The A-hole Next Door (completed)

TWO

Lauren stroked the cat's fur. It purred softly at her.

"Wait for me here, okay? I'll be back this afternoon after work," she told the cat. It closed its eyes and curled into a ball on the corner of the couch.

She gave the cat a smile, then grabbed her bag on the table to dash outside her apartment.

"Morning, Harris!" she chirped when she saw her landlord on the hallway.

The old man peered under his thick glasses.  His wrinkled face broke into a smile when he saw who called his name.

"Aye, Lauren! Happy Friday!" Harris's  gravelly voice echoed in the corridor. The two other men beside him who were carrying a bed almost dropped it to their feet. Lauren let out a small laugh. Her landlord's piratey voice never failed to startle people.

"Someone's moving in?" she asked while walking to the door to have a quick glimpse of the apartment.

Harris nodded. "Aye. You'll have a neighbor at last! It's been four months!" he grinned at her, then whispered. "And it's a lad. You might have a new boyfriend, eh?"

Lauren snorted. "That escalated real quick, Harris."

He lightly tapped her shoulder. "Dating nowadays happen too fast anyway. Oh, by the way. My friend saw your work in my house, and she loved it. She wants to meet you and probably buy one of your paintings."

Lauren's face brightened like a summer sunshine. "Seriously?"

Harris nodded again. "Aye. So, when can they drop by?"

"Anytime tomorrow! I don't have work during Saturdays," she replied happily, feeling over the moon that some people liked her works.

"Alrighty then. I'll bring my friend here tomorrow noon. Got to go now, kid. The tenant will arrive after lunch, have to finish everything," Harris said while giving her another light tap on the shoulder.

"Good luck. Bye!" she waved, then ran to the lift which was almost closing. She was fast enough to catch it.

"Ah, to be young and quick. I can't remember the last time I ran like that," Mrs. Morrie murmured with a smile.

Lauren beamed at her. "Hi, Mrs. Morrie." She greeted, and the old woman smiled again while wrapping her shoulders with a knitted shawl.

Lauren pulled her ipod from her bag to untangle the earphones, while Mrs. Morrie waited in silence as the lift took them down to the parking space of the building.

The door opened, and Lauren waited for Mrs. Morrie to went out first before she did. She headed straight to the space where her Dutch bike was parked beside her bright yellow Mini.

"Hello, Herby," she told her bike. "It's you and me today again, buddy."

She unlocked her bicycle, then secured her head with a helmet. Her workplace wasn't that far from her apartment so it was the perfect ride for her. It also served as her daily exercise.

She pedaled lightly to her destination with the Sound of Music soundtrack booming in her ears. Lauren didn't like how warm the weather was but with Maria singing My Favorite Things in her ears, everything seemed fine.

After nearly ten minutes of pedaling and singing, she found herself in front of the famous skyscraper of ZAP Comics.

Lauren continued humming until she reached the parking space of the building. She took her helmet off, fished for the lock in her pocket and-

pitter, patter, pitter, patter

"What the?!" she groaned in frustration as the sudden rain poured on her skin. She quickly locked her bike, then sprinted inside the building like she was running for her life.