Funny little thing called life

Chapter 1

"Ok so here I am. Standing in the rain outside my brother Greg's door. I am trying to understand how I got here. I know I got 2 flights and a cab but how did I end up needing to retreat to London and hide in my brothers house.

I am lost in my thoughts for I don't know how long until I am brought back to reality by a hand on my shoulder.

I jump, completely unaware of my surroundings, I turn to find a rather handsome man smiling widely at me.

"Can I help you?" He asks in a true londoner accent.

"Miss? Are you alright?" He asks again and I am aware that I never answered his original question. I nod, then my brain decides it is ready to form a response "I'm sorry", I start "I'm here to see Greg"

"Oh is he not in? He was meant to be working from home today"

"Maybe he is I haven't actually knocked yet" I say.

"You must be Ali, I'm Charlie his flatmate. He extends his hand and I accept it. "He said you would be arriving soon".

I don't know him but I swear I could listen to him all day long.

"How long do you think you will be with us for" he asks. I shrug "As long as you will have me, I don't have any plans other than knocking at the door and waiting for Greg to answer it"

Charlie laughs, such a pure laugh and when he smiles it reaches his eyes. His eyes are brown you could get lost in those eyes.

I snap out of my adoration of this stranger enough to realise that it is still raining and that he and I are both soaked,but neither of us seems to be making a move.

I tell myself to get a grip thinking to myself that men are the reason you left your home and traveled thousands of miles to clear your head, don't go looking for trouble.

I try to say something but all I do is some silly motion of putting a key in the door, mentally slapping myself for such a thing but it seems to work as Charlie seems to know what I mean.

"Oh I am so sorry, please I'll get the door.I stand aside to let him pass and as he does I get the smell of his cologne I haven't smelt it before and make a mental note to find out what it is. He offers to take my bag as we go through another set of doors and then take the elevator to the 8th floor. We don't talk but glace every now and then at each other.

As we exit the elevator I look around the hallway and notice that it looks very clean and the off white walls give off the lingering smell of being newly painted. Charlie leads me to the door left of the elevator.

"Home sweet home" he says and gives me a flash of his perfect teeth. He unlocks the door and beckons for me to enter first. I look at him and say "I have seen plenty of crime tv shows and read more than enough books to not enter a strangers home... first at least"

Charlie looks at me in a way to say are you crazy or what but resists instead says "Rightly so, I am still a stranger to you so wait here and I will go and get Greg.

I nod and he walks down the hallway chuckling to himself. I stick my head in after him and hear a conversation but cannot make out what is being said. I can hear laughing and then a set of footsteps approach.

"Minnie, get your ass in here and give your brother a hug"

I pick up my bag and follow my brother into the apartment.