DEEP

3. The Right Place

"I do not, actually. But I have a passion for photography, so maybe I could make some while you play or-"

"It would be cool! Did you bring your camera tonight?"

I shake my head. "It's still buried in some moving box."

"Too bad, there's a cool skateboard ramp, you could have taken some great pictures!"

His good mood seems contagious and his smile is a ray of sunshine. I'd really like to take some pictures of him skating.

"Are you good at skateboarding?"

"Let's say I'm doing pretty good." he answers me with a half-smile "Coming to see some tricks?"

"We were actually leaving," Stone says, "tomorrow will be her first day of work, we don't want her to make a bad impression, you know."

"Cool, good luck tomorrow! It was great meeting you. I'll call you in the morning." Jeff says to Stone before turning around and mixing with the crowd again.

"So did you have fun?" Stone asks me as we walk to his car, being careful not to step on any of the boys smoking or making out on the grass.

"Yes, it was a good night. Your friends seem really nice. All of them."

"They'll be yours too. I mean, if you want."

Nobody told me that before. I've rarely felt so well-liked right away.

I just smile shyly and don't know what to say as I get in the car with him. My tiredness is real, and so is my concern about my first day at work, but I feel a bit guilty for forcing Stone to leave, too.

"I'm sorry I forced you to leave with me, didn't mean to throw a damper, really. Maybe you wanted to stay and enjoy the evening for a while longer."

"It's okay, I have to get up early too. I wouldn't be there for long anyway."

I'm happily amazed at the selflessness this guy has reserved for me tonight. He didn't know me, yet asked to come with him and introduced me to his friends without the slightest hesitation. Do people like that still exist? Maybe I had to cross the whole country to find one.

I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he drives carefully and with both hands on the steering wheel. As the long ponytail comes out of the cap, landing on his back and swinging at each bend, Stone seems way too careful. Maybe this isn't even his car.

"All right," he sighs, parking and removing the keys from the ignition "here we are. I think I need to get the brakes checked, that light shouldn't be on I think."

"I know nothing about cars, but I think you should."

"We got home, I guess that's something."

We enter the building and climb the stairs, reaching our floor without making too much noise. The structure is quite old and the steps creak a bit under our weight.

"Thank you for the nice evening Stone, I've had a really great time!"

"Yeah, I thought you should breathe, you know...some of the local air. Go get some rest and good luck tomorrow!"

The smile Stone gives me before he goes into his apartment reassures me, somehow. It's a really good feeling to know that I'm not completely alone anymore and that who lives next to me seems a good person.

When I close the front door behind me, I quietly observe my apartment for a few seconds: this is my new home and it feels so surreal. Will I ever get used to all these changes?

My boots are now on the floor and I stand on tiptoe to get my favorite cup from the kitchen cabinet just above the stove. After looking for the cinnamon tea box and while the water is boiling, I sit on the stool and look down on the chaos that now reigns supreme all around me.