The sun was finally setting while the streets were just getting busier. The black-haired girl was walking calmly in the new cold breeze of the ending afternoon, her head was down while she had her hands on her pockets, for some reason she looked lost in her thoughts and whit nowhere to go. San Francisco is not that cold but also not that hot, winter is just around the corner and everyone was already with their warm jackets walking around. Susan was experiencing the worst moments of her life, having to work 2 jobs to keep up with her apartment bills and her college tuition. The dorms in her college were full and she couldn't find a new place just like magic, she makes her way after work every day to the bakery near her apartment to get the newspaper and. See the classified page.
" Susan! How are you today?"
" I am just as fine as yesterday, Mr Park"
The girl answered in her happy tone, even tho the girl had her demons she wasn't of bad heart at all. Her heart was big and warm to those whom she liked, the girl bid her goodbye to the man behind the counter and made her way to her apartment. She walked only 5 more minutes until she was in front of the old door, looking at it she lets out a sigh and grabs the keys inside her pocket the lobby door opens with her first keys and then she enters the old place, it had no security that's why the lobby door was always locked.
"I wish I could just be saved from this hell."
Susan says while putting the keys on the lock in her door and finally opening the door to her so-called home. The apartment was huge but the girl didn't have much. The place was empty, a small television set on the top of a coffee table and a small sofa. Slowly Susan walks to her room and throws her bag on her bed, she looks at herself in the mirror and tries her best to smile. She had dark circles under her eyes and she never felt more exhausted. Susan has raised her entire life in San Francisco but her parents are from Taiwan, she knows how to speak mandarin but she never used as she always went to schools where there were no Asian kids around. She lays the newspaper on her study table and grabs a new set of clothing making her way to the bathroom, the girl takes her bath calmly there was no rush is Saturday, tomorrow is her only day off and she couldn't be happier. The boiling hot water was running over her skin and she felt that it was the best thing on earth the sensation of burning and how it was hurting her, she alternated from hot to cold water a couple of times and then she turned the shower off, her hands reach to the towel and once. She feels the soft material in her skin she sighs she wanted to feel comfortable but for some reason, it was bothering the girl, nothing other than the hurting sensation was what she wanted to feel. She was now dry and in new clothes, looking in the mirror she felt like she wanted to scream, her long black natural hair was almost over her waist, her hair is the only thing she is most proud of, she cares about her hair more than she cares about her health, she only cuts 1 inch of her hair every 2 months. She puts the scissors down and walks to her room once again.
" This time...Just this time give me some light..."
Susan repeats in her head over and over while going to the classified page and look in the rental area of the page.
" Female looking for female roommate near Academy of Art. Between the ages of 18 to 25"
Susan smiled for seeing her college name, her college is in one of the best neighbourhoods of San Francisco, she looks at the name under the post.
" Ivy"
She repeats to herself, she looks at the timing and smile was still pretty early so she grabs her phone dialling the number. 1 ring... 2 rings.... 3 rings...
"Hello?"
A calm and low tone voice echoes from the other side of the line making Susan smile for no apparent reason making even her question herself to why she was smiling.
"Hi, my name is Susan and I wanted to know if your room is still available"
There is a small pause and then the girl starts talking once again.
" Oh, yes. You can come today to take a look to make sure you would like the place."
Susan was about 1 hour away by bus, but she would do anything to have an opportunity to get out of this apartment for a while.
" Sure, send me the full address. I'll go out now."
The girl on the other side of the line gave Susan her address and Susan called an Uber to take her to the address. She grabbed her bag and put her phone on her pocket, grabbing her key from her study table she walked to the front door. She was so determinate to leave the place she forgot to ask about the room price. After closing her front door and running to the lobby opening now the lobby door finding the Uber already waiting for her. The ride took about 26 minutes and the girl was finally looking at the building, the huge glass door leading to the lobby with full security and staff.
Susan gets her phone to send a message to Ivy
- I am at the lobby-
She saw that her text was seen and it doesn't take long to a girl with long blue hair appear in front of her, the girl also had Asian traces and she looked really beautiful, she had eyes that reminded Susan of a fox, the girl had chubby cheeks and a fit body. She approaches Susan and smiles at the girl giving her hand to greet. Susan grabs the girls hand shaking it.
"Please, come with me"
Susan was getting nervous about what she would have to pay to live with this girl. Her hands started sweating once they entered the elevator.
"Are you okay?"
Once again Ivy was the one talking, Susan looked at her throwing another one of her best smiles.
" Yes, I am doing just fine, thank you. "
They walk. To the apartment door and Ivy enters the passcode and she waits for Susan to enter her apartment. Ivy then stops after the door closes and looks at the girl reaction to the place.
Susan's eyes were wide looking at the full-length glass windows in front of her, it was possible to see a good part of the city, Susan smile fades while looking around, she looked now concerned rather than hype.
" You sure you are okay? Do you want some water? "
Ivy approached Susan with a worried face.
" I don't think I can't even afford to live here..."
Susan was sincere and Ivy started to scan the girl, the girl was very fashionable even tho her clothes were just casual at the moment, then she notices the girl had a lot of scars a little darker than her skin, and also obvious noticing the dark circles under the girls' eyes.
" It's Okay, We can find a good price for you. I will be honest I am just feeling lonely in here so I decided to rent a room. I don't need help to pay my rent but I needed someone to fill that empty house... Hope it doesn't sound creepy ."
Ivy was now laughing a little and inside her head calling herself stupid.
Susan starts laughing at herself.
" Sounded a bit creepy, but It would be great to live near my college and my job..."
Susan said but her thoughts were also in how she would be able to fake her smile, to look okay daily.
" Pay me whatever price you think is best for you at the moment, in the future we can decide better."
Susan was convinced herself that maybe miracles could happen. Ivy goes to her office and grabs the contract that her father made her write to the new person who she would decide to live with, once Ivy is back she sees Susan once again admiring the view now giving a real smile, Ivy smiled herself and then she gets the girl attention. Susan then grabs the pen, she quickly reads what is on the paper to make sure she isn't entering in a rat trap. She then signs the paper, once again the girls shake hands.
" Let me take you home"
Ivy says and Susan looks at her.
" is fine, I can call an Uber, I don't want to make you come back all the way. "
"No, please I insist. You at least save some money today."
Susan sighs in defeat, the girl was right, any cent that she could be saving was important.
Both of them went to the door after the signing of the contract. Ivy is once again the one opening the door to Susan, the girl walks in a normal pace and presses the elevator button.
" So, when you want to move in?"
Ivy asked while they were side by side waiting for the elevator.
"It's okay if I move in tomorrow??"
The girl was surprised by the sudden date Susan asked but she was happy that it would be sooner than she thought.
" Sure, I can help you."
Susan didn't ask for help but also wouldn't dare to refuse.
"Oh, by the way... How old are you?"
Susan asked looking at Ivy, that was now focusing on the number on the elevator that rings announcing its arrival. They both enter the elevator and Ivy presses the Garage button.
" I am 20, what about you?"
" I am 19!"
Susan for some reason says excited, now they were both silent, once they arrive in the garage Ivy guides Susan to her garage spot. Susan's eyes got even wider when she sees a Mercedes-Benz G-Glass, the girl starts to question herself if this was a miracle from above, she enters the car with the help of Ivy waiting for the older girl to enter the car which she does with no difficulties.
Ivy then makes sure both are with their seatbelt and then she starts de car.
The entire way they also haven't spoken one word other than Susan giving her address. The luxury car stops in front of that old apartment, in the street people were looking to see who was going to come out of the car, Ivy comes out from her side and goes to Susan's side opening the door and offering her hand, Susan takes it blushing a little with Ivy's actions and gets out of the car.
"So you live here, now?"
Ivy looked around the neighbourhood and she got even concerned for the girl in front of her.
"Yes, I live here at the moment. I would invite you for a cup of tea but, I don't have tea and your car is way too expensive to be outside in this neighbourhood."
She laughs out loud and Ivy smiles, the girl is very cute and she looks like a good person to be around.
Susan was done by putting all the things she didn't need to display for free to everyone in the street. She didn't want any moving truck or big boxes. She only took what she knew she would need.
The luxury car was now par in front of her apartment, Mr Park had helped the girl the entire morning, she hugs him dearly.
"Take care of yourself, okay?"
She says to Mr Park who smiled at her.
"I should be the one telling you that."
Susan laughs out loud with the older statement he was right even though the girl knew she will miss him.
" Well, everything is inside, you ready?"
Ivy asks and she nods only to take one last look into the old building.
Maybe she would miss the place, maybe she would not. She was not sure about what to feel about moving, even though it was what she wanted for so long. The drive to the new apartment was quiet once again, it was a comfortable silence. Once they are in the garage Susan waits for Ivy to open the trunk so she could get her luggage. Ivy helps the younger girl and both of them take 2 of Susan's Luggage.
"I have got you a brand new bed and also a study table."
Susan was dumbfounded by the fact that the older prepared so much for her and she didn't ask for any of that, she keeps on moving to the elevator and when she was about to press the button the door opens and she gives it space for the person who looked pretty mad to walk out from.
The girl was stopping so loud walking out that Susan followed the girl with her eyes for a second before walking behind Ivy entering the elevator.
" Something must have made her angry."
Susan comments and Ivy laughs a bit.
" That's Jade, she is just like this. It happens at least twice a week"
Ivy comments and Susan then laugh at it.
"Must be a funny neighbourhood"
Susan says when they finally reach their floor. The latter walks to the door and then shows Susan the passcode. They enter the apartment as it was yet morning the living room lighted up with the morning sun and also the open kitchen, The house was so clean and so bright, it felt like home. Susan remembers the huge apartment she had left not more than 40 minutes ago with the poor sun lights exposure because of the position of her apartment. Ivy then guides Susan to her new room and puts her Luggage beside her bed.
" well let's agree that this week you pay for the groceries, clean the house and do laundry. I'll let you stay in here for 1 month without paying any rent before we start talking about it. "
Susan was surprised but somewhat glad, it could have been worse, right?
"Sure, but know I work in 2 jobs and isn't as easy and fast for me to do all of that. "
She clarifies and Ivy only nods.
"It's okay we can manage if anything"
Ivy then just leaves without saying anything else, Susan sighs and at least she had a full room herself. She sat on the mattress as she got surprised on how smooth the mattress feels and how good the bedsheets were, she jumps out from that is like she had never experienced something like that, which was true or at least has been a while. The Girl used to live a very good life before, but once she came out to her parents her life was turned upside down. Her parents kicked her out when she was only 17, she went to friends houses for a while until she found a job and that old apartment she lived in.
"Susan, I'll cook the dinner tonight, though I need to get going, I'll see you tonight. "
Ivy yelled from somewhere in the house.
"Okay!!!"
The younger replied looking a little bit more comfortable. Is her day off, in a new house and she could finally close her eyes without being afraid of something happening to her at night.
After unpacking and putting her stuff on the empty spaces in the room she walked out of her room with a new set of clothes, she enters the bathroom and she gets surprised on how big the bathroom was, she took her clothes off leaving the clean ones on the countertop. She enters the box and turns on the shower, this she enjoyed the lukewarm water in her skin, her exhausted body didn't want to feel any pain even tho she couldn't avoid her feelings forever. She kept repeating herself that everything would be okay, but is it going to be okay? She reaches out for a towel, she facepalms herself because she forgot to bring her towel, she then gets out soaking wet from the box and searched on the small storages under the counter finding a clean towel she sighs in relief. She dries herself and dresses quickly, now looking in the mirror didn't look as bad as yesterday.
" You can do it."
She said walking out of the bathroom, she walks slowly to the living room and grabs the remote control, she wanted to feel comfortable and at home. Susan turned the television on and started to change the channel, she only felt good when she found a drama.
Ivy enters the apartment at around 6 pm, it was not fully quiet as it used to the sound of a kid laugh could be heard and she was a bit confused and there the source of the laughter could be seen Susan sounded like a whole a five years old laughing, Ivy's heart melted with the sight of the girl smiling fully to the drama. The latter slowly walks to the living room and the younger girl looks at her.
"HI, Ivy."
The Girl sounded so happy that it startled Ivy for a second as she never heard the girls loud tone.
She then smiles and looks now at the television and then her sight goes back to the girl.
"Hi, how was your day?"
Ivy finally asks and Susan gives her a second warm smile.
"It was pretty good, thanks to you I feel like right now, I am really home"
The younger words catch the latter off guard, she smiles at the thought that maybe she could have made someone happy after she tried to avoid people in general.
"I will take a shower and get started with dinner, okay??"
Susan nods at the latter, she could not take her eyes away from the television it hooked her right away, the dramas that she never enjoys watching in the old tv that had so many problems were now so clear and sounded so much better in the smart tv hanging on Ivy's wall.
It took Ivy about 20 minutes on her shower and 10 more to get fully ready, her now comfortable clothes made her feel way lighter than her work clothes, with no rush the latter gets to the kitchen and starts her favourite plate from South Korea where she was born. Seaweed soup is a traditional birthday dish in Korea, it wasn't anybody's birthday but the weather was a little chilly today so she decided that a soup might make it better to endure. Susan's stomach started now growling as the younger didn't eat the entire day too focused on her drama. Ivy then made sure to put the most for the younger girl she walked with the bowls in her bare hands and slowly put them on the coffee tabletop.
"Eat well"
Susan looked at it and then looked at Ivy.
"It's called seaweed soup, it is a birthday dish in South Korea. I felt like we actually might need something warm as it is very chill today "
Susan couldn't believe it when she looked at the date, it's her birthday... It has been a long time since she celebrated her birthday...
" Today, Today is my birthday..."
Ivy looked at Susan after the younger said it was her birthday, her eyes could not believe it was not that late yet, Ivy then stood up.
"I'll be right back."
Ivy grabbed the keys to her car and then got her shoes from her shoe rack and opened the door, she went to the elevator pressing the button hard multiple times. She looked at her watch and it was still 8:30 pm the bakery closes at 10 pm, the elevator announces its arrival and sh enters pressing the garage button. She got to the garage still looking at her clock was still 8:34 pm, she ran to her car and entered looking for her wallet that she always leaves in the car, it was at the same spot as usual.
She starts the engine and leaves the garage driving to her friend's bakery. She parks son the parking lot and walks inside.
"Ivy!!"
her friend Sunny greets her
"Sunny, do you have chocolate cake ?" Her friend smiles upon to her question and winks at her running to the back of the shop, she comes with a beautiful Black Forest cake.
"Perfect, also 3 cupcakes of different flavours."
Sunny was happy to see Ivy in her bakery once again, has been ages and giving to the smile on the girls face, something was up but Sunny wouldn't ask, at least not right now.
" Thank You, Sunny. " Ivy leaves a big 100 dollar bill on her friends counter and she laughs.
" Sometimes I think that she forgets she bought me this bakery..... "
Ivy carefully goes back to her car, drives hoping that the younger was still awake, looks at her clock. 9:20pm. Once she pars the car in her spot, she grabs the cake and the cupcakes closing the door, her way to the elevator was just fine. She sees Jade walking back from her car calmly to the elevator.
" Are you good now? "
Ivy asks making Jade sighs.
"You know is just nothing is easy with her. I don't know what to do about Sunny."
Ivy laughs a little, her friends are just weird, at least is what she thinks, that's why she never really dared to date someone, imagine marrying. Like these two, both enter the elevator and Soojin presses her floor and Jade presses her floor as well.
" Well I hope you guys get better, I know it doesn't last a full day"
Ivy makes her way out once it arrives on her floor, she bid her goodbye to Jade and then walks to her door listening once again the younger voice already from the outside.
" You need to stay with her!!"
The younger yells and Ivy couldn't hold her laughter, she opens the door after putting the passcode and Susan looks at the door with a Smile, inside Susan was trying to understand why she smiled by looking at the latter.
" I am back... I have something for you" The latter says and the door closes behind her, she had the cake in her hands and Susan smile got wider, she jumped out of the sofa and her eyes geared a little.
"You, you bought me a cake?" Her voice even cracked little as she was about to cry, Ivy took the cake to the coffee table seeing it clean as no plates were there, she assumed the younger cleaned the plates and she was right once she entered the kitchen to look for plates and knives the bowls were already clean put to dry.
" Nobody has bought me a cake for about 10 years."
Ivy's heart felt heavy with the girls' words, it felt like Susan was never loved, birthdays are so special why would she haven't got another cake for almost 10 full years?
" Well, now you don't have to worry...."
Ivy said and went to the coffee table opening the lid that was protecting the cake, she gave the knife to Susan.
" Make a wish..."Ivy said and Susan closed her eyes tight, put her hands together. Ivy had a small calendar on her coffee table and she marked the girls birthday with a smiling face. Susan opened her eyes nod looked at the calendar with a smile, she thought that maybe a miracle can happen, and. If her miracle is Ivy she really wouldn't complain. Susan hopes that her wish comes true, now she just has to wait, it's all she can do right now.