Categories > Original > Romance
For the past two years Gerard de la Croix had lived alone in his apartment; at the very end of the hall on the lower floor. No one else lived on his side in years; he did have an old cat lady live across from him until she died three years ago while his divorce was being finalized. Everyone else in the building lived up the stairs or on the other side of the hall past the ugly painted red door; young couples, newlyweds, and small families typically lived in the area. No one really lived alone unless they were old but Gerard wasn’t even near his forties yet he was alone.
Well expect for Warhol his gray Chartreux who only wanted Gerard when he wanted food or to play and Gerard also had his art to keep him busy.
Gerard didn’t like company because to him it meant he would have to be impressive and keep guest entertained, instead Gerard likes being in other people’s homes so they can do the hard work. Local art galleries and café shops were where Gerard would hang out with local artist and old friends from when he first moved to Tennessee; he also hanged out with upcoming or dreamful musicians if he needed a new taste of music.
The only company he would allow in his apartment was his ex-wife Prudence, most people usually never remain close after a divorce but the two were best friends before they got married and agreed to keep it that way if things ended. After being divorce for two years and no luck with meeting anyone unlike Prudence who got married and is expecting a child soon, he was alone and he was going to die alone too just didn’t want to accept the truth of the reality.
Winter had always been pretty and pretty unbearable in Tennessee; no one would be out unless they had to leave for work etc. So when Gerard was woken up early in the morning to the sound of a car engine on its last spark of life and a very unnecessary loud muffler he had to see who was dumb enough to be up that early to make that much noise.
At first he tried to go back to sleep thinking the person would shut the car off and back into the building but nearly five minutes into trying the sound only seemed to become louder. Finally he changed from a plain tee shirt and boxers to a black sweater and dark green pajama pants before setting out nearly tripped over Warhol on the way out the door limping.
Gerard did have a cane to walk around with but he didn’t use it if he was only going to be right outside his living room door.
The hall was bitter cold making him glad his younger years of no shirt days were over with; he saw the reason why his hall was cold because the entrance door was opened wide letting the winter air take all the heat away and didn’t take him long to find out why either.
A female who looked about to be in her early twenties stepped into the hall with a box wearing a tight homemade short shorts to where Gerard could see her pockets, a pair of beat up combat boots and a shoulder cut off sweater. She had to at least be between 5’3 or 5’4 just enough to probably reach Gerard’s shoulders and her body figure was a little bit athletic and baby fat curves making her look attractive. Gerard quickly notices her hair was longer than he had seen most twenty year olds and it had looked like she rolled out of bed; it was dark brown with natural high lights and at the end had different shades of red.
He didn’t realize that he was looking at her for so long until her doe eyes blinked back at him as if she had done the very same.
“Sorry.”
Both of them said at the same time causing them to both laugh and touch their hair nervously making fools out of each other.
Gerard rubbed his neck “No, I’m sorry I was staring like an old creep.”
She smiled at him nervously showing her perfect straight teeth “It’s alright and you weren’t staring like a creep.”
“I just wanted to see who woke me up earlier than I would normally, but I see it was you.” His eyes narrow at her.
She gasp “Oh crap I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up normally the car isn’t loud but I drove that baby from Las Vegas.”
“Are you moving in this building?”
She placed the cardboard box on her hip and walked over to him “I’m Harley, your new neighbor.”
His eyes looked at the door across from him and then back at Harley; he was going to have a neighbor again and would have to deal with that car sound until she moved out or until he died.
Well expect for Warhol his gray Chartreux who only wanted Gerard when he wanted food or to play and Gerard also had his art to keep him busy.
Gerard didn’t like company because to him it meant he would have to be impressive and keep guest entertained, instead Gerard likes being in other people’s homes so they can do the hard work. Local art galleries and café shops were where Gerard would hang out with local artist and old friends from when he first moved to Tennessee; he also hanged out with upcoming or dreamful musicians if he needed a new taste of music.
The only company he would allow in his apartment was his ex-wife Prudence, most people usually never remain close after a divorce but the two were best friends before they got married and agreed to keep it that way if things ended. After being divorce for two years and no luck with meeting anyone unlike Prudence who got married and is expecting a child soon, he was alone and he was going to die alone too just didn’t want to accept the truth of the reality.
Winter had always been pretty and pretty unbearable in Tennessee; no one would be out unless they had to leave for work etc. So when Gerard was woken up early in the morning to the sound of a car engine on its last spark of life and a very unnecessary loud muffler he had to see who was dumb enough to be up that early to make that much noise.
At first he tried to go back to sleep thinking the person would shut the car off and back into the building but nearly five minutes into trying the sound only seemed to become louder. Finally he changed from a plain tee shirt and boxers to a black sweater and dark green pajama pants before setting out nearly tripped over Warhol on the way out the door limping.
Gerard did have a cane to walk around with but he didn’t use it if he was only going to be right outside his living room door.
The hall was bitter cold making him glad his younger years of no shirt days were over with; he saw the reason why his hall was cold because the entrance door was opened wide letting the winter air take all the heat away and didn’t take him long to find out why either.
A female who looked about to be in her early twenties stepped into the hall with a box wearing a tight homemade short shorts to where Gerard could see her pockets, a pair of beat up combat boots and a shoulder cut off sweater. She had to at least be between 5’3 or 5’4 just enough to probably reach Gerard’s shoulders and her body figure was a little bit athletic and baby fat curves making her look attractive. Gerard quickly notices her hair was longer than he had seen most twenty year olds and it had looked like she rolled out of bed; it was dark brown with natural high lights and at the end had different shades of red.
He didn’t realize that he was looking at her for so long until her doe eyes blinked back at him as if she had done the very same.
“Sorry.”
Both of them said at the same time causing them to both laugh and touch their hair nervously making fools out of each other.
Gerard rubbed his neck “No, I’m sorry I was staring like an old creep.”
She smiled at him nervously showing her perfect straight teeth “It’s alright and you weren’t staring like a creep.”
“I just wanted to see who woke me up earlier than I would normally, but I see it was you.” His eyes narrow at her.
She gasp “Oh crap I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up normally the car isn’t loud but I drove that baby from Las Vegas.”
“Are you moving in this building?”
She placed the cardboard box on her hip and walked over to him “I’m Harley, your new neighbor.”
His eyes looked at the door across from him and then back at Harley; he was going to have a neighbor again and would have to deal with that car sound until she moved out or until he died.
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