I take a look around my empty apartment and dial Finn's number. Caleb is at work and I've already packed everything in my car. I don't know where I'm going to go, but I know I can't stay here.
"Hey, do you know anyone who needs a roommate?" I need to find a place that I can sublet, I don't have a steady job with a steady income and no one will rent to me because I can't provide paystubs. I've already called six places.
"Noah is renting out a full apartment," he says easily.
"Absolutely not," I interrupt him. I would sleep in my car before I shared a space with Noah.
"Who needs a place?" Finn asks, he obviously thinks that I'm talking about someone other than myself. He knows I have a place to live. Although, I don't have a place to live now. Caleb and I broke up last night.
I haven't told anyone. I haven't really accepted it myself.
"Me?" I say uncertainly, running my hand through my hair and flipping it to the other side and push it behind my ear. I pace back and forth while I listen for Finn's reply.
"What?!" He shouts into the phone, "this doesn't feel like a phone conversation."
"I don't want to talk about it, Finn. I just want to find a place to live," I sigh. My foot catches on the stupid rug in the living room and I trip, stumbling a few steps before I right myself. I hate that Caleb gets to keep the apartment, with it's beautiful exposed brick walls and view of the river. However, I can't afford this place by myself.
"I wish I had another friend to offer, but it's just him. It's not like you'd be living with him, just renting a single apartment from him," he tells me. "You can obviously stay here if you need to, but I know how you are."
Finn does know how I am, and he doesn't have a room to offer. He has a couch he can offer, and I wasn't going to sleep on his couch. I didn't want a hand out, I needed a place to live. Also, his roommate sells weed, and I didn't really want to end up in jail if I could help it.
"You know that's a hard pass from me, give me his number," I groan.
Finn sends me a text with Noah's number in it, I tap the number and call him before I chicken out. My flip flops slap the floor as I continue to pace, I hate being on the phone. I hate this feeling of in-between even more.
"Hello," Noah drawls in his calming voice.
My chest tightens as I greet him back. "Hi Noah, it's Delaney. Finn gave me your number and-" I start.
"And you want my body?" He guesses, and I can hear the smirk in his voice. I could sleep in my car, it would be fine. I could call my parents even, I know their house is empty.
"This was a mistake," I mutter and hang up the phone.
I take the key to the apartment off of my keychain and place it on the counter, the beautiful concrete counter, and take one last look at my home, that is not my home anymore. I close the door behind me and walk away with a sinking feeling in my stomach. I knew this was what I needed to do, that our relationship couldn't be reconciled at this point.
My phone rings in my hand when I reach my car. It's Noah and I debate ignoring it, but I need a place to stay.
"Noah," I greet tersely.
"Delaney," he says my name like it's left a bad taste in his mouth. "I believe you called me for a reason."
"Finn told me you have an apartment for rent and I am looking for one," I sigh.
"Do you have references?" Noah asks and I can hear the smirk in his voice.
"You are unbelievable!" I tell him slamming my hands onto the steering wheel, causing a passing couple to turn and give me a curious look.
"Wait, wait," he says as if he can sense I'm about to hang up on him, probably because I am. "I'll send you the address and we can talk in person."
My phone buzzes and I look to see and address on my screen. "I got it, I'll see you soon."
I look at the address. It's in Murfreesboro, I work from home so it's not a real problem but I love living downtown. However, I can no longer afford to live downtown by myself. I'm distracted driving there. I can't believe Caleb and I aren't together any longer. I was so sure we would be forever. I was so sure he wouldn't betray me, but I was wrong, so very wrong.
I double check the address, and the house I'm sitting in front of. House, not apartment.
I'm about to back out of the drive way when Noah steps out of the front door. He's wearing a pair of black joggers that hang low on his hips. He's shirtless, a shirt in his hands and he pushes the shirt over his head as he skips down the steps with his long legs.
"There she is," Noah greets, opening the car door for me, and I push my hair behind my ears before stepping out of the car. There's still a sliver of skin showing where the shirt hasn't settled quite right that I can't take my eyes off of.
"I thought you had an apartment," I grumble, crossing my arms over my chest. I watch his dark eyes follow the motion.
"I do," he says vaguely and continues staring at me. I move my hands to my hips. Noah mocks my actions but still doesn't explain any further.
"This isn't an apartment, Noah, it's a house!" I shout at him and yank open my car door.
Noah chuckles softly behind me and shuts my door. "Follow me." Noah walks me to the side of the house where there is a second door. He unlocks it with a key he pulls from his pocket and a set of stairs leads to the underground.
"Are you going to kill me? Finn knows where I am," I tell him as I cautiously follow him into what seems like a basement.
He throws a smile over his shoulder at me as I follow him into his dungeon. Although, it's not a dungeon at all. It's a finished basement decorated in natural tones, hardwood floors that cover the space, and a small kitchen. The kitchen is modern and decorated in grays, the only pop of color the barstools at the counter, they're a dark blue velvet. It matches a loveseat directly behind it. Beyond the small living room/kitchen are two doors, a bathroom and bedroom I assume. It's nice, clean, if a little cold.
"So, this is it. You have your own entrance, you can do laundry upstairs. I'll give you a key to that, too. Don't catch the place on fire. And rent is $500 a month, any questions?" Noah ticks off on his hands, and I wonder absently if he's ever yelled at anyone in his life.
"500? You could easily charge $1200 for this location," I mutter, I don't know why I'm trying to get him to charge me more, but I'm out of sorts.
"Do you want to pay $1200?"
"No, but I don't want this to be a hand out. Don't treat me as a friend, treat me as a tenant," I tell him running my hands over the back of the couch. It was so soft.
"We aren't friends," he says simply. He watches me walk around the room and my face falls.
"Right, right. We aren't friends. I guess I'll take it, can I move in right now?"
He shrugs, "I don't see why not, rommie." I roll my eyes as I walk up to my car.
He follows me up and stands next to me at my trunk, "What are you doing?"
"Helping you," he says simply, he squints at me in the midday sun.
"No, I don't need help."
"There's a ton of stuff here, you need help."
"I moved it all into this car, I can move it all out of this car."
"What an asshole," Noah says and I realize he's talking about Caleb and I don't want to talk about the breakup. Not now, not ever.
"I got this Noah, please leave me alone," I say grabbing a box. The jackass picks up two boxes and follows me into the basement.
"I hate you," I mutter as he goes back to my car for more stuff.
I don't know why I'm being so rude to him, but I wish he would just leave me alone. It's not normal for a landlord to help move things. He helps me carry my things down the stairs, and I don't have a ton of stuff, but it would have taken forever for me to do this all myself. I don't want to give him any credit, though.
"Thank you," I concede when Noah sits the last box in the living room.
"You're welcome," he smiles smugly down at me.
I pull my checkbook out of my purse and write a check for five hundred dollars and hand it to him. He doesn't take it, just stares at my hand.
"What's this?"
"It's a check, for the rent," I deadpan. What the hell does he think it is?
"Right, right. Well have a good night."
"You too."
When I hear Noah close the door behind him I look around at all of my stuff in boxes on the floor of a strangers house. I hate Caleb for putting me in this situation. I open the top box and pull out my favorite sweatshirt. I look at my boxes, intending on unpacking but instead I pull the sweater over my head and lay down on the bare mattress.
_
I must have fallen asleep, because I'm being assaulted by a large tongue. I think I'm dreaming at first, but no it's Finn's black lab.
"Mary Jane!" I squeal and throw my arms around her. She responds by happily licking me some more.
"We thought you could use some cheering up," Finn steps in the doorway. "You should really lock your doors."
"It's three in the afternoon and it's a safe neighborhood, I think I'll be okay," I roll my eyes, " I can't believe you came all the way out here just to see me."
"Darling, I'd cross the ocean for you," Finn tells me dramatically and throws himself on my bed. "You don't have sheets," he frowns.
"I know, I'll have to run out later and get some. That's a problem for later, though," I groan petting Mary Jane. She curls up against me, my little spoon, while I keep my position on the bed.
"Wanna talk about it?" He asks, scooting closer to me.
"What do you think?"
"Okay, I won't ask, but if need to talk you know I'm here."
"Yes, Finn. You've always been there," I say squeezing his hand.
Finn grabs both of my hands and pulls me up, "let's get to work putting this away."
I let him drag me into the living room, I didn't have a chance to pack things strategically, I had thrown my things together as quickly as I could so I didn't have to be there another minute. When Finn opens the first box it's my toiletries and dishes. We work together unpacking everything, Finn making me laugh the whole time, because he knows that's what I need.
"Let's go get some food," I say finally, I want some cheesy, greasy food that's going to make me sick.
"The Goat?" He asks.
"The Goat," I confirm. Mary Jane is comfortably curled up on my mattress, "and maybe some sheets."
I don't bother changing my clothes and pull my hair into a bun. I follow Finn up the stairs and lock the door behind me. When I walk over to Finn's car, Noah is already sitting in the back seat.
"What is he doing here?" I seethe at my best friend over the roof of the car.
"I invited him," he shrugs, like it's no big deal.
"I thought it was just going to be us," I whine.
"Well, it's not," he says grabbing the handle of the door.
"But-"
"I can hear you, you know," Noah pokes his head out of the window.
"I don't care," I fire back.
Finn and I finally get in the car and drive to the brewery. Noah tries to talk to Finn, but his voice irritates my nerves and I turn the radio up to a decibel that makes it impossible for conversation. I'm going to have to talk to both of them at the restaurant, but for now I'm want to be childish.
When Finn comes to a complete stop Noah jumps out and opens the door for me.
"Why do you enjoy getting on my nerves?" I ask ignoring the hand he's extended to me.
"It's so easy," he smiles and shuts the car door.
Finn shakes his head as he walks by us. Noah's long hair blows on the wind as he follows Finn into the bar.
We sit at a high top table, Finn on one side and Noah on the other. I sit next to Finn.
Finn and I order IPAs but Noah is looking at the board behind the bar like he's never had a beer before.
"The IPA is great, just get that," I say through my teeth, he's holding up the waitress and being difficult for no reason.
"What if I don't like it?"
"You will."
"How do I know if I can trust you?"
"If you don't like it just order something else."
"Well I don't want to waste a beer.."
"Just get the IPA," Finn and the waitress say at the same time. Noah looks at them, brown eyes glistening with mischief.
"I'm not sure.."
"Noah, for fuck's sake just order!"
"I'll take the IPA," he says smirking at me. The waitress looks relieved as she walks off.
She returns shortly with our beers, Finn and Noah talk about the show coming up but I don't have it in me to keep up with small talk.
Finn has been my rock for ten years so he knows I shut down when I'm upset. Noah on the other hand...
"You are quiet tonight," Noah says looking pointedly at me. We are all on our third beer and we're waiting on our food to come.
"Yep," I reply, watching the condensation run down my glass.
The food comes, and the conversation dies down a bit and I'm thankful. When I'm finished with my food I order another beer.
"So, Delaney, reviewed any cool places this week?" Noah tries to pull me in the conversation.
"No, I don't have anything lined up right now," I tell him. I run my fingers through my hair and flip it to one side.
"I happen to know a great place, I could take you," Noah tells me. I'm not much in the mood to write anything blog related right now, but I do need to make money.
"What's the place?" I ask.
"It'll be a surprise. We can go in the morning," Noah smiles at me, he pushes his own hair behind his shoulders.
Something tells me I'm going to regret this, "I'm in."