PART 4

SAM

I can't believe this! Finally a break, although not in what I hoped for but still something. Nic's still trying to convince me that she had nothing to do with it.

"What do I know of that business," she'd exclaimed in her usual snippy tone. But who else knew about my stories and has enough connections to let me get this chance?

My meeting with the chief editor this morning was great, She presented me with my personal editor to polish my script before the publishing. I guess they always do that.

I look around in my small apartment and I want to dance, dance DANCE! Well to be honest more like jump around like a fool. I've never been any skillful at dancing, or at least any formal types.

I finally come to a stand still in the middle of my living room; I look around wondering what I'm supposed to do. I have no idea. My body is filled with some kind of adrenaline high, I can't even understand how I got it, and I suddenly half expect it to drag me down into a low low point. Then my mind wanders to a certain brunette, and I find myself wondering in a creepy way what she is up to at this moment.

RORY

"The deposit is 3 months rent, you can pay it in either cash, credit card or check," the landlady says with a ass- licking smile, the apartment is okay, but I don't really need anything fancy, the rent is incredible for something this big and since I expect to travel a lot it'll suit me just fine.

"I'll write a check," I give her my best plastic smile I can muster, I find myself doing those increasingly more often these days, everyone seems to wonder how I'm doing even though they have to know I'm the one who caused it all. I know they know, it's in their eyes, the judgment, the sometimes deeply hidden subconscious contempt.

"Great, here are your keys, this one for the attic- storage, this one for the laundry-room and this one is your main key. I'll have my husband visit you to change your entrance code, at the moment it's one two three four," the lady gives me a bunch of keys, I wonder where I can get a couple of copies for my Mom and emergencies.

"If you want copies just give me a call and I'll have that arranged," she smiles at me one more time and then start to the exit while she says, "I'll be back in a moment getting the lease-contract."

I nod and walk over to the large window that overviews a beautiful internal garden with tall palms and a nice rock- fountain. I'll love this apartment; too bad I can't share it with Paris. Although she'd probably feel that it'd be too tiny for us.

I start to plan how I'll decorate and furnish the rooms and send Ross a thankful thought for letting me off for a week, I really need it.

I turn around as I hear steps behind me, great the landlady is back and I can finally sign and then start to move in.

SAM

I want to thank everyone here, I couldn't have done this without you all," I grin at my closest friends, some old some new, but even though I almost never see or talk to more than half of them, it's actually thanks to them I have this chance. It's all their support even if it was a long time ago that kept me going year after year.

Nic, Tammy, Harrison, Lily, Carmen, Brooke, Mom, Mike, Mac, even MC's here... to celebrate me, of course I guess they're really here for my thirtieth birthday, even though it's not until next Monday.

"So which one's getting published?" Harrison asks after we all have had a sip from our glasses.

"It's Glass heart," I reply with a smirk, I remember how he had laughed at it until he realized the main character was a carbon copy of him, well different gender but still the same. Mmm... how angry he was at me.

Harrison's face surprisingly lits up in a grin, "I'm gonna be famous," he exclaims looking proud, he should be, he's such a grateful character to use.

"What? They didn't like our love-story?" Nic asks looking disappointed, "It's such a good one," she adds with a fake sigh.

"Only if you're into cheap romance novels you buy in coffee-shops," Brooke replies acidly, I sometimes wonder why she changed her attitude towards Nic after Satan and I got together, She's never explained and it's only on my birthday, the ones she visits on that they ever meet. Nic's pretty quiet about it too, all I know is what Carmen and Lily could extract from the Kennedy high rumor-mill. Apparently Brooke wanted Nic to stay away from me, why I don't know.

Well forget about the past, now's the time to look into the future, and hopefully fame is in my path.

RORY

I sit in my single sofa, the one Grandma bought me for my dormitory, guess I should be grateful she convinced me to keep it even after I graduated. Wonder if she knew Paris and me would never last? I do know she and grandpa didn't mind after the first shock faded. Surprising considering how conservative they usually are.

It's growing dark outside and I move to light my only lamp when I hear a loud crash outside my front door.

When I look out through a small gap with the chain still in place I see one blonde girl and a brunette kissing wildly at the opposite door. I can't help but smile at them since they both radiate that fresh feeling of a couple just recently falling in love.

Suddenly the brunette who has her back against the other door notices me watching them and pushes the other away, her cheeks flushing in a gentle pink.

"Ah... sorry didn't mean to interrupt you," I try to apologize and then quickly remove the chain and open my door wider.

"Sorry to um... make so much noise," the blonde says trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh, no it's nothing to be sorry about, I was just a little surprised since the landlady said this is one of the most calm neighborhoods in town," I say trying to stamp down on my own awkwardness.

Both of the other girls smile sheepishly and then the brunette says, "I'm Zoe, this is my step-sister Jessie."

I stare at them with an astonished face, I can't believe she just said they're sisters.

"It's actually true, although it's not our fault that we met through our parents," Jessie elaborates, interpreting my expression correctly.

I nod as the shock dissipates and then I shake my head, "I'm sorry I'm Rory, I just moved in here opposite to you two I guess?"

Both girls nod and Zoe replies, "It looks like it."

After her reply all three of us fall into an uncomfortable silence and I can feel the old shyness come back in full force.

Finally after a long dreary minute of silence Jessie says, "Wanna join us? We weren't really planning on anything, Pumpkin here was just naughty," the last part makes her grin widely, I really miss that. Paris and I were like that ages ago.

I shrug and then nod, it's not like I have anything better to do. Better to bring my cell since Mom promised to call later tonight but it seems more fun waiting for her call with these two than sitting alone in my apartment.

"Cool," Zoe says, and then proceeds to open their front door.

I follow them inside and look around curiously, it's weirdly decorated with both seeming sterile and bohemian at the same time, it's really strange how such two different styles can work together like it successfully has in here. Looking at the clothes they're wearing, I'd guess Jessie's the one who likes the sterile part, while Zoe is more of the hippie caricature of a lesbian.

Jessie gives me a knowing look, "It looks weird doesn't it?" she asks sounding quite blasé.

I can only nod, not sure what I can say that wouldn't sound too insulting.

"It kinda became like this after Zoe moved in, she came to live with me after she started college and this gradually grew out from my perfect flat," Jessie explains and I hear a scoffing sound coming from the direction of Zoe.

"Your sterile and unimaginative industrial clean apartment you mean?" she asks with a half teasing half sullen voice.

Jessie just sticks her tongue out at Zoe and disappears into the kitchen calling out towards us as she's walking, "Anything to drink? Wait, I know what we want back in a sec."

Zoe and I look at each other neither knowing what Jessie means and then she smiles and motion at me to come and sit down in either of a odd pair of armchairs, "Come, take a seat, which one do you prefer? This modern naked pretend-skin chair, or this old comfy sixties cloth-armchair?"

I smile at her obvious jab at the style of her girlfriend and then reply, "I once did a small article on those chairs." I point at the armchair she's favoring, "And it turned out that almost every single one of them contains at least fifty different poisonous materials, none in lethal doses of course but still enough to cause some damage."

Zoe gives me a disbelieving look and then asks, "Really?"

I nod and before I can say anything more Jessie returns with three glasses with some kind of wine in them, "Here, we need to celebrate that you're moving into our building," she says as she hands them out.

I accept mine and soon we're toasting with laughter.

* * * * *

Later that night I think about my two neighbors, and I realize I've once again have had some stupid luck finding such potential friend so quickly after losing one.

To be continued...