NEW FRIENDS II
Angel's Pov.
The question almost seems to stump Ian. He hesitates, scratching his cheek. “I’m not sure,” he says slowly. “But not long.”
“We’re inside a lot,” Sadie pops in, “and when we’re not, we’re at work. I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors say they’ve never seen us before.”
I nod and move near the window, watching the cars crawl down the street three stories below. Is one of them Andrew going to work? They’re still talking behind me, about getting me settled, helping me move in.
“What do you do for work?” I ask, not needing to turn as Felix leans against the kitchen counters near me. Did he want to ask me something?
“We’re registered for odd jobs at Mr Hills’ company,” he nods. “They call us when they need something done; errands, deliveries, sometimes more complicated intellectual stuff. That's how Ian got this job, they put out an alert that he needed someone to help you move and he got it.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” I say. Would I need to work now? I'm not opposed to it but I can’t even remember if I went to high school. Maybe I could join them in doing these odd jobs. If I do, I'll ask them how it works later, what I'd need and all.
“How are you going to decorate?” Sadie asks, walking up to us.
I blink at her until I realize I actually have to answer. “I haven’t thought about it.” And I haven't. Picking paint colors, couches, rugs haven't popped into my mind.
“But you have to though!” Sadie says, nodding so hard her braid swishes behind her. “You’re way too pretty to live in these drab walls.”
“I guess…” I trail off, noncommittal. Although mildly touched by the casual complement, I can feel the edges of my smile cracking.
“No guessing!” she shoots back. “I’ll help you. Here, give me your phone. You can call me anytime, and I’ll come over.”
Well, okay, I think and hand her my phone. Her fingers fly across the screen, typing it in. She holds it out to me smiling and I take it back. When it's back in my hands I see she's added her name and a string of emojis; a purple heart, fairy and sparkles.
I shrug, eyes drifting to the window again.
Do these people want to be friends with me? I mean, of course Andrew is paying Ian to help me move in but I feel like they could have left already. Except they have something else they're doing here.
I kind of want them to leave.
I shake my head sighing. Not because I don't like them, or think they're good people. I don't want to be alone in this building. Their houses are even so close. Even if I don't call, just knowing they're nearby is nice.
But right now, I just want to sit with myself. It can't be noon yet and I just want to take a damn nap.
Ian seems to notice. He reaches over to Felix and murmurs something under his breath. He nods and relays the information to Jay who walks out.
“Alright, Miss Angel,” Felix says, putting on a playful showman’s voice. He seems very fun. “We’re going to take care of a few practical things. Please step out for just one second.”
Before I can protest, Sadie steers me gently back into the hallway. The door clicks shut behind us.
We stand there, Sadie asking me about my hair, as Jay walks past us, back inside, pushing a squeaky-wheeled cart.
Sadie asks about my dress, the muffled sounds and thumps of them moving around inside.
She pivots to cooking, asking if she can try her experiments in my kitchen, promising to clean any messes as the lock on the door falls away.
Sadie continues talking, thankfully content with just a hum here and there from me, even as Jay walks out again, this time followed by Ian.
Felix now has a little bit of dust in his hair but grinning as he comes to stand with us. “Changed your locks, trust me that thing is solid,” he announces proudly, twirling the new keys around his finger before dropping them into my hand. “And there's no possibility of old copies floating around.”
I stare at the new keys, feeling the edges bite into my palm. “Thank you,” I murmur. My voice sounds smaller than I’d like.
“Not done yet!” Sadie announces as Ian and Jay come out of 3D and E, each one pushing carts, one containing what looks like a wooden bed frame and the other with a wrapped mattress balanced on top. “Figured you’d need somewhere to sleep that isn’t the floor.”
They muscle it inside to the bedroom, bickering good-naturedly about where to place it, deciding on the middle of the room with the promise to move it another day if I want. I stand in the doorway, watching them.
They're done in twenty minutes. The bed is almost a bigger version of the knee back at home — um, Andrew's house. It has an intricate headboard and a canopy, raised off the ground with an engraved frame. I stare at it, feeling like it looks a little out of place seeing as it's the only thing in the room.
The last thing in the cart is a bag of linens and Sadie shakes it out for me, making the bed. The sheets smell nice, but not in a store bought way, as if they've been washed with scented detergent and so do the matching pillowcases and blankets.
“There, all done,” Sadie says, hands on her hips. “But it seems like we forgot one thing.”
“Pillows,” Felix chimes in.
Sadie nods and turns to me, promising determinedly, “I'll be back tomorrow, Miss Angel. With pillows. And flowers to add some colour to this place.”
I let out a soft, surprised laugh. It’s small, but it’s real. Again, the world has thrown me sweethearts. “Okay. Pillows and flowers. Sure. I'll be here. And please,” I add just realizing, “it's just Angel.”
They all nod. Felix and Ian hover by the door. The chatter slows, settles into the soft awkwardness that comes when everyone’s trying to linger but have run out of things to talk about.
“Anyway, yeah,” Ian says, scratching his neck, “Felix and I are in 3E while Jay and Sadie are in D. If you need anything, knock, text, or yell through the wall, whatever. Seriously.”
“And we want to invite you to dinner tomorrow,” Saied adds. “Celebrate our new neighbor and friend.”
“Thank you,” I murmur. “Tomorrow, yeah. That sounds good.”
Felix winks at me as they leave, Ian holding the door for them as they all file out. Everyone, even Jay, throws wishes for a good day behind them.
I lock the door behind them, pressing my forehead to the cool metal. I stay like that for a long moment, just breathing, in the silence of my new home.
Then I walk back
into my bedroom, bury myself under the blanket, fold my arm under my head and drift off.