I'll be okay, just not today. [Nochelle/Bryles]

- making peace with the past -

After Lunch with Michelle, I ended up going home and just relaxing for a bit and before I know what's happening, I'm being woken up by blinding sunlight in my face. I guess I fell asleep pretty early last night, at least I'm getting back into a stable sleeping pattern. I roll over and see my phone on my counter, it's 8am ugh. I'm not even that tired but I've just never really liked the early mornings. I've decided I'm going to see that apartment my mother sent me the other day. I call up and book a tour for the place in about 2 hours and I start to get ready.

2 hours later I'm standing in the downstairs lobby of the building while my estate agent speaks to someone at the front desk. This lobby is beautiful, the open windows, doorway arches, I'd love to live here. I need to live here. This is the fresh start I need. My estate agent walks back over to me, smiling at my already amusement with the place. I love it. 

She then says "Glad to see you like it here, you're not the only one viewing this apartment today so we better get started then." As she turns towards the elevator signalling me to follow her.

I go up and tour the apartment and I'm in love. This place is everything I need. It's only one bathroom one bedroom, but it's just so cosy and the living space is massive. 

"I need this place" I say to her. Her smile slightly fades and she brushes off my statement and starts babbling about the windows. What isn't she telling me? 

"Did you hear me?" I ask. She pauses and then slowly walks over to me. 

"So, as I said you're not the only one viewing this place today, there's a couple coming in soon and if they like it too, it will be down to who's in the better financial state. The bank will deal with it." My mood slightly deflates upon realising there's a possibility I might not get this apartment. I would be heartbroken, I've fallen instantly in love with it. 

"I understand, but I'm going to do whatever I can to get this place" I eventually reply to her. I fill out some paper work for me to try and get this place and we head back down to the lobby. 

As the elevator doors open, My estate agents bursts out of them, greeting someone she obviously knows. They break into conversation as I catch up with her. Listening to a little conversation, I'm assuming they know each other through work. I hear that this woman is showing around the couple in the apartment and I feel jealously run through me. I need that apartment badly. Their conversation breaks away as the woman heads towards the elevator we had just left. I pull out my phone and walk along messaging Michelle about the apartment. I'm midway through sending the text when I walk into something. Or someone I think. I look up to instantly apologise, I wasn't looking where I was going, but I stop when our eyes meet. Max. The bastard. And Amanda. This is just great.

My appearance must be some mix between pure shock and rage as I feel my cheeks flush red. Silence falls over the room as I look between Amanda and Max stood in front of me, both of them obviously speechless. If this was any other day I would have very easily gone batshit and screamed at them both. God how I wish i could pull Amanda's stupid ponytail out and use it to strangle Max. But not today, not in front of the estate agent. I need to keep my composure in front of her. I need this apartment. I take a few deep breaths and change my expression completely to one of calm. The estate agents walks over to us and introduces the couple stood in front of me as the other potential buyers. I look at her as she speaks, smiling and keeping my composure.

'Actually we know each other' Amanda interrupts. Nope. Not today. I turn to look at her, changing my face to one of confusion. 

'Yeah she's .... an old friend of ours' she continues. An old friend??? AN OLD FRIEND!? In that one moment 37 different ways of knocking Amanda unconscious flood through my mind. But it wouldn't do anything. As soon as those few words cross my mind it all clicks. It wouldn't... change anything . I hate them for what they did. In this moment at least I resent them. But I can't change what they did. Sure at the beginning my intentions may not have been the purest with Max but I grew to really care about him, and Amanda was fully aware of that. But I have to push past this. If this was the purge the two of them wouldn't be standing in front of me still, but right now I want to move on. I want to push past this patch of feeling awful so I can get to the good stuff. I wasted too long with Max and Amanda in my life, I need to make peace with the past and keep going. And my next words were the first step of that.

'I'm really sorry, but I think you have the wrong person. I've never met either of you' I say with a genuine smile. Like I said, composure.

'Richelle!' Max retaliates, but not today. He isn't going to ruin this for me. I mimic a confused expression at him mentioning my name.

'If we have met I really am sorry. It must've been a long time ago, I don't have the best memory' I reply, laughing and turning to my estate agent and lightening the mood. I turn back to see Amanda and Max's faces looking confused and shocked. Not the most appealing view.

'Okay actually I'm going to have to end the tours for today, something's just come up' the agent says, looking at her phone. 'I'm going to have to ask you to leave I'm afraid' she finishes.

Amanda and Max walk back into the elevator, mumbling amongst themselves. I turn to the estate agent, who looks up from her phone to me.

'That wasn't completely true. This is a very nice, quiet, normal  building complex... and those people were odd...' She says. I can't help but giggle a little. 'I wouldn't worry about this apartment, once the bank does credit checks and everything, you'll probably get it.' That. Is. EXACTLY what I wanted to hear. That is a song to my ears. I can't help but smile. 

'It was a pleasure doing business with you today' I say with a smile, shaking her hand. A personal victory today, if I do say so myself.

1167 words

First real A/N from 2020 me! stay safe during covid times guys <3
vote if you can and lmk what you think!! x