Another time, Another place [Sally Face Reader Insert]

[2/15]

~Chapter 2~
Dinner date 

Mostly empty boxes covered the small space of the apartment, you and your father sprawled out on the floor and couch respectively. A low grumble erupted from your stomach barely heard of the quiet mummer of the TV. With a sharp nudge of your foot, your father jolted up and gave you a playful glare before pulling himself into a seated position. 

 
"You hungry or somethin?" he questions earning a quick nod from you and as a thoughtful expression to cross his face. "Well I don't think I saw and restaurants or anything nearby, there must be a grocery store nearby. We'll have to go grab something from ther-" 

 
A hesitant knock rang through the apartment and all attention was immediately shifted to the door. Slowly your father pushes his way up, glancing at you with a curious expression before taking the few steps over to the contraption,"Can I help you with something?" he questions, pulling open the door to reveal the boy you had seen earlier in the day, the one with long dark and friendly smile. He was dry now, water no longer dripping from his long nose and the soaked sweatshirt was retired for a worn band shirt. 

 
The boy awkwardly rubs the back of his neck, his gaze landing anywhere but your father's face "uh, Hi, my name's Larry. My mom's the maintenance lady for this place. She sent me up to come invite you guys to dinner." Your father's face turns sour as he stares down the boy, who uncomfortably shifts under his gaze. His gaze meets yours for a moment, an analyzing gaze crosses your face as you pull yourself up and take the spot beside your father. 

 
'I say we go, then we don't have to make dinner tonight,' The confused look on Larry's face grows as he stares down at your moving hands. 

 
With a sigh your parental figure nods, a look of defeat on his face as he looks back over at Larry, "Sure, just give us a little bit to clean up," he pats your back lightly pushing you further into the apartment and you take that as you queue to take your leave. 

 
As you walked away you could see the boy visibly relax at your father's words, as if he was expecting a different reply "Got it, I'll wait for you guys by the elevator so I can take you down to the basement." His voice quieted to almost nothing as you entered your room, closing the door behind you. Glancing around the room you let out an airy sigh before digging through one of the unpacked boxes to find something to wear, there wasn't much but you finally found something clean and threw it on. 

 
A light knock comes through the door as you pull your shirt over your head, jumping slightly you scramble to the door and peek your head out. "Don't forget your notebook, I don't want to have to translate for you all night," his voice calls out as he made his way from your bedroom towards the living room. Ducking back inside you snatch the notebook off your desk before pulling on some shoes and exiting your room. Your father lightly pats you on the shoulder as you walk through the open area towards the door. Locking the door behind you the two of you glanced down the hallway to see Larry leaning against the wall beside the elevator with a walkie-talkie in hand. He quietly mumbles something into the contraption before pushing off the wall to face you. 

 
Waving to the both of you, he presses the down button on the elevator as the two of you stop beside him, exchanging glances. The three of you stand in silence as you wait for the metal contraption to arrive at your floor. Larry shifts from foot to foot before he lets out a sigh "So... I don't think I got your guys' names yet" he trails off glancing between the two of you. Quickly you scribble your name down on your notebook and hold it out for him to read. 

 
"(Name)?" you nod as the elevator dings, and the three of you pile in. Your father quietly mutters his name as the three of you descend into the basement. The basement itself was basic, a washer and drier adorned one wall along with a shelf of tools and other strange things, a vending machine and an apartment door that Larry immediately began leading you towards. Upon entering you're immediately hit with the strong scent of lasagna that filled the apartment, making your stomach growl almost immediately. Larry quietly chuckled in front of you as an older woman exited from the kitchen area. 

 
She smiles at the three of you as she wipes her hands on her stained apron, "I'm glad you both could make it, My name's Lisa Johnson, I'm in charge of maintenance and all that stuff. I'm glad you two could make it over." Lisa introduces herself, you return her smile awkwardly before the two adults begin talking about adult stuff or something, you didn't bother to listen. You watch the two for several moments before Larry nudges your shoulder, motioning his hand for you to follow him in the opposite direction. Without much restraint, you follow him through his 'Keep Out' labeled bedroom door. 

 
The room was an all-around mess, clothes sat in small piles on the floor, and random paint supplies seemed to join them sporadically. His walls were covered in metal band posters (A few of which you recognized) with some paintings sprinkled in. An easel sat beside the door, a half-finished painting sitting on it. Glancing back towards Larry you realize he had already moved across the room and collapsed onto his bed, leaving you to stand awkwardly by the door.
Larry pats the spot beside him on the bed, "Come on, I don't bite I promise." he teased, causing you to roll your eyes and shuffle across the room to sit down beside him. Larry was far more talkative then you had assumed when you first met him, once a stumbling mess in front of your father turned into an excited, rambling ball of nonsense as soon as you had pointed out the Sanity Falls poster on his wall. This continued for a while, listening to the boy ramble about a variety of different topics, from bands he likes, to school, to his friends, etc, etc. The room eventually went silent as the topics ran out and you waited for Lisa to call your both for dinner through Larry's gaze continued to shift to you causing your shoulders to tense in a defensive manner. 

 
"Do... Do you mind if I ask you a kind of personal question?" The stumble in his words returned and gaze refused to even catch yours at all. Your gaze shoots around the room rapidly, from the entrance to the door in the back of the room. "Hey, calm down. I won't ask. I won't ask."
Gradually your breathing calms and you glance over at Larry who seems kind of panicked, 'Sorry' 

He shook his head, his long hair shift gracefully against his shoulders, "It's fine, I'm the one who said something." The two of you met eyes once again as a silent giggle erupts from your chest, the corners of Larry's mouth turns upwards as he lets out a chuckle. 

 
"Dinner!" 

. 

"I hope you end up staying, you seem pretty cool," you can't help but smile at his comment as the two of you walk down the hall to the elevator, your father had left an hour ago leaving you to head back the apartment yourself. The ding of the elevator broke you from your daze and the two of you climbed in. 

 
'End up staying? What do you mean?' You raise your eyebrow at the boy as he gazed at the metal doors. 

Larry gave a dishearted glance at you as he tucked his hands into his pants pockets and teetered on his heels, "The last few months, people have been moving out cause they got freaked out. Some people moved in then immediately moved after a month." 

Your eyebrow stayed raised, 'freaked out by what?' he seemed to quickly shrug off the question as the doors opened to the third floor. Just as the two of you were approaching the door his walkie-talkie went off in his pocket. 

"Larry Face" it buzzed and Larry quickly pulled it out of his pocket to respond, much to your confusion. 

"Sally Face" 

"Are you free right now?" 

"I mean, I've got one of the new tenants with me right but, they won't say anything, I promise" Larry winks at you. Rolling your eyes at him, you zip your lips as a vow of silence. The voice goes quiet for nearly a minute as if the person on the other side is contemplating whether they should say something or not. 

"I... I think I saw a ghost on the 5th floor."