APRICITY... Jan Rozmanowski

Chanel

I went my own way, and Jan went his. It brought me so much joy to know that Jan trusts me with his song.

As I entered my apartment, I didn't bother taking off my coat. My mind was already occupied with thoughts of what I needed to bring. Of course, my guitar was the most important thing. I also grabbed a pen, thinking it would come in handy. Hmm, what else should I bring?

I quickly grabbed my backpack and emptied it of my school books, replacing them with the items I needed for Jan. I made sure to pack my phone charger, some snacks, three red guitar picks, and my trusty notebook. All the essentials.

With my bag zipped shut and my guitar case in hand, I set off on my way.

Luckily, the storm had passed, making it the perfect weather for my journey. I realized, however, that I had forgotten to bring a hat.

The sun was shining brightly, causing the snow to melt. Spring was on its way, Jan's favorite season. He always said it was a time of growth, not just for nature but for people as well. I couldn't help but agree, though summer still held the top spot in my heart. No school, the freedom to wear all the cute outfits that had been sitting in my closet, and a general sense of happiness and relaxation. I could go on and on about summer.

The combination of the sun and the white snow was blinding, and I regretted not bringing sunglasses.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the person in front of me until I bumped into them and fell to the ground. How embarrassing.

To my surprise, it wasn't Jan but a woman. She was slightly shorter than me, with luscious blonde hair, a button nose, and heart-shaped lips. It was Marie, the last person I wanted to see today.

"Oh, hey, sorry I-" she began to apologize and offer her help, but I quickly cut her off. "No, no, it's okay. I don't need your help, Marie," I protested, getting up on my own.

"Julia, is that you?" she asked, recognizing me. "Yes," I quickly confirmed, not particularly thrilled to see her. "How's Sophia holding up?" she continued, her high-pitched voice grating on my ears. "Girly, what do you think?" I replied, clearly annoyed. "Not good, huh?" she guessed, taking a moment to think of what to say.

"Anyways, it was good seeing you. Bye-bye," I said dismissively as she walked past me, heading towards the Chanel store where her mom worked. "Can't wait to see you again," I muttered to myself, slightly chuckling.

Finally, I arrived at Jan's apartment complex. It was old, with red bricks stained by who knows what and graffiti covering the walls and doors. As I approached, an old man, probably in his 70s, gave me a creepy and suspicious look. Why are men like that?

I called Jan and asked for the door code and his apartment number to ensure I didn't walk into someone else's place, a mistake I had made in the past...

His apartment was on the sixth floor, and unfortunately, there were no elevators. I mustered up the energy and climbed the stairs. By the time I reached his door, I was completely out of breath and panting. I quickly fixed my hair using my phone camera as a mirror, making sure I didn't look like a complete tomato.

I knocked on the door a few times before Jan opened it, wearing comfortable clothing and clearly excited to see me.
"You're finally here!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know what you liked, so I prepared a little bit of everything," he continued, gesturing towards his coffee table filled with snacks. There was truly something for everyone, from popcorn to dried mango.
"Aww, you didn't have to do all that," I replied, touched by his thoughtfulness. I hugged him, and he hugged me back. We stayed like that for a good 30 seconds just listening to each other breathe before finally letting go.