Walls
Close the Distance
After I finished at work, I splurged on a cab ride home knowing it was late and walking in the part of town that my apartment is located in is just a bad idea to begin with.
As I trudged to the back door of the grocery store and up the three flights of stairs to my apartment, there were a million thoughts running through my mind. It had been a busy and eventful day and I was physically and emotionally worn out.
Even with the nonstop thoughts racing through my mind, as soon as I walked into my apartment, I changed into Bobbi’s old Go Radio shirt and climbed onto the futon that doubled as my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was fast asleep.
~~
I woke up the next morning to the shrill sound of my phone ringing right beside my head. I was really dazed and confused at first because quite honestly, no one ever calls my phone. The only reason I even still had it was more out of habit than the actual need for it.
Blindly feeling around the futon until I felt my hands grasp the outdated piece of technology, I pressed the answer button before I even glanced at the number calling.
“Hello?” I answered before clearing my throat when I realized how scratchy it sounded.
“Hey, it’s Alex,” I heard the voice that was becoming more and more familiar greet before being interrupted by an obviously very awake Jack.
“And Jack!” He yelled into the speaker, causing me to scrunch up my nose and yank the phone away from my ear; I still wasn’t completely awake yet and hearing loud noises the second I wake up isn’t on the list of my favorite things.
“Shut up and stop yelling Jack!” I heard Alex scold him before returning his attention back to me.
“So we were bored and stole Matt’s phone to call you and ask if you needed any help packing since I heard you would be coming with us on tour.” Alex stated, noticeably calmer than how Jack had been.
“Uhh, what time is it?” I asked, still groggy and not sure how to respond to his question.
“It’s nine thirty, sorry if we woke you up,” Alex trailed off as the realization of how early it was set into his mind.
I rolled over before glancing at the clock to see that it was indeed that early. Sitting up, I put my head in my hands trying to force myself awake.
“Why are you even up this early?” I questioned him, stalling from answering his first question and knowing that most travelling musicians didn’t wake up until noon at the earliest.
“We had to play at some morning show this morning, so we’re awake. Jack had a little too much coffee and can’t go back to sleep so I was assigned to watch him. He acts and gets treated like a child around here; I’m sure you’ll get used to it” Alex responded and I could literally hear the smirk in his voice before I heard a shout in the background and the phone drop.
“You never answered our question! But whatever you say, we’re coming over to help you pack!” Jack informed me, speaking at a record speed.
“Uh, I think I know what and how to pack, Jack,” I informed him, not exactly favoring the idea of having people over when this was quite possibly my last day to have alone time and privacy for months.
“Nonsense! We’re coming over whether you like it or not, now what’s your address?” He insisted.
Not being awake enough to put effort into an argument, I convinced myself that it would be good to get to know them a little before spending months cooped up win a bus before I told Jack directions.
“Go down Sixth Avenue, then West 8th. Go down the alley way beside Norman’s Grocery and go in the back door. The staircase is to your left, I’m on the third floor; second door on the left. If anyone asks, just say you’re going to see me, and they shouldn’t give you any trouble.” I told him, sighing to myself as I stood up and walked over to my makeshift dresser trying to decide what to wear for the long day of packing ahead of me.
After getting off the phone, I threw on black leggings, and over sized denim button up, and my old battered maroon Vans before throwing my hair up in a messy bun and putting on the minimum amount of makeup.
Knowing I had a good thirty minutes before Jack and Alex arrived, I decided to go talk to my landlord about rent for the months I wouldn’t be here for.
About five minutes after I had returned to my apartment after the meeting with my landlord, there was a knock at the door.
Mentally preparing myself for the loudness and social nightmare that these two men were about to turn my day into, I slowly made my way across the tiny apartment and unlocked the door, remembering to throw a smile on my face as I pulled it open.
“You live in like fucking Narnia, this was the hardest place on earth to find,” Was the first thing Alex informed me of as I opened the door.
Smiling softly, I stepped back so that they could come in.
“I thought I gave Jack pretty accurate directions; sorry I guess,” I mumbled as they walked past me and into the apartment. Jack was already walking around the perimeter, inspecting all the little knick knacks I had placed around.
“Nothing for you to be sorry for, Jack’s just an idiot and couldn’t remember the directions you gave him,” Alex said, rolling his eyes at his best friend.
I nodded before quietly walking over to get my suitcase from underneath the futon, cringing at the silence that I knew was a result of me being my awkward self.
“I like your apartment, it’s cozy” Jack informed me excitedly.
“There’s a difference between small and cozy, and this is borderline cramped,” I informed him before walking over to the dresser.
“Well it’s got everything you need, I don’t see a problem with that,” Alex added into the conversation.
“Yeah, it’s all I can afford right now. You don’t get many options as a college dropout,” I responded before quickly changing the subject, not wanting questions asked.
“So, uh, I talked to my landlord and I’m basically moving out so he can rent the place out until I get back, so do you think you guys could maybe help me box up some things and maybe move the furniture to the storage unit down the street?” I awkwardly asked, hating the fact that I was forced to be dependent on other people to actually do stuff for me.
Naturally, I’m a very independent person but over the last few months I’ve completely lived by myself without any outside help. It wasn’t a shot to my pride asking for help, but I didn’t want to burden them with things that I needed to get done. But the more I thought about it, I realized that there was no way I’d be able to move all of my shit by myself anyways; and at least it would keep them busy and not asking questions about things that I didn’t want to answer.
As I trudged to the back door of the grocery store and up the three flights of stairs to my apartment, there were a million thoughts running through my mind. It had been a busy and eventful day and I was physically and emotionally worn out.
Even with the nonstop thoughts racing through my mind, as soon as I walked into my apartment, I changed into Bobbi’s old Go Radio shirt and climbed onto the futon that doubled as my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was fast asleep.
~~
I woke up the next morning to the shrill sound of my phone ringing right beside my head. I was really dazed and confused at first because quite honestly, no one ever calls my phone. The only reason I even still had it was more out of habit than the actual need for it.
Blindly feeling around the futon until I felt my hands grasp the outdated piece of technology, I pressed the answer button before I even glanced at the number calling.
“Hello?” I answered before clearing my throat when I realized how scratchy it sounded.
“Hey, it’s Alex,” I heard the voice that was becoming more and more familiar greet before being interrupted by an obviously very awake Jack.
“And Jack!” He yelled into the speaker, causing me to scrunch up my nose and yank the phone away from my ear; I still wasn’t completely awake yet and hearing loud noises the second I wake up isn’t on the list of my favorite things.
“Shut up and stop yelling Jack!” I heard Alex scold him before returning his attention back to me.
“So we were bored and stole Matt’s phone to call you and ask if you needed any help packing since I heard you would be coming with us on tour.” Alex stated, noticeably calmer than how Jack had been.
“Uhh, what time is it?” I asked, still groggy and not sure how to respond to his question.
“It’s nine thirty, sorry if we woke you up,” Alex trailed off as the realization of how early it was set into his mind.
I rolled over before glancing at the clock to see that it was indeed that early. Sitting up, I put my head in my hands trying to force myself awake.
“Why are you even up this early?” I questioned him, stalling from answering his first question and knowing that most travelling musicians didn’t wake up until noon at the earliest.
“We had to play at some morning show this morning, so we’re awake. Jack had a little too much coffee and can’t go back to sleep so I was assigned to watch him. He acts and gets treated like a child around here; I’m sure you’ll get used to it” Alex responded and I could literally hear the smirk in his voice before I heard a shout in the background and the phone drop.
“You never answered our question! But whatever you say, we’re coming over to help you pack!” Jack informed me, speaking at a record speed.
“Uh, I think I know what and how to pack, Jack,” I informed him, not exactly favoring the idea of having people over when this was quite possibly my last day to have alone time and privacy for months.
“Nonsense! We’re coming over whether you like it or not, now what’s your address?” He insisted.
Not being awake enough to put effort into an argument, I convinced myself that it would be good to get to know them a little before spending months cooped up win a bus before I told Jack directions.
“Go down Sixth Avenue, then West 8th. Go down the alley way beside Norman’s Grocery and go in the back door. The staircase is to your left, I’m on the third floor; second door on the left. If anyone asks, just say you’re going to see me, and they shouldn’t give you any trouble.” I told him, sighing to myself as I stood up and walked over to my makeshift dresser trying to decide what to wear for the long day of packing ahead of me.
After getting off the phone, I threw on black leggings, and over sized denim button up, and my old battered maroon Vans before throwing my hair up in a messy bun and putting on the minimum amount of makeup.
Knowing I had a good thirty minutes before Jack and Alex arrived, I decided to go talk to my landlord about rent for the months I wouldn’t be here for.
About five minutes after I had returned to my apartment after the meeting with my landlord, there was a knock at the door.
Mentally preparing myself for the loudness and social nightmare that these two men were about to turn my day into, I slowly made my way across the tiny apartment and unlocked the door, remembering to throw a smile on my face as I pulled it open.
“You live in like fucking Narnia, this was the hardest place on earth to find,” Was the first thing Alex informed me of as I opened the door.
Smiling softly, I stepped back so that they could come in.
“I thought I gave Jack pretty accurate directions; sorry I guess,” I mumbled as they walked past me and into the apartment. Jack was already walking around the perimeter, inspecting all the little knick knacks I had placed around.
“Nothing for you to be sorry for, Jack’s just an idiot and couldn’t remember the directions you gave him,” Alex said, rolling his eyes at his best friend.
I nodded before quietly walking over to get my suitcase from underneath the futon, cringing at the silence that I knew was a result of me being my awkward self.
“I like your apartment, it’s cozy” Jack informed me excitedly.
“There’s a difference between small and cozy, and this is borderline cramped,” I informed him before walking over to the dresser.
“Well it’s got everything you need, I don’t see a problem with that,” Alex added into the conversation.
“Yeah, it’s all I can afford right now. You don’t get many options as a college dropout,” I responded before quickly changing the subject, not wanting questions asked.
“So, uh, I talked to my landlord and I’m basically moving out so he can rent the place out until I get back, so do you think you guys could maybe help me box up some things and maybe move the furniture to the storage unit down the street?” I awkwardly asked, hating the fact that I was forced to be dependent on other people to actually do stuff for me.
Naturally, I’m a very independent person but over the last few months I’ve completely lived by myself without any outside help. It wasn’t a shot to my pride asking for help, but I didn’t want to burden them with things that I needed to get done. But the more I thought about it, I realized that there was no way I’d be able to move all of my shit by myself anyways; and at least it would keep them busy and not asking questions about things that I didn’t want to answer.
Notes
So I realize that it is Saturday, and I promised Monday updates. Thanks to WhatsLeftToday for reminding me, and I'm sorry this took so long. This chapter has been written but I was trying to keep a few chapters ahead so I was waiting it out thinking that I'd have time to write over break. But then we left the day school let out to go to North Carolina and I completely forgot my laptop at home. But I'm back now and posting this, hoping to get the chance to write some, but I just got the news that a guy I went to school with was stabbed to death last night so I don't know how much writing I'll be getting done.But, for the good news, the next chapter is already written, so no matter what happens, a new chapter will be out on Monday!
Once again, sorry this is late, I hop everyone had a great Christmas or whatever holiday you may celebrate, and I'll post on Monday. Comments, as always are appreciated!
XOXO,
Lilly
i love this story btw^.^
1/22/13