The Space Between Us

Chapter 3 ~ Burglar

The day ended better than it started: no one glared at me for giving back their pencil, and I didn't run into River and his gang again. Sure, I was always the quiet one in the back of the class, and everyone ignored me, but I was actually glad this way.

Truthfully, I was really popular in high school, but only because of my brother, Aiden. Everyone wanted to get close to him, so they used me to get there. I was so sick of it that I moved across the country and found a college where no one knew who I was.

Sometimes I wondered if I was being selfish, wanting to be seen as someone other than "Aiden's sister." But this was my life, I had to remind myself. It was okay to want my own fame, to separate myself from my brother. The popularity chapter of my life was over.

And I was about to start a new one: living on my own for the first time!

In the evening, I found myself outside my new apartment complex, staring at the building and taking it all in. With a suitcase in each hand, I dragged them up the stairs and to the top floor, floor three.

There it was right away: room 301. My new place!

I turned the key in the lock and stepped inside, lugging my suitcases in after me. I heard Alice grumbling under her breath as she hauled a suitcase up, too.

"What did you pack? It's so heavy..." she huffed.

"Don't even start; you're a much heavier packer than me," I shot back.

"You're right," said Alice without hesitation.

She stepped inside with the suitcase and stood next to me as we surveyed my new place.

"This is nice!" said Alice after soaking it in. "Kitchen, bathroom, living room... I didn't know it came furnished."

"Yep, that's what the contract said," I recalled.

"Of course you would read a boring contract," said Alice, sighing.

"I had to make sure it was legit! I couldn't believe the price."

"True, true. It certainly is nice, especially for a first apartment."

We grabbed a few miscellaneous things from Alice's car, like my cactus for the windowsill and my tapestry for the wall, and finally, I was ready to unpack.

"Ah, let me take this," said Alice as her phone rang. She stepped outside, leaving me to go through the apartment more carefully.

The kitchen was small but usable. The living room had a loveseat couch, a coffee table, a lamp, and a TV. And I even got an extra bedroom, completely furnished with a bed, dresser, and closet, just like the main bedroom. Actually, I couldn't tell the main room from the extra room because they seemed to be the same size. I guess it didn't matter, I'd only use one of them, anyway.

"Sorry Holly, I have to go. Elizabeth needs a babysitter," said Alice, coming back into the apartment. "Are you okay to unpack alone?"

"Of course, I'll be fine. You go!" I reassured.

"Okay, thanks. Send me a picture of your room when it's done!" Alice said with a smile and a wave.

And then I was alone in my new apartment. This was it! Senior year had officially begun. Day one was nearly completed.

I moved a suitcase into the room on the right and began to unpack. I didn't have much, because I liked to decorate quite minimally, but I took care to keep my clothes neat and my toiletries organized as I took things out.

I paused. Was that my imagination?

I heard it again. The front door handle was rattling.

"Alice?" I called out, hoping she was returning for some reason.

But the door continued to rattle.

I stood up and walked into the living room, my mind spinning. It wasn't Alice; she wouldn't be so quiet. It couldn't be my family, since they were in California. James had a class. And the landlord had specifically said that he wouldn't be in today.

I silently grabbed a pan from the kitchen and held it above my head. I felt like Rapunzel, except this was real life.

I was about to hit a burglar as hard as I could with a frying pan.

After what seemed like forever, the door finally opened.

I swung as hard as I could...

And hit nothing. Maybe because my eyes had been closed.

"HEY!"

I held the frying pan above my head again, but my grip was looser. Why did that sound like...?

None other than River Alves stepped out from behind the door. By his expression, I guessed that he might've been a little upset.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING HERE?" he yelled.

"I-I-" My arms dropped to my side, lowering my frying pan weapon.

"GET OUT!"

I found my voice. "W-what do you mean? You get out!"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

River rounded on me, backing me into the wall. Oh, he had long eyelashes. Focus.

"Joke?" I said.

"Don't play with me! Why are you in my apartment? If you're another stalker, I swear will call the police-"

"Another... Wait... Your apartment?"

"Yes!"

"This... is my apartment."

I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. My heart hit my chest like a drum, and I tightened my hold on the frying pan. Surely, I hadn't made a mistake. Did I walk into the wrong apartment?

No, wait. Maybe River was the one who got it wrong. He took forever to open the door, so maybe his key didn't fit properly!

"Is this apartment 301?" he asked, moving closer.

I looked down at his shoes. My voice sounded a lot more pathetic out loud than it did in my head. "Yes, so I think you have the wrong place-"

"If this is a joke, it's not funny. This is my apartment."

"No, it's-"

He stepped even closer. He was practically on top of me. "Get out or I'll call the police."

I couldn't take it anymore. I shoved on his chest with all my might, which was quite a lot. He stumbled backwards, clearly bewildered, as I marched to the open front door. I checked the room number on the outside.

Then I put down the frying pan, took out my key, and shoved it forward.

"301! I am 301!" I said angrily and loudly, shaking the key in his face.

Uh oh. My temper was coming out. Well, it had been a good day. Almost a full day of no outburst was basically a win for me, I thought.

I watched as River took out his own key and mimicked my action of shoving it forward and shaking it obnoxiously.

"So am I!"

We both dropped our hands at the same time. I watched him take a deep breath.

"So... you're saying that... you live in 301?" he asked slowly.

"Yes. I brought my things up not even a half hour ago."

River's eyes glanced somewhere behind me, out the door. I followed his gaze and saw a few suitcases in the hallway.

"I was moving in today..." he said.

"Surely there's been a mistake. Are you sure you're 301?" I clarified.

"Stop asking stupid questions," he said angrily. He ran a hand through his hair and clenched his jaw. "Why do we have the same-?"

"Are you bad with keys?"