One Thing.

Waking up in a different bed was bad enough, waking up in a different bed in a different country was Hell. As comfortable and soft as the sheets were, I was on edge, tossing and turning the entire night.

I glanced to the clock beside me and saw that it was 7:15. After closing my eyes and turning in every position possible, I realized it was futile to even attempt falling asleep again. I sat up and ran a hand through my mess of hair, trying to straighten it out as best as possible and headed out for the kitchen, grabbing my phone on my way out.

I pulled open the pantry and peered inside, hoping to find something desirable for breakfast. He had stocked up the pantry with a few snacks and a handful of ingredients to cook a decent meal, but nothing seemed appealing.

I heard a growl come from my stomach and I looked down, sighing. “I need to go grocery shopping.” I muttered to myself.

After taking a quick shower and unpacking enough clothes to get a decent outfit, I walked out to the kitchen, grabbing the the paper on the fridge that listed the apartment address. It was time to explore and find a coffee shop, café bistro, something to fill my stomach.

Closing the front door beside myself, I turned and slid the key in the top slot to lock it. I heard the click and turned the key to pull it out. My brows furrowed when the key wouldn’t come out. I pulled a little harder on the key, but it wouldn’t seem to budge.

“What the fuck?” I muttered as I continued trying to pull the key free. I was really trying to like London, but it seemed like each and every single thing that happened was worse than the last. “How is it possible to get a key stuck in the lock?”

I was so seemingly focused on pulling free the key that I didn’t hear the door behind me open. It was only when a voice called out that I took notice to the fact that I was not alone.

“Need help?”

I tuned around at the sound of a voice calling out. The voice didn’t sound familiar, but when I turned around, I was met with the brown eyes of the guy who had helped me with my bags.

His ever present smile was sitting on his lips as he watched me struggle with the key. The fact that I was unable to pull out a key was absolutely embarrassing and I gave it a few more useless tries before I nodded my head.

He let out a chuckle and took the couple steps forward and took a hold on the key. “The trick with these locks is that you just have to wiggle the key,” without any effort, he wriggled the key and it instantly came out and he turned, handing it to me.

“Thanks,” I said quietly and took the key from him, sliding it into my jacket pocket.

“So,” Max spoke up, running a hand through his messy hair and he took his original position, standing in his doorway. “Where you off to?”

I was confused as to whether or not everyone in England was constantly this friendly and curious, but as that cab driver came into my mind, I decided it was just him. With his baby face and ever present smile, I came to the conclusion that he was completely harmless and had no intention of killing me. “I was going to go out and find a café or something to get breakfast and go grocery shopping after.”

“Want some company?” he asked enthusiastically and I was wondering how he had such energy at 7:45 in the morning. “I know a good place you can go to for breakfast.”

I was going to turn him down. I didn’t know him, and even though he was my neighbor and seemed to be completely harmless, all I could imagine would be the plenty of awkward silences that would come up, seeing as I wasn’t talkative in the first place, even less so with a stranger.

But this was a new town, I didn’t know the area at all, and it was almost certain that I would get lost within ten minutes of leaving the apartment complex. “Yeah,” I let out a small smile. “I’d like some company.”

“So you can smile,” he teased, and I found my smile getting just a bit bigger. “Mind giving me a second to get dressed?” I shook my head and he turned, holding open the door to his apartment wider. “Come on in, make yourself comfortable.”

As I took a seat on the black leather couch, I took notice to the similar set up of the apartment. The differences came in the fact that the television in my apartment was just a bit wider, but this one had about three different gaming systems set up. Instead of a table sitting six, his held four. He also had posters of bands and musicians scattered everywhere. I instantly liked the apartment more than my own. It was more my style. It was roomier.

“You ready to go?” I turned in time to see him sliding on a t shirt and I saw a few more tattoos along his back. I stood up, grabbing my bag and followed him out to the door.

“So,” he started again as we had reached the lobby and were now on our way to the parking garage, where I assumed he had his car parked. “Who else lives with you in your flat?”

“No one, it’s just me.” We walked out to the garage and his car was one of the few park in the garage. Apparently a gentleman, he walked around to my side and pulled open the door for me with a smile.

“You had quite a bit of movers coming in and out of your flat the week before you got here,” he turned the station onto a rock channel and lowered the volume. “I thought you had a whole family moving in there.”

I gave a brief smile and shrugged my shoulders. “What can I say? I’m needy.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket and once I pulled it out, a smile graced my lips at the contact name.

Have a good day, baby. X

I typed back a quick reply and when I lifted my head, I saw Max smiling on me. “I saw you smiling like that, you have a lucky bloke in your life?”

I felt my cheeks growing red as I nodded my head. “Uh, yeah.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, love.” He laughed softly and pulled the car into a small parking lot of a coffee shop. “S’nothing wrong with having a bloke to keep the loneliness away.”

We walked into the small coffee shop and he immediately smiled at the barista standing behind the counter. “I was wondering when you’d be coming in for your usual.” She turned to me, her bright smile and accent making the coffee shop even more likeable. “What about you, love? What’ll you have today?”

I glanced up at the menu, trying to think of something to choose from this foreign menu, but it wasn’t two minutes before Max’s voice cut in. “She’ll have the same, Gemma. Thanks,” he grinned.

After we waited a few minutes and we received our tea and bacon and egg sandwiches, he led us to a small round table. He instantly began digging in. “Your flat’s pretty expensive rent, what do you do if you don’t mind me asking.”

I hadn’t thought about getting a job since I’d arrived here. Granted, this was only my second day here, but I knew I would need to find a job soon to keep me occupied. Not having a car, or knowing anyone around me, besides Max, who I didn’t even know well, I was hardly going to stay sane cooped up in an apartment all day every day.

“I don’t have a job at the moment. I should probably start looking for one soon.” I took a bite out of the sandwich and was instantly in love. This was by far the most delicious breakfast food I’d ever tasted. I knew why Max was such a fan.

“Probably?” he grinned and took a sip from his coffee. “Hell yeah, if you want to be able to pay for your rent.”

I shook my head. “I don’t pay for rent, my boyfriend does.” I explained and he nodded, and without another word we continued eating.

After we finished eating and he drove me to the grocery store that wasn’t too far away from the apartment, I took note of where they were and I was thankful for running into Max. It’d only been two days, but he’d already helped so much.

I thanked him one last time, and turned the key, opening up my apartment door. I picked up the grocery bags and turned to walk into my house.

“Hey, Emmy?”

I turned around at his voice and he was picking up the rest of the bags and helping me bring them in. “You should come over later tonight. My mates are coming over and we’re watching the Avengers.”

I went to protest, seeing as I didnlt know his friends at all, and although today went by pretty smoothly, there was no way this wouldn’t go awkward. But before I could open my mouth, he continued.

“You don’t have to, but I figured you’d want to, seeing as you probably don’t know a lot of people around here.” He offered and I couldn’t help but smile, thankful of his consideration. It was true, I didn’t know anyone, and I hated to be alone, and it didn’t help that Max was giving me an encouraging smile.

“Well, I have been wanting to see that.” I gave a small smile and seemed excited by my answer.

“Great! Come over around nine then, yeah?”

Once I nodded, he gave a small wave before letting himself out of the apartment. My smile widened a bit. Maybe being in England wouldn’t be so bad. Max was quickly becoming a better candidate to by my friend, and I realized, I’d really like that.

My phone rang, breaking me from my thoughts and I brought it up to my ear. “Hey baby.”

“Hey sweetheart,” his voice was like soft velvet. “How was your first official day in London?”

“It was better than I expected.” I started putting groceries away in the pantry. “The neighbor across the way has been extremely helpful.”

“That’s good, Emmy.” I opened up the fridge, placing the package of ham and coffee creamer inside. “But you’re liking it right?”

I smiled at his concern. “Of course I do.” I bit my lip. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

He chuckled, “You know I always worry about you, it’s impossible not to.” I heard him sigh. “I just want you to be happy,” he clarified, “with me.” I let out a quiet sigh of my own as I walked to the couch and settled into it.

“I am happy with you,” I promised him as I set my hand over my heart. It seemed to be ripping apart. I missed him so much. The ache I felt from being apart this long was killing me. Just the sound of his voice made me yearn for him more, because I wanted to see his lips move as he spoke, touch his face as his eyes melted into mine.

“I just worry that you feel like I’m not paying enough attention to you,” he was hurting so deeply, I could tell from the sound of his voice. All I wanted to do was just have him take me into his arms and stay there all night. “I want to give you every spec of attention that I have, and when I cant, it makes me fall apart inside. And I know you hate the gifts, and how I put all of that useless crap in the apartment, but it makes me feel just a bit better, because that’s the only way I feel I can make up to you for being away.”

“Baby bear,” I smiled when I heard his chuckle at the nickname I’d branded him with since the day we started dating. “You know that I am so utterly in love with you that I am perfectly content with simply a call from you to let me know you’re thinking of me.”

“I’m always thinking of you,” he just seemed to have this effect on me, where it was just so easy for him to melt my heart.

“I know,” I smiled, “And I’m always thinking of you,”

“Two more weeks.” He spoke up after a break of silence.

I shut my eyes tightly and nodded to myself. “Two more weeks.” I whispered in response.

“I’m going to go to bed, Emmy. It’s pretty late here.”

“Okay, I love you,” my voice was soft.

“I love you too, baby. More than you can imagine.”

Why did these phone calls seem to keep ending in tears?