Harbor Lights

“Are they fans?”

“No way could they be fans, right? You just moved.”

“Well whoever they are, they’re hot.”

Two male voices, distinctly different, were ringing in my ears and were either haunting my dreams or had woken me from my unpleasant floor slumber. I was a bit disoriented when first hearing them and considered ignoring them all together, but it seemed Callie was not one for such disregard.

“Should we wake them-”

“Shut UP!” she exclaimed with brash interruption, still quasi-asleep. “I’m trying to sleep here, man!”

At that point, I was basically fully awake. I opened my eyes slowly to reveal the owners of said male voices; one was now laughing, the other had a look of shock and disgust on his otherwise utterly gorgeous face.

“I think we should call security,” he said unamused, heading in the direction of the other corner apartment down the hall.

“James, relax… we’ll get them autographs first and then call security,” replied number two, still giggling.

I sat up, groggily rubbing my eyes with an attempt to adjust them to the newfound daylight. I glanced at my phone; noon. We were officially losers.

“Good morning, sunshine,” said number two with a coy smirk. He had warm, brown eyes and a dimpled boyish smile; I could tell just by a glance that he was a flirt.

“Hi,” I managed, still a small percentage of the way asleep. As I have stated before, I am not a morning person.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, I guess I’m up then!” Callie whipped the comforter off her body nearly nailing me in the face with it, and jumped up like a jack-in-the-box, now seemingly ready to begin her day. “Where’s my keys?”

“Security is on the way up,” chimed in boy number one, (or James, apparently) rejoining the madness. “Sorry, girls; sleeping outside our places just isn’t cool.”

“Your place? Who the fuck are you?!” Evidently, Callie isn’t much of a morning person either.

The two guys looked at each other then, seeming somewhat perplexed, and all of a sudden they were both speechless.

“Umm, hellooooo, anybody wanna tell me who just woke me up?! If you’re gonna be rude you can get off my floor!”

I just stayed right where I was, seated on the floor, laughing mentally. Callie was definitely in her prime, awake for barely a minute and already bitching out extremely attractive guys who just happened to also be our neighbors. Hollywood was already turning out to be quite the experience.

“You’e on the penthouse floor,” replied James finally, almost condescendingly. “There are only two apartments up here.”

“Yeah no shit Sherlock, and this one’s mine, so unless you live all the way down that stupid hallway then you’re on the wrong floor dumbass!” retorted Callie angrily. She stood the rest of the way up and tousled her hair, glaring at the two boys as if she were preparing to pounce.

At this point, James’s expression completely changed. “Oh, so… you have this corner apartment?”

“Yeah, dude, do you want me to write you an e-mail about it too?!”

Guy number two laughed out loud, then quickly silenced himself when he realized that he was laughing out of turn and at the wrong thing.

“I, uh... I am so incredibly sorry,” started James, still looking a little confused but holding out his hand apologetically. “We thought you girls were… someone totally different.”

“No, that was mostly you, dude,” added number two with a chuckle. “That, my new friends, is James, and he’s real sorry for being a dick.”

James rolled his eyes and faked a laugh.

“And since we’re all getting acquainted here, I’m Logan.”

“Vanessa,” I replied as I stood, taking the opportunity to get a word in and make my sleepy presence known.

“And I’m Callie... and I still don’t understand who the hell you think you are that you called security on us.”

James and Logan shot each other curious glances, and there was a second of awkward silence before Logan continued.
“James is kind of a diva and he thinks everyone should know who he is,” he replied with a playful eye roll. “And by the way, he doesn’t even live here.”

I expected Callie to freak on the pretty boy, but she was already on to another task, distracted by something on her phone and completely detached from the conversation.

“So, you were going to kick us off our own floor when you don’t even live here?” I spoke playfully before James had he chance. “That’s cold,” I continued, nudging him goofily. With clear, awakened eyes I could now confirm that he looked like a living Ken doll.

“Look, I’m just gonna be perfectly honest with you,” he began seriously, as if he were about to tell me some sort of big government secret. “We’re... on a TV show. On Nick, and we’re also in a band... so we kind of have some slightly insane fans.” He paused for a moment, as if to let me take in his statement.

“Slightly insane would be an understatement,” added Logan, texting while chatting.

“Anyway, trying to maintain a normal and private life while some of these fans continue to basically stalk us has brought me to suspect the worst of anyone. So obviously, random girls sleeping right next to Logan’s apartment was a red flag.” His explanation seemed genuine, as did the tone in his voice. “I’m - we’re, really sorry for assuming that about you girls.”

I had to think for just a second. Nickelodeon show? Like, the kid’s channel? In a band? I think I would’ve been more impressed with, ‘in the witness protection program.’

“Um, that’s cool I guess,” I finally responded instead. “And I’m sorry we freaked you out. Definitely not stalkers.”

“The keys are on their way, what what!” chimed in Callie overzealously, re-joining the group. “I sweet talked some creepy man down at the desk, Maurice - like who has a name like that - to send our keys up with security so we can finally get into our apartment! Now all we need is the stupid moving truck to get here!” Someone was finally awake.

“Well you sure perked up quick,” noticed Logan, smiling his dimpled smile at her. “Do you girls want to come chill at our place until your keys get here?”

Callie looked like she was going to decline, but I didn’t give her the opportunity. “That would be great,” I smiled back, trying to subtly adjust my pajamas and fix my hair so I didn’t look like a complete wreck out of hallway and into normal people lighting.

“It’s definitely a relief you guys aren’t stalkers; you’re just, way too hot to be stalkers,” added Logan with a wink.

“Thanks,” I blushed, following the boys down the hall. Callie stayed silent, rolling her eyes and texting, and James simply smirked at his friend’s flirtatious comment.

“Don’t take him too seriously, he doesn’t ever shut up,” said James quietly as we approached their unit.

“Oh, I’m not worried,” I replied with a wink, finally fully awake. “And don’t take us too seriously either; especially that one,” I said, referencing Callie. She obliviously continued to text, fiddling with her messy blondness with her free hand.

We entered the (other) corner apartment on floor six and I felt immediately at home. Like our place, it was completely redone and modernized with upgraded everything; beautiful white oak flooring, Venetian granite countertops, a fridge that could probably talk, and a spacious living room freshly carpeted with what might have been a pillow at one point in its carpet-past-life. The entire bottom floor was open save for a large arch between the kitchen and living room, and of course there were the offset bathroom and bedroom, but ideally, the whole lower level of the unit was one big room. Then there were the stairs, and upstairs housed a small loft and a second master bedroom and bath; it was exactly the same as our apartment except that ours was quite a bit larger, had an extra half-bathroom, and a ridiculously impressive upstairs balcony. Our apartment, however, was currently mostly empty.

There were still a few unpacked boxes scattered about the place, and an unmounted flat screen leaned up against the wall where an entertainment center or television should be, but Logan and whoever else lived here had it set and decorated just enough to make it feel like it had been lived in; and by someone who you’d love to be friends with.

“Nice place,” I stated honestly, collapsing into the leather La-Z-Boy that served as a centerpiece to the massive living area.

“Not as nice as ours!” smirked Callie, pursing her lips cockily and taking a seat on one of the swiveling barstools perched beside the kitchen island.

“Whatever Callie, our place is empty,” I defended, shooting Callie my token, ‘quit being such a snotty bitch,’ glance.

“Fine, you’re right,” she eye rolled at me. “This place is nice. Sweet TV too; you planning on plugging it in?”

Logan laughed. “I keep meaning to mount it, but every time I start a productive project in this place I always get distracted by something else.”

“Like sleeping girls in the hallway?” I suggested playfully.

“Just like that,” he smiled back.

“So if James doesn’t live here, then who else does?” I wondered.

“Well that’s the thing; I’ve been trying to get his stupid ass to move in with me, but he refuses to move out of his old place.”

“Why the fuck not dude, this place is sick!” exclaimed Callie, now upstairs. When she’d gone up there, I’m sure no one knew. “Your loft almost looks bigger than ours! Fuck you!”

“I apologize in advance for anything my friend may say or do to you... ever,” I said, standing up and heading for the foot of the staircase.

Logan just laughed. “I think your friend is awesome,” he replied frankly. “And fuck you back then!” he yelled up to her, still laughing.

“Now get down here you creep!” I hollered.

“Relax, there’s nothing up there,” she said as she came down. “James, you’re an idiot if you don’t wanna live here. And, you’d get to be neighbors with US.”

“Oh, goody,” he replied with a smirk, a hint of sarcasm in his voice; however, he looked slightly uncomfortable.

“I know. I even told him he could have the master,” admitted Logan. “I like the view of the pool better from the downstairs bedroom anyway.”

James grimaced a little, fidgeting with his pants and anything else he could find. “We can talk about it again later,” he finally said, brushing a chestnut lock away from his sparkling eyes. “Oh hey that reminds me; do you girls want to come to a pool party today?”

I found James’s sudden change in demeanor quite odd, and his abrupt subject change even odder, but then again I barely knew the guy, so I went with it. “It’s up to Callie. Cal, pool party?”

“Fucking duh!” she replied without hesitation, as if it weren’t even a question.

“Awesome.” James smiled contently.

“Keys are here!” jumped Callie suddenly, excitedly taking a call while rushing out the door without a word to either boy. “See you guys at the party!” she trailed off down the hall.

“She’s a little firecracker, isn’t she?” smirked Logan as he took a seat on the couch.

“Yeah, she’s fun all right,” I replied. “So I guess I’ll see you guys later then?”

“Take my number,” offered James, handing me his iPhone. “Or give me yours. That way I can text you the details for the pool.”

I saved my number in his phone and as I did, I noticed a cozy looking photo of him and a beautiful blonde was his lock screen default.

“Aww she’s cute, is that your girlfriend?” I asked.

There was a heavy silence for a second, interrupted by Logan. “Hey, let me have your number too; I mean, we’re neighbors now. So really, you have no choice.”

I laughed as I obliged, assuming some sort of drama that was clearly not my business had just been averted, and prepared to head down the hall towards my own corner apartment.

“Oh, guys,” I said, curiosity getting the best of me, “just wondering... what’s the name of your band?”

They both smiled their perfect boyish smiles, helplessly proud of their Nickelodeon stardom. “Big Time Rush,” they said in unison.

I simply nodded, and smiled back.