*ding dong*

I hit my alarm clock and fall back under my covers.

*ding dong*

"What the f-" I start, but when I look at the clock my hear stops. "Shoot shoot shoot shoot!" I say throwing the covers off and running to my bathroom. I quickly use the restroom.

*ding dong*

"ONE SECOND!!" I yell hoping she heard me. I run cold water over my face and run some through my hair as well.

Then I sprint to the door.

"Hey!" I say swinging the door open. I'm slightly panting and Jessica looks a bit spooked.

"H-hey," She says. After a second she sticks out her hand. "Jessica Lu."

I reach out and take it. "Ryan Taylor." I let her in and she says she'll take a look around first. She guides herself into the kitchen and I take that as an opportunity to get out of the clothes I slept in.

I sprint to the bedroom, slipping a little as I turn the corner. I grab the button down shirt I wore last night and one of my blue jeans.

"Mr. Taylor?" I hear. I don't think I have ever buttoned a shirt faster in my life. I ran to my door but stopped short remembering to button my pants.

I half tucked in my shirt before finally walking out.

"Yes?" I asked walking into the kitchen.

"How many bathrooms does this place have?" She asks.

"Uh..." In my head, I remember the bathroom in the master bedroom and the one next to the kitchen. "Two."

"Okay. And any windows needing fixed?"

I almost laughed at this question, "Nope. Actually got a broken one fixed yesterday morning."

She nods and scribbles on her note pad. "Was it weather related? Bird? Neighbors?"

"Well, no. It was my girl-... ex-girlfriend." I say. I notice her pen stop short, then return to its normal fast pace. I shove my hands into my pockets. "Anger issues," I mumble under my breath.

Jessica ignored this and returned to her questions.

"How long have you lived here?" She asks.

"Three years."

Pen scribbles.

"Are you taking all the furniture?"

"Not all of it. Probably just my bed and kitchen table." I shrug.

Jessica writes this down. "If the buyer doesn't want the furniture where would you want it to go?" I realize the questions are going to take a long time so I sit across the table from her.

————

2:30 in the afternoon.

Jessica left an hour ago and I begin packing. I grab my suitcase from under my bed and place it on the covers. I turn to my closet and grab my white, black and grey shirts. I'm not one for color. I like plain, no words, solid color shirts.

My stack of jeans and slacks go next. I don't have a lot of room left in my suitcase after those go in so I decide to empty my nightstand drawer to fill up the rest.

Then I grab a few carryons from the hallway closet. I fill those up with my bathroom stuff: towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, colognes. I left some stuff out for tomorrow morning.

The sheets on my bed get folded but I leave them on my empty nightstand. I figure all I'll need tonight is my comforter.

I had texted Cole and he told me the apartments that his mom owns come with a twin bed. So I decided to call Jessica and tell her I'll be leaving my bed.

My comforter is made for a king so I won't bring it. So I plan to fold it in the morning.

After packing a few miscellaneous things I decide to give Mrs. Martin, Cole's mom, a call. "Ryan!" I hear on the other end. "I heard about your situation from Cole how's it going?"

"I'm good right now, but I think it would be best if I move out quickly. The bills will be stacking up."

"I understand 100%!" She says. I hear Cole's little sister, Laken, in the background say "OMG is that Ryan?" Then a couple of giggles. She must have friends over.

"Shush" Mrs. Martin says. "Ryan I was looking yesterday and I think there is a perfect room for you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Martin. I hope I'm not a nuisance. And I'll pay for all the fees." I say.

"Why can't he just live here?" I hear Laken say. "We have the guest room next to my room." More giggles.

"I said shush Laken."

I laugh. "Thanks for the offer Laken, but I think I'd be a distraction... don't you think?"

I hear Laken's friends giggle, one of them laughing hysterically. "I didn't think he could hear me..." she mumbles.

Laken is 16. She's tall and blonde like Cole and has a slight girl crush on me. I know this because it's kind of obvious and Mrs. Martin tells me every time there's a get-together.

"Ryan. I'll find some deals for you. I know how hard it can be finding jobs and caring for yourself at the same time." She tells me she'll call me later tonight to discuss details and that she'll have a moving truck at my house at 10 tomorrow morning.

I spend the rest of the day pulling boxes from my storage room. I throw most of the contents in the trash so I can use the boxes to pack. I pack stuff from my living room and pots and pans from the kitchen.

I take my bike from the garage and make my way to the store. I buy some bubble wrap and pick up a few "job opportunity" magazines.

On my way home I pick some flowers from the neighborhood shop for Mrs. Martin in the morning, I need to thank her somehow. I also might've gotten Laken a separate rose just to be a flirt.

When I get home I wrap my vase in bubble wrap throwing away the dead flowers beforehand. I also wrap what's left of the glass plates and containers.

By 5:45 I finished the main rooms. I went back to my room and put all my shoes in a box. Along with my ties and suspenders. Yes, I wear those. I personally think they're classy.

I eat some of Ms. O'Riley's food then sit out on my back porch bringing a couple of cokes with me. I sit for about an hour until Mrs. Martin calls. She tells me she can give me a deal on the water pricing and if I were to repaint the room she gets free paint from the store next door to the apartment. She also said they have extra bed sheets and shades that they were going to garage sale.

I thanked her about 20 times during that call. She also mentioned I could bring my stuff there and set up, but I can't actually live there for the next month. She says there is some work that needs to be done on the bathroom and that the entire building is getting new air conditioners. That means I'll be staying with Cole until February 26th.

I thanked her again before ending the call. I called Cole and relayed the message from his mom and told him I'd be in their guest bedroom by 5 tomorrow.

We agreed he'll be helping me move my things and that Lauren is already starting a list of jobs for me to look at. After ending the call I head inside. I open the fridge and grab the brownies. I put a couple on a plate and stick it in the microwave.

Then I make another plate of food, put plastic wrap around it and put it back in the fridge for tomorrow morning. I walk to the garage and grab a cooler. I put a reminder in my phone to pack the food and drinks in there tomorrow.

I grab another box putting the few tools that I have in there, some car supplies that I haven't touched in a year, and some other garage nicknacks. I finish up in there and turn off the lights.

I walk around the house aimlessly for about 30 minutes picking up loose things. Then I retired for the night at 8. The earliest I've slept in the last week.