Page 22 of Friend Zone
I knewthe meeting with the building manager wasn’t going to go well when he had me wait for half an hour in the small lobby on the first floor of my apartment building. I never liked to linger there because it always smelled like spoiled milk despite the heavy rose-scented air freshener they had plugged in to every available outlet. By the time he called me back into his office, I was tired, nauseous, and ready to put my feet up after a long day of clinicals.
“Ms. St. James, thank you so much for your patience.”
“Of course,” I said as I took a seat opposite the ancient desk in the middle of the cramped office.
Despite the comfortable bed in Liam’s spare room, I hadn’t been able to close my eyes and turn off my brain. It was like everything that could go wrong, had. And I didn’t get a good feeling about this meeting. I didn’t know if it was leftover nerves from the day before or what, but there was a knot of tension in my stomach that no amount of chugging water would make go away.
Mr. Jergan, the building manager, was in his late forties or so with a shiny pink head and the remnants of hair he trimmed fastidiously around its rim. His mustache matched the salt and pepper of what hair remained and was trimmed razor straight. It twitched as he sifted through paperwork.
“I have some unfortunate news about your unit. It appears the sink in the bathroom had been blocked with a washcloth and overflowed all over the unit.”
I swallowed around the lump in my throat and fought the urge to cry in frustration. If he got away with this I was going to kill him with my bare hands. “I understand. An ex-boyfriend of mine used the spare key to get some belongings, or so he said. I never had any idea he’d do anything like this. I don’t have renter’s insurance, so he’s cost me everything. Please, can you help me?”
His expression was unforgiving and my heart sank. “Seeing that the damage, though accidental, was at the hands of someone you’re responsible for we’re holding you liable for the damages. You’re going to have to forfeit your deposit, you understand.” His mustache twitched again and I focused on it as I considered my response.
“Sir, I can appreciate your position, but there has to be another apartment you can lease me in the meantime. If not here, then at some other building?”
“Currently, all of our units are full. Normally, we’d offer another for your use per the terms of your lease, but there are none available here or at another property. We will make our best effort to have the unit repaired in a timely fashion, but we won’t be able to offer you accommodation in the meantime. I do apologize for the inconvenience. You’re more than welcome to retrieve the rest of your belongings as soon as the maintenance crew has given me the all-clear.”
Numb and disbelieving, all I could do was nod. “Do you know how long it’ll take for my apartment to be repaired?”
He leaned back in the seat and tapped his thumbs on the armrests. “Hopefully within in the next two months, as long as the contractor stays on schedule.”
It felt like the breath was knocked out of me. I couldn’t afford a hotel for that length of time. Without the return on my deposit, I couldn’t afford a first and last deposit either. Not without dipping into my overseas fund and I was reluctant to sacrifice my dream. But I’d have to if I couldn’t figure out an alternative.
“If you’ll sign and date these papers here, we’ll get you all taken care of.”
I glanced at the papers as he handed them over and decided I wasn’t going to let him screw me. I took them and stood abruptly.
“Erm, Ms. St. James—”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Jergan. I’ll give these a once over and return them to you once I’ve signed them. I hope you have a wonderful evening.”
Without another word, I spun on my sensible white sneakers and marched out of his office and to the garage where I’d stored my car. I’d managed to use the bus to get it this morning before clinicals. Practically vibrating with frustration, I jabbed my key into the ignition and forced myself to drive carefully through the maddening evening traffic. College kids, liberal amounts of alcohol and unfettered free time did not mix well. Especially at a school like FSU with its notorious reputation for an epic social life.
I was still livid as I stalked through the grocery store closest to Liam’s duplex. I practically sprinted down the aisles loading my cart with comfort food. Aside from the brief respite of chess with Mr. Williams, it had been a hell of a day. I paid for the groceries and bundled them into the car.
Despite my pleas otherwise, traffic had cleared by the time I left the grocery store and I made it across town to the duplex in record time. Liam’s truck was parked in the driveway and a light shone in the living room. I didn’t want to be mad at him anymore, I decided. I missed my friend and it had only been a day. There was no more avoiding him.
I weighed down my arms with the bags because I’d rather lose circulation in my arms than have to go back for two trips. It was a stupid decision because it meant I didn’t have a free hand to open the door. I sighed and kicked it with my foot and wondered if sleeping in one of the empty rooms at the adult care facility was an option. The last thing I wanted was for things to be awkward between us.
He came to the door without a shirt on and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. He froze at the sight of me for a second, then took half of the bags in one of his hands causing his muscles to bulge. Needing to keep my distance from him was practically impossible now that we were living together.
“Thanks,” I croaked and purposefully shifted out of the way and closed the front door behind me, the remainder grocery bags slapping against my leg along the way. I slumped against the wall with a frustrated growl, let the bags drop to the floor, and squeezed my eyes shut. Maybe if I clicked my heels together the world would go back to normal when I opened them again.
“Guess your meeting with good old Mr. Jergan didn’t go very well.” I heard the rustle of the bags as he carried them to the kitchen and then returned for the ones by my feet.
“You can say that again,” I told him without opening my eyes. An epic headache started to beat a wicked tattoo in my temples. “Apparently because Andrew technically had access to my place because he had a key, his damage was my fault. So I’m out my apartment and a deposit. I don’t exactly have a ton of money, so I’m pretty much screwed here because it’ll take me forever to save up first and last month’s rent for another place unless I dip into my overseas savings.”
“That’s fucked up,” he said, and I was glad he didn’t try to comfort me. One show of sympathy and I might have broken. “You know I can help you with the money, if you want.”
But we both knew it was mostly a kind gesture. Liam was a broke student saving for vet school like I’d been saving for my volunteer gig. I sighed. “I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”
I kept my eyes squeezed shut. Just a few more minutes. Maybe it was the headache, maybe it’s because I didn’t want to see him feeling sorry for me, but mostly it was not wanting to stare at him like a psycho.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I was a jerk,” he said. “You wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for me. I can’t say I’m sorry enough, but I can help you. You can stay here with me.”
At that, I cracked open an eye. He’d taken everything out and had begun putting things away. “You can’t be serious.”
