3
We follow Luna through the entrance and into the apartment, each lugging a box, suitcase, or bag full of my belongings.
“I can see why you girls picked this place. You’re right, Luna, it is beautiful,” Dad says, beaming.
Unlike the courtyard, the apartment is just as small as the photos led me to believe.
The open plan living space is shared with a small kitchen, which has an L-shaped bench that wraps around to the front door.
On the other side of the door is a window seat that overlooks the courtyard.
I imagine myself sitting there, curled up with a book, snuggled under a fluffy blanket with Luna dancing around the room, the way only Luna can.
Luna is eagerly showing my parents the kitchen space, using words like “quaint.” The two bedrooms are at the far end of the apartment, with a narrow bathroom sandwiched in between them.
Peering inside the larger of the two bedrooms, I notice that Luna has made herself at home in that room.
I move into the smaller bedroom. It’s half the size of Luna’s, with a double bed, a side table and a small wardrobe filling the space.
The walls are a light shade of blue with patches of rough white plaster where previous tenants have attempted to cover up the damage they’ve caused.
“Where did this furniture come from?” I call out to Luna.
“We had it lying around in the guest house. Dad had it sent over. Do you like it?” Luna asks, popping up beside me with a hopeful smile.
“Of course, she likes it!” Mum says with a pointed glance at me.
“That’s so generous of your father, Luna.
You must thank him for us. I’ll write him a thank-you card.
” I can’t help but shake my head. Ever since I can remember, Mum has said that rudeness is the worst character flaw one can have, and if I want to be liked, I need to learn to be a nice girl.
Of course, she has always said yes when someone asked her to do them a favour, even if it inconvenienced her.
She often gave up something she wanted to do, so she could be helpful to others, and every birthday, she forced me to write thank-you cards.
“Don’t worry, Rita. I have already thanked him for everyone.” Luna gives me a wink behind Mum’s back before going back into the living room.
“Of course, you have,” Mum gushes.
While they’re busy talking about the laundry that’s located somewhere in the building, I sneak out to the car for a moment alone and to get more of my things.
I stop on the path through the garden and release a heavy sigh.
It’s hard not to disappear into the background when Luna’s around.
I’ve always felt small in her presence, and not just because she towers over me.
She lights up the room without even trying, while I hover in her shadow, almost transparent.
Everyone has always preferred Luna, especially my parents, and I always felt like I was just there by default.
All through school, she had people scrambling to be her friend, and when we got old enough, all the boys noticed her–never me.
I was invisible to everyone… except Mark.
It wasn’t Luna’s fault though, and most of the time I felt lucky to be in her orbit.
At the far end of the parking lot, I spot a group of people gathered around a gorgeous old car with a royal blue body and a white roof. I know nothing about cars, but I can tell this one is vintage.
With my eyes on the car, I don’t notice the raised lip of concrete before it’s too late.
I trip and stumble forward, but thankfully, I don’t go down.
I feel my face growing a deep shade of red as everyone from the group turns to watch the uncoordinated new girl trip over her own feet.
Looking down to avoid their stares, I continue to walk towards my parents’ car.
I stand frozen by the open trunk, trying to look like I’m assessing its contents, but really, I’m worried I might burst into flames from embarrassment if my eyes catch theirs. So much for my fresh start.
As I lean forward and wrap my hands around a laundry basket full of miscellaneous last-minute items, I hear footsteps behind me.
“Hey, do you need help with anything?”
I turn to see someone from the group approaching.
He has dark brown hair that almost looks black, crystal blue eyes and a playful smile.
I can’t help but smile back as I try to work up the nerve to say something.
Now that he’s standing right in front of me, I realise just how tall and handsome he is, and my cheeks start to burn again.
“Moving in?” He prompts when I can’t manage to say anything.
I nod. “Yes, I’m just not sure if all of my things will fit into that shoebox of an apartment. My friend arrived before me and took the big room.” I force a laugh, attempting to sound casual.
“The lack of space does take a little getting used to.” He rakes one hand through his hair, and it flops back down onto his face.
“I’m Abi.” I lift my hand, twiddling my fingers at him, until it occurs to me that I must look like a child trying to get the attention of the popular kid in school. I swiftly bring my hand to my hair, pretending that I was going to tuck it behind my ear all along.
“I’m Sam. I live on the top floor.” He points up at the apartments above us before offering me his hand to shake.
My heart is pounding as I place my hand in his.
His muscles flex beneath his flawless skin as he shakes my hand.
Tattoos peek out from the bottom of his t-shirt on his right arm.
He smiles warmly, and I realise we’re still holding hands.
I pull away and turn towards the car to look at the boxes again.
“Here, let me give you a hand,” Sam offers, grabbing one.
The weight catches him off guard, and he stumbles back, laughing at himself before nodding towards the gate, telling me to lead the way.
I grab another box and walk past him into the entrance.
As I debate with myself whether or not I should attempt to fill the silence, Luna bursts out of the apartment with a startling sound from the door. She was right. That creak is loud.
“There you are. I was literally on my way to grab more of your stuff,” Luna says with a smile, looking past me to Sam. “Well, well. Who have we talked into doing manual labour? You must be strong to be brave enough to grab the box labelled books.”
“This is Sam, he lives upstairs,” I blurt out as Sam peers around the box to read the label. He seems to have a moment of clarity, realising that he’s selected the heaviest one.
“Let me show you where you can put that.” Luna winks at me. Coming closer, she whispers. “I’ll show him where to put it, alright.”
I shush her, hoping that Sam didn’t hear her vulgar innuendo. Luna can be forward. That’s her style. She says whatever is on her mind, and when she does it, it’s endearing. When I do it, it’s bad manners.
We enter the apartment, and Dad instinctively looks up.
When he sees Sam, his eyebrows raise with curiosity.
Mum remains across the room, eyeing Sam up and down with narrowed eyes.
I fight down a groan. She loves Mark and will remain loyal to him until the day she dies.
I give her one week before she invites him over for dinner to fill him in on everything she saw here today.
“Only a couple of bags to go,” I say to them loudly, hoping that my statement will prompt them to leave us and make the last trip.
“We’re on it, sweetie.” Dad jumps into action, pulling Mum out with him. I lead Sam into my room and point to the only vacant space left on the floor.
“You can put it over there.”
He bends his knees, dropping the box carefully. “That’s a lot of books. Do you like to read?”
“I…” I bite the inside of my cheek, taking a moment to think of my answer.
I’m here to reinvent myself. I will no longer be the nerd I was in high school, who used to sit on the same picnic bench every day at lunch reading, while Luna was entertaining the soccer team.
In the moment I take to rethink my answer, I realise I’ve missed my opportunity to speak.
“Well, I’d better get back to my friends,” he says, heading for the front door. “We’re setting up for the party.”
“Party?” Luna calls out, like a moth to a flame. My cheeks flush at her eagerness to butt in.
“Everyone’s back from summer break now, and a few new tenants moved in over the last few days.
My roommate and I have been here for a couple of years, so we thought we’d throw a welcome to the building party to meet the new neighbours.
” Sam pauses with his hand on the door handle and smiles, looking directly at me. “It’s out in the courtyard at eight.”
I can feel myself beginning to blush again and force myself to tear my eyes away from him.
“We’ll see you at eight,” Luna says, breaking the spell. Sam heads out, and Luna closes the door behind him. She turns to me with a mischievous grin. “Look at you getting all flirty. Mark who? Am I right?”
A pang of guilt stabs into my chest. Mark and I agreed to keep in touch and see if long distance might be a possibility, and now look at me. I’m already getting distracted by someone else, and I’ve only been here for an hour.
“It’s not a bad thing, Abs. I’m not trying to give you shit.
I was going for the opposite. You and Mark weren’t a good fit.
” Luna slings her arm around my shoulders.
“I’m trying to get you to lighten up and realise there are tons of hotties out there.
” She flicks her eyes towards the window.
“And by out there, I mean literally outside your window.” She unwraps her arm from my shoulders and rushes over to the window to get a closer look.
“Looks like Hot Sam has some hot friends.”
I continue unpacking, feigning disinterest, but within seconds, I turn to look out the window, unable to fight my curiosity.
“Knock, knock,” Dad calls out loudly from the other side of the closed front door. It must have locked when Luna closed it behind Sam. I run over to the door to let them in.
“A couple of bags? Really, Abigail?” Mum walks in, out of breath. They are each wheeling a large suitcase, and Dad also juggles a box while Mum is holding the laundry basket.
“Sorry, I guess I didn’t see everything.”
“Her eyes were busy ogling something else,” Luna chirps teasingly from her bedroom. Dad shoots me a puzzled look.
“Nothing, she’s joking,” I answer his non-question before he finds the words to ask it.