Page 8 of Into The Darkness

“I see. No worries. I’m not quite as neat, but I’m willing to give it a shot. We’re going to make this year amazing.” Maddy joined me in the kitchen, leaning over the now-open dishwasher to give me a hug. I inwardly sighed at the physical contact, but I needed my roommate to like me, so I returned the embrace.

“Cool. I’m actually heading out to meet some friends, but I guess you’ll want to settle in? Though, I’d love for you to come along.”

“Thanks, but you’re right. I’m planning to stay in tonight.” I closed the dishwasher and turned to wash my hands. Maddy glanced at my hands, then back at me. I knew I looked peculiar, but stress made it worse, so I hurried through the handwashing.

“Your call, but you’re not escaping this weekend.” She grinned, and I managed a smile, knowing I could come up with an excuse six days later. I had a full week of school ahead before the weekend even crossed my mind.

“Sounds like a plan.” I fibbed. She grabbed her keys from the hook by the door and headed out.

Suddenly, the apartment felt spacious with only me inside. I wandered over to the couch and stretched out, gazing out the window. Maddy was right about one thing: the forest took on an eerie aura at night, enveloped in darkness and mystery.

I was about to grab the remote for the TV, to turn on some background noise, but then I remembered my favorite books I’d stuffed in the car before the movers shipped it here.

“Oh, shit!” I jumped up. I had no desire to let my babies roast away in the heat, although it was a mild temperature here for August.

I grabbed the keys off the chain and shut the door behind me. The light in the hallway still flickered as I stepped onto the dingy gray carpet. After closing and locking the door, I took a deep breath before walking down the sinister hallway.

Hitting the down button a hundred times, I had convinced myself it would come faster the more I hit it. I loved my little home, but I didn’t know if I’d ever get used to the creepy common area.

As soon as the elevator opened, I rushed inside, then turned around and pressed my back to the wall. I had convinced myself a presence was following me. I wasn’t sure living close to the edge of the forest was such a good idea.

As the doors closed, I heard athud.

I jerked my head up and realized someone was already in the elevator and even though I lived on the top floor, they weren’t coming off.

“Holy. Shit. You are hot.” I breathed out while looking at the man now standing in front of me.

Wait . . .Why did I say that out loud?

My palms were sweating as I ran through all the reasons in my head why I would have ever thought that saying this man was hot aloud was a good idea.

A small smile tugged the corners of his lips, and my cheeks flushed immediately. I had run smack into the most mysterious, beautiful-looking human I had ever laid my eyes on. His piercing-green eyes, framed by a crown of tousled brown curls, locked onto mine. Clad in a black hoodie and jeans, he exuded an enigmatic charm that left me mesmerized. My jaw practically dropped as I drank in his appearance.

This couldn’t be possible. There’s just no way I could have let myself trip over my words like this.

“Can I assist you with something or are you going to press your floor?” he asked, his voice a velvety timbre that filled the aging, squeaky elevator. He leaned on the wall of the elevator and propped his foot up, playing with a toothpick in his mouth. He didn’t say anything about my embarrassing retort, so maybe I was in the clear.

Snapping back to reality, I retreated, placing myself as far from him as the confines of the elevator would allow, pushing the button to the right floor. My heart continued its frantic rhythm within my chest, the sound resonating loudly in my ears. I struggled to find the right words, as a rush of awkwardness overwhelmed me. Finally, I uttered a soft “Sorry.” Then I shifted my gaze away, fixating on the elevator door, willing it to open and end this encounter.

The descent to the garage seemed to drag on forever. When the elevator finally reached its destination with a gentle chime, I practically bolted out of it, relief flooding me as I headed straight for my trusty red car. It was a reassuring haven amid the surreal situation. I didn’t bother looking back at all.

However, my attention was snagged by something else: a blacked-out Jeep Wrangler parked crooked next to my car. Every inch of it was shrouded in darkness—a shadowed presence amid the mundane surroundings. I furrowed my eyebrows, a sense of annoyance at the lack of respect for my space stirring within me. Yet there was an aura of mystery around that vehicle, a puzzle I couldn’t help but want to unravel. Shaking off the strange feeling, I dismissed it as a product of the odd elevator encounter and refocused on the task at hand. I popped open the trunk and walked over.

“Stupid fucker, learn to park better,” I muttered, and retrieved the forgotten books, a wave of relief washing over me. As I straightened, I couldn’t help but glance around the garage once more, my senses on high alert. I was rarely attuned to my surroundings because there wasn’t ever a reason to be with my father’s bodyguards always around, but it was like something had shifted within me.

With a steadying breath, I closed the trunk, determined to leave the unsettling feeling behind. I turned my gaze toward the exit, my steps purposeful as I made my way back to my apartment. My stack of special edition hardbacks were balanced precariously in my hand, but it was hard to see where I was going with how tall the pile was.

Just as I made it to the elevator and was about to press the button to go back upstairs, a low chuckle came from behind me. I screamed, and my books went flying. The thumps echoed as each book fell to the cement, and I scrambled to pick them up, more concerned about cracking the spines of the books or scuffing them.

“Oh fuck,” the same smooth voice from the elevator said, then he was crouched on the ground with me. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

As I rose with an edition ofRomeo and Julietin my hands, our gazes locked, and in that instant, it felt as if the heat had been cranked in the garage. His eyes were wide and radiant, while his physique exuded strength and solidity. Though clearly older than me, he still carried the air of a college student.

“Uh, it’s okay,” I responded meekly when I found my voice, gathering the final book. I stood over the tower of books I had created on the ground.

“Let me help you take those up,” the stranger offered, bringing his arm toward the pile, his golden skin practically glowing in the night. I backed up and narrowed my eyes. I would not repeat the mistake of Maddy’s first roommate. Even thinking about that experience sent a shiver of fear down my spine. Despite this mysterious man’s undeniable appeal, I would not allow a stranger into my apartment.

“I’m good,” I declared, lifting and balancing the books into my arms.

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