josh tapped the wheel as he drove, resisting tapping his foot to the beat to avoid getting rear ended by whoever was behind him. josh enjoyed moments like these, where he didn't have to think. he didn't have to worry about if he was annoying anyone he was around, he didn't have to worry about manners, he could just do what he pleased.
josh was on his way to rosemary's house, apartment rather. it might as well have been a house with how big it was, actually. which got josh to thinking, does she live alone? if so, why such space? she had so many rooms, so much potential, but from what he could see, every room meant to be a bedroom was turned into something completely different. like how one bedroom was completely transformed to just book shelves. it'd be amazing for entertaining guests, but from her lack of silverware, he guessed she didn't have many.
the boy finally pulled into the parking lot of her building, which he vaguely remembered the location of as he drove. he left his home extra early so he could make sure he would still be on time even if he got hopelessly lost. he parked his car successfully, making sure the parking spot he took was neither handicapped nor reserved, finally okay with his spot he took forever to find. he locked the doors and started inside the skyscraper, finally able to take a look at the lobby of the place. it looked like a palace compared to his apartment's lobby.
josh looked around with curiosity in his eyes as he slowly approached the front desk, turning his attention back forward once he bumped into the edge of the marble desk. the woman from behind looked like a librarian of a library worth billions of dollars, her stare piercing through josh. he didn't like it.
"may i help you?" the woman rose her eyebrow at josh. it was clear josh didn't fit in with most of the people in the building with his bright pink hair, ripped jeans, and a distressed nasa shirt. sure, his hair was covered mostly by a hat, but that made the pink strands poke out and make him look even less professional. most people passing by the nervous man were old and white with boulder caps and striped suits, suitcases at their sides and expressions like they thought a good time was a day off with a cup of coffee and a good newspaper.
"um, yeah. i'm here to see ros- ms.michelson?" josh folded his hands down in front of him, his thumbs twiddling out of nervousness. he clearly didn't belong, and his mind hated that. it told him over and over that he should be panicking and trying to fit in, but he couldn't. so, he just ignored the thoughts. it was what he did best, and what he did worst.
the woman suddenly seemed interested, sitting up a bit in her chair and her eyes softening, like a brick wall being transformed into a wall of rubber instead. josh took it as a good sign. "really? she hasn't had anyone invited to her apartment since she moved in." her eyebrows furrowed in suspicion as she searched josh's features, but, she slowly nodded and turned to her computer, typing something in and turning back to josh. "even if you weren't invited, she needs some company. go to elevator three, don't let anyone else in with you. it will come soon enough, i set it to go to ms.michelson's floor." the woman turned back to her computer after she finished speaking, continuing what she was doing before.
josh thanked the woman and she just nodded without taking her eyes from the computer, and josh went off to the elevators. he looked at the number about each and saw that the one that read three was already counting down. he took deep breaths, he knew how high this building went and how fast this elevator seemed. it opened with a deadly ring and josh made his way inside. he felt guilty pushing the close door button before a small family could follow him in, but, he just acted like he didn't notice them and it was too late when they did.
the elevator started shooting up, josh felt like his nasa shirt was that of astronauts and he suddenly was going to be the first human on mars. the heat seemed to increase along with the speed of his thoughts, but soon enough, the metal gates of hell opened and he was met with a cold gust, seeing the familiar open concept apartment. though it was huge, it seemed cold and empty. it reminded him of someone he knew, but he felt like he didn't know them at the same time. an empty apartment for an empty person, it almost made sense.
