Moving In With The Enemy

Chapter 4 ~ "Let It Settle"

It all comes down to this, my dad's truck is loaded up with a ton of stuff and he's about to take me into the city. I'm about to be a grown-up.

Dad, in true dad fashion (insert Home Depot music here), looked over the apartment two days ago with me. He checked everything, turning on taps, the shower, looking at the appliances. I just stood back in embarrassment as he looked around. 

Once he determined that it was adequate, he met Mark and Dustin who seemed amused at my embarrassment but nonetheless, humoured dad and introduced themselves. They understood that this was a big ask from my parents to put their little girl into an apartment with three men. 

Thankfully, Walker had been out for dad's inspection. One look at him and dad would have said no way, plus I had hard time just talking when Walker was in the same room as me.

With dad's stamp of approval, I signed the lease and paid my rent up front. Now, I'm in. There's no turning back for at least a year, but I feel like I've made the right decision, even though I'm nervous this isn't the worst thing for me. I'd probably sign up to live with Satan if it meant I could be this close to campus.

"Which apartment are you in?" Mom asks as we pull into the driveway and I sigh.

"The basement." I admit as dad shuts off the truck and we all step out of the car. Jesse had made the trip too, driving mom's car down with the rest of my stuff and to give us some extra hands. I didn't know how many people was the right number to bring with me. But the sooner I was mostly moved in and they were gone, the better.

"Hey Annie!" I hear and Mark emerges from the basement. "Do you want a hand with your stuff?"

"That's alright, I don't want to impose." I tell him as my brother pulls in mom's car. Dad opens the truck bed.

"You're not, I'm offering to help." He chuckles and I smile. "The other guys are at the gym but they'll help too once they're home."

"Okay." I smile. "That's nice of you, thanks Mark."

Mark was what I pictured as the most sensible out of the three of them. Dustin was harmless and kind, but lacking slightly in quick-paced thinking and street smarts. Mark was logical, he struck me as the person who made sure everyone paid their rent on time. Walker.....god, I don't even know what he would be. 

I can't believe we're going to be roommates.

"Hello." Mom says firmly, putting her hand out and Mark shakes it kindly. It was because he seemed so level-headed that I couldn't picture him being the one to put a hole in the drywall in drunken fun the way Caleb had said. 

"Hi Miss Cook." He says politely and she sighs, almost accepting that as much as she didn't like this, he seemed pleasant and kind. "I'll give you guys a hand."

"Well that's kind of you." She says politely, but firmly. Mom would never admit that she wasn't pissed with him. "Annie's father's going to start with her dresser if you'd give him a hand?"

"No worries." He smiles and I smile too.

"I know you like him." I tell her and she rolls her eyes.

"He could be worse." She admits. "Now lets start getting your stuff in, I want to look at this place before I go."

Mom was a good sport but I could tell it really bothered her, this was hard for her so all of my family was trying to be as kind as humanly possible to her.

Mark was really helpful he and dad talked some about football which made me laugh. Mom was trying to decorate my room before we even had everything where it should go which just made things harder. Dad eventually pulled her out and brought her back to the truck to make some more loads while Jesse and I decided where we wanted to put my furniture.