Chapter 1 – Heartbreak Girl

Kate came to a halt in front of her building and tilted her face toward the it was only mid-March the early spring sun was surprisingly the heat, she admitted to herself that her appreciation could simply be the sheer enjoyment of fresh air and light at the end of her four day work week. Coming off a sixteen hour shift, she was looking forward to sleep and dinner, though not necessarily in that order. Twice over the last 16 hours she'd gotten herself something to eat only to be interrupted by an emergency at Mt. Sinai Hospital where she worked.

A growl from her stomach got her moving only hoped she had something that could pass for food in her work and school she had barely enough time for basic hygiene let alone domestic chores like food resigned to the PB and J sandwich that was probably going to be her dinner, Kate reached for the handle of her apartment building's front door.

With a squeak, she jumped back as the door handle was suddenly thrust toward stumbled back a couple more steps as a tall guy in a dark green hoodie barreled out of the door, followed by 3 other men. Kate had a quick impression of height and youth as the group jostled past her laughing and joking.

Kate smiled as the rowdy group gave each of them a quick once over and realized they must be new to the knew the apartment next to hers was vacant and had been for she was glad the apartment had been rented, she missed the last tenant terribly.

Mrs. Nooman, her last neighbor, had been quiet as a mouse, but the elderly lady always had a kind word and a plate of cookies for Kate when she would stop in to check up on she watched the four men make their way down the sidewalk, she acknowledged that there was little chance she was going to get an offer of fresh baked cookies and an episode of Jeopardy from the new tenants; still it was nice to know that there would be someone nearby.

Half expecting someone to open the door on her again, Kate reached for the door handle of the apartment time a long arm streaked past her and gripped the handle.

"Here let me," said a deep voice from just behind her.

Startled by the presence behind her Kate spun and found herself eye level with a familiar looking dark green hoodie; the same hoodie she'd seen headed up the street only moments her head back, and back, and back, Kate found herself reflected in a pair of mirrored sunglasses. "Oh, thanks," she said quickly tilting her head slightly down and to the right.

A blindingly white smile flashed across the tall man's face as he nodded "Of course." Pulling the door open he made a sweeping gesture, "After you."

Careful to keep her chin tucked in just a slipped past the stranger and headed toward the wall of mailboxes that lined the left side of the she'd located her mailbox, she quickly pulled her backpack off her shoulder and began rooting around in the side pocket for her mail her hand in her bag, and her focus seemingly on finding her key, she allowed herself a moment to track the stranger's she sensed nothing sinister about the guy, it was New York and she'd seen firsthand just how much damage a human body could sustain when someone was caught unaware.

The stranger didn't approach her however; instead he walked straight back toward the elevator and pushed the up with the slight slouch he'd adopted while he waited for the doors to open Kate couldn't get over just how tall he from her five foot nothing viewpoint everyone seemed huge, still he had to be more than a foot taller than she was.

Hand finally finding the key, Kate quickly got her mailbox open and grabbed her the hinged door and removing her key, she shoved the handful of junk mail she'd acquired into her a quick glance to make sure her new neighbor was still waiting on the elevator, Kate made her way toward the heavy steel door with the stairs sign on it.

"No elevator?" Hoodie asked with small self-depreciating smile."I'm not a serial killer…I promise."

Kate couldn't help but grin as she glanced toward him."I'm not a serial killer…isn't that exactly what a serial killer would say?"

Again, that blindingly perfect smile flashed across the stranger's face as he shrugged."You got me in my defense what can you say to a strange girl in New York City to make them trust you?"

"I don't bite?" Kate offered.

"You're perfectly safe with me?" Hoodie joked.

Kate laughed outright and shook her head."Thanks, but no thanks.I always take the stairs; I gotta get my steps in."

Hoodie pouted a bit and stepped into the elevator."I'm gonna pretend that's true, and not one of those things girls say just to get rid of a guy."

With one last appreciative glance toward her new neighbor, Kate stepped into the if anyone had ever tried to get rid of him, she thought to herself as she began the climb up to her fifth floor , it wouldn't matter who was in the elevator; she wouldn't ride in one if her life depended on had a terrible case of claustrophobia and just the idea of riding in the cramped confines of her centuries old apartment building's elevator was enough to send chills down her was certain that actually riding in the tiny box would stop her heart outright.

Taking the stairs at a run, Kate enjoyed the feel of she was beyond exhausted, it still felt good to stretch and move after being on her feet for the last 16 hours.

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Luke watched the petite brunette duck into the stairwell as the doors to the elevator swept really did hope that the she hadn't been avoiding the elevator because of she'd joked with him, he hadn't failed to notice that she was keeping tabs on him as he moved through the lobby of the the elevator climbed, Luke tamped down the thought that she might have recognized and the guys had purposely picked New York for its anonymity and sheer size.

It was easy to get lost in a city like New York; everyone was too busy with their own shit to worry about what their neighbors were the building they'd picked was in a quiet neighborhood, not your typical celebrity filled Manhattan apartment had all agreed that after putting out 3 albums in four years they were ready for some down they were working on the new album, they'd been taking their time. Resting up and generally trying to live like normal people for a bit.

He and his band mates had moved into the building only a couple of days ago, but the place already felt like they were all sharing an apartment, they had plenty of space, and the endless excitement of the city kept them from going stir if they could just keep their location quiet for awhile, it would be perfect.

Again, Luke's mind drifted to his earlier encounter with the dark haired the warm day she'd been wearing a heavy winter coat and what looked like nurses couldn't help but wonder what floor she'd gotten off the fact that she had taken the stairs he guessed that she was on a lower level.

As the elevator came to a shuddering halt, Luke stepped out into the fifth floor hallway and headed toward his into his jeans for his keys, he pushed his sunglasses up and over his forehead using them to hold back his dirty blond in hand he unlocked the door and was about to step inside when the sound of a door slamming shut made him look over his shoulder toward the door marked stairs.

To his surprise his new neighbor was walking toward him, with a slight that she didn't seem at all short of breath, Luke took a minute to study her in didn't even begin to describe she was an inch over five feet he'd eat his own size 13 dark hair was cut in a brutally short pixie cut that served to make her large green cat's eyes and high cheek bones stand out even was only as she drew closer and grinned that he noticed the endearingly crooked tilt to her smile.

"Hey there neighbor," she called out as she walked past him and continued down to the last door on his side of the hallway.

Feeling as if his luck was about to change, Luke grinned and said, "Five flights and you're still breathing, I'm impressed."

"I told you, I'm used to it," the brunette called her door, she called out, "Welcome to the neighborhood," and disappeared inside.

Luke stared hard at the closed door for a moment before continuing into his own place. Still thinking about his pretty new neighbor, he glanced blindly around for a moment suddenly unsure of just why he'd come back to his place.

"Luke!" he heard Calum call out in exasperation as his roommate came in the front door."What's taking you so long?I thought you were just grabbing your wallet."

His thoughts still centered on the girl next door, he was thankful for Calum's reminder."Give me a minute," he called out as he crossed the living room and headed into his room.

As he stepped out of his room, wallet now safely stored in his front pocket, he had a sudden to figure out how to accomplish his goal without raising suspicions, Luke nudged Calum as he walked by."Let's go"

"Waiting on you, dude," Cal called out.

As they left the apartment, Luke glanced toward the door where he'd seen the pretty brunette knew he didn't have to worry about Michael or Ashton; they were both in serious on the other hand was a real , deciding that it was better not to beat around the bush, he elbowed Cal in the side and said, "Dibs"

Calum glanced at him, his eyebrow quirking up into a question, "Dibs on what?"

Luke gestured toward the hallway behind him, "The girl in the apartment next to ours.I call dibs."

"You can't call dibs on a person," Calum argued, glancing back toward the apartment in question.

"I can and I am."

Calum snorted and glanced again from the apartment door to Luke."You're so fucking weird."

"Listen; call me weird all you want. But just know that I called dibs," Luke insisted.

Despite Calum's name calling, Luke knew that he had his friend's Luke's last nightmare of a relationship, he knew he was giving away his hand by admitting that he was interested in someone. Still, given his immediate reaction to the lady in question he just wasn't ready to lose her to Calum.

With a shrug, Cal said, "fine, you've got gonna tell me what's so special about the lady in question?"

Luke shook his head and hit the down button for the elevator; stepping through the open doors he slipped his sunglasses back on and said, "Just a hunch."

"Well okay then," Calum said with a grin as the doors slid closed.

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