"Morgan don't turn the music any louder!" Garcia laughs and pleads. He looks at her with puppy dog eyes. "C'mon baby girl, we're celebrating!" He turns the knob on the stereo and the louder music plummets through my ears.
His head bobs as he takes a seat next to Garcia and wraps his arm around her shoulders. Aaron is standing by the window with a finger in one ear and his phone to the other. His frown deepens for a moment and then a smile takes over.
I grab another drink and a knock sounds from the door. I take a few more mouthfuls of my drink and another comes from the same direction. "Hello?" The voice sounds familiar so I finish the drink and head to the door.
When I open it the blonde woman is stood in a fluffy pink dressing gown with her arms folded. I watch as her blue eyes scan me and she pulls her gown tighter. I lean forward, "What do you want?" It comes out slightly more harsh than I expected it to, but I don't care. I'm not having this arrogant bitch looking down on me.
Her eyes move from my tatty black converse, to my faded black jeans, then up to my frowning face. I raise my brow and she begins to speak "I was just-"
"Reid we're out of beers." He pulls the door from my arms in an attempt to see who is behind it. He stops talking to me and smiles at the woman in front of him. I watch as she smiles back and they shake hands. "Derek, but everyone calls me Morgan." His smile grows and I can feel my frown growing with it. I just want to get rid of her. "Eyebrows." Garcia saves the day! Morgan steps back and I pull the door half closed again. Only my body is visible through the gap that is left an I'm thankful she can't see the ok sign Morgan is making with his hands.
"Well, what do you want?" I ask again. "I was just wondering if you could turn the music down? I'm-" her voice is quiet and I take advantage of her innocence. "Well it's on for a reason, but if you want to hear me fucking some random girl, then so be it." I close the door quickly before her or Morgan can say anything. I know he'll tease me anytime soon.
Before I join the others again, I hear a voice from behind the door. "Come on Jennifer." Is she talking to herself? I laugh a little and grab another beer. I take a few mouthfuls and turn the knob on the stereo. I've already been enough of an idiot tonight, it's only fair to turn down the music.
***
Heading back from work the rain hits hard. Each drop soaks into my shirt faster than I can fasten my coat. My cold thumbs fumble with the zip for a few moments before it rises up the teeth.
I break a small jog in an attempt to prevent myself from getting any wetter. Cold water splashes right up my side and I turn to face the car that just drove through the puddle beside me. "You're a complete bastard!" The car continues to drive and I grunt to myself. The little pricks obviously got some amusement from that.
By the time I reach the apartment building, I am soaked from head to toe. With each step I take, I leave puddles behind me on the lobby floor.
I contemplate taking the lift, It would get me up there faster and I'd be able to get out of my drenched clothes earlier. Deciding against it I drag myself up the eight flights of stairs instead. I've actually counted them, twelve steps for each set. That's the equivalent of walking up the stairs in a house eight times. It's so pointless having two flights for each floor.
When I finally reach the top every muscle in my legs are aching, I could honestly do with a nice long bath. Just down the hall the woman I now know to be called Jennifer, after her little crazy spell the other night, is heading my way.
"Is it raining outside?" Is she fucking stupid? "No, I just jumped in the neighbours shower fully clothed." She rolls her eyes and heads toward the lift. What did she expect? Obviously it's raining, I'm not going to be soaking wet while coming in from out side if it's sunny for fuck sake.
I push my crooked key in the lock for my apartment and watch her as she enters the lift. She must have known it was raining anyway, she's all layered up and her long blonde hair is covered with a hat. She turns to face me again, I notice I'm staring and hurriedly open my door and enter my apartment.
***
"Can't you just keep them with you for one more day?"
"Look sir, I'm afraid we have a lot to do and can't take them back."
I wake from my nap to loud voices outside my door. "We can ask her neighbour I'm-" I head toward my door, making sure my footsteps are heavy so they know I'm pissed and they should fuck off.
"No. No, trust me-" I swing my door open and Marcus jumps. His face is red and sweaty, the man beside him is tall and muscular. "Mr Reid-"
"What the fuck is going on Marcus? I was sleeping." The man beside him laughs and I shoot him a warning glare.
"They're finally..." He emphasises the finally. "dropping of Ms Jaraeu, erm Jennifer's belongings but she isn't home and I-"
"I'll take them." Marcus' shocked expression lifts the deep frown from above my eyes. The muscular man drops Jennifer's boxes to the ground. The frown returns home as I look down at them and them back up at the dumb lump of muscle in front of me. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" The confused man meets my eyes. "What?"
"Are you fucking stupid?" Anger takes over his confusion and he steps forward. I stand up properly and look him in the eye. "It's your job to treat people's things with respect, now pick the shit up and bring them in." Realising that his stepping forward didn't intimidate me, he does as I say and retrieves her boxes from the floor.
He enters my apartment and carefully places them on the floor beside my favourite arm chair, Marcus follows closely behind with one more box and places it beside the first two.
The man leaves and Marcus stops at the door. "Mr Reid?" I look up at him and he continues. "Why are you taking them?"
"Fuck off Marcus."
"It's just it's not like-" I head toward the door and slam it in his face. Nosey bastard. I'm not going to tell him that I enjoy winding Jennifer up, that I love it when- a glimpse of pink snaps me from my thoughts and I burst out laughing. The bastard throwing her things around has broken one side of the box and her bright pink knickers are hanging out.
I bring the boxes into the kitchen and grab the tape. I push the broken side of the box to where it should be, and laugh again while pushing her lingerie back inside. I tape the whole thing together an push them down the counter and out of the way. I don't want to be tempted to root through everything.