Fire and Ice

Chapter One

This is it. After all the time spent saving up money and giving myself grey hair, I finally had enough to move out of my parents' house. And that is what I was doing at this very moment. The call came hours ago about a two-bedroom apartment that just became available. It was within my budget, had enough space, and the extra bedroom was a huge bonus. The bathroom was not too small, and neither was the kitchen. It was perfect.

After I met with the realtor and signed the paperwork, he placed the fob that allowed me access into the building and my heart swelled with excitement. He gave me a copy of the rules and the lease agreement then bowed goodbye. He went back to his office, and I made my way to the nearest bus stop. The energy I usually never have peaked as I stared at the fob in my hand. I finally had my own space to breathe. No more parents breathing down my neck. I no longer have to deal with the condescending looks and the rude remarks. I was free to be me.

The bus arrived moments later, and I boarded, taking a seat in the back so I could drown out the world around me as I waited for my stop. I needed to return to my former home and grab the small amount of items I own and move out immediately. I also needed to do it while no one was home. There was no way in hell my parents knew I was leaving. If I told them I was moving out, they would use every resource available to them to stop me.

I never understood why they wanted me around when all they did was treat me like shit. I was the gum beneath their shoes. I was nothing to them. Just an annoying, living item they were forced to provide for. I knew they didn't love me, and I was okay with it. They did not need me, and I did not need them. It was better this way.

After exiting the bus, I walked to my parents' house. The lights were off, and the house was silent as I typed in the code and the door unlocked with a loud beep. I stepped inside and removed my shoes before slipping on a pair of slippers. I didn't have much time to pack my things and go so I entered my room and got to work.

Thoughts of finally being free fueled me as I packed and before I knew it, I was finished. Two suitcases sat vertically on the floor before me, two trash bags seated next to them. A smile enveloped my face as I thought about the final minutes I would spend in this house. For once, it was quiet and peaceful. There was no one around to yell at me and treat me like Cinderella before she went to the ball. No more 'Laney, do this' 'Laney, do that.' Just me, the silence, and the joy that made my body vibrate.

I sighed contentedly as I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder before placing the bags on top of the two suitcases and wheeling them out to the taxi that sat waiting for me. As the wheels clunked over the threshold, every word I had been subjected to disappeared from my memory. I closed the door, the beep informing me the door was locked. I made my way to the taxi and gave the driver my bags. He loaded them into the trunk, and I gave the house one final farewell by flipping it off. Happy with my exit, I got into the taxi and gave the driver the address.

Adventure awaits!
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Excitement coursed through my veins as I entered the code to my new apartment. The beep sounded loudly, causing my heart to race even more as I opened the door and stepped inside. My smile fell immediately as I came face to face with a fully furnished apartment and a pair of Nike's sitting next to the door. Am I in the wrong apartment? I checked the paperwork given to me before checking the number on the door. They were the same. I don't recall this apartment being furnished when I looked at it a couple of weeks ago. Did they provide these things for me?

My questions were soon answered as a male entered the living room with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist while drying his hair with a smaller towel. He continued walking while I said nothing, too shocked by the presence of another human being in my home. He walked into a room located to my left before backing up slowly, his arm still holding the towel in his hair.