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I yawned, wrapping my coat around me and making my way quickly along the sidewalk to my apartment. It was two in the morning and I had just then left work. I had been up all night practicing some new recipes that I was going to serve to Constance Maybury, an important food critic and somebody who had the ability to destroy the career I had built and found success in.
I got back to the apartment and slipped inside, shivering, taking the elevator to my apartment on the third floor. A new neighbor had moved in and there was noise coming from his place, loud music that seemed to not be at all muffled by the door’s thick barrier. I tried to ignore it and went to my door, digging in my purse for my keys. I didn’t find them there, so I checked my pockets, then cursed when I realized that I must have forgotten them at the restaurant. I sighed, rubbing my eyes, grumbling as I went down to my mailbox to get the spare key. I waited for the elevator, and when the door opened I saw one of my neighbors, Amanda, with her arms wrapped around the neck of a man. I got on, trying to avoid looking at them, annoyed at their display of affection. I heard her giggling, nuzzling his neck, and he was grinning with a smile that was infinitely charming. His eyes met mine over her shoulder and I saw how handsome he was, with sharp, high cheekbones and dark, wavy hair. His eyes were blue and there was a line of stubble on his jaw, a five o’clock shadow that made his bone structure look even more incredible. He winked at me and I quickly glanced away, blushing, hyperaware that I had been staring.
“Hey,” said the man. I didn’t say anything, but stared straight ahead.
“Hi,” said the girl after that, waving her hand in front of my face. “You live here, right?”
“Yes,” I said, gritting my teeth. I had met Amanda many times before, though she’d never even bothered to remember my name. She was the type of girl who thought she was better than me by default—she was model pretty and thin as a stick, probably a size two, tiny compared to my size sixteen body. “Hi, Amanda.”
“Hi,” she said again, giggling, looking back at the man I didn’t know.
The two started making out, their bodies pressed together, and I grimaced, praying that the elevator would get to the first floor soon. I was relieved when it did and I rushed off, leaving the couple behind, wanting to forget about them. It was annoying to see people all over each other.
I went to my locker and grabbed my spare key, hoping that the couple wasn’t still in the elevator. For all I knew, they were the type of people who thought it’d be thrilling to hook up in a public place. The last thing I needed or wanted was to see two beautiful people getting it on right in front of me. To my relief, the elevator was empty, and I was glad for the quiet as I rode upstairs. The music was still playing when I got up there, the loud talking filling the hallway. I knew for sure that I’d be able to hear it in my apartment, in my bedroom, but I also knew there was nothing I could do about it now. I didn’t have the energy to confront the new neighbors, so I unlocked my door and went inside, going straight to bed. Despite the noise, I fell asleep quickly.
