Burning Out

03- spinning rooms

Song- Sun by Two Door Cinema Club

————————

After getting stepping out of the taxi outside of our new apartment, Olly hauls our bags out of the boot of the car. With our suitcases dispersed along the concrete pavement, he squats down and furrows through his singular bag. With a blind hand feeling through many miscellaneous items he finally sighs and retracts his arm back. Holding up three shiny silver keys and looking at them in awe.

"One for me, one for you and one spare," he states whilst handing me the small piece of metal.

After handing me a key, he stuffs his own into his jogger pockets and picks up his suitcase along with one of mine. I carry the remainder of my bags and follow his lead up to the apartment complex. At the main door there is a huge keypad to the left.

"What's the code?"

"I have it somewhere..." Olly trails off as he digs his hands through his pockets, looking like he is searching for a piece of paper with it scribbled down on. "Shit, I lost it," he finally continues.

"You're joking," my eyes widen at him, death staring, "what are we supposed to do now?"

"Ask him!" Olly nudges me to the right slightly, straight into the path of a man leaving the building. He looks about twenty, black hair and a tall thin frame.

"Oh my god, sorry," I let out an awkward laugh, considering I practically just stood in his way of leaving the building, "hi, I'm Farrah," I hold out my hand for him to shake.

He just looks at my hand, puzzled by my introduction. Eventually, he takes my hand with his rough grip and shakes it vigorously, "Otis."

"I'm Olly, nice to meet you mate," Olly awkwardly waves from behind me.

Otis releases my hand and just nods slightly at Olly, turning his view back to me, "how can I help you, I assume you didn't just stand in front of me by accident?"

The side of his mouth quirks into a small smile. His voice is plastered with a thick accent, which shocks me as I had forgotten people would sound so different over here. I blush slightly, imagining how it must look like I literally threw myself into him and didn't get shoved.

"Yeah, um, Olly and I just moved here from-"

"England?" he finishes my sentence for me, tilting his head in amusement. I guess it's probably easy to figure out as our accents probably stuck out like a sore thumb in this new city.

"Yeah, London. We just moved and this idiot over here," I turn to face Olly, pointing at him accusingly. To my surprise, I see him leaning against the wall staring blankly like he's already bored of this interaction.

"Um," I try to cluster up my words and continue, "this idiot lost the code to the door so we're wondering if you could help us."

Otis stays staring at me, taking no notice of Olly's glares. "Of course, 1702A," he smiles kindly down at me.

"Thank you so much!" I say before turning around, ending the conversation.

I hear Otis start to walk off as he says, "See you around, neighbour."

I don't turn to look back at him, instead I keep my eyes strained on Olly who gives an eye-roll, "took your time, all we needed was the code, not for you to give him our whole life story."

His reaction is taking me by surprise and making me laugh at how insane he is acting, "You're being dramatic now, enter to code and I can put you down for your afternoon nap."