My League - Drew Starkey

chapter eight.

Before I knew it, I was dropped off in front of my apartment building and I was finally home. Though I had no intentions on coming here this weekend, I was looking forward to being back in my own space.

I entered the building, lugging my suitcase behind me and I went over to the elevator, pressing the button to go up. Within seconds, the elevator dinged and opened. I stepped inside and pressed my floor number before looking down at my phone to wait for the elevator to go up. I left her place only a half hour ago and I already had so many missed calls and texts from her. 

As the doors were about to close, they were interrupted by a hand coming between them, causing the doors to separate again.

I looked up from my phone, a small part of me hoping it was her chasing after me, but I was completely wrong.

"Hey man," My neighbor, Vinnie, greeted me as he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the doors to close. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"Yeah," I nodded, sending him a weak smile. "Last minute decision. Was getting home sick."

"That's understandable." He agreed. "You're always all over the place. I can't imagine having a busy schedule like yours. Remember when you first moved in and we had nothing else to do on the weekends so we would play video games like every Friday night?"

"Yeah," I slightly chuckled, reminiscing to when I first moved out to LA and Vinnie was my first real friend. "Those were the good ole' days."

"As Andy Bernard once said," Vinnie started and I couldn't help but shake my head as I laughed, knowing exactly where he was going with this.

"I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days, before you've actually left them." We spoke in unison, quoting the show we used to watch together, The Office. 

"We would play video games all Friday night then watch reruns of The Office all Saturday night." I chuckled.

The elevator door opened, bringing us to our floor and I stepped out first, Vinnie following me as we walked down the hallway together.

"I know you're probably busy this weekend, but if you've got some free time, we should recreate one of those nights. Like old times." Vinnie suggested.

"Yeah," I nodded, the corner of my mouth tugging at a slight smile as I thought about his suggestion. Since I had nothing else to do this weekend, I figured why not? If anything, it would help distract me from what happened earlier. "Not tonight, but uh, tomorrow night, for sure." I told him as we approached the door to each of our places.

"Bet," Vinnie nodded, unlocking his door that was across the hall from mine and he opened it within seconds. "I'll see you tomorrow, Drew."

"See ya, Vin." We shook hands before he entered his apartment and closed the door behind him.

I stood there, shuffling around the keys on my key ring as I tried to find the right one for this apartment. 

They key to my apartment in Charleston. 

The key to where I was staying in Barbados. 

The key to Mallory's place.

And as quickly as the thoughts left my mind, they immediately resurfaced once I came across her key.

Talking to Vinnie for those few minutes made Mallory and that entire situation disappear from my mind. Now, I was going to be stuck with nothing but my thoughts for the entire night.

Maybe I should've suggested we play video games or watch The Office tonight instead of tomorrow.

When I finally found the key, I unlocked my door and entered my apartment, sighing at feeling relieved of finally being home. Though, I shouldn't have even been home right now.