Steel and Fangs

Chapter Five; You've Got a Friend in Hyde

The apartment complex manager stared at her paperwork, a pen posed in her hand, clicking it open and closed over and over again as she read over it. There was a sour face trying to make its way out from under the manager's blank mask.

She was not liking Sophie's application. Not one bit.

Disappoint settled around her shoulders as Sophie waited to hear yet another rejection for a place of her own. She was unfortunately getting used to the feeling.

"Mmmm," the manager clicked the pen again. "Mmmhmmm."

"I have all the money for a deposit, and first month's rent, all ready to go," Sophie spoke up, fighting hard to keep the pleading out of her tone.

The manager shook her head and set the paperwork down. "But, you do not have a cosigner." It was a statement, a fact. A nuisance. She slid the paperwork back to Sophie, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, but without a cosigner, you are too much of a liability. You are young, a werewolf, and not from around here. These things just are not desirable for a tenant. Can't you just call up your parents and ask for help?"

"No!" Sophie blurted out, then blushed. Scooping up her paperwork, she then shoved it into her messenger bag. "No, I really cannot. I'm... I... I'm a lone wolf, you see? I don't have a pack. I promise, really, I promise I'm a good person--"

The manager held up her hand to stop Sophie from begging then motioned to the door, dismissing her, ending their meeting.

Sophie left, defeated, and went back to the scummy hotel to rest before her fight that night.

--

"Heeey there, Soph!" Hyde's cheerful voice sang out as they entered the locker room. "How was your weekend-- What happened to your face?!"

Sophie winced, her right eye sore and blackened, bottom lip busted up.

"Were you attacked?!" Hyde sat beside her and dug through their lunch box. "I'll kill them. I'll kill whoever did this to you!" They produced an ice pack and handed it to Sophie.

She stared at it and slowly lifted it to her eye, ashamed to tell Hyde the truth. "No... No one attacked me, per se..." She bit her lip then regretted it as searing pain shot across her jaw. "I started cage fighting, for Mr. Dolt. Before you say anything! I did it to make more money, to get an apartment!"

The annoyance on Hyde's face was unexpected. "Sophie, you didn't! You did... If you needed money, you could have asked me."

Sophie sighed. Hyde knew wolves would never ask for help. Not in that way. "I've been doing it for three weeks now. But hey, I've won every match?" Sophie tried to smile but the pain was too much. "I was distracted and got knocked around more than usual this last time. Went to another apartment complex, that one on 68th, and they shot me down. Another rejection. I'm so tired, Hyde... I hate that scummy hotel. I want to have a place of my own. A place I can be myself, can relax and walk around naked. Decorate!"

Hyde cleared their throat, not looking at Sophie. "Well, I don't know about all that... but I have some news. I was going to wait until after work, surprise you, buuuut..."

Sophie stared. A surprise? For her?

"I know a place," Hyde grinned, finally looking up. "I talked to a friend who owns a loft, not far from here, who is willing to rent it out to you. Ah--" Hyde pushed a finger to Sophie's lips. "You don't need a cosigner. This is strictly... well... under the table. You'll pay cash. And you better actually pay, on time, because this is my reputation on the line."

Sophie's heart lept right out of her chest. "Really?!"

"Mmhmm. We'll go after work to take a look at the place."

Sophie shook with excitement and stood up. "I don't even need to look at the place! I'm sure it's one thousand times better than the dump I'm staying in. Thank you, Hyde! You have no idea what a lifesaver you are!" Her shoulders felt a little lighter as they went to work knowing that soon there would be a place she called her own. That all her hard work scraping and saving was going to pay off. It was lasting the rest of the day, bubbling with that knowledge, that would be almost too much to handle.