"I don't get the fucking point of this though."
"You'll understand when we put it up, Charlie. This right here is gonna bring the broads right to our doorstep."
Charlie struggled beneath a neon bar sign while a stout older man paid no attention.
"Be careful with that, would ya?" he croaked, barely looking up from his porn mag.
Charlie clumsily sat the sign on the ground and fervently ran both hands through his hair. He took a deep breath in, "Frank, I kinda get the plan up until the whole girls just showin' up thing. How is hanging a bar sign in our window going to do anything?"
Frank slapped his magazine on the bar table and walked over to the sign resting on the ground. He looked up at Charlie and pointed a finger at him, smiling wildly.
"Chicks walking by the apartment will see the sign in our window. They'll think that it's a bar and come up to our place to party. Boom! Broad delivery service!"
"Ohhh, yeah that's smart!"
"D'ya actually get it now?"
"Yes? Well, kinda. I just-"
The bar door swung open and two other men interrupted Charlie's confusion.
"Whaddup, bitches." said the bearded one in the cut-off tank.
"Frank, what the hell are you doing with our sign?" The other man said.
"We're moving the bar to the apartment." Charlie explained matter of factly.
"Goddamnit, kid. We're not moving the bar." Frank turned around to look at the other men. "Listen here, Dennis. We're putting up a bar sign in our window to attract the ladies."
"That's smart as hell."
"Mac, that is not smart at all. Are you even listening to yourselves?" Dennis threw up his hands before continuing. "What do you think those women are going to do once they realize that it's not a bar? Just two grown-ass men sharing a disgusting apartment"
"Well, you see, uh, actually. Eh, fuck you guys. It's gonna work and then you'll be bitchin' because me and Charlie will get girls."
"Right okay, whatever. Hey where the hell is Dee, she was supposed to meet us here. Somethin' about some fancy art thing." Dennis replied.
"Fancy art thing? Are we havin' another art deal?" Charlie perked up at the idea of breaking out the crayons again.
"Nah, Dee's got this whole plan to impress some hot artist and she wants us to help. But we're totally just going for the chicks." Mac chimed in.
Frank scrunched his face in confusion, "The chicks?"
"Oh yeah, artsy women are freaks. They're into weird shit for sure." Dennis informed with a smirk. He flipped his sunglasses down and headed for the door, Mac following suit.
"Fuck this shit, I'm coming too." Frank hurried out the door with them before turning back to Charlie. "Still put that sign up though, ya never know."
"What the hell, man!" Charlie yelled, but the door had already slammed shut. He let out a frustrated groan and rolled up his sleeves.
"Charlie do this. Hey, Charlie do that." He mumbled to himself. "Maybe I wanted to go, but no. Charlie has to do all the work.
He lifted the sign once again and it felt heavier than earlier.
"This is bullshit
-
The neon blue light glowed in the window of Charlie and Frank's apartment, the electrical hum filling the silence of the room.
"Hey, not too bad." Charlie dusted his hands off and admired his work. It took the rest of the day to lug the sign across town and up several flights of stairs, but he finished the job.
Charlie figured the gang would be back from the art thing by now and he had nothing better left to do. So he threw on a sweatshirt that wasn't drenched in sweat and stepped out into the apartment hallways.
"Oh, hello."
He was greeted by a woman carrying a painting taller than her.
"Oh, uh, hi," Charlie replied. He was caught off guard, their hall was usually empty. Besides the occasional junkie passed out against the wall.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I haven't really met anyone on this floor yet. I guess that makes you my neighbor." She said readjusting to canvas and offering a handshake.
Charlie still stood there puzzled and gingerly shook her hand. He marveled at the cleanliness of her hand. "Neighbor? You live here?"
"Yep, right across from you." She gestured to the door to the apartment behind her.
"Really?"
His new neighbor laughed awkwardly, shuffling her feet. "Yeah, anyways, I should probably get some sleep. Um, it was nice meeting you, uh-"
"Charlie."
"Right, I'm May. Cool, okay bye." She swiftly stepped inside and closed the door.
He stood in the same place with unwavering confusion and wondered if he overdid it with the glue huffing tonight
YOU ARE READING
Charlie Likes The Neighbor
FanfictionCharlie Kelly lives in a dump. He keeps strange hours, breaks stuff, and gets into screaming matches with his roommate. A decent woman moves into the apartment across from his and he finds himself sharing a surprising connection. Should he change hi...
