Terrifying New Start (On Hold)

Chapter Nine: Looking

Chapter Nine: Looking

I LOVED HOW I was in charge of getting a place. It felt like I was finally free of rules and of Tristan at the moment. It was freeing to me. He seemed a bit nervous as I got ready to go. My parents still had my clothes I left here when I left home so I didn’t have to go out and shop.

Dad got himself ready in the tiny bathroom as I sat in their bedroom with Tristan to work out the details.

“Here is a card so you can use to pay them. It’s under the name Tristan Smith. If they want cash, here you go.” He reached over into his jean pockets and handed me a roll of cash. I’d never seen nor touched so much money.

“I’ll be sure to find a place… Err, rest up,” I muttered and gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder.

It was strange being away from Tristan. Had I not been away from him once in the several weeks with him? I shrugged off the feeling as dad and I began to head out and into the city.

We didn’t have a vehicle because my parents’ only vehicle was currently attached to their house. I didn’t mind the walk though because my legs were in very much need of a good walk. Tristan making fun of my laziness was sadly getting to me.

“There is one on Bakers street not too far from here. It’s a two bedroom apartment,” dad suggested with a shrug.

“Any place is good honestly. I don’t think it could be worse than my old apartment…” I trailed off when I noticed the slight frown on his lips.

We walked in silence for about three blocks when he finally spoke in a low strained voice. “Where did you go?”

It took me a moment to reply because frankly I didn’t want to admit that I was in such a horrible place. Moving to that place that had constant robberies, fights, muggings, and yes, even kidnappings, I didn’t want to tell him that I wanted to move there instead of staying with my parents like they had planned.

“I moved into a small one room apartment and got a job as a waitress,” I told him honestly, but left out the details of the place I lived in fear that it might worry him. But really, what more can worry him? My entire situation was enough to scare a healthy man to death.

“Were you happy?”

Now that question took a longer time to answer. Telling him I was would not only be a lie, but also would hurt him. But telling him I was unhappy and yet stayed there for three years would be much worse.

“Wait, which apartment?” I asked in hopes to change the subject.

“It’s up here.”

My oh so subtle change in subject was pathetic I know, but he didn’t push it any farther. We told the woman at the desk, with a cigarette between her two yellowed fingers, that we wanted to see one of the apartments and she put out her cigarette and grunted that we must wait a bit as she searched for the keys.

When she finally led us up to the apartment, I was only vaguely aware that the number 212 was written in just a purple marker. She opened the door and turned on the bright fluorescent lights and low and behold there was a mouse that darted across the room.

Immediately I turned around and left. Though it may have been rude, I was not going to live with a mouse. Dad followed quickly because his fear of little nasty creatures. The woman didn’t even flinch when she saw the mouse, but she seemed angered by us practically fleeing the place.

“Any place that is a teensy bit nicer?” I asked in pants after we had run down two flights of stairs.

“A place about a block from here has nicer places, but is about a hundred more than this…”