Juliet's POV
It was getting more and more chilly because it was November. I liked it though, I loved the sweaters, hot drinks, and that Christmas is only a month away.
I got out of bed, and took a long, hot shower.
I was finally un-grounded, so I could hang out with Hayes without sneaking out early in the morning or late at night.
I got out of the shower, blow dried my hair, and straightened it. I put on jeans, knee high boots, a maroon knit sweater, and a long necklace with an elephant on it.
I grabbed my phone, walked out of my room, and knocked on Matt's door.
He opened it quickly, picked me up, and spun me around.
"Guess what?" He asked.
"What?" I answered.
"You know how I've been working for my cousin's pizza place for a while?" He asked.
"Yup."
"I have enough money to get my own place!" He said.
I was happy for him, but I was bummed he was leaving. Here I am, I'm going to be alone again. I hugged him.
"I'm happy for you." I smiled.
"I'll get an apartment in this building, and we'll see each other still. We're still brother and sister." He hugged me back.
"Okay, let's grab breakfast."
I said as we walked out the door. It was Saturday, so we took our time and made our way to the Coffee Corner.
The place wasn't as packed as it usually was, which surprised me. We got our coffee and sat in a booth.
"Got any plans for tonight?" Matt asked.
"Not really. You?" I asked.
"I was thinking of looking for a place today." Matt said.
"I think there's an apartment on sale next to mine. Those people just moved out. Maybe you'll like it? There's a door that's always locked that attaches to my apartment." I said.
"Oh, so that's the mystery door!" Matt joked.
"I guess. So, will you look at it?" I asked.
"I might even buy it." Matt shrugged.
"Yay!" I cheered, I even spilled a little bit of coffee on the table.
"Nice." Matt laughed as we grabbed napkins to clean the mess.
"Let's go look at that apartment." I said as we got up, and walked back to the apartment lobby. We went up to the manager.
"Hi, I'm looking for a apartment." Matt said.
"Aren't you two a little young to be living together?" The manager asked. We stared at each other and laughed.
"No way! I'm just his friend." I laughed.
"Yeah, and I'm living by myself." Matt laughed.
"Only kidding. How are things, Juliet?" The manager asked.
"Everything's okay. Thank you." I smiled.
The manager followed us to the elevator. We went to the eleventh floor, to room 1149.
"Here you go." The manager opened the door.
There was no furniture inside. All the walls were white. The apartment was just as big as mine, and it looked the same.
When you first enter, to your left, there is a counter leading to the end of the wall. It's granite, but mine's wood.
I call it a "welcome place." It looks like a kitchen without the appliances.
There are cabinets that are gray and match the granite top, and there's a smaller one on the right. When you go through that, you step down and it's the living room.
There's a hallway next to the welcome place, that leads to the rooms.
The first door is the kitchen, which is on the left.
The next door is the bathroom, which is to the right, which is connected to the room next door. Then there's two rooms across from it.
"Wow, it looks exactly like yours." Matt laughed.
"Oh, here's the door!" I said going to the living room.
"So you two know each other?" The manager said.
"Yeah." I said.
The manager grabbed a key and unlocked the door. It opened, and revealed my kitchen.
"Wow. This is weird." I said.
"I know..." Matt laughed.
"So, the rent would be 2,000 a year, and you pay 500 every 4 months." The manager said.
"I'm fine with that." Matt shrugged.
"So are you buying it?" I asked.
"Yeah! It's perfect." Matt said.
"Great! Let's go to the lobby and fill out some paperwork." The manager said.
"Are you coming?" Matt asked.
"I think I'll stay here." I answered.
He gave me a smile and left with the manager.
This place seems familiar to me. I walked in the hallway. I ran my hand against the wall. I went to the last bedroom.
The wooden floor creaks, and the walls were painted a different color than the rest of the apartment.
I ran my hands on the paint. I felt the scratches on the wall. Then I made my way to the center of the room.
All the memories started flooding in, a wave of discomfort filled me. This was my old apartment, the one I used to hide in with my mom when I was a kid.
•••
Matt's POV
"You can get settled into your apartment and get your furniture as soon as you can." The manager said.
He gave me the key and I walked to the elevator back to the apartment.
I put the key in and unlocked the door.
I heard sobbing coming from somewhere.
"Juliet?" I asked.
I walked to the sound of the crying.
It was coming from the main room.
Juliet was on the ground, her head in her hands, and crying.
"Oh god, are you okay?" I sat in front of her.
She looked up at me, he eyes were red, and her cheeks were moist from her tears.
"This apartment...I-"
"If it's bad I won't get it!" I said.
"It's not that. I went here one time when I was a kid. My mom and I were hiding from my dad. We hid here for a week, until he stumbled in, drunk. He dragged my mom to this room, whipped her, and I begged for him to stop. But he didn't. He grabbed me instead and beat me almost to death, I remember the sound the floor made when my dad was stomping and the walls echoed when you yelled. I leaned my back on the wall, and bled out. He started to whip me. I was scratching the wall, and I guess the wiped the blood off and everything." She cried.
"Juliet, I'm so sorry." I moved her
closer to me and hugged her.
She cried on my shoulder.
"Get this apartment and change everything. Please." She sobbed.
"I will. You won't even recognize it." I promised her.
We sat there for a while, until I think she fell asleep on my shoulder.
I laughed, carried her back to the apartment, and put her on her bed.
~.~
A/N: AHHHHH I LOVE MATT AND JULIET'S RELATIONSHIP DO YOU? It's sad that the boys are near my town. I live an hour away from where they were. Anyways, school starts in a month...yay? I don't want summer to end. But I enjoyed it while it lasted. Hope you like this chapter and I love you like always!
