Page 58 of Fragile

He shook his head, his expression showing he didn’t care for that idea. “The trains are few and far between at the weekend and so that’s not going to happen. The Tube station at Wood Green will probably be full of drunken pissheads. We’ll wait. Do you want me to come up with you?”

Anxiety was still swirling in my stomach at the thought of seeing Simon, but I didn’t want Gabriel to see the dive I’d been living in. I smiled and politely declined. “No, it’s fine. I’ll only be a sec.”

“OK, if you’re sure.” He then leaned down and placed a light kiss on my nose which was a shock, a pleasant one, however. Our eyes united as he drew back, his showing what I took as genuine affection. I hadn’t a clue what was going on between us, but I liked it, even if I wasn’t his girlfriend. Being close to him felt like I had found a missing piece.

“Don’t be long,” he instructed in that firm voice I had started to warm to.

Gabriel closed the passenger door and then leaned back against it, pulling out his phone again. I wondered who he was texting.

He looked well fit in blue jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled back showing his veiny muscular forearms. I gave him one last lingering look and then took off into the building.

That familiar smell of bleach haunted my nostrils. Ironic really considering it never looked like anyone had taken a mop to the floors in this century.

Making my way up the stairs, I went up to the fifth floor and found Simon. He was sitting in his office and was just in the process of closing the key safe.

“Leonie? This is a surprise. How’s the new place?” his tone was friendly enough which was odd. His weasel-like eyes roamed over me without apology, and I felt like crossing my arms over my chest.

Play nice Leonie. Get the key, get in and then get the hell out. Simon leaned back against his desk and folded his arms, thoughts of the key safe forgotten.

“It’s great thank you,” I replied, gnawing on my lower lip.

“What did you forget? Or did you come here to see me? One can only hope,” Simon chuckled with a grin.

I returned his smile with a forced one of my own. “I did forget something. Is anyone in my old flat?”

His eyes narrowed and he turned to lift a clipboard off the wall behind him. “Remind me what room you had?”

I watched as he started thumbing through the listed flat numbers. It had only been a matter of weeks and so I was surprised he hadn’t remembered which flat I’d had. He had spent enough time sniffing around outside my door. I imagined he was pretending he didn’t know, playing it down maybe.

“Apartment 6B.”

A look crossed his features as if he had miraculously remembered. “Ah yes, on the next floor. Nope, still empty. I can’t give you the key, but I can take you up there.”

Dread started to pump through me like lava, making me feel hot all over. I looked up and down the corridor. There was no one around.

As he moved away to get the keys, I had a word with myself. What the heck could he do? Yes, he’d been a pain before, but as far as I knew he wasn’t a rapist or anything. If he gave me any trouble, I could just call Gabriel. My phone was in my back pocket.

Once he’d retrieved the key, I followed him up the next flight of stairs as he attempted to make small talk. “How’s the dancing going? You famous yet.”

“It’s good thank you and no, no sign of my name in lights just yet.”

As we approached the door to the shithole I had stayed for my first six months in London, it made me realise how lucky I was to live where I did now.

Simon unlocked the door and pushed it open, motioning for me to proceed him, which I did.

Once inside, I glanced around. The place looked exactly the same as when I’d left it. I walked over to the window and jumped slightly as Simon closed the door. Glancing over, I watched as he leaned back against it, his fingers tapping the surface at either side of him. Turning away briefly, I pushed open the sill and retrieved my passport.

As I turned back, I noticed he looked agitated. He was eyeballing me with a head tilt. “Ah, passport. You going on holiday?”

I flicked through the pages even though I knew it was mine.

“No, it’s my only form of ID and I got a job, so I need it.”

Simon inhaled and pushed off the door taking a few steps towards me. The room was a studio, so everything was in one room with a door to the bathroom. It was partly furnished but only had basic stuff in there. I suddenly felt very aware of the bed behind me. The very uncomfortable bed, I might add.

“So where do you work?”

“I don’t yet.”

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