Max stared for a moment, then pinched his thigh. Drying his hands on the towel he checked the time. After midnight. Max glanced around… he'd have heard if someone opened the door right? Maybe he didn't see his phone fall. Probably a neighbor making noise had woken him. Either way, he needed to dry off.
Max sighed… all his clothes were either dirty… or wet. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he hung up his wet clothes along his bedroom wall. Thankfully Dillon had left the clips behind, after making sure all the clothes were secure, he turned on the small round fan. He'd never dried clothes inside so he took Dillon's advice. There were two lines on the far side of the room, only small items on the line closest to the wall, larger on the second line. The fan would create circulation, just in case he laid two dirty shirts under the drying clothes to catch water.
He'd need his own mat, and maybe a drying rack as well. With the money he saved on utilities, he should be able to afford one after his first… or maybe second paycheck.
Max wanted to just sleep, it had been a long day, but he opened his applications… still pending. He used his new address to look for more local jobs. No car so he couldn't even be a delivery driver… with a sigh Max applied to be a busboy, and dish washer of a local bar. He couldn't be picky.
It was finally after three by the time he curled up under the comforter, he should buy some pajamas. Yawn, tomorrow. Today? After I wake up.
Max had the strangest dreams, if he could even call them that. He'd been in that weird, half awake, but still dreaming state. He heard people talking, then something about his laundry. When he was finally awake awake he sat up with a yawn. Then blinked… he'd definitely fallen asleep with the fan on right?
Max hesitated, made sure the towel was still securely around his waist, then checked his clothes. They were all dry, a bit stiff, but he didn't care as he warily dressed himself. The clothes he'd left on the floor… were gone.
Max grabbed his phone… he really wished he had a bat of some sort. No, he was overreacting. Maybe Dillon had forgotten something important… he checked for any missed calls or texts… only from his mom.
Max slowly walked through the apartment… the dirty clothes were all in a pile… were he'd left them last night… maybe… maybe he hadn't left anything under the drying clothes. It had been late… he was tired. Max laughed at himself, then started another load of laundry.
Max made a list of items on his computer, things he needed asap, sooner the better, and eventually. Like, he needed at least one pot. Dillon had left a few pans, a spatula, ladle, and two knives. Still, if he was going to liv here long term, he'd need some containers to store food. He wasn't the best cook, but eating out all the time was expensive. Thankfully, half the burrito from yesterday had been his breakfast and lunch today.
Max started using maps to look around what was within walking distance. The Market was a good start, he'd stock up on food while looking for any jobs that may have signs in their windows. With a plan, Max left the apartment… and immediately wanted to turn around.
In the hallway to the stairs, were three giants smoking. Max hesitated, but he needed groceries, basic supplies… he locked his door, kept his eyes on the ground, and tried to quickly walk past the trio.
"Oi, You with Ire?" The largest of the three asked stepping into his path.
Max stiffened as he glanced up, the man had a beer belly, greasy shirt, pudgy fingers holding his smoke. "Uhh, no, I'm, uh, new tenant, 210." Max explained lowering his gaze, he should have just gone back inside. When they didn't say anything else, he glanced back up. They were all eyeing him… speculatively? The biggest moved just enough so he could get by and jerked his head. Max didn't need another signal, he darted past.
Max was a full two blocks away before his racing heart calmed down. Really? He just announced his room number? What if Dillon got in trouble because he hadn't signed the lease yet? With trembling fingers, he sent Dillon a quick text about him claiming the apartment to another tenant. The response was surprisingly quick.
Just say you're with Ire. They'll understand.
Ire? Was that the owner? Thanks, okay. He replied, like ire as in, irritated?
The first area Max checked was the discounted section at the Market. Unfortunately, mostly just spices or snacks… basket in hand Max only picked up bread, peanut butter, jelly, half a gallon of milk, ten pounds of potatoes, butter, and some bananas. He wanted to pick up more, but this would fill backpack… not to mention he still needed toothpaste, laundry soap… everything was so expensive…
After Max returned to the apartment he unloaded his spoils, everything fit in the fridge. He still needed to make at least one more trip… but his shoulders were sore from the one trip. Max lay on the floor of the kitchen as he pulled up maps to check for the closest super market… four and a half miles away… that would be roughly an hour and half of walking there but the trip back… maybe he should buy a bike.
Max rested for an hour, ate Dillon's left behind grilled chicken and one of the bananas he'd just bought before heading back out. Maybe he should check on the local bus passes. It was almost dark when he returned, struggling to open the door, he almost collapsed as he set everything down.
Just to decrease the weight, he'd bought soap powder but his backpack just didn't have enough room. He'd wrapped the shopping bag handles around his wrists to help with the weight, but now his hands were red and tingling.
As Max stood up, dragging his backpack he stopped… he'd bought seven bananas… ate one… but now only five were left. Since he didn't have a garbage can yet he'd left a bag in the far corner. Hesitantly, Max checked it… two banana peels…
Max closed his eyes, counted to ten. He must have eaten the second banana, he'd been ravenous… that's all. As Max opened his backpack his hands were trembling… he was fine. He just remembered wrong, like Robby said, he needed to stop listening to so much true crime. He was becoming paranoid.
Of course… he'd been right about Arianna becoming distant… stop. He just needed to stop. He'd check the door and windows after he put everything away.
Max took a long shower, keeping an ear out for any noises. Everything was locked, no windows opened. He just needed… just needed to get his life back in order. Max didn't look for any other job postings, only seeing if any had been responded to. None.
With a sigh, Max curled up in his now clean clothes, set three alarms to be ready when Dillon arrived, then did his best to fall asleep.
An hour later Max jolted as he heard something drop. He shot out of bed to see… his jeans had fallen from the drying line. Jesus he was going to scare himself to death. Max rehung the jeans, then found some rain music to listen to. This time he was able to fall asleep.
Max woke up before any of his alarms went off, he didn't feel well rested at all. He'd been too tense. Closing his eyes he lay under the covers until his alarms went off at eight fifteen, then pulled himself out of bed. He needed another trip to the market, cereal would be really good right now, but he just didn't have the room to carry it yesterday.
Opening the bag of potatoes he paused. Slowly, he counted each potato out as he placed them on a plate… he'd counted them yesterday because he had to ration what he ate before he found a job. Six of his thirty-one potatoes were missing…
Max's eyes started to sting… what the fuck. He'd planned to microwave one potato each morning with his breakfast… he'd just lost almost a weeks worth of breakfast… he needed every single one of those stupid potatoes…
Max closed his eyes, fuck… if someone was stealing his food… he crouched down trembling… was… was someone breaking into the apartment? Had they seen him? Jesus Christ… no wonder Dillon wanted out… Damn it. Damn it! Of course it had been too good to be true. Just look at the neighborhood…
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocking had caught him so off guard he'd had to stifle his scream at the last second. Slowly, slowly he looked around for anything he could use as a weapon. Max's heart was racing as he stared in horror… the bolt was still in place… no one should be able to get in… even with the keys. Max stayed silent, trembling, hoping whoever it was would just go away. Damnit, I should have bought a bat. Damnit.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Just as Max was praying the person knocking would just leave, his phone announced a text message. The knocking suddenly stopped. Max held his breath as he reached for his phone. If… if they didn't go away, he could call for help.
Trembling, Max unlocked his phone. The message was from Dillon.