Alice began her Sunday like every other. She woke up at 8:15 am sharp to the sound of her alarm. Alice was most certainly a morning person. She woke up promptly with her first alarm, always. She'd had a lot to get done that day before going back to work the next. She needed to finalise her lesson plans for the next month. Alice loved to be organised. Most of the other teachers only planned their lessons for the week, but she needed more structure when it came to teaching. She also had to make sure that she wouldn't miss her appointment with her trainer. Following the beginning of the fall break when her long-term partner Hal left her, she hadn't been too focused on keeping in shape, and that had to change if she was going to be back at school. Alice walked up to her wall-mounted calendar to see if there was any other events or chores she had to attend to that day. Everything looked normal until she saw four red bold capital letters. 'DATE'. She had completely blanked that her colleague Mary had set her up on a blind date tonight with some guy she met when she had made Alice a Tinder profile. Alice didn't have very many friends. Not that she would count Mary as a friend per se, but, she was the closest thing Alice had to one, so she'd agree to the crazy stuff that was thrown at her - like this date. Which was so eloquently put to her by Mary when she first told her ' Its just a bit of fun.. and besides, you are in desperate need of good old-fashioned drilling. You know I love you and would do anything for you, but we need some boundaries.' 'Ironic' Alice thought, as Mary had just pretended to be Alice on a Tinder profile she had created to get Alice laid. She did not want to go on this date, but she figured it was free wine and free food so.. what was the harm? Alice made her way to the study where she had left her lesson plans and was just about to start editing them when her phone rang. She wanted to ignore it because, who could be calling her on a Sunday with anything that was important? She glanced at the screen to see who it could be. It was her boss Sierra; it must have been urgent if she was calling her now instead of waiting to tell her tomorrow. " Hey, Sierra. Is everything okay?"Alice asked, there was a moment of silence before her question was answered making Alice think it was an accidental call. " Yes, all is good. Look, Alice, I hate to spring this on you last minute but ... we have a new teacher starting tomorrow for a trial shift, and I was hoping you could be a helping hand for him if he needs any help with anything?" Alice didn't quite know what to say. Obviously, she didn't want to be babysitting the new guy, but at the same time, it would mean that she would be owed a favour and she needed a day off next month to go and visited her family. She took and a deep breath before answering. " okay fine. But I need the last day before Thanksgiving break off to travel up and see my family". Alice could hear the principals relief through the phone. " Done! Just remind me tomorrow, and I'll put it in the books. Thank you, Alice. See you tomorrow!" Alice hung up the phone and let out a sigh. A new guy. Just what she needed. Hopefully he wouldn't need too much assistance so she could focus on her classes. The last thing she needed was a distraction from her job. Once Alice had finished up in her study, she checked her watch for the time to make sure she hadn't zoned out and missed her training session again. She had only been working for two hours which gave her plenty of time to get ready and get herself to the gym. Alice ran upstairs and changed into her tight running pants and sports bra. She tied her hair up in a hight tight ponytail to keep it out of her face while working out. Before she left she checked herself out in the mirror just to see how much work she needed to put into getting her body back to its usual shape. As she stood there the more she noticed about her body that she didn't want to. There was a brief pause. She shook her head and decided to be positive and not let herself get up in her head over small silly details. She ran downstairs to put her trainers on, grabbed her keys and phone and began a gentle jog out of her apartment and down the stairs, as she opened the doors to the entrance of the apartment building she noticed two guys unloading a moving van. Someone must finally be moving into the apartment across the hall from her, she thought. She tried to catch a glimpse of the two men who could be her new neighbour, but the boxes were covering everything, and if she dawdled any longer she'd end up being late. Again. So she gave up and continued to jog to her session at the gym. Throughout the whole session at the gym, Alice's mind was distracted as she tried to picture what her new neighbour would look like; whether he was tall or short, rugged or tidy, attractive or not. Not that it mattered, of course, she would probably meet the man once and only see him again if they happened to be walking towards their apartments at the same time. How had someone she had not even met already managed to occupy her thoughts this much? Why did she even care about the new guy she didn't need nor want a new neighbour? She had to shake these thoughts and focus on her session. She turned up the speed on her treadmill to try and regain her focus back to exercise, and when her mind strayed again, the faster, she would go. Alice was working hard to keep up with her machine which she was doing fine until, "Hey, Alice I think it time we did some core exercises." She heard from a distance. Without thinking, Alice instinctively looked behind and slowed down. Everything went black. As she came-to, the space around her was a blur her eyes couldn't focus on anything, except the dull pounding in the back of her head. As she tried to sit up her body was wracked with pain. Alice tried to push past it and managed to sit upright and regain her vision, it took her a moment to realise exactly why she was on the floor in pain, and the second it clicked, her face turned to a bright shade of pink. She'd been too distracted by not being distracted she'd fallen off the treadmill. How could she have been such an idiot? She had to get up and shake this off she had important things to do, and she was far too embarrassed to sit here any longer. Once she regained more of her vision, Alice rose up and stood still for a moment gaining her balance, she comically brushed herself off with a small laugh and slowly walked to the locker room to grab her belongings. Alice decided it would be for the best if she changed into her date outfit at the gym seeing as she was cutting it very close to be late after the catastrophe of a workout she had that day. On her walk home, she couldn't help but keep replaying the fall over and over again mentally kicking herself with each replay. She needed to kick this defeatist attitude she was in right now before her date otherwise she was going to be the worst company for the poor man who would have to endure her foul mood. For the rest of her walk back she tried her hardest only to think positive thoughts to lighten her mood. Images of her graduation, her first-day teaching and other happy memories ran through her head gradually brightening her mood. As she continued in her joyful trance, she neglected to see the man sitting on the delivery van outside her apartment building dangerously opening a flask of coffee. Before she could see what was about to happen, Alice felt the semi-warm beverage clash against her dress. The reaction was sudden. She didn't have time to go back to the dry cleaners, and now her dress was ruined - what the hell was she going to wear on her date? " WHAT THE HELL! I just got this dress dry cleaned, and you spilt your goddamn coffee all over it! It wouldn't hurt if you were a tad less careless when it came to opening something I mean what gives you the right..." She pauses for a minute noticing the blank look on his face. He wasn't even acknowledging what she was saying - how rude could one man be? "ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?" Their encounter was brief as she knew she had to somehow find a new outfit for tonight and didn't have time to waste chatting to her annoying yet ruggedly handsome new neighbour. She opened the door to her apartment and raced straight upstairs to her closet. That dress was all she had bar her school attires and workout clothes, neither were entirely suitable for a date. As she stood there staring blankly at her wardrobe, she began to think about 305. Didn't actually catch his name but didn't suppose it was that important seeing as she was going to make sure to avoid him at all costs. She didn't need some attractive man coming into her life and causing havoc especially one that lived across the hallway from her, no matter how strong his arms looked, or that there was a glimpse of six pack showing through his shirt, or how he had just the right amount of facial her for it to feel soft against her skin. What are you doing, Smith? Why on earth was she fantasising about the jackass next door when she should be getting ready for her date. Eventually, Alice decided on a light brown knitted Ralph Lauren sweater and a pair of old blue jeans half covered by dark brown riding boots. With her outfit finally sorted and hair and makeup done she headed on her way to meet her blind date. Alice pulled up outside the restaurant, stepped out of her car and handed the keys to the valet. At first, she wasn't sure she was in the right place - this didn't seem like the sort of place you take someone on a blind date. The restaurant looked like a castle from the outside; grande and elegant like something you would see in those end scenes of romantic movies when the guy and girl end up together. Alice was hesitant to go in at first. She was rather underdressed for this place and if the guy taking her on this date was anywhere near as sophisticated as this restaurant, would he really be the guy for her? After a moments pause Alice decided to go in, she shouldn't judge the man before she even met him. The inside was just as elegant as the exterior of the building. There was a grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling which was exquisitely painted with what seemed like a part of the bible. As she walked further into the building she noticed a group of well-dressed men hovering by two large oak doors. One of them spotted her and rushed over to where she was standing. " Hello, there ma'am. Is there something I can help you with?" He must be a waiter, Alice thought as she looked him up and down. He was wearing a generic black suit, with a white button-down shirt and skinny black tie. He looked rather young for a waiter, 'he couldn't have been older than 21' she thought, but maybe she was just over thinking it " Hey there. Yes, I have a date who told me to meet him here. His name is Edgar Evernever." She felt awkward telling this young boy she had a date here - the way he looked at her gave the idea he must have thought she was lost, which was the reason he came over to see if she needed any help. She could feel the embarrassment creeping up her face, and she began to run hot all of a sudden. " of course ma'am if you'd like to follow me this way - Mr Evernever is waiting at your table for you." The young boy escorted Alice over to where she presumed was her date was sat. He didn't look like what she had imagined, or from what Mary had described for that matter. He was in his late 40's that she could tell. He had salt and pepper hair which made him look even more handsome. He was wearing a navy three-piece suit with a white button-down shirt, sort of like the waiter's but this one seemed higher quality and a skinny grey tie to match his belt and brogue set. He was definitely handsome, there was no denying that, and with that thought, all of Alice's worries just melted away. " You must be Alice Smith" he queried as he rose from his chair to walk over to her, " even more beautiful in person just like I suspected, may I ?" He asked motioning towards her chair. Alice was a little shell-shocked so just nodded in reply to his wordless question. As he pulled out Alice's chair for her to sit, she realised she hadn't actually spoken yet, and if she didn't soon, it would get very awkward very quickly. " So Edgar? What made you choose a place like this? I mean it's just so extravagant for a blind date." He looked shocked as if she had just offended him by insulting him or something. " It's just - I mean. Shouldn't this be somewhere you take someone you're serious about and love not a random stranger you barely know? His expression softened slightly at her explanation. It took Edgar a minute to reply to Alice question. " Well I was working here, and I knew this place well and figured it's good to be in a place where one of us is comfortable so the date can run smoothly, but if you'd rather go somewhere else I'd happily oblige". Knowing that her date worked here made Alice feel a bit better about the location of the date, knowing it was out of convenience rather than him being a different social class from her. Just as Alice was about to tell Edgar that she was fine staying here one of the waitresses shuffled over to Edgar in an anxious manner. " . Mr Lodge is here for the meeting at 8pm. Should I tell him you're busy?" The poor girl was almost shaking with worry waiting for Edgar to reply. " that meeting was scheduled for tomorrow why is he here. I'm sorry Alice I quickly have to deal with this, I promise I'll be right back,l. The struggle of owning a company, right?" he laughed as he walked towards a rather large staircase. HE OWNED THE BUSINESS. This is not what Alice imagined from this blind date, and why did he even agree to go out with a high school teacher anyway? She definitely wasn't his type of person, and nor was he hers. She tried to think of exit strategies that wouldn't hurt the man she was about to leave high and dry, but nothing seemed fitting, that was until a bottle of champagne arrived at the table. Well, what're two ruined outfits in one day she thought as she carelessly dropped her glass in her lap, with an overdramatic reaction which called over many employees. "Ma'am, are you okay do you need some napkins or anything?" One asked frantically as if he were the one who poured the drink over her. "No I'll be fine but can you please inform Edgar that I went home to change and I'm sorry for leaving our date" The waiter nodded as Alice picked up her stuff and left the restaurant. It took Alice over an hour to get back to her apartment from her date, the whole time her thoughts switching between the two men she had met today and how they really didn't help restore her faith in the male species at all. As she sat down on the couch with a bottle of red wine and a rather large tub of vanilla ice cream ready to watch the newest episode of criminal minds, her mind strayed to thoughts of her new neighbour, and how she could approach him with her dress so he could take it to the dry cleaners. She could always go over to his now and just hand him the dress ( She wished she could be cheeky and give him her jumper from her date too) and tell him to go get it done tomorrow because she was a very busy woman who was in need of her most formal dress, she'd be hard and firm, just like she imagined his arms wrapped around her waists picking her up and shoving her against the wall with a heated passion in his eyes saying he wanted her, as he moved in for a lustful ki... What the hell was she doing?! She should not be thinking of him in that way, not now, not ever! Yes he was a handsome man, but she knew he would cause trouble for her and as a rule to herself, she agreed never to date anyone she met in the apartment complex. She tried to focus her attention back onto the thrilling crime drama and off of the frustration that was now brewing inside of her. The first day back at school had been a tough one for Alice what with being grilled by Mary about her blind date, and the meeting of all her new pupils. She was just glad she wasn't introduced to the new teacher she was meant to be tutoring yet. She was definitely not in the mood for seeing anyone else today. As the final bell called, Alice made her way across the car park heading towards her car, digging in her handbag to find her keys. THUD. A car just reversed straight into her without looking. Well, she wasn't looking either but still, they should have been less careless. Alice stormed up to the driver to give whoever it was a piece of her mind. As she walked around the side of the car her stomach sank. It was him, the man who spilt coffee over her at her work, the same day she was told they were getting a new teacher she just prayed with all of her heart that he wasn't her new buddy. " YOU AGAIN..."