Rule #1: Don't fall in love

Part 4

A/N: Sorry for not updating in awhile, life has been hectic. I hope you're all staying safe during the pandemic. Let's get into chapter 4. I'm going to switch from a third party perspective to Tamikas, only because I feel as if you can better get to know that character from their own point of view. Please comment and vote!!! ENJOOOYYYY!!!!

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I woke to banging in the hallway of my apartment building. What in the actual hell is going on out there, it's 3 in the damn morning uggghh. Getting out of bed laughing a bit, looks like I'm the nosey neighbour but honestly I don't give a damn someone's out there ruining my much earned rest. Poking my head outside to see that blonde bombshell from earlier attempting and failing to hold Xavier up. "Uhhh you good out there?", she whips her head around "B!tch does it look like it's ok?". She is itching for a whooping nobody calls me outside of my name, as if she realized what she said her face changes from anger to kindness. "Sorry, my brother was celebrating a bit to hard about a deal he just signed, would you mind giving me a hand with him. This guy weighs a ton". "Umm sure why not". Quickly slipping on my slippers I grab the other side of him to evenly distribute his weight between me and his sister, he really is heavier than he looks.

As we walk into the door of the apartment down the hall from me I realize we're going into Mrs. Jones' old apartment.  She moved out about 2 months ago to live with her son and daughter in law so she could help out with her grandkids, those two didn't know how to stop reproducing. Pulling me away from my thoughts the blonde says "Hey sorry for snapping earlier, I'm Katrina. Xav has never been like this before so I was pretty worried", "Not the best way to introduce yourself to your neighbour but I get I'm the same way with my brother. I'm Tamika I live just down the hall from you guys." I say with a sympathetic smile. "Let's get him to my room, wanna stay for some tea?" I guess she's trying to make amends for earlier, if I don't accept I'll seem like such an @ss "Sure why not". After getting Xavier to the room I finally have a chance to take in the beauty of the apartment that I'm in. Neutral colors throughout with added pops of gold and silver, I can appreciate the color scheme but with my quirkiness I could never live here. "Chai or peppermint?" Katrina asks. "Peppermint is good thanks". She walks over with two cups of tea, as we sit at the kitchen table I realize how awkward this is, complete and utter silence. "Soooo when did you guys move in here?" Katrina nearly chokes on her tea "I moved in about 3 weeks back Xav doesn't live here, just couldn't find the keys to his place so I brought him over. It's a one bedroom, it would be kind of weird if I was sleeping in the same bed as my brother every night". We both laugh, me more so at the stupidity of my question. "Oh ok, that's why I've been seeing him around over the past few days" Katrina eyes me a bit before replying "No Xav lives on the top floor, he owns the apartments in this building actually". My mouth drops open, I've been arguing with my damn landlord uggghhh can my life get any worse. "I've just never seen him around so I thought he was new or didn't belong here". She laughs a bit at my remark and it makes her look even more good looking also allows me to see how much she resembles her brother. We continue talking about the most random things, she lets me know that she misses living in her home but she realized it was too much for her to take care of while working 12 hour days. I realized she wasn't the airhead that I initially thought she was. Checking the time I realized I've been here for almost two hours. "Well I should let you get some sleep, it was nice meeting you, we'll have to do this again." Katrina laughs replying "Minus my intoxicated brother yes we do".

Walking into my apartment I laugh to myself,  looks like I made another potential friend. Guess I'll go for that 5am jog that I've been pushing off so badly. I wouldn't say that I'm fat just slightly fluffier than the average woman. Slipping into my jogging clothes I go through my playlists to find the best one, definitely going with some old school Pac for this one.

Entering the street I take in the crisp morning air I start up my jog. Something about the morning air makes me realize how much I've missed these jogs and promised myself I'll make time for them more often. I get to the peak of my jog listening to 2 of Americaz most wanted, smiling to myself I think about how nobody would think that such a well put together woman such as myself would listen to gangster rap. My mind slips back to earlier this morning, I cringe thinking about what a jerk I was to Xavier knowing now that he's not just someone that lives in my building but actually owns the entire thing. As I walk through the doors of my building, it's settled I'll make up for it with a fruit basket, they  always work right?