Serendipity: (n) the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
Chris
Sometimes, I feel like something is missing from within me- like a gaping whole deep inside of me is begging for something. It doesn't always manifest itself in my everyday life, but it does, it nags at me like an infected wound. Every now and then, I can easily identify it, but other days I have no idea where this depression is coming from. But I know what it wants. Whatever you may call it, it needs someone for me to care about.
The September leaves started to turn vibrant shades of orange and red. I admired the colours as I carried the first box out to the moving van. Boxes upon boxes created a winding maze throughout my otherwise naked flat. I quickly checked all the boxes for the umpteenth time just to make sure all my possessions are in their designated place. Eventually, distant cousin that lives in the city and I managed to move everything in just an hour and a half.
As soon as we had any downtime whatsoever, he started to ask all the questions I get at Christmas and literally any other interaction I have with my distant family. What am I doing with my life? What am I doing with my degree? Do I have a girlfriend yet? Why not? A pretty girl should've snatched me up by now, right ("time is running out, ya know?")? Oh yeah, what about that weird thing I do on the internet? How's that going? When am I going to get a real job?
Before nearly ending it all, I told my cousin I could handle the rest of it by myself. As soon as I shut the door behind him, the unopened boxes quickly became overwhelming and I invited an old friend over.
Just as I was about the start the exploration of these boxes all over again, three sharp knocks broke the silence between us. We were both trapped by boxes, so I simply shouted for the person to come in. However, upon hearing a second set of knocks, I made my way through the obstacles of boxes and opened the door.
An unfamiliar girl stood in the doorway. Her straight café noire hair cascaded down her back in a curtain. Her war café au lait skin complemented her mocha eyes. Dark circles sat underneath her eyes with a deep scar just above them. Little freckles dabbled the bridge of her nose. She stopped fiddling with the gold nose ring and put her hand at her side as she leaned against the doorframe. Time felt like it stopped for my split second but maybe I just got up too fast.
"Hey there, bud," she said, her lips curling into a smile as she tugged on the hem of her shirt. She sounded American or maybe Canadian. "I'm Alex. I live right across the hall. I lost my keys and my phone died. Would it be too much of a bother to ask if I could use your phone to call the landlord?"
"Sure," I said after I shook myself out of my daze. "I'm Chris, by the way. Sorry about the mess, I'm still moving in." I led her to the kitchen and started searching for my phone among the clutter. "Oh, Dan, this is Alex. Alex, this is Dan." I gestured at them while I said their names. She muttered a hi while looking down at the ground and continuing to play with the hem of her skirt. I found my phone and handed it to her. She walked off into the other room to make her call.
"He said it should be about ten minutes," she said. Definitely Canadian. No way she says "about" like that because of anywhere else.
As she handed me back my phone, she offered us some of her cookies from her backpack. Dan and I both tried to humbly accept but our eagerness showed through. I haven't eaten all day, alright?
After that, we didn't talk much. She mostly sat on the floor since there weren't any chairs yet while she ate her cookies and stared at a wall. She offered to help me unpack, but her offer felt like an empty gesture, so I declined. We initiated some small talk, such as university, but it ended as quickly as it started. However, she did offer to let me use her internet until I could get mine installed and that felt genuine.
After Alex left, Dan helped me finish the kitchen, which is almost half of the boxes, thankfully. I put away from essential items before we decided it was time to finish.
As we played video games, my mind kept wandering to the mystery girl across the hall. Maybe it's the extra endorphins from the overabundance of exercise, but I think the black hole of depression found what it wants. She barely spoke the entire time she sat on my kitchen floor and half the time it didn't look like there was any life behind her eyes until she was spoken to and maybe it's the idea of her I've created within my mind but something from deep inside my gut tells me she's something I need in my life.
Alex
It's three in the morning. I'm lying on the cold, hard bathroom floor. There's nothing left in my stomach, so I lay there, retching on the floor alone. There's a crowd of other people just like me on the other side of the door but I am completely alone in the bathroom. The floor is cold. It sends shivers down my spine. Eventually, I get the will to stand up and leave. I push past the people asking why I'm leaving so early and walk out the door without another word.
It's now half past eleven in the morning. I wake up in the clothes I had worn the night before. There's barely any recollection of my walk home but I suppose I made it home alive. When I looked at myself in the mirror, all that was left is the remnants of last night's makeup stains and slight afterglow of last night's high. After fixing my hair and face, I changed into a clean shirt and a pair of jeans I had worn a few days ago but smelled fine. There wasn't much time to mourn whatever I lost last night as work started soon.
I'm a waitress/cashier at a small authentic Greek restaurant/shop. Half of the main building is a restaurant and the other half is a mini grocery store full of Greek goods. Since classes started back up and they think I'm still attending, I've been scheduled for fewer hours. The owner, Dimitra treats me like her daughter here and I couldn't stomach looking her in the face and telling her I dropped out.
"Good afternoon, Alex,' Dimitra said as I tied my apron around my waist. She asked me how my night was. I told her it was quiet.
Wednesday nights are slow so Dimitra let me go early. Before I left, I snagged a package of cookies and made my way back home. Upon leaving, I realized I didn't have my bus money after buying the cookies so I walked home. As I approached my building, two unfamiliar men were unloading a car full of boxes. The only vacant apartment in my building is the one directly across from me.
Oh great, I thought as I listened to the leaves crunching beneath my feet. They better be nice.
After walking into the building and taking the stairs to my floor (and passing the new boys on my way up), I picked up my mail from the front desk just to flip through some bills, another letter from my ex, and some spam credit card offers. I searched my bag for my keys only to find they weren't there. Naturally, I started digging around for my phone but it died since I play games on the slow nights and listened to music on my long walk home. I mentally kicked myself for being so stupid and then brainstormed what I should do next.
Maybe the new neighbors will let me use their phone. Obviously, the front desk lady will let me call the landlord but I need some new friends who aren't human garbage. Next thing I know, I'm knocking at these strangers' door. At least I have my black belt in jiu-jitsu if they're creepy. A few moments later, one of the boys swung the door open. What I hadn't expected, however, was to be greeted by a little cutie patootie with disheveled brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes.
"Hey there, bud. I'm Alex. I live right across the hall," I said as I put on my best smile. I did my best to look totally not hungover. I explained my situation and he let me in like an old friend. He told me his name is Chris and he just moved in.
He led me into his kitchen where sat another tall boy with brown hair, who I was introduced to as Dan. Chris dug around the mess for his phone. Once he found it, I excused myself into the other room so I wouldn't bother them.
I quickly called the landlord, who told me he'd be over in ten minutes. I know he's grossly underestimating, though. Last time I locked myself out, I waited nearly forty-five minutes in the freezing rain before he came to my rescue.
"So, do you need any help finishing up?" I asked, hoping he'd decline the offer.
"Nah, I think I got it," he replied, giving me a coy smile. I told him to let me know if need anything, even if it's just to use my internet until his is hooked up. "But thanks for the offer. Bye, Alex."
After Mr. Cardelli unlocked my door, my two cats, Gabe and Charlie, greeted me at the door as they usually do. Even in the darkness of my apartment, their four little eyes glowed in the dark.
Gabe was a rescue. I found him wandering all around by himself when I was a teenager and decided to take him in. Charlie was adopted from a shelter. She's old and missing an eye. The people at the shelter said she had been there for years but people would overlook her, despite how cute she is, because people don't want an old cat with a disability. She's adorable as hell so I couldn't leave without her.
Shortly after coming home, I fell asleep. It had been a long day, despite not doing much at all. I woke the next morning, only to do it all over again.