Addicted To You

1

Just before we entered the complex, I got a view of NYC. Of course, I was excited to see the apartment, but there was more to be thrilled about, it's New York. The bright starry nights, the building, and the theaters make me feel so alive. My heart paces even faster, staring at the city than it was daydreaming about it.

I stand in a brick-wall apartment with a suitcase in hand. This is my home for the next seven months. The walls seem so thin; I can hear our neighbors and the busy city. It would be a change I have to adjust to. The living room felt a bit congested with lots of lounging furniture and a small flat screen tv for entertainment.

Nolan could've come too, but he had his dorm room to get to. He never likes to miss out on anything. Especially after we missed prom. I sometimes believe he blames it on me. My inability to be a typical teenager without being in trouble and my lack of communication skills have rubbed off on him. I can tell he doesn't like it.

Over the summer, he spent more time at the beach than with me. Or with his lacrosse and basketball friends. Of course, I never wanted to do much. I had a lot on my plate. I spent too long grieving and praying for my mother to dig through her grave and hug me one last time; I totally avoided my script writing and the small bit of friends I did have. Now I don't need to worry about missing out on anything or feeling bad to not hang out with him all the time.

I tie my wavy blonde hair in a bun and slick my bang to the side to start unpacking my things.

This is going to be the best four years of my life. I can feel it.

The apartment is not as small as I imagined it to be but the brown furniture is something I don't agree with. The walls are white, and there are wood floors. The smell in here is awful, like cigarette smoke. For some reason, I knew this would happen if I picked a student housing. There's always a price to something.

It will just do. I think to myself. It's not something I am used to though. I like shiny wood floors and clean white walls with a touch of interior décor. This is nothing but walls and furniture.

Claudia's fingers gripped her nose when she came in with my bags. "Great, I have to deal with you being around Cig smokers." She groans, looking over at the tray of ash and cigarettes on the small coffee table. Her nose crinkled, in a displeasing way.

With her being disgusted she's going to make me regret this. This isn't what I imagined it to be like. I expected to at least have a city view to see some of the lights. At least that's what the website said.

I anticipated brown brick walls not off white. And don't get me started on the wood floors. But I can't let all that stop me from moving forward. like my mother said, "with great adventures comes great things."

Claudia started saying it to me a few years back but stopped. It made her feel like she was trying too hard to be a mom rather than a guardian.

Claudia is the type of aunt that is in her thirties, single, with her own design company. She always tells me that she and my mother learned from their mistakes when they were my age. She even told me once, that she used to smoke and go out all night drinking at parties but stopped so she didn't ruin her career and reputation. Now she puts pressure on me and expects me to do better than she did. Why must I live to that expectation? Well, I have seen what drinking and drugs can do to people. It's addicting and once you get a little taste, you want more.