And there you were, a light in the dark

Chapter One: Bright; Dull

(A/N): Yay! Chapter one is finally able to post! :D

Sorry for the super long wait, but I had a lot more trouble writing this than I originally thought I would, cause I wasn't sure if the characterization was right or not. If it isn't, please let me know, and I'll do my best to fix any mistakes!

Anyhow, hope you enjoy reading.

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Carmen sighed, scooping up her last box and lugging it into the apartment complex. Zack and Ivy were currently upstairs, setting up her new apartment, which only slightly worried her.

As she stepped into the elevator, adjusting her hold on the box, she went to press the button for her floor, spotting someone enter out for the corner of her eye. She couldn't get a good look at him, and frankly, the last thing she wanted was to make awkward eye contact with someone in an elevator, but he seemed older—definitely taller.

She cleared her throat, turning to look up at him. He looked tired, dark bags under his eyes and a five o'clock shadow on his face. His hair was disheveled and his shirt was loosely buttoned, almost as if he had been in a hurry to get out of the house.

"Are you...?" she tilted her head towards the buttons, waiting for some type of response from the stranger.

"Oh," he seemed somewhat startled at the sudden interaction, as if, this whole time, he hadn't noticed she was there. He glanced at the buttons, "Sorry," he muttered, more to himself than to her, reaching over and hitting the button for the floor just below Carmen's, flashing her a nervous smile.

She returned the smile. He went back to staring at the floor, hands tucked in his pockets. She turned her head away, focusing on the box she held in her arms.

Instead of making awkward eye contact, she made awkward silence. Great...

The elevator came to a halt on the second floor, the doors sliding open with a quaint ding. The mysterious man bowed his head slightly as a farewell, exiting the elevator. As awkward as their exchange had been, he seemed nice enough. Maybe they'd see each other again.

+

As Chase pulled open the door to his apartment, he paused, standing still for a moment, looking into the dimly lit room, his shadow cast on the wood floor. His eyes skimmed over the room, catching the outlines of various envelopes, papers and dishes strewn about the small living area.

It wasn't a new sight to see, yet every time he saw it, it still never felt familiar. It never felt like it was his, and to an extent, it wasn't. He winced at the reminder of who was actually paying for him to live here, an ache in his chest.

"Welcome back," he quietly muttered, stepping in and shutting the door behind him.

He silently debated on if he should bother cleaning up the apartment—a passing voice that sounded distinctly like his mother telling him a clean living space made for a brighter morning rang softly in his ears. Chase supposed cleaning up couldn't hurt as much as that disaster of an interview had, so he shuffled over to the closet he kept his cleaning supplies in and began to make himself useful.

+

"Careful, bro!" Ivy's voice was the first thing Carmen heard as she walked into her new apartment, "Move to the left!"

"My left, or your left?"

"My left!"

"My left, got it—"

"Zack!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Your left."

She couldn't help but chuckle at the argument in the other room as she placed the box she was holding on the counter, "You two doing all right in there?" she asked, making her way into the bedroom.