Page 5 of From You to Me

“Gabe, get the fuck up,” I screamed as I fumbled to steady myself.

Ah, with my fucked-up knees, it took me about three whole minutes to get up from the damn floor. I had to position it at weird angles so it wouldn’t cramp and lock itself. Then that would take ages for me to fix.

Gabe was snoring as he slept peacefully. “GABE! Get the fuck up!!!” I shouted so loud that he sat up in alarm.

“What? What is it? Who died?” he mumbled, blinking back his sleep.

“Gabe! It’s already seven! I’m so late for work,” I yelled, rushing into my room to get changed. No time for a shower today. Although I really needed one because I smelled like old food and alcohol. I guessed my cheap-ass perfume would have to do.

I scurried as I brushed my long brown hair and tied it in a loose ponytail and slapped on some sunscreen and ran some balm over my chapped lips.

There, that would have to do. I took in the ghost that stared back at me in the mirror, a version of the person I once was. Dark purple circles rounding my big brown eyes and my cheeks devoid of color.

Life did do a number on me.

I shook out of it as I quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and rushed out. I needed coffee to soothe my headache, but I had no time.

Gabe was in the same spot that I left him, fiddling with his phone with a smile on his face. It must be Rory, his boyfriend. “Hey, chica,” he called out as he watched me don my purse and jacket.

“I’m so fucking late, and I don’t want to fucking lose this job. I’m already on Jay’s bad side.”

He scoffed. “Don’t worry. He wouldn’t even know that you weren’t there. Rock stars only wake up in the afternoon.”

“Can you feed Strawberry?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry, just get your pretty little ass to work.”

“How convenient that you have the afternoon shift today.” I pointed my finger at him. “You did this on purpose. I’m so taking revenge on you next time.”

“Yeah, yeah, Evelyn May. Go on now. Your ex is waiting for you.” He grinned like a fool.

I petted Strawberry, who gave me the sweetest whine, and smacked Gabe on the head for good measure as I headed outside.

I smiled as I heard a faint, “Ouch, bitch.”

I glanced at my watch again—it was Grandma’s, and I still had it. I loved that watch; I loved always having a part of her with me. It was almost seven-fifty. It would take me more than thirty minutes to reach Central Park.

I prayed Jay hadn’t woken up. He didn’t even eat his breakfast yesterday so maybe he wakes up late. Maybe he doesn’t even like breakfast. Who am I kidding? With my track record of luck, I was most definitely screwed.

I breathed out an exhale as I finally made it out of the subway. Damn, getting out of that crowd required a special talent. My knee wasn’t that bad today. It was a dull ache compared to the throbbing in my temples. A slight sensation of nausea still lingered as it made my stomach queasy. I so needed coffee to battle this hangover.

I flashed my card at the door and entered Blueline, the swanky apartment on Fifth Avenue.

“Hey, Tom,” I called out as I crossed the lobby to the private golden elevator at the side exclusive to the top two floors.

“Morning, Evy!” Tom waved at me.

Tom was the other person who worked here. He and Gabe were the day team. Keith looked after the site overnight. This building was like a fort. There were so many security measures and cameras that it was hard for any regular person to get inside. It was probably why Jay chose to live here.

But I still wondered why he moved to NYC. Shouldn’t he be in that cursed city?

I pressed the code on the huge wooden doors and slowly pried them open.

An eerie silence flowed through the apartment. The empty vase in the foyer greeted me with the stunning view of Central Park behind it. I tiptoed to the hallway and made my way to the kitchen and exhaled a breath of relief. The sight of an empty kitchen with gleaming gray cabinets and a polished marbled kitchen table somehow calmed my nerves.

No one was here. It meant that he wasn’t awake.

I smiled.Thank you, God. Even though you are very, very late, it seems like you are finally answering all of my prayers.

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