Thus Rises the Moon (A Gatsby Fanfiction)

Chapter 2-Part 2

We drove over to Fifth avenue. The summer Sunday afternoon was soft and warm, a delightful and much needed breath of fresh air from the recent dampness a few days prior. It was particularly nice to me. I saw as we reached the end of the road and we stopped. Immediately I came upon a decision of myself, not wanting to bother Tom and Mrs. Wilson any more than I already have. It was also particular with my brief discomfort about being a third and outward party to their ogling relationship.

"Hold on," I said. "I have to leave you here."
Tom took a moment before he whipped himself around to look at me, at first a sad look upon his face before it reached that determined expression.
"No you don't," he interposed quickly. "Myrtle'll be hurt if you don't come up to the apartment. Won't you, Myrtle?" he looked between her and me.
I was a bit perplexed as to why she'd be upset over my decision, and then I looked to Tom.

Of course Tom was the one that would have been truly upset had I not gone. He wanted me there and he wanted me to have a decently good time in my staying here, but I was positive that I did not want to intervene with anything. But Tom was insistent, his soft blue eyes silently pleading.
Myrtle smiled.
"Come on," she urged, tugging gently at my arm. "I'll telephone my sister Catherine. She's said to be very beautiful by people who ought to know."

I wanted very little to do with this Catherine after hearing what Myrtle had to say about her. If I were to be a pawn in a matchmakers game, I wanted nothing to do with it. I tried to be polite in my decline.
"Well, I'd love to, but—"
And the car suddenly jutted forwards. It was not my decision to make and it was already set in stone.

We went on, making our way down and over roads until we reached cream colored apartment-houses. Mrs. Wilson threw her eyes up high, staring at the homes as if she had risen them up from the ground herself. The car stopped and Myrtle, taking up her dog and other little things before leaving, going haughtily into the building nearest to us. I followed suit, a little upset at my current predicament. Tom walked beside me.

"There's really no reason to be upset Nick. You're gonna love it, I promise."
"I don't want to be here," I admitted.
Tom pouted.
"You're not in the way of anything," he said. "You're here as company; a friend."
While that hardly lifted my spirits, Tom really wanted me to be there. So much so in fact that I assumed he'd drag me by the ear if I declined again.

We were inside now, following Mrs. Wilson to the elevator.
"I'm going to have the McKees come up," she announced suddenly. To my surprise, Tom seemed to think about that, unsure if he wanted to accept that or not. Then, either a prideful glance towards me, he accepted it.
Mrs. Wilson turned to me.
"Of course I'm going to call up my sister too," where she then turned away from me with a grin rising upon her face. I stared forwards at the elevator doors as we rose to the top floor, tapping my finger against my thigh in uncertainty and slight impatience.

Once we reached the apartment, Mrs. Wilson entered it first, very flamboyantly excited about the situation. The whole apartment was full of necessary facilities—a small living room, a small kitchen and dining room, a small bedroom and a bathroom. But that's all it was; small. Worse yet, the whole place was crowded with furniture that was entirely too big for it. Of course I assumed Tom had bought and ordered most of the furniture here, some of which looked to even be from his own home. There was a bookshelf that took my attention for a moment, but all the books that lined it looked completely uninteresting.

The dog was placed gently onto the floor, Mrs. Wilson's concern about it washing over her person. An elevator boy, with much reluctance, went and grabbed a box with some straw as well as some dog biscuits. One of which was set into a saucer full of milk, where the biscuit remained untouched and soaked all throughout the afternoon. It was rather sad to watch.