So as I was helping my new roomie, Catalina, place her stuff in our apartment—actually I was doing all the work while she chats up with the neighbors—when another moving van parked outside. I muttered complaints under my breath while I silently hoped that the van didn’t carry more of her stuff. Her room was getting crowded with clothes that all seemed too small to be hers. I was fortunate to have spotted our landlord outside to help me carry the big sewing machine table to her room. This is the price I pay for giving in to her teary plead too easily.
I was unboxing another set of clothes when I heard a tap on the window. I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Catalina waving me to come out.
“Sae, come meet my friends!” she said behind the glass.
Friends? It was her first day here and she already made friends? I haven’t even met any of our neighbors yet, and one morning with them and they’re suddenly all buddies?
I came out to a small crowd of yelling people. Some of them looked around my age, and the rest were older. Catalina of course, was the oldest of them all. They were gathered up by the stairs cheering on some guy on the ground doing a break dance stunt.
“Sae!” Catalina called.
I walked to her, and noticed that most of my neighbors were wearing bright and bold colored clothing, like the one’s you’d normally see in dance music videos. “What’s… going on?” I asked my roomie.
“Oh this?” Catalina replied. “We’re just showing off our skills. We all go to the same dance workshop you know. It’s a block away from here. I can take you there sometime if you like.”
I laughed raising my hands up. “Um…I don’t think I can move like that. I might actually break something if I try to learn break dancing.”
“Silly. They do offer other dance classes,” Catalina pointed out. “You’re too young to say no to new things.”
I pushed a tiny smile, not wanting to be rude. She was, afterall, still an elder. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”
“That’s my girl,” she said, giving me a pat on the back. “Speaking of new things…”
Her eyes trailed behind her shoulders. I followed her gaze, seeing the empty apartment next to ours with two of the female tenants from upstairs peering through the window.
“What’s going on over there?” I asked.
“A new neighbor just moved in,” Catalina explained. “Half Asian from what I’ve heard. Pretty cute too.”
I raised a brow at her.
“What? Just ‘coz I’m old, doesn’t mean I can’t check out young guys,” she said. “Heard from the landlord that he just got out of a bad relationship. Maybe you can help him move on or something.” She gave me a light elbow nudge.
My mouth fell open. “What makes you think—”
“Save it dolly. I’ve been where you are, and trust me you need to hit that,” she said pointing her thumb at the door.
Catalina grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the new neighbor’s apartment.
“What are you doing?” I hissed.
“Don’t tell me you’re not curious,” she replied. She pushed between the two female tenants. “Move it ladies. Dolly here needs to check out Mr. Cutie.”
“I do not!” I whispered, crouching down with her. It was a good thing our landlord was gone. He wouldn’t like us stepping on his flowerbeds. “Why can’t we do the less creepy stalker thing and knock on his door?”
Catalina waved her hand dismissively. “We can do that later, now look.”
“I’m not going to spy on—”
“Shut up and look!” Catalina ordered, putting a hand behind my head and pressing it closer to the glass.
Inside was a man pushing a sofa to it’s place. He had milky white skin and beautiful brown hair. His face didn’t have much strong features, but like most Asian guys he had small eyes. He seemed really young, but he had a great body.
“Looks like another dancer to me,” said Catalina. “You should definitely bake him some muffins as a welcoming gift.”
“I don’t know how to bake muffins,” I whispered.
“Then use your other muffins,” said Catalina.
I gave her a questioning look.
“Hey don’t pretend to be all innocent, you’re the big city girl, act like one.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t do those things.”
Catalina sighed. “No wonder you got chewed up and spitted out of the city. You got the right tools, but don’t know how to use them.”
My teeth clenched. “Excuse me?”
Catalina raised her hands. “Hey, I’m not starting anything. Just saying, if I still had an ass as nice as yours I would put it to good use.”
“Okay, I’m done here.” I said straightening myself.
But just then, the our new neighbor looked up and saw me looking in.
“Shit,” I said under my breath.
The door swung open and I was greeted by the tenant’s questioning look.
“Um…hi,” I began.
“…Hey,” his eyes gazed down, seeing Catalina crouched down by his window.
Uh-oh.
Silence followed. This was one of the most awkward moments of my life.
“I just love the smell of these flowers!” Catalina suddenly said, bringing a hand to my chest. She bent her head lower, which I never thought was possible, since she could barely move at normal speed. Her nose touched a flower and sniffed it loudly. I think she inhaled some pollen because she began coughing violently after.
Great. I just allowed a complete nut job to live with me.
“Are you okay?” said the new tenant as he helped Catalina up.
“I’m fine,” she said between coughs. “I think I’ll go in, it’s getting pretty cold out.”
I saw my chance to retreat. “I’d better help her get ba—”
“No!” Catalina placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me on my tracks.
I stared at her wide-eyed.
“I can manage,” she said. She leaned a close enough to whisper in my ear. “You can thank me later.” She gave me a wink before turning and walking back to our apartment.
I stood there for half a minute still in disbelief. But then I heard the new tenant clear his throat.
“She…seems like a handful,” he said. “Is she your grandmother?”
“No,” I said, turning to face him. “She’s my roommate.”
His brows arched up. “I see.”
Another long pause.
“So…” he began. “Can I help you with anything?”
I wished badly not to be in this situation. “I…” My heart was already pounding. I’m not really good at lying.
“I just wanted to welcome you into the neighborhood. Hi, my name is Sae, and welcome to Sweet Homes Apartments! Nice to meet you, bye!” I said as fast as I can that I wasn’t even sure if he understood any of it. Then I turned and rushed back to my apartment.
I shut the door behind me and leaned my back against it. My hand found my chest, feeling my heart beating wildly.
“So…how’d it go?” said Catalina. She was sitting on the sofa polishing her nails.
I pursed my lips and shot her a sharp look.
“Oh don’t tell me you blew it?” she said as she watched me head to the kitchen.
I grabbed a dirty plate and started scrubbing. My hand was clutching on the sponge tighter than I should. My eyes locked on the stains, channeling my anger on them. I tried my best to ignore Catalina’s presence.
When I finished, I came back to an empty living room. I saw Catalina chatting up with the new neighbor from my window. I didn’t even hear her leave. She came back waving her cell at me.
“I got his name, number, and a cute snapshot,” she said tossing the phone to me. “Feel free to thank me anytime.”
She walked into her room and shut the door behind her. The screen displayed the guy’s contact information. His name was Lee Kim, our new neighbor.
CHAPTERS:
Gossip Sae 
sae, lee kim is handsome. don’t get mad with your roomie, she’s just doing you a favor – unsolicited though but still favor.
you have pretty pics and a nice story-line. thumbs up 😀
I agree, Lee is a cutie. Thanks for reading my blog. 🙂
Ohh, he’s cute! And that windowpicture is priceless! Hahaha
I don’t really spy on people, but Catalina was really pushy. 😦