Claire

Glancing at the panting realtor in front of me, I barely managed to stifle a laugh. We still hadn't even reached the second floor. Why was she breathing like she was pulling a wagon behind her back?

“Just a few more steps and we'll be there.” Mrs. Waldberg turned to me and pretended to explain, just so she could take a break. This was so not necessary. All she had to do was ask, and we would have stopped. But she had this tough persona look she didn't want to compromise, so I also didn't say anything.

“As this house is at the end of the complex, you can find the parking lot at the other side of it. It's for visitors or for the houses that don't have their own garages or parking spots.”

I nodded. I didn't have a car yet, but if everything went right, I wanted to get one. “Cool.”

“I told you about the HOA, didn't I?” She took a deep inhale of air and continued up.

I chuckled behind her and sent her a pitiful glance.

“Yes, you did. It's pretty good for a closed complex like this one,” I commented and examined the walls between the floors. They were painted in something between gray and beige and had beautiful paintings of Italian masks and feathers around them. The first floor of this house was unfinished and nobody was living in it. The second floor had been turned into a one-bedroom condo that we were going to check now.

Looking at Mrs. Waldberg again, I pursed my lips. She knew I was in a hurry to get a condo, so she did everything in her power to find me a good place as soon as possible. And thus, we had spent the whole day, checking out apartments in Seattle. This one here was fresh on the market, and the rent was fairly good for the amenities it came with. There was a SPA, a gym, a tennis court, and a pool.

I had never dreamed of living in 'Seattle Park Residence' even in my wildest dreams. It was a fairly new complex but still surprisingly half-empty. Maybe that's why the price of this condo was something I could afford.

Starting my new job in the marketing department of 'Cruise Dream', one of the biggest cruise companies in the world, was a big deal for me. That's why I had to change everything about myself—from my wardrobe to my uncensored way of speaking. I also had to get rid of my visible piercings. It was a good thing I still didn't have any tattoos, and I had put off making one for after I graduated. Which already happened, but my future workplace required strict office attire. Oh well, it was worth all the things I had to let go of. No more sneakers, no more piercings or crazy colors of my otherwise black hair.

I swallowed, absentmindedly playing with the piercing on my tongue. It was the only one I was not letting go, even if my boss reprimanded me for it. If I did well at my tasks, he wouldn't have the right to care. And I was going to bust my ass off to make sure I did well.

Reaching the second floor, my realtor unlocked the door and we entered a small entry room. It had a wardrobe on one of the sides and a mirror next to it. There were also a few shoe racks that were enough for a single person. The walls were white and although that wasn't my thing, I knew I could live with it.

The next room I entered by opening the door was the living room. At the further left corner stood a kitchenette with a small island that suited me and my lack of cooking urges. The windows next to it were beautiful, panoramic, and... staring right at another set of windows.

I approached them, unable to keep the small frown from my face, and studied the other house's panoramic windows. I had seen the two buildings were way too close to each other, but it was disappointing the neighbors would be my only view. Not to mention their room was so close that I felt like if I just jumped, I'd turn out to be inside.

Mrs. Waldberg approached me. “I don't want to frighten you, but I have to tell you. Most of the buildings here are empty, just as this house across from you. I heard there were some issues with the contractor, and there's an ongoing legal fight. People are scared to rent or buy properties here.”

I pulled a face. “Okay, it's not that big of a deal anyway. I can't be pretentious, and I don't really care if I can see my neighbors.”

I turned around and faced the living room again. I really liked it so far. I could already imagine my furniture here. With a trot in my march, I headed to the open room and entered it. It was the bedroom. The living room was double its size, but it oversaw the end of the building across and a small part of the lawn. It could work and fit my queen sized bed pretty well.

The decision was made even before I checked the bathroom.

“Claire, let me show you the bathroom! It has a tub!” Mrs. Waldberg called out, and I grinned.

“No need!” I said, exiting the bedroom. “I'm taking it!”

...

The next three months were so busy that they passed in the blink of an eye. It took me a bit longer to pick all the furniture and decoration I wanted, but in the end, I was satisfied with my choice.

This was my new home, and I was proud of it. A big part of my savings from my various jobs in college disappeared for the deposit, and I knew if I didn't handle this well, I was going to sink.

I spent most of the nights inside, dancing or sitting in front of the TV, watching shows. I was tired of living with roommates. Most of the time, they were noisy, dirty, and annoying. And I wasn't really good at making friends. I wasn't an introvert, but I did love my privacy.

The few trips to the clubs were the only change in my mundane life, but they turned out to be far from satisfactory. All that I found there were one-night stands that consisted more of grunting and moaning than exchanging words.

Staying home alone, I already felt like I was ready to talk to the walls. I rolled my ebony hair around my finger and sighed. The Netflix show was getting boring. Leaning back on my couch, I spun my head to look at the windows. There was movement in the apartment against mine! I squinted and jumped off my couch, running to the windows.

People were carrying around boxes and furniture. Well, great. Someone was moving in. When one of the workers saw me and neared the window, I pulled my blue-grayish curtains and hid my room. Where the hell was he peeking! I was only in my underwear!

...

“Miss Nelson, would you bring me the report I asked for?” my boss, Mr. Stone, said and passed around my desk, continuing to his room. He was the marketing director, so I couldn't understand why he kept bugging us, the ordinary employees. I had a Marketing Manager over my head to check my work and make sure I did everything right.

I started searching for the folder on my desk, my fingers scrambling to find it faster. This man, just like his name, was as cold as ice and rough as a rock. I'd known him for a bit, and I already hated him. Why wasn't I assigned to a different team, like the other girl that started with me?

A pair of hands pulled out a folder, partly hidden under my laptop, and said, “I believe this is the one you're looking for.” Samantha, the adjacent team's Marketing Manager, beamed at me.

I gaped at her for a moment, examining her short blonde hair and bright red lips. Her charming brown eyes were gleaming at me like I was her friend.

“T-thanks,” I stuttered, still shocked. We had met so many times until now and not even once had she spoken to me. This was unexpected.

I grabbed the folder from her hands and read its name. This was the one I needed!

“How did you know?” I smiled to her, trying to be as nice as possible.

“I saw you putting it there before lunch break when I passed through here.”

“Oh.” The room was packed with people, going in and out, and it was so noisy that I usually didn't pay attention to any of them.

“So,”—she glanced at my boss's room and grinned, leaning slightly towards me—” are you free tomorrow? It's Friday, and I and a few other colleagues will be going to this club that we've been talking about for the past few weeks.”

“Yeah, sure.” I perked up with excitement. This was a chance I wasn't going to miss. Still... I had to be careful, considering who she was working with. Stone.

“Great, I'll send you the details on your email,” she beamed and continued on with her tasks.