Audrey's P.O.V
"You have to be kidding me!" Rob's voice comes yelling in excitement from the other end of the line.
"Better believe it! I'm still in a daze myself." I smile as I still tried to convince myself that this has really happened.
I pace around my very new and very empty apartment, phone still pressed to my ear.
I am in L.A! I am starting this new job in two weeks.
The problem is, I'm building everything from scratch here. The only person I know, or that I could at least consider a friend, is in Ohio and you know what's even funnier? I've never even met him in person. He's kind of a pen friend that goes way back to my teen years. Yep, my dear friend Rob, who I just gave the news to that I am in L.A.
"Listen love, I will give Gina the news when she gets home and we'll fly there to meet you as soon as we can. I don't want you coming to the States and feel like you have no one. I know how devastating that can be." He sighs.
I swear he always knew what I was thinking and what to say to make me feel better.
"Rob, it's not...
"Bullshit!" – His voice interrupts me. "Plus, we've been planning this for what, ten years? Twelve?! I lost count of how many times we hoped you'd come and see us. Now you finally have, and we are definitely coming to see you."
I give up. If this man sets his mind to something there's no discussing it.
"Ok, ok, you win. Come over whenever you guys can. Mi casa, su casa." I laugh, trying not to give him that sad vibe, but deep down I felt relieved that he wanted to come visit me. I could definitely use a friend.
"Good!" Rob says in a serious tone.
"Good!" I repeat, mimicking his tone.
We both talk and laugh for a while and say our goodbyes, so that I can get back to unpacking. I take another glance around the apartment, which looks cold and uninviting. The only accessory decorating it is the luggage I came with, except from the kitchen part that is thankfully already there. I don't even have where to put my stuff, no bedroom, no wardrobe, so why bother unpacking?
Ugh! When are these guys bringing my furniture? I might as well consider sleeping on the floor tonight.
I sit on there and type a quick text to my mom letting her know I'm ok, since she's been on my ass all day asking how I'm feeling. She knows how much I've wanted this my entire life, but also how badly it hurt when this job offer came in the most inappropriate moment in my life.
I lay on my back and keep myself busy on my phone, while listening to the sound of a drowned music coming from somewhere around me. I ignore the tears running down my cheeks and laugh at myself. It's my choice after all to come here. I can't cry! I just can't! It took a lot of sacrifice to come here, so I don't want to jinx it with my tears.
Waiting in line for my food a couple hours later, I can finally feel the jet lag catching up. At least I don't have to sleep on the floor after all. They are putting the furniture in place upstairs, so I decided to grab a bite as some fast food across my apartment block before I passed out from hunger. In between the flights here and bringing my stuff to the apartment, I didn't have time to put any food in me.
The lady at the counter calls my number and I take the bag thanking her. As I make my way back to the building, a distant laughter catches my attention. A deep, gravelly voice, laughing his heart out. On instinct I turn my head in the direction of the voice and I see two guys passing the street. I can't really make out their features because of the dark, but one of them is very tall and lean and the other a bit shorter, with longer hair. They are wearing dark clothes and what looks like leather jackets and they walk like they own the neighborhood. The silhouettes trip me back to some distant memories I had pushed so far in the back of my mind, that voice making my skin break out in goosebumps.
I shake my thoughts aside and walk inside the building ready to end this day.
After a troublesome sleep and busy morning putting everything in place, I need to go meet with my new assistant and get to know her. Taking a quick shower, I put on a black camisole, with black pants and a black jacket and grab my red stilettos. When I look in the mirror, wearing all black and with my long black hair and pale complex, I look like I'm going to a funeral. Not a very good first impression on the person that's going to work close with you in the future. I decide to grab my red lipstick and put it on quickly. Content with my look, I walk outside and wait for the elevator.
When the door opens, two leather clad backs get in my face. Two men are standing inside, checking themselves in the mirror, fixing their hair.
"Oops! Sorry!" A low, raspy voice says, as a pair of piercing blue eyes lock with mine through the mirror. The voice from last night...and from my past...and those eyes...
"Morning!" Greets the other guy, but my mind is blank. Wiped out. Umm...what's my name??
No way! There's no way this is happening. What is the actual fucking chance that on the first day here, I meet him? It can't be!
"Umm, are you coming in?!" That voice brings me back to reality.
"Yeah, um, sorry! Still sleepy." I say lamely and walk into the elevator.
The men look at each other and the one that I don't know, speaks.
"I'm Damien. You must be the new neighbor."
"I am. Nice to meet you!" I nod politely, avoiding too much eye contact with them.
The ghost from the past smiles, flashing a dimple. I definitely don't want to make eye contact with those blue eyes right now.
Chill, Audrey, he doesn't even remember you. There's no way he's going to recognize you.
He studies me for a heartbeat and finally speaks:
"I'm Drew. I live in the apartment above yours."
Speaking his name out loud kind of gives me the silent confirmation I was looking for, to prove my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. It really was him. Andrew in flesh and bones.
"Nice to meet you!" I respond politely like I did with Damien.
I take advantage of him being distracted on his phone to study his features up closely. His black hair is messy and slightly wet like he just got out of the shower and a stray strand falls above one his dark brows and crystal eyes. Those are indeed as icy blue as I had imagined. His cheekbones stand high and as much as they make him look attractive, they also make him look malnourished. I can see some trace of a tattoo on his neck peeking out of the collar of his leather jacket. He looks different, yet the same. He has grown to be a handsome man, yet has this boyish gleam that makes him look like years never passed.
The elevator finally dings and I slip out as soon as the doors open.
"I didn't catch your name!" Damien calls behind me.
Stopping in my track I briefly turn to answer him:
"Audrey!" I smile and walk out as fast as I can.