Political Envy☮ ✌

Prologue☮ ✌

"Next stop, Lotus Landing," The bald, uncomfortably sweaty bus driver announced into the loudspeaker. I sighed a breath of relief, silently thanking God that I didn't have to sit next to this unusually talkative old lady. She was sweet, but she could sure talk.

"Oh would you look at that," Gloria drew out her words cheerlessly. I nodded, looking back at my map, seeing if I could match the street name to one of the closer ones. Sandy Street. That's ironic, I don't think there's any sand in Nebraska.
"Yeah," I mused. "Shouldn't be much longer." I lifted the corner of my mouth as I folded the map, eager to start my new life. The bus finally came to a stop.

"We have arrived at Lotus Plantation." A deafening ping made my eardrums pop. I pulled my deep purple dufflebag down first, then my backpack. "Loooootuuus Plaaantatiooooon," he repeated. I caught a glimpse of him wiping the sweat from under his chin with a dingy cloth and opening his window in the mirror. I felt slightly disrespectful, asking sweet old Gloria to stand up so I could get Edgar Allen Pug out from under my seat. As I walked through the isle I bumped many more people's arms than intended. The doors shut instantaneously behind me, driving off before I could even get two measly feet onto the sidewalk into the apartment complex. Edgar yawned squeakily and sneezed.

"It's alright, Eddie," I mumbled. As I walked up to the office I noticed their door said PULL, meaning I'd even have an awkward entry. Come on. I set Edgar down on the cement as I pulled the door open and went to put my foot against it to wedge it open. Only, once I did that, the door was pulled all the way open, and I was handed Edgar by who I'm assuming was a maintenance man.

" 'Scuse me, ma'am." as he rushed past me I got a whiff of what seemed to be pine mulch and mothballs. Stunned, I propelled myself forward fast enough to not be hit by the door. He scrambled to the front desk, which I seemingly stalked to eventually, noting to myself that he seemed like someone was fast forwarding him. Right as I approached the counter, I caught the last couple sentences of their conversation.

"This is the third time he's been late this week, Sharon! How do you expect me to get it done in the same time by myself that it takes for both of us?" He spit. Tendons in his neck tightened. Her navy blue eyes flicked to mine apologetically.

"Tom's in the office, take it up with him. Don't mangle the messenger. Look, he's my brother, but he lives with my parents. I have no control over him. Go talk to Tom." She said, obviously not as calm as she was managing to portray herself. Impressive. He stormed off through the maple double-doors.

"I'm sorry, hon. What can I help you with today?" She spoke with a dingy southern twang. Like she's been living here for a while. Her hair was a warm strawberry-blonde color.

"Oh it's fine," I smiled subtly. "I'm the new renter. I have one of the apartments here reserved for me." She smiled at me with her straight, pearly teeth.

"Alrighty, hon. I just need your last name?" She typed something on the computer, and looked back up at me.

"Wesson." I set Edgar down on the counter, he whimpered.

"Do you have a picture ID?" She smiled and looked at the kennel affectionately. I got out my license and handed it to her with an awkward, subtle smile. "Californ-I-A huh?" She handed it back to me after scanning it. "Southern or Northern?" She spun around in her chair and picked a key off of a wooden rack of hooks on the wall.

"Southern," I said, extending my arm to grab the key from her. C-33. "Thank you."

"No problem sweetheart, any problems with anything let us know. I'm normally the one in the office. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Trust me, you don't want to deal with Marco, he's such a downer." I nodded.

"Um, how do I get to my apartment?" I asked, my chest tightening a little, like it's being squeezed. I start to breathe a little heavier. Damn asthma, not now. I had to think, which bag did I put my inhaler in? Backpack. Alright, backpack. I took my book bag off and unzipped it, trying to stay calm. My gloved hands frantically felt around until I found the inhaler. My breathing was now more labored, a little more shallow.

"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" Her words startled me, the inhaler slipped from my hands, landing on the floor. My breathing started to become frantic, black spots started to dance around in my vision. Just bend down, it's right there. Stay. Calm. I had enough strength to grab it and start to shake it up, but once I fully stood up I couldn't see. I couldn't even push it down. I couldn't muster the strength. All of the sudden I felt warmth on my waist and on top of my hand as I began to collapse and suddenly I inhaled mist and began to regain ability to breathe.

"Do you need another?" A burly voice asked as I still choked on oxygen. "Nod your head if you do, doll, everything's going to be okay." I managed to nod, just enough to get him to shake it up and put it to my lips again. "Breathe out the best you can." I coughed out the rest of what I had of my breath. He puffed it, oxygen flooded my lungs and I began to catch my breath. "Are you okay?"

A tall, slightly muscular man backed away from me slightly, but not enough to remove his hand from my back. His hair was the darkest blonde you could imagine his eyes were dark, too. I nodded as I got my first real, deep breath in.

"The winter does it to me," I tried to lighten the mood, Sharon looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

"Oh my goodness, Darlin'! You scared me half to death," She looked like it too, all of the color ran from her face to her cheeks, causing a patchy-redness. "Ian, please show her to her apartment, would you? I wouldn't feel right letting her walk there alone."

"I'm okay, I promise. Happens all the time during the season change, really. Thank you so much, though." I said nervously, my eyes darting to the door, picturing the directory out in the front of the neighborhood.

"Are you sure?" He asked, seemingly genuinely. "I'd be glad to. I'll carry your bags?"

Tempting.
"Well, okay." He reached for Edgar's kennel. "I've got-" My hand darted out in front of me quicker than I expected it to, so I tried to slow it down about halfway through. I made eye contact with him briefly as I gripped the handle on it. "I've got him." I smiled nervously.

He chuckled, "Aye aye, captain." he swung my bag swiftly over his shoulder.