That Abercrombie Model

THREE

I wake up with a smile on my face. It feels great to be single again. Even the air is much lighter than yesterday. I go to the kitchen to make coffee and jumpstart my hungover brain. When I plug in the coffee maker it refuses to work. Great. I glare at the little machine from hell that is intent on souring my amazing day.

I get juice instead and walk back to my room. I am intent on finding a new apartment in Mayfair because I've been commuting for hours to and from Tottenham from my college classes at the London College of Fashion. After hours of searching, I find a house that's very close to the college. I'll have to share the place with another girl, which isn't ideal, but it's affordable enough, and it has been recently renovated.

I close the deal swiftly and start packing. I would much prefer to move in the morning. At six Andre comes to help me move. We haul boxes into his car until it looks like it's going to burst. "How much stuff did you have in that house?" He asks me incredulously.

"A lot." I say with a wince.

The drive to the house is painfully elongated by traffic as people commute to work. He parks in front of a row of identical houses with white facades, they look so much like cartoon houses. A small well kept yard with colorful and fragrant camellias flanks the walk up to the front door. The whole property is full of life; something I haven't been for the past two weeks.

Before I even knock, the door flies open exposing a lady around my age beaming at me. "I've been expecting you, come in." She engulfs me in a hug. I am taken aback by having a stranger depict so much affection towards me. She finally releases me and hugs Andre as well. He looks as surprised as I did.

"I am Jade. It's nice to meet you." she says with so much light in her eyes. She is by far the most lively person I've ever met. I like her already.

"Liza. it's a pleasure." I reply awkwardly.

"Come in then." she says and hurries to our car to help us with my boxes.

"Will you manage on your own?" Andre whispers next to me as we watch Jade traipse towards the car. I've been used to calm quiet people like Glen for so long, someone like Jade seems alien to me.

I eye him sideways, "I like her liveliness. It's a good change for once." I reply and descend the stairs after Jade. We deposit my belongings in one of the rooms, which I presume will be mine. Furnished with a full xl size bed, a working table and a double door closet, it is the perfect size for me to breathe unlike the previous room I occupied.

I have to bid Andre farewell because he has to go to work shortly after. I am left with my hyperactive new roommate.

"Let me give you a tour of the house." She turns and leads the way.

We start from the expansive kitchen with endless cabinets and a large island in the middle. It's a wonder how anyone has this much space in a London flat.

"So is he your boyfriend?" The question catches me off guard; it takes a while to process who she is even referring to.

When I realize it's Andre, my mind rears back to his less-than-perfect confession last night. "Oh no." I answer incredulously. "Did we look that way?" I ask with amazement.

"His gaze towards you was so telling I thought he was." she shrugs. "So what do you do?"

"I am a student at the moment." I reply. "At the LCF."

"Me too." My face lights up at the declaration, "I mean not at the LCF, but I am a student too. In Law school."

My face falls briefly. "Where do you study?"