Boarding with the Brooks

St. August My Ass

Mother closed the doors to the apartment behind us with an audible sigh.

Sliding off my shoes, I walk barefoot to the hallway bathroom to shower off the stinch of rich suck ups.

I reach past the curtain, turning on the hot water before checking my phone. A message from Liam had me smiling when I heard the doors of the apartment open and close.

The hot water helped me rid my skin of all the old lady perfume and feel a little more like myself. 

I stepped out of the shower, wrapping one towel around my hair and tying it on top of my head, the other towel around my body. The bathroom door handle was cold to the touch when I turned it to enter the hallway that led to my room. The sound of the apartment doors earlier must have been mom leaving, because the entire apartment was filled in silence. I look around, nothing out of place.

Walking down the hall, I close my bedroom door behind me. I realize just how tired I really am as I am towel drying my hair in front of my dresser mirror, The dark circles under my eyes give off raccoon vibes.

I almost peed myself when I heard a commotion in the living area.

"What the hell," I mumbled to myself as I walked to my bedroom door, slowly opening it.

"Mom?," I whispered.

Taking a deep breath, I step out in to the hallway with a slow tip toe. The hallway felt a million miles long as I finally approached the corner turning into the living area. The breath was knocked out of me when I collided chests with someone.

A hand covered my mouth before I could scream. My chest tightened until I finally saw the face that belonged to the hand.

I push his hand off my mouth, "What the actual fuck? You scared the shit out of me. What the hell are you doing here?"

He motioned for me to talk more quietly, "Shh, jesus. Your mom asked me to drop something off to her, that's all."

My eyes narrowed as he spoke, "Like what?"

"You can ask her," he shook his head, "Not my place to say."

He stepped around me, but I wrapped my hand around his arm, "How long have you been here?"

"Just got here a few minutes ago," he shrugged, "Why?"

I know I heard the doors open and close before I ever stepped into the shower, and my shower was a promising candidate for longest shower in the World Record Book. I let go of his arm and he made his way to leave the apartment.

Before he left, he turned with a smile, "Keep my note, just in case you ever need me."

"Yeah," I held up my thumb sarcastically, "Got it."

"Oh, and Emilie," I raised my eyebrows as he pointed at me, "Nice towel."

The doors to the apartment closed and my cheeks burned of embarressment. What just happened?

I woke up to the sound of my mom yelling.

She was standing in the kitchen holding her phone with her left hand and her coffee cup in her right.

"Well that is not my problem, Nancy. I signed the contracts earlier this week, you are paid to handle the signatures of our clients. If you cannot do your job, I will find someone who can." She slammed her phone on the counter and took a long drink from her cup. I heard her mumble cuss words under her breath.

She jumped as I greeted her, "Morning."

"Good heavens," she placed her hand on her chest, "I will have to get used to having someone in the house again. Living alone is very quiet. Did I wake you?"