Apartment 311

Ch | 38

Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Thirty-eight: "The bad good guy"

I walked in The Playroom this Monday morning after dropping Emmy off at daycare. Courtney sent out a text that there was some urgent mandatory meeting so the club was closed.

Natalie caught up to me and looked nervous. "You didn't pick up the phone last night, I tried to call you."

I briefly looked down at her as we kept walking through the club. "Yeah, I was busy. What's up?"

She was about to open her mouth when Brooklyn walked by, looking dead. I cut Natalie off and followed Brooks. When she didn't stop, I grabbed her arm.

Her eyes were dark and her braided hair was lifeless. She definitely had a hangover, but more than that, she looked scared.

"You okay?" I asked her a dumb question. She obviously was far from okay.

Brooklyn just blinked slowly and let her eyes drift away from my face. "I'm good," she claimed, walking away with her arms folded across her chest.

As I watched her leave me there, I caught someone clearing their throats dramatically. I looked over my shoulder and saw it was Terrance.

"You just gone act like I don't exist anymore?" he growled. I walked over and slapped his hand.

"It's you who hates me right now, not the other way around," I replied, leaning on the pillar.

He scoffed, "Man, I'm mad at you, doesn't mean I hate you. If I hated you, I wouldn't be inviting you and Gael to my house for dinner tonight." We shared a laugh.

I exhaled deeply and watched as Brooklyn took a seat away from everyone else.

"What's this shit about?" I asked Terrance, hoping he knew something but he didn't.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, but someone's about to get their ass handed to them," Terrance let out and I agreed.

A text from Courtney like that is never good, but I didn't see any sign of Zane so I relaxed a little. Maybe it's just some new procedures she has to go over, I hoped.

I stepped away from Terrance to sit down behind Brooklyn, but not too close to draw suspicions.

Every employee talked, making up theories as to what they think's about to happen, but I stayed quiet.

The door creaked open and let Courtney in first. Her heels clicked across the floor as she led Zane in who was accompanied by who I assumed were Ronnie and fucking Vince in disguise since it was day time but Zane didn't go anywhere without them.

He and Ronnie found me in the crowd and gave eerie looks like they knew something I didn't. Kiss-asses, both of them.

Natalie came and took the seat beside me. She brushed up against me and I inched over, sighing.

Just as Zane stepped forward to say what he had to, the door opened again. Not good.

"I thought everyone was here," a girl behind me whispered.

"You know she's always late," I heard Lily respond.

I had no idea who they were talking about and kept my eyes that direction to see who dared show up tardy. It was Venus. She looked horrible, too, nervous even, and bare-faced with a tracksuit.

I happened to catch Brooklyn mumble something under her breath and sink in her seat.

"What happened?" I tried asking Natalie. She popped up to tell me something but got cut off by Zane's voice.