When I decided to go to college, my mother agreed to pay for my apartment. We settled on a relatively small one bedroom. I was only able to fit my queen bed, a dresser, a bit of living room furniture and a desk in it. The kitchen was small, but other than that it was a relatively nice apartment and close to campus. Distance was the biggest issue since I didn't have a car there.
I was laying on my couch after finishing my classes for the day when my mother called.
"Yes," I answered.
"Hey Nicole, I have a huge favor I need of you," she responds.
This can't be good, I think. "Ok, what is it?"
"Do you remember Janine? My old roommate from college?" She had mentioned the name a handful of times I could remember. Janine was my mother's roommate through college and a few years after graduation. She helped my mother a lot during her pregnancy with me since she had had a child of her own a few years prior.
"Enough. What about her?"
"Her son, Nathaniel, lives in the next town over from you. He's having some issues with his apartment at the moment and I told her he could stay with you for a few days while they're getting worked out," she responded.
"You told her he could what?" I screamed into the phone. "Mom, I have exams. Where's he gonna sleep? I don't even know him. Why would you say this without asking me first?"
"Asking you? Nicole, do I need to remind you that while you may live there, I pay for it. It is my apartment," she commanded into my ear. We were both silent. "Nicole I'm sorry it's an inconvenience, but Janine has done a lot for me, a lot for the both of us. This is the least we can do to repay her."
"I don't know him!"
"You played with him a bunch when you were little." She said as though that was some solace.
"Mom! I was like 8 and I barely remember that time period."
"Nicole! This is not up for discussion. He will be there in the morning."
"Where's he supposed to sleep?" I questioned.
"You have a couch don't you." With that she hung up the phone.
That night I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned in my bed stressing over the morning. 'How could she just force this guy into my home.' 'What if he's some weirdo now.'
The next morning I was up cleaning; I wasn't really a slob or anything but there was definitely an old takeout container and some dirty laundry that I didn't need to be judged on. 'She didn't even tell me what time he was coming,' I thought to myself while tossing a third Lotus Dragon carton.
Around noon there was a knock at my door. My heart was racing and it felt like I might not even make it over to answer it. I took a moment and pulled myself together. There was another knock. 'Welp let's get this over with.' I took in a deep breath and cursed my mother for putting me in this situation.
Opening the door, I was met with a man about 6'4 in height. His beard was a few days over grow, his hair falling into his eyes, carrying a duffle on his shoulder and a book bag on his back, both black in color. He was wearing a light blue v neck t-shirt and some grey joggers with white athletic shoes. He looked down to meet my gaze, yet I couldn't read his expression.
"Nicole?" The way he said my name had an odd familiarity to it. Like I was only hearing it correctly for the first time. I realized after a moment I hadn't addressed him and took a step back.
"Yea, Nathaniel I assume?"
He smiled down at me and I felt small in his presence. "Nate is fine."
I stood there taking him in, much longer than I should have. He ever so slightly resembled the kid I grew up around for a bit but it was only a flicker and he was much much older. I wished I had put my hair down rather than leaving it in a lazy half ponytail and that I hadn't stuck with an old vacation t-shirt and house shorts to remeet him.
"You wanna Invite me in?" he looked at me quizzically. A muscle in his jaw twitched and his shoulders slouched a bit.
I took a step back giving him room to get through my doorway. "It's not a lot really but you can sleep on the couch, bathroom is over there," I pointed towards the bathroom door. "I don't really cook so there isn't much in the fridge but help yourself. I don't know."
"This is weird huh? It's not like I've seen you since I was like 11." He walked towards the couch and sat his bag down. He looked around the small apartment. "I told my mom I could find a place to crash but she just insisted. Doesn't trust my choices or something. " He said in a condescending tone. He sat on the arm rest of the couch and extended one long leg over the other.
"Mine teaches me stranger danger then essentially invites one to live with me." It was an absent minded thought that I hadn't intended to speak out loud. I stuttered trying to back track. "I'm sorry not like you're technically a stranger I guess...I just don't really remember you. "
He chuckled loudly resting his hands on his knees. "Don't apologize. I said the same thing. What if you try to take advantage of me?" He put a finger to his lip and pouted.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "I'm sure you were so concerned."
He looked up at me. "I wouldn't use that word."
'What did he mean by that?' I push away the thought. "So yea I'm usually in classes or work til 6 during the week. I can probably try to find the spare key so you can come in and out while you're here."
"Don't worry about it; I Keep busy. I'll probably only be crashing here. Should be gone in a week." He removed his book bag from his back and placed it beside his duffle. "Honestly the issue has to do with the friends I mentioned earlier." His phone began to vibrate in his back pocket. He motioned towards the phone. "Do you mind?" I waved for him to take it.
He walked over to the other side of the room answering the call. I walked into my bedroom shutting the door behind me.
"Hey," he asked the caller." It's fine; you're making a big deal out of nothing...I'll let you know when I'm back just chill out for now... You know why I can't come back just yet. I'm hanging up.."
I heard him ruffle some things in his bag and then footsteps. "I gotta head out. I left my number on the coffee table." The door closed loudly behind him.
'How does he possibly have plans here?'
It was a Sunday but I decided to spend most of the day out running errands. Despite texting Nathaniel my number I hadn't received any type of response from him. I got back to my apartment around 8, ordered chinese food, and ended up passing out around 11. Decided to leave the door unlocked since he didn't have a key and I was a pretty heavy sleeper so wasn't likely to hear a call if he did need me to let him in.
When I woke up I wandered into the living room. The couch back was to me so I had to walk over to it in order to check whether Nathaniel was here or not. I found him lying there with his shirt off. His left arm was covered in tattoos beginning at his wrist and working their way up to his bicep. It was apparent he worked out judging by the well sculpted lines defining his abdomen and the bulges of his arms. The blanket was low on his body, just barely covering his adonis belt. 'Was he wearing pants,' I thought, leaning in a bit further to investigate. He produced a loud snore catching me off guard and causing me to jump back. 'What am I doing?'
I started rummaging through the kitchen trying to find something to eat. My phone began to ring which I quickly picked up hoping not to wake him.
During the week I worked at the hospital in charge of the candy stripers. I almost didn't take the job at first not being the biggest fan of the uniform but since our department mostly worked with kids I let it go. Calling me was Amber, one of the volunteers under me.
"Hey Nicole, sorry to call but there's a man here saying he needs you to confirm a drop off? I wouldn't have called but he said it has to be you and if not he'll have to redeliver in a week." She waited on the other end of the line.
"Fuck," I inadvertently mumbled into the phone. With everything going on, I had completely forgotten that I needed to be there today. Every year the hospital would order toys for the kids who couldn't go home for the holidays. They not only needed to be delivered but wrapped as well. If I waited another week the kids weren't going to get them on time. "Sorry, yea, ummm, can he wait an hour? I don't have a car here so it'll take me a second to get there."
"I don't think he'll wait that long to be honest." I could tell he was standing in front of her and she was putting it nicely.
