just sign here..and here. You're all set."

"Great, when can we move in?" James asks.

"Whenever you want, the owners want the new tenets to move in as soon as possible."

"Great! So we'll move in as soon as we can. Right, baby cakes?" James beams.

"Yeah, I have no classes Friday, so we'll start moving in then."

"But you can start to move stuff earlier." my mother reminds us.

"Yes, you can do that." The realtor smiles. "I'll give you both the keys so you can start moving in whenever."

Once where done with the realtor, my mother decides to take all of us out to lunch.

"Should we sit inside or out?" Jax asks no-one in particular.

"Outside, the weather is wonderful." my mother adjusts her floppy hat and pushes her Dior sunglasses onto her face.

I sit next to Jax, and across from James.

"Nastasia, we haven't been able to have any alone time, why don't you say we should go out for dinner together tonight, yeah?" Jax laces our fingers together and puts our hands on the table.

"Sure, I know know this great Italian place near the dorms," I smile, looking over to my mother watching her tap her red manicured nails on the table, loudly.

"Mother, can you please stop that, it's quite annoying," I smile so it doesn't seem too harsh.

"I'm sorry, dear, it's just, I'm watching this boy shamelessly wipe his mouth on his shirt. It's disgusting!"

"People just don't have any respect these days." Jax scowls.

I look over to where my mother is looking. I lock eyes with the boy with no respect.

It's Harry.