Jungle fever

New neighbor

Sounds of thunder began rumble Throughout the apartment as rain poured, slapping against the window. It was 3:45am, and Ryan couldn't sleep. She laid in bed with her fingers entwined together looking up at the ceiling fan as it spins repeatedly. She started to think ..hard. Thinking about what she's going to say to her Best friend for missing her birthday event today. She was suppose to do a speech and everything but something had came up. All that thinking made her very sleepy. Her eyes began to close. Nothing but the sound of rain played in her ears.

Next day ...

Her eyes slowly fluttered opened and wondered around the room. She turned over reaching for her phone that was buzzing on the dresser. It was myah, her best friend. Myah sent about 25 hate messages just because Ryan didn't show up for her birthday event. She sat up in bed flipping her hair out of her face. There were loud banging and drilling coming from next door in the apartment. It started getting louder and louder and then boom.. theres a small hole on the wall, above the bed. Is they serious?... She got up throwing on her bunny slippers and walked outside. didn't even care that She had on crop top and pajama shorts and fuzzy slippers she marched right next door and banged on the door. The sound of the doorknob clicked and she backed up a little. The door slowly open and a white Guy stepped outside. He looked in his mid 20's, he was kinda tall.  "Good morning.. um.. did I wake you?"
He said running his fingers through his hair.

"No.. but you drilled a little hole in my bedroom though" Ryan said

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know. I'll have that hole patched up in an hour"

"Okay, I'll be waiting." She said walking off. She made her way over to the mailbox right on time. The mailman had just arrived, he handed her package and waved off. "Nice slippers!", the guy next door yelled. Ryan looked his way and rolled her eyes as she continued walking back into the apartment.

Seems like the guy next door had just moved here because that apartment been empty for about a year and some months. The old neighbor named Anna had passed away. She was an active 71 year old lady. Always running around the neighborhood racing with kids. She always feed them when they come by to play with her. One day she decided to go to the gym with her grandson, I heard she lifted a lot of weights before she had an heart attack and ended up dropping the weights on her feet. It was a sad day. It seemed as everybody in the neighborhood knew except the kids cause they still would come visit. Till they stopped. Her grandson ended up staying next door but had to move. He didn't want to disappoint the kids that would usually come over to play and race with Anna. Nobody moved here since, till this guy came along. Ryan began searching for scissors so that She can open the package before getting in the shower. A loud knock rang downstairs. She looked to her left where the sounds of thumping came from. she rushed downstairs looking out the peep hole before opening the door leaning against the doorframe. "Came to cover that hole on the wall" he said holding up a tube of drydex. He walked inside heading upstairs and she followed. "Which room is it in ?" He asked. Ryan Walked in the room pointing at the hole that was above her bed. He began to start patching up the hole. "You must be new here?" Ryan asked. He nodded.

"Yeah.. I just moved here yesterday " he said. She nodded her head. The room started to get quiet and it's been that way for 28 minutes now. Soon as he was done he started making his way back downstairs. "Sorry for being a pain in the ass earlier" Ryan said. He looked over his shoulder and nodded. "You wasn't a pain.. well a little". They chuckled and he left out the door.

She started to make her way back upstairs and ended calling her best friend to apologize about missing her birthday event. The phone rang and rang. Ryan put the call on speaker and threw it on the bed and went to open her package.

"What's the excuse this time?" Myah began

"I'm so sorry girl, you know my dad's birthday is on the same day as yours and I couldn't miss out on it"

Ryan said as she started ripping the box open.

"Ryan? That man didn't even knew you exist for the last 17 years. How much money did you give him this time and don't lie" she said

Ryan began to hesitate. It was a lot. More than 400 dollars. The room grew silent.

"Ryan?"

"750 dollars.." Ryan bursted.

"Are you out of your fu- ... your mind!.. I can't believe I'm telling you this but your dad is a crackhead Ryan when are you going to realize that. He Only comes around when you get paid just to throw his sob stories at you so he can manipulate you into giving him money. Come on Ryan!" Myah yelled through the phone. She assumed Ryan's dad uses the money for drugs and claimed she saw him at a corner giving money to a drug dealer. Her dad is very smart and can easy manipulate people's mind.

"Well I'm sorry. I know now Myah, I'll make it up to you tomorrow . We can go anywhere you like"  ..

They exchanged a few more words before hanging up.

She looked over to the left side of her bed and saw the tube of drydex the guy left on the bed. Ryan took a shower and threw on her black fitted dress and grab the tube and headed to the kitchen. She wanted to make something before heading over there. She made banana bread muffins. She grabbed the tray of muffins and the tube of drydex heading next door. She rung the doorbell... no answer. She knocked on the door and it cracked open. "Hello?" She said. She slowly pushed open the door walking inside heading to the kitchen, nobody was in here so she opened the fridge and put the muffins inside.

"Who the hell are you?" A voice echoed in the kitchen. Ryan turned around, and they're stood a white lady who stood at 5'7 and looked in her mid 40's standing in the kitchen.

"I'm Ryan.. the neighbor"

"Why are you in Shawn's apartment?" She said folding her arms.

Ryan stood there didn't even know what to say. Till the guy walked in the kitchen carrying a guitar with his eyes glued to her. "What's going on ? .. hey what are you doing in here?" He said

"I brought you some muffins as a house.. well an apartment warming gift. And you left this on my bed also." Ryan said.

He smiled and grabbed the tube from her.

"What is she talking about? You left a tube on her bed? What? .. why were you over there?" The lady went on and on.  She then went into the fridge and grabbed the muffins and threw them in the trash. Ryan was shocked.  "MOM! Why would you do that!" Shawn yelled. The lady folded her arms looking Ryan's way. "We don't accept things from those kind of people " she said. The kitchen grew silent and Ryan looked over at Shawn who didn't have courage to look her in the eyes instead he was staring down at the floor. He didn't even confront his mom on her behavior, instead he just stared. Ryan couldn't take it.  She  than rushed out the apartment and ran back to hers burying her face into the pillow feeling embarrassed. Shawn's mom was a racist.. why is that?  Could he be one as well?...The clouds slowly began to cover the sun as rain began to pour. It was 2 in the afternoon and Ryan didn't even eat breakfast.