Page 84 of Lovers Fate

“Breakfast,” I say quietly, images of Draco’s mouth on my skin from the other night making me shift in my seat. Eating cereal in his house. Waking up in his arms. The scent of his skin.

“Umm…breakfast is good but I’m not a morning person so I kind of like the in-between,” she says snapping me back to the present. My self-esteem taking a nosedive when I think of him breaking me like shards of glass.

“Snacks or brunch is a good one,” I note taking a sip at the gourmet coffee I would never in a million years think I would drink. Looking around at the pretty paintings hanging on the walls with pictures of lattes and pastries, I also never thought I would feel some type of normalcy again. Get the chance to talk to someone who doesn’t think I’m a monster.

As I look at her eyes, and pretty face. I wish I could keep the truth from her forever so she would never look at me with distrust and be my friend.

I clear my throat. “How’s school?”

“Good, I guess. It’s boring sometimes but at least I don’t have to deal with my mom so much,”

“Is it that bad?”

“She isn’t perfect, but…the important part is that I’m in school. My goal is to get a job in the city. How about you? I mean, I know dancing is good for now but isn’t there something you want to do?”

“I’m going to get an apartment and then I’ll see what happened. Baby steps.” It was all I could come up with. It’s lame but I couldn’t tell her that I have a record and have no career aspirations. Once they run my name, I wouldn’t be able to volunteer at a soup kitchen.

“Oh, where at?”

“The apartments off the beltway. You know the one with no sign by the abandoned mall?”

If she thinks I’m crazy she doesn’t show it and I’m grateful.

“Oh, the ones we saw the other day.”

“Yeah, I know it isn’t much but it’s better than the motel. That’s where I’m headed next.”

“I can take you,” she says with excitement.

After we finished our coffee’s, we head to the apartment building. It’s run-down. Nothing to be excited about but it’s better than nothing.

When I reach the management office, I run into one of Rachel’s regulars. And if things couldn’t get any worse, he recognizes me.

“Trix, right,” he says enthusiastically. “I mean it’s okay to call you that? I’m Lance.”

I glance around the chipped would desk in his office and mixed matched chairs with spots on the fabric. The place looks like they haven’t fixed anything in years. It’s like a seventy’s horror film.

“Yeah, I guess.”

He taps on the dirty keys on the computer like he’s an executive at the bank or something. “Looking for an apartment, huh.”

“It’s why I’m here?” I say brightly hating that he’s going to think we’re friends or something.

“Well, I have one on the second floor. Apartment 2B. It’s a one bedroom for fourteen hundred.” My eyes almost pop out of my head at the price. “It’s ready to move in and all I would need is, to run a background and credit check plus one month’s deposit. I know you’re good for it.” He smiles.

Rose looks away breathing deep, clearly annoyed.

I have the money but not the credit and can’t run the chance for him to run a background check on me.

I dig my nails in my skin hating having to turn him down and give him an excuse. I check my phone like I’m running late for something. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

Rose gives me a surprised look and then she does the unthinkable. “We’ll take it. Can I have the form so I can fill it out?”

He hands it to her and she takes a pen out of her bag and starts to fill it out. I don’t ask why but I don’t stop her. She hands the form back and then he sets it all up. He pulls up her information in a new system that checks background and credentials instantly. He doesn’t need to call the Church because he knows I work there.

All that is left to do is log online and pay the deposit and first month’s rent, and just like that we are good to go.

“Here you go,” Lance says with a smile. “You’re all set. Remember the apartment is as is. All that we ask is that you return it in the same condition you received it.”

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