A handsome blonde leaned on the wall adjacent to Emily's door. Emily didn't bother looking up from the paper because, from the irritatingly strong scent of the person's perfume, she already knew exactly who it was.
"Hey gorgeous," he flirtily greeted.
"What do you want Steve?" Emily responded finally glancing at him. She returned her gaze to the notice in her hand and stared at nothing in particular, "If you're here to ask me out the answer is still no."
Steve has been trying to score a date with Emily since she moved into the building and it's already been 4 months!
Emily had no idea why Steve was so infatuated with her since the apartment building she lived in was home to multiple gorgeous celebrities.
How did she end up living in such a place?
Well, the apartment complex is actually owned by her best friend's family so they took her in and she only needed to pay a quarter of the full rent.
Emily began searching for her keys and Steve took the opportunity to talk to her because he knew she'd slam the door in his face the second she gets to open it.
Steve ran his hand through his shoulder-length blonde hair and licked his pinkish lips before starting, "So..."
Emily began searching for her keys faster when she realized he was about to attempt to start a conversation.
"The Belle family tripled the rent huh?" he went on to question.
Steve inwardly cursed himself for coming off as stupid, but he was a bit nervous since he was able to speak to her without having to run after her for the first time in a very long while.
Emily stared at him with a bored expression on her face, "Just get on with what you're getting at Steve."
Steve is a famous Australian model with a face and body women would kill to claim as their own. He had it all, the fame, the money, and the looks, but while other women wooed at him, Emily has never even given him a smile.
"I was thinking that maybe...you could...we could...like." Steve shook his head and stopped talking when he lost what he was trying to say.
Emily swung her room keys on her index as she looked at the mess of a man in front of her.
Steve narrowed his eyes at her, "You're going to open the door and slam it in my face aren't you?"
Emily folded her arms and shook her head, "Sounds like you've got something on your chest so I'll hear you out I guess."
Steve's brows shot up and his mouth slightly went open upon hearing that she was actually going to listen to what he wanted to say.
Emily rose a finger to his face, "But the answer to me going out with you is still no."
He smiled a toothy smile and a small smile of amusement formed on Emily's lips when she realized how happy he suddenly got.
'Did she just smile?' Steve inwardly questioned, but the smile was gone just as fast as it came.
Steve felt like he was finally making progress with her, so he made her the very bold offer he planned upon somehow convincing the Belle family, the owners of the apartment complex to triple the rent.
He scratched the back of his head, "Since the Belle family increased the rent I was thinking that you could come live with me until you're financially stable."
Steve knew it was a long shot but he took it anyway. He was ready for her to firmly reject his offer, but when Emily said she would think about it he wanted to do backflips down the hallway in a mini skirt.
Emily adjusted her handbag on her shoulder, "If that's all, I'll be going now."
Steve simply nodded to keep himself from exploding with joy as Emily went into her room.
The second she closed the door, Steve fist-bumped the air and did a small cheer before happily dancing and singing to his room.
Emily heard everything and chuckled thinking that he was too excited over such a small thing especially since she only agreed to think about his offer.
She plopped down on the plush leather couch and looked around her beautiful, spacious apartment.
Emily was a poor girl living in the house of the rich, in herself, she knew she didn't belong at Belle Complex and it was obvious from the disapproving glances she got from the celebrities housing there.
Emily didn't care what they thought of her when she left her room with her deep brown hair a tangled mess and her less flattering, nonbranded clothes, but she cared what they would think if she left the apartment because of a "little" rent increase.
She also feared that they'd call her a gold digger if she is to move in with Steve but her options were limited and her pride was hanging by its throat.
Emily's apartment had two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a single bathroom but she was totally against sharing her space with a complete stranger.
Upon receiving an SOS from Emily, Anessa Belle, Emily's best friend, rushed to her apartment only to find Emily face down on her couch...unmoving.
Just as Anessa was going to start panicking, Emily rose her head, "Don't be a drama queen Anessa, I'm alive."
Anessa lived with the dead body of her grandmother for 3 days because she thought she was sleeping, since that day she panics whenever persons around her are sleeping too early, too long, too heavy, and unmoving.
Emily went up into a seated position and Anessa swallowed her scream before sitting beside her on the couch.
Emily gave her the notice she found on her door, "A little heads up would've been nice."
Anessa's perfectly arched brows shot up as she looked at the paper, "I can't believe they actually went along with Steve's idea."
Emily whipped her head around to look at Anessa so fast that she almost cracked a bone in her neck.
"Steve did this?" she questioned in anger and slight disbelief.