I've managed to run a few blocks before I have to stop, I lean against a wall and brace my hands on my knees. My lungs are burning and I can see spots swimming before my eyes. The cool evening air is causing my throat to burn every time I try to breathe in. Thanks to my adrenaline I've managed to run a lot further than I would have under any other circumstance, I'm certainly paying for it now. My breathing starts to calm down and I can no longer hear my pulse pounding in my ears, so I set off walking in the direction of home, I'd rather not be out on the streets when it gets dark.
Climbing the steps to my apartment building it suddenly hits me, I have no money and no job. I also still owe 2 weeks rent from last month and and this months is almost due and I'm almost sure I won't be seeing my wage from the sleaze ball coffee shop owner. I let myself into my apartment, closing the door behind me I double check all four locks, there's a reason I could afford to move into this apartment no questions asked. I make my way over to the kitchen area and click the kettle on, I don't bother to look in the cupboards as I know I won't find any food in them and the fridge hasn't work since I moved in, so I settle on just having a strong cup of tea instead. I walk into the bedroom and place my tea on the bedside table before sinking down to sit on the floor beside the bed. Before I can stop them the tears are running down my face and I become a complete sobbing mess, I'm not even sure why I'm crying, I've been in much worse situations than this. I think it's because things were finally starting to look up for me, I was finally back on my own two feet with an apartment and a job and now it's all gone. I'll have to tell the landlord tomorrow that I'm out of a job and have no money for the rent arrears, I'll probably end up getting evicted and I really don't want to spend another night on the streets. I decide not worry about it for tonight, no ones kicking me out tonight so I might as well indulge in a long hot shower and an early night.
After a peaceful nights sleep I woke up early again this morning, later than yesterday's early start but still early for someone unemployed. I'm in the middle of rinsing my cup from my morning tea when there's a knock at the door. It's not quite the pounding I expected from some one who wants to demand rent from someone but rather a polite knock. I walk over to door and try to listen for a clue as to who's out there. I almost leap out of my skin when they knock again.
"Who is it?" I ask.
"I have a delivery for a Miss Anastasia Steele." comes a voice from the other side of the door. I know it's not my landlord because I gave a fake name when I signed the lease, no one else knows I'm here and there's no way Marty could have followed me home after I'd maimed him.
"I'm sorry I think you have the wrong apartment, there's no one by that name here."
"I'm afraid I have strict instructions to deliver the package to this address Ma'am." Ma'am? I haven't been called that in a long time
"Well I'm not opening the door and if you leave anything of any value in these hallways it won't last two seconds." I listen against the door and breathe a sigh of relief when I hear retreating footsteps. I return to the kitchen area and place my cup on the draining board. As I make may way to the living area I notice a large white envelope has been shoved under my door, there's no name, just my address on it and I wonder why it wasn't just placed in my mailbox near the main door. Curiosity gets the better of me and I rip open the envelope, inside I find a large wad of cash and a hand written note. I have to read the note twice to really believe what I'm seeing. The note is from my boss, it's an apology for the way he behaved yesterday and to show how sincere he is he's included the wage he owes me plus a extra months pay. I'm shocked, the last thing I ever expected to get from him was an apology let alone any money that was owed to me. He must think Im going to report him for what happened, he is trying to buy my silence. I make my way over to the kitchen and set the envelope on the table. I read through the note from Marty again, it's definitely his sloppy hand writing but I never gave him my address or even told him what area I live in. The only thing he knows about me is my name and that doesn't even match the name I use for the apartment. I've tried using a false name in employment before but I always forgot to answer to my new name. I'm not to sure what to do about the money, I'd rather not go back and confront Marty about it but this is not something he would do. He only ever thought about himself. After much deliberation I decide to keep the money, it did have my name on the envelope.
It's just gone one in the afternoon when I leave the apartment to go food shopping, I decide to stop by the landlord and settle up my rent arrears before I shop, I'd rather not leave it too late and face eviction. The landlords apartment is located on the ground floor near the mail boxes. I knock loudly on the door with my hand, I hear some slight banging followed by the sound of footsteps, the door is thrown open and the doorway is blocked by a very large male, he's covered in tattoos with sleeves down both arms and a tear drop tattoo under his eye, I know from somewhere that this means he's done time in a prison, this thought makes me uncomfortable. I swallow hard before speaking.
" I'm hear to pay some rent." I say and he steps aside so I can enter the apartment. I remember the first time I came to pay my rent, I almost passed out when this big guy answered the door, I was tempted to throw the money at him and run before he was pushed aside and told to stop being rude, you see the building actually belongs to his mother, Muscles is just a front to scare people to pay their rent on time. Pamela is a woman well in her 70s but she is a fierce little old lady, I find her sat in her kitchen smoking a cigarette, she signals with her head for me to have a seat. Muscles goes to sit in the living room but from the way his body is angled towards the kitchen I can tell he's still listening to what's happening.
"What can I do for you today dearie?" She asks while stubbing her cigarette out in the overflowing ashtray.
"Well I'm here to pay some rent, I think I owe two weeks from last month and I'd like to pay for the rest of…" I slowly trail of as I catch her shaking her head.
"You don't owe two weeks." She says still shaking her head, she looks slightly puzzled.
"Oh, sorry, is it more than two I thought."
" Apartment 4b aren't you?" she interrupts me. I nod my head. "You don't owe any rent, in fact you're all set for the next three months." This throws me a bit and I'm momentarily stunned, surly she has made some mistake, I haven't paid any rent for nearly five weeks and I certainly don't have enough cash to pay for three months rent in advance.
"I think there's been some mistake, I haven't …"
"Nope no mistake" she interrupts me yet again with a clipped tone " I don't make mistakes. A young gentleman called round earlier this morning, asked if there was any money owed on your apartment, settled up and then offered to pay for the next three months." My mouth falls open, someone has paid my rent, why? And more importantly who? My thoughts drift back to the envelope from my boss and I wonder if he could have paid it for me, though that seems highly unlikely, Marty has to be the tightest man I've ever met.
"Do you know the name of the gentleman that paid this morning please, I'd like to be able to thank them." She shakes her head in answer.
"Sorry he didn't give a name, however he did pay by cheque and I haven't been to the bank yet. His name will be on there." She stands up and makes her way over to a kitchen drawer. "Now I don't normally accept cheques, not very reliable you see, they tend to bounce." She explains as she she pulls a few pieces of paper from the drawer. "But he looked more than good for it. Ah here it is, a Mr Christian Grey, that name mean anything to you?"