Hate in Building Eight

I pulled into my apartment complex and made a left, a right, then a left near building eight where my apartment is. I backed up my car into the parking spot The Alps Apartments gave me, shut the car off, walked to the back of my car, opened the trunk, took out all my shopping bags that are holding all my goodies I bought including dinner.

           I approached the first of four flights of stairs it takes for me to reach my apartment number two. I stopped and pursed my lips. There he is, at the top of the stairs. Talking with someone…the same someone he always stands there and talks to for all hours of the day and night…and blocking my way to the front door to my place.

           I have four flights of stairs with carrying all my bags up and I’ll bet he won’t even help me carry them or move out of my way. I started up and he turned to look at me, paused, and kept talking to his friend.

           Well, two can play at that game, when he doesn’t move, I’ll just push through as though they aren’t there…invisible. I live here too.

           There he goes again, looking at me with that smug expression on his face from the corner of his eye. He sees me struggling with my bags, once, just once, why can’t he help me? If he would then I may consider changing my opinion of him.

           As I make my way up the stairs, I will not give him the satisfaction of showing him that his presence bothers me. I made it to the top, he still wearing that smug look and he did not move a step, but his friend did. He let me by without a word and I made it to my apartment door. I put a couple of bags down, grabbed my keys, opened the door, went in, and locked the door behind me.

           I let out a sigh because he makes me so mad. Is it just me? Or is he like this with everyone? I don’t understand why people go out of their way to be so rude. But I quickly let it go and I put away my groceries and began making dinner. “Give it wheels and let it roll away” my mom used to say to us. It still sticks in my mind, and do you know what, it works…most of the time.

           I put the TV on and sat on the couch with my dinner…fresh mozzarella with off the bone ham, roasted tomatoes, mayonnaise, on a lightly toasted Italian roll and deviled egg potato salad on the side. Yummy.

           I took one bite when I hear a pounding on my front door. It frightened me at first until I heard the voice behind the door.

           It was him. My neighbor who lives four feet away. What in the world does he want right now? And why is he pounding on my door?

           “Nia! I know you’re in there. Open the door,” said Ben as he continues to bang on the door.”

           “Stop pounding on my door! What do you want?” I answer as I open the door. “Why do you have to bang on my door? You’re bothering the entire complex and why couldn’t you say something to me while I was pushing past you with all my packages that you never helped me with nor did you move out of my way,” I said.

           “Stop talking for just one second,” he said while holding up his hand. “I got your mail again.”

           “Don’t get mad at me, tell the mailperson. It’s not my fault they keep screwing up the mail. Thanks,” I said as I rip my mail from his hand and slam the door on Ben as he was about to say something else.

           I found myself pacing my apartment in anger, not knowing how to funnel my emotions. No one has ever affected me this way before…it’s new to me.

           I sit down on the couch and try yet again to eat my dinner and my phone rings.

           “Ugh! Does it end? All I want to do is eat my dinner and watch my show,” I said aloud.

           “Hello?” I said abruptly.

           “Hey Nia. What’s wrong with you?” my best friend Brynn Rose.

           “Hey. That madman Ben who lives across from me made me so mad today.”

           “That madman Ben makes you so mad every day. Why do you think that is?”

           “Uh? What are you talking about?”

           “Oh, please. You don’t see it?”

           “See what?!”

           “I see you two having a future together.”

           “Don’t be ridiculous.”

           “I’m telling you. I’m never wrong about these things. Remember I have great intuition.”

           “No way. He hates me and he is nowhere near my type.”

           “Yea, ok.”

           “Stop that. You’re grasping at nothing.”

           “I don’t think so. My parents were exactly like the two of you and they are married for thirty-five years. My grandparents are married fifty-five years and….”

           “Alright. I’m happy for your family’s wedded bliss, but that’s not what’s happening here.”        

           “Are you sure?”

           “Yes! Yes, I am very sure, and I am hanging up now. Bye.”

           “Ok, Bye.”

           ***************************************************************

           Well, a couple of weeks have past and I have not seen, nor have I heard Ben. I certainly hope he is all right, but I do have to say, it’s been peaceful for me around here. Maybe he’s on vacation, his car is not in his parking spot. Ok, good. I’ve been so relaxed with him gone.

           So, I am going out with my best friend Brynn Rose to Club 54 for a drink or two and dancing. I love music, it excites me.

           “Brynn, it’s so crowded in here. How about we go somewhere else with a little less people.”

           “We just got here. We’ve come to places with bigger crowds than this before. Give it a chance, the music is really popping.”

           “Ok. I’m going to get us a couple of beers. Be right back. Don’t move far, it will be hard to find you in this crowd and dark dance floor.”

           “Where can I go? I’ll be right here. Dancing in my space.”

           I told the bartender what I wanted, and I waited. Someone behind me is leaning a little to close to my comfort zone and its annoying. I understand it’s crowded so…I try to be patient. I just wish he would give me an inch of space.

 I reach over the bar to pay for and grab our beers, I turned around to get back to Brynn, but this guy behind me isn’t moving to let me by. I try again, finally, because of the music I speak loudly and say excuse me.

I look up at him and he looks at me. We froze. Oh, no. It’s Ben, my neighbor. No wonder he wouldn’t let me get by.

“You know, can’t you just let me pass and then I will be out of your hair.”

“Why would I want you out of my hair?”

“Because you hate me.”

“Boy, you are blinded, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not blinded. We don’t get along. So, now if you’ll excuse me, our beers are getting warm.”

“Oh, are you here with your friend with the blonde hair?”

“What does it matter to you? Why are you so goofy?”

“I’m not goofy,” said Ben with a smile.

“Excuse me.”

“No, wait. Please. I’m not good at this.”

“What?”

“Just… Let me say this please. Pause. I like you. I mean really like you and I have since you moved into building eight. I have been trying to ask you out but every time I ran into you it wouldn’t come out the way I wanted and then I got mad at myself because I let yet another opportunity pass me by.”

“Is that why you’re always mad when you see me and pound on my apartment door?”

“Yes, well, uh, I’m sorry about that. Nia, I think you are pretty and would love to get to know you better. Will, you please let me take you out to dinner?”

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Sort of was, yeah. So, uh, will you go out with me? Am I your type of guy?”

“No. But since you said please. Yes, I’ll go to dinner with you,” I said as we both stood there smiling at each other.

“I think we are blocking the bar…what do you say we dance?”

“Brynn is right over there waiting for me. Come on. I’ll introduce you. Are you here alone?”

“Not exactly.”

As Ben and I head over to where Brynn was waiting for me, we noticed she was already talking to someone.

“Look, let’s hang back here, she’s talking to someone, and I don’t want to interrupt.”

“It’s ok. Let’s interrupt.”

Brynn turns around, looked at me with a bit of shock on her face at who I was with.

“Nia, this is my friend Noah. Noah, this is Nia and her friend Brynn.”

Ben turns to Brynn, holding out his hand, “hi Brynn, I am Ben. I live in the apartment across from Nia. This is my friend Noah.”

“Hi Ben and Noah,” she said as they all stood looking at each other.

“Well, isn’t this a terrific coincidence,” said Noah smiling.

“What do you guys say we get out of here and go to a nice restaurant for dinner and get to know each other?” Ben said.

“Sounds like a great idea. Ben, you’re getting better at this.”

“Thank You.”