One Thing.

”You’ll love it, I promise.”

I let out a soft groan as I looked up at my new apartment building. For once, I didn’t believe his words. I was in a completely different country, I was miles away from the few people I actually knew here and lastly I had a trunk full of suitcases that needed to be brought up several floors.

I glanced up at the cab driver who was watching me through the rear view mirror. “Can you help me with my bags?” I asked softly, “There’s a ton and I won’t be able to get everything up there.”

The cab driver simply rolled his eyes and hit the button on his car door, opening the trunk. “I’m a driver, not a fuckin’ luggage service.”

Thrown off by his bluntness, I quickly handed him the money I had converted to British Pounds only this morning before my flight and hurriedly got out of the car.

He shot out a few strings of curse words and I ripped my bags out of the trunk, in a rush to get away from the rude cab driver. Once I had finally gotten my last bag out of the trunk, he barely had given me time to shut the trunk before he sped off, leaving me alone in the parking lot.

“Welcome to London,” I muttered, looking down at my bags.

I reached down and tried to pick up as many bags as I possibly could for my first trip upstairs. I didn’t really want to leave any bags behind, if the people in London were anything like the cab driver, my bags would be gone by the time I returned downstairs.

I let out a deep sigh when I realized I could only pick up three bags, and barely at that. The third bag was sliding quickly down my shoulder, making me drop the other bag from my left hand. “Damn it,” I mumbled.

“Need help?” a voice called out to me, and I shot my head up, noticing a boy leaning against the building of the apartments, smoking a cigarette. He started walking towards me and threw his cigarette down, stepping down on it harshly with his tattered Vans and continuing towards me. I was sure he wasn’t there a minute ago.

I stood in place, my lips slightly parted as I stared at this mystery man. I couldn’t figure out if he was actually a helpful guy or he was just going to pretend to help, then grab my bag and make a dash for it. I help my place.

“You do speak English, don’t you?” he asked, and stopped just a few feet away from me. He was watching me with careful eyes, and I took notice of the tattoos filling his arms.

“Yes I speak English!” I spot back, and I was a bit thrown off my own voice. I hadn’t meant to come off so rude, but it’d been a long flight and I was absolutely exhausted.

“Okay,” he nodded slowly and continued on towards me, stopping right in front of my bags. He leaned down, his hands inches from the bags. “So, you need help, yeah?”

I gave him one last look over. He had a baby like face, and it contrasted with the tattoos scattered across his arms. A small smile tugged on his lips as he watched me, and I decided that if he was going to steal my bags, at this point, I just couldn’t give less of a fuck. I just wanted to sleep.

“Yeah,” I responded softly, “I need help.”

He effortlessly picked up four bags, tossing two over each shoulder and grabbing the other two in each hand. “Which floor then?”

I watched him in shock. He wasn’t exactly a stick, but he wasn’t too built. How was he possibly holding all that weight? I realized I was staring and quickly reached down, grabbing the two bags he had left for me. “Um, the eighth floor.” I responded.

He gave me a brief smile, and turned, leading the way. I quickly followed behind, the two measly bags seeming to weigh down on my small 5’2 frame. And that was on a good day.

He held the door to the apartment building open, and I thanked him, realizing he actually was quite helpful. I let out a sigh of relief when he brought us to an elevator. “What?” he chuckled, taking notice of my sigh, “You didn’t actually think we’d have to walk up eight flights of stairs, did you?”

I shook my head, stepping into the elevator, and dropping my bags down for the ride up. “With the day I’ve been having, it’d wouldn’t have been a surprise.”

The elevator dinged and once we stepped out, I took notice of how well kept the apartment complex was. It almost reminded me of a hotel, with the soft carpet lining the hallway and the beige colored doors.

He stopped in the middle of the hallway and I nearly bumped into him, not paying any attention to him, as my full focus was instead on the well-designed apartment complex. “Why’d you stop?” I asked, clearly confused.

He let out a chuckle and turned to face me, as if whatever he was going to say was so clearly obvious. “Well, you kind of have to tell me what your flat number is, I can’t just take a guess.” Oh.

I reached into my bag and retrieved the folded up piece of paper with a key sitting inside of the folds. I opened it up, the key falling into my palm and I glanced down at the scribble that on the paper. “814.”

He gave me another smile and nodded, this time, taking a right from the elevator and leading us down the hallway to a door with the correct number adorning the door. I pushed the key into the lock and turned to see the stranger just standing there patiently with a smile still present. “Well, thank you for the help. I appreciate it.” He simply nodded and held his place. “Um…I’ll see you around, I guess.” Once again, he merely nodded, making no effort to leave. I was growing more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

“Did you want some money or something for the help?” I mean, what else could be the reasoning behind standing there, gawking at me like a serial killer. He chuckled and I prayed to God my assumption was incorrect.

He held his hand out and smiled. “I’m Max.”

I placed my hand in his and he gripped it tightly, shaking it for a moment. “Emmy.”

“Nice to meet you, Emmy.” I couldn’t seem to understand why he was standing here. My face must’ve given off what I was feeling because he chuckled again, he seemed to do that a lot and gestured to the apartment door directly across from mine. “We’re neighbors.”

My lips separated and formed a small ‘o’ and I nodded, finally understanding. I turned the key in my door, opening the door and picking up my bags. “Well, Max, I guess I will see you around.”

After I pulled all my bags inside, he gave me one last smile before I closed the door behind myself. I let out a deep sigh, finally settled in my new apartment. Well, for the most part anyways. I pushed myself off the door and took a moment to finally take in the apartment.

It was perfectly decorated. I had every appliance needed in the kitchen, there was a leather couch, accompanied with a large flat screen television sitting in the middle. In the corner there was a basket holding numerous blankets, and I smiled, realizing he knew me better than I thought.

I walked into the small dining area of the apartment and found a well sized table with six tables surrounding the deep colored wood table. I let my feet guide me to the hallway holding the bedroom and the bathroom. I took notice of the guest room sitting beside the bathroom before I stepped into the bedroom.

There was two dressers, a desk, a beside table, a huge walk in closet, and there in the middle of the room was the one thing I’d been craving since the moment I got off the plane. I instantly fell into the bed and closed my eyes, content at the feel of the plush pillows and even softer comforter. I just seemed to melt into the bed.

I felt my phone vibrating and I dug into my pocket, pulling it out and I smiled once I saw the name and picture lighting up the screen. I hit the green accept button and brought it up to my ear. “Hey.”

“Are you there yet?” his voice hit my ears and I smiled even brighter. I could just picture him now, sitting sideways in an arm chair, his feet and head falling off the side.

“Mhmm, I just got here.” I snuggled into the sheets. “You went a bit overboard though, it’s too nice.” I complained softly into the phone and his laugh sent my heart into a frenzy.

“I knew you were going to say that,” his voice was teasing, “But I only want the best for my girl.” He told me and I felt my heart aching at the thought of us being apart for so long.

It was quiet for a few minutes between us and I wondered if he was sitting there, listening to my breathing like I had been doing with him, or if he was occupied with something else.

“I miss you,” I finally got out, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I know baby, I miss you too.” He sighed deeply, “So much.” I could feel the tears beginning to prickle in my eyes and the stinging in my nose.

“But don’t cry,” he said, knowing very well that I could never control my tears when we were apart. “I’ll be home soon, and we can spend all the time together you want,” he promised me. I stayed quiet. “Okay, baby?”

I nodded, but realized quickly that he couldn’t see me. “Okay,” I coughed out.

I heard him let out another sigh and I closed my eyes tightly, pulling the comforter out and snuggling myself in the confides of the bed. “Baby, please don’t cry.” I sniffled. “You know I hate being away from you, and hearing you cry tears me apart.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, not wanting to upset him. I hadn’t meant to do that, I just had been missing him for so long. It’d been almost two months and I was dying. And now, moving here where I knew absolutely no one, my loneliness was even worse.

“No, Emmy, don’t apologize to me,” I could picture him running a hand through his hair. “None of this is your fault.” I heard voices in the background. He shot out a muffled response to them and I assumed he pushed the phone back to his ear. “Listen, baby, I’ve got to go, but I’ll call you tonight, okay?”

“Okay,” I told him and wiped at my face. I felt the aftereffects of jetlag creeping up on me. I was so tired.

“I love you,” he told me softly and I felt my heart tug.

“I love you too.”

I couldn’t tell if moving here was going to help us or break us.