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As I stepped out into the sweltering heat that is New York City in the summer, I couldn't help but let out a slew of curses. "Jesus Christ, it's hot," I whispered, pinching my shirt and attempting to fan myself.
This was my first time in JFK Airport, let alone NYC, and it was everything I had seen in movies—fast-paced and overcrowded. I made an effort to push past the people in front of me with my two clunky suitcases, but it was more of a struggle than I anticipated.
There were countless families reuniting, large school groups traveling for the first time, businessmen and women alike holding black briefcases, mothers nursing screaming babies—it was absolutely unbearable.
Once I finally pushed past a few excessively large groups, a line of yellow taxicabs was at my disposal.
"You need a cab miss?" the man asked, not bothering to look up from whatever was so captivating on his phone.
"Yes please," I said with a smile.
"Where do you wanna go?" he asked, finally looking up at me. I could detect a bit of attitude but chose to ignore it.
"Umm. I actually don't know the name of the building off the top of my head. Just give me a second," I implored, rummaging through my backpack.
"Let's go. I don't got all day sweetheart," the man retorted impatiently.
I gave him a nasty look, which he seemed to ignore, before reciting the address. "Found it. It's 672 Clayton Avenue," I said.
"Alright. Get in."
I stood there for a beat, waiting for him to take my suitcase.
He glanced back at me and rolled his eyes. "Move it or lose it."
"Are you not going to take my suitcase?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and presenting the luggage to him.
"What the fuck do I look like? The bellhop? Now throw your shit in the trunk and let's go," he cursed, letting out an exasperated sigh.
Before picking up my luggage and placing it in the trunk, I inhale deeply and mutter, "Welcome to New York, I guess."
The gentleman, or should I say asshole, didn't bother to make small talk, which I was grateful for. For the duration of the ride, I took in the aesthetic of the "Big Apple" and it all it had to offer me. This was exactly the fresh start that I craved and I wasn't going to let the events from my past continue to haunt me.
I felt the car slow down before making a full stop. When I looked up, I saw the driver had shifted in his seat and said, "We're here darling. That'll be $85.35."
"What?" I couldn't prevent the small yelp that had escaped my pursed lips. "Are you being serious?"
"You gonna give me the money or do I need you to repay me in another way?" he asked, his lips upturned to form a perverted smirk.
Unfazed by his advances, I took out $90 from my wallet and told him to keep the change. Good thing I hit the ATM before leaving the airport.
He snatched the money from me like a greedy gremlin and hopped out of the parked car. I heard him pop open the trunk and this time he actually took out my luggage and placed it on the sidewalk. "Later gorgeous!"
Ignoring him, I made my way to the rundown building. The beautiful black and grey brick that was displayed in the photo online resembled nothing that I now saw. I continued to stare at the detestable building, hoping it would eventually grow on me.
"Excuse me, miss?" a male voice said from behind me. I quickly spun around in the direction of the sound.
The man was tall but not taller than what seemed to be six feet. He had narrow, chocolate-brown eyes and wore his spiky, swarthy hair in a bun that rested on top of his head. He also had a shiny, silver nose ring, which I thought made him look even more attractive. He wore light-grey, Nike sweatpants and a fitted black shirt that made his muscles pop from underneath.
"Umm...excuse me?" he said, interrupting my seductive thoughts.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I apologized, realizing I was gawking at him.
"It's okay." he chuckled. "Are you visiting someone or just lost?"
"No. I'm actually moving in. I need to see the building manager so I can get my keys," I admitted, a tad embarrassed.
"Oh. Then you'd be looking for Neji," he nodded, brushing past me in order to reach the keypad for the building. "Yea, this is the button to press so that he knows you're here."
"Do you live in this building?" I asked, continuing to observe his sculpted body.
"Yeah. I live on the 4th floor actually. Apartment #406. When you finally move in you should stop by. I can even show you around the neighborhood if you'd like," he offered.
"Yeah, I'd like that," I smiled, showing off my million-dollar smile.
As if to quickly save me from further humiliation, the sound of a man's voice came through the intercom
"Who is it?" the sultry voice inquired.
I inched closer to the device and spoke. "Um, Y/N L/N."
There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "Yes, Miss L/N. Come in. Make a right when you enter the building and I'll be the last door at the end of the hall."
"Y/N. That's a pretty name." the brown-eyed boy said with a smile.
Once I heard the loud buzz of the front door, I attempted to push it open, but the courteous man beat me to it.
"After you," he said with a bow.
"Thank you," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up from his kindness. "I didn't quite catch your name."
"Oh, sorry about that. It's Shikamaru. Shikamaru Nara." he said with a flashy smile.
"That's a fascinating name. Well, I'll see you around Shika," I replied with a wave.
Without wasting any more time, I made a right and scurried toward the end of the hall. Once in front of the grey, steel door, I gave it a soft knock, awaiting further instruction.
"Come in."
It was like I had lost all composure I previously had once I caught sight of the man sitting behind the desk. "Hi, Mr. Hyuga. I'm Y/N. Well, you already know that because I said it like two minutes ago. Aha well, anyways I'm the new tenant. Oh wow. Well, you already know tha—"
He raised a hand to cut me off. "Yes thank you," he curtly said, not looking up from the stack of papers he was rummaging through.
I thought it best to stay quiet after that fiasco. I'd hate to further discomfit myself.
"Please have a seat," he said, pointing to a chair directly in front of his desk.
I looked around the seemingly spotless room. There was not one speck of dust or a file out of place. It probably helped that there weren't many decorations set up in his office aside from a singular painting hung behind his desk. Most building managers I had encountered had had offices that looked like they barely survived a tornado.
His features were incredibly enticing. So much so that I couldn't stop staring. He had long, chestnut-brown hair that hung loosely in a low ponytail along with a few stray hairs that perfectly framed his face, and large, elusive, pale-lavender eyes. His nose was notably straight and there was not a speck of facial hair growing from his face. He displayed no readable emotion besides his lips which seemed to form a natural downturn.
There was no thought in my mind which indicated that we'd get along well. Off the bat, he seemed like the type to not let anyone into his life nor did he seem keen on engaging in conversation. He was probably all work and no play.
He finally looked up at me and pushed a stack of papers in front of me. With a pen in hand, he handed me the paper from the top of the pile. "There are just a few things for you to sign. Once you finish that then I can give you your keys and you can worry about the rest of the paperwork later. This thick pile contains your housing contract. Take a few minutes today when you have time to read through it," he said.
"Thank you," I smiled, taking the pen from him and skimming over the contract one last time.
He took out a key from a small, tan, manilla envelope. "You'll be living on the 5th floor. Apartment #506."
"The laundry is in the basement, along with the gym. The inside looks better than the outside, trust me. I have a strict rule about it being quiet after midnight. And please, don't ever leave my hallways dirty," he commanded. There was not a hint of amusement.
"Got it," I gulped. A part of me felt like I was back in college with such strict rules.
"If you don't have any questions, you can see yourself out. The elevator is not hard to miss. Just walk straight down the hall and make a left. I will find you when I need you to fill out the rest of the paperwork." he uttered, looking back down at his stack of papers in front of him. Just like that, he had once again blocked out everything around him.
"Okay. Thank you," I said, standing up and bowing.
I made my way out of his office and down the hall, ensuring to grab my luggage on the way out. The journey to my floor was spent in deep thought, trying to reflect on all of my happenings from this morning.
Once I looked up, I realized I was on the fifth floor and immediately made my departure. I made a right upon exiting, which I assumed to be the way to my new apartment. And to my luck, the apartment was the third door from the elevator. I made a mental note to trust my instincts more.
The hallway reminded me of a hotel due to its grey, carpeted floors and narrow corridors. All of the apartment doors were white in color with gold lettering slightly off-centered that read the room number.
I inserted the small key into the matching golden door knob, turning it once to the left and pushing open the door.
I was amazed at the interior as it was just as spotless as Mr. Hyuga's office. The one perk which prompted me to settle for this apartment was that it was fully furnished, which ultimately led to higher rent payments.
Upon initial glance, it was everything I wanted, simple and small. This was my chance to start anew, so I didn't bother in bringing a lot of decorations or heirlooms. It was better to sever my connection with my past.
Before stepping any further into my new place, I removed my shoes at the door and set my suitcases aside. I peered around the compact space to get a feel for where everything was. Once I'm past the front door, the kitchen is to my right. On my left is the living room with a tall and wide tainted glass window. On the other side of the living room wall is the bathroom and across from that is my bedroom. Yes, it was a bit smaller than I anticipated, but I appreciated the coziness of it all.
I quickly recalled my long flight and my desperate need for a shower, so I headed toward my suitcase, took out a few toiletries, and headed toward the shower. I supposed after that then I could meet up with Shikamaru so he could show me around the neighborhood. Plus it'd be nice to make a new friend.
Things are already looking up for me.
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