Author’s Note: Another part? Maybe? Probably? If you like it?
I groaned to myself as I flung the pillow that was once over my head across my bedroom and against the wall I shared with my neighbor. He seemed to have no regard for the fact that other people lived in this apartment building and was up at all hours on his drum set.
It was 4:30 am, and I had to be up in three hours to go to work. It was the last straw. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and rested my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands. Another groan escaped my lips as I stood up, wrapping my blanket around my shoulders. I yanked my front door open and stomped over next door. My other neighbor, Charlotte, was on the same page. She’s a 97-year-old woman who invited me in for dinner every once in a while. One of the sweetest women I had ever met, yet she had fire in her eyes as she stepped out into the hallway.
“I got it, Charlotte,” I told her, shooing her back into her apartment.
She muttered something to herself about an entitled asshole before slamming her door shut.
I pounded on the door with both fists, but it was to no avail.
“Hey! Asshole! Hey! Open the fucking door!” I screamed, continuing to hit the door.
Nothing.
“I swear to fucking god,” I muttered to myself before taking the bold move to reach for the handle on the door. To my surprise, it was unlocked. I swung the door open hard enough for the handle to hit the door behind it. The culprit was sitting behind his drum kit, a cigarette hanging from his lips with several empty beer bottles on the surrounding floor. Despite the fact that I had just broken into his apartment, he was still playing.
Since shouting hadn’t worked before, I reached for the light switch, turning it off an on a couple times.
“What the bloody hell!?” He exclaimed as his gaze finally met mine.
“You’re asking me that?” I hollered, “It’s 4 in the fucking morning, mate! What the fuck are you doing?”
“Is it?” He asked himself, glancing at the clock, “Christ, sorry. Must’ve lost track of time.”
“Our neighbor is 97 fucking years old, you’re gonna give her a heart attack and I’ve got to be up in 3 fucking hours so I’d appreciate it if you quit until then,” I growled, grabbing the door and slamming it behind me as I stepped out into the hallway.
I trudged back into bed, falling asleep once more as soon as I hit the mattress. I awoke again at 7:30 to the sound of my alarm clock. I swung wildly at my nightstand until I hit the snooze button. 8:30 rolled around, the sound of drums now continuing in the apartment next door. I silently thanked my noisy neighbor, if he hadn’t started playing again, I would’ve been late for work. I cursed to myself as I sprung out of bed and fumbled trying to get on the dress I had draped over my chair the night before. I slipped on my boots and staggered towards my front door, nearly tripping over the cup that was sitting on my doormat. I squinted, leaning down to pick it up along with a note scribbled on a paper napkin that was tucked under it.
“Sorry for last night. Maybe this will wake you up. -Roger”
It was from the cafe across the road from the apartment complex. They marked the cup as a coffee with one cream and two sugars. Not exactly the way I would normally take it, but I scooped it up anyway, taking a sip as I scrambled to the elevator. I recoiled after taking a sip, finding it was cold. He must’ve put it there a while ago.
andtheytoldustotellyouhello 