Exit Wounds | Noah Sebastian

S I X

I take a look around my empty apartment and dial Finn's number. Caleb is at work and I've already packed everything in my car. I don't know where I'm going to go, but I know I can't stay here.

"Hey, do you know anyone who needs a roommate?"  I need to find a place that I can sublet, I don't have a steady job with a steady income and no one will rent to me because I can't provide paystubs.  I've already called six places.

"Noah is renting out a full apartment," he says easily.

"Absolutely not," I interrupt him.  I would sleep in my car before I shared a space with Noah.

"Who needs a place?" Finn asks, he obviously thinks that I'm talking about someone other than myself. He knows I have a place to live. Although, I don't have a place to live now.  Caleb and I broke up last night.

I haven't told anyone. I haven't really accepted it myself.

"Me?" I say uncertainly, running my hand through my hair and flipping it to the other side and push it behind my ear.  I pace back and forth while I listen for Finn's reply.

"What?!" He shouts into the phone, "this doesn't feel like a phone conversation."

"I don't want to talk about it, Finn. I just want to find a place to live," I sigh.  My foot catches on the stupid rug in the living room and I trip, stumbling a few steps before I right myself.  I hate that Caleb gets to keep the apartment, with it's beautiful exposed brick walls and view of the river.  However, I can't afford this place by myself.

"I wish I had another friend to offer, but it's just him. It's not like you'd be living with him, just renting a single apartment from him," he tells me. "You can obviously stay here if you need to, but I know how you are."

Finn does know how I am, and he doesn't have a room to offer.  He has a couch he can offer, and I wasn't going to sleep on his couch.  I didn't want a hand out, I needed a place to live.  Also, his roommate sells weed, and I didn't really want to end up in jail if I could help it.

"You know that's a hard pass from me, give me his number," I groan.

Finn sends me a text with Noah's number in it, I tap the number and call him before I chicken out. My flip flops slap the floor as I continue to pace, I hate being on the phone.  I hate this feeling of in-between even more.

"Hello," Noah drawls in his calming voice.

My chest tightens as I greet him back. "Hi Noah, it's Delaney. Finn gave me your number and-" I start.

"And you want my body?" He guesses, and I can hear the smirk in his voice.  I could sleep in my car, it would be fine.  I could call my parents even, I know their house is empty.

"This was a mistake," I mutter and hang up the phone.

I take the key to the apartment off of my keychain and place it on the counter, the beautiful concrete counter, and take one last look at my home, that is not my home anymore.  I close the door behind me and walk away with a sinking feeling in my stomach.  I knew this was what I needed to do, that our relationship couldn't be reconciled at this point.

My phone rings in my hand when I reach my car. It's Noah and I debate ignoring it, but I need a place to stay.

"Noah," I greet tersely.

"Delaney," he says my name like it's left a bad taste in his mouth. "I believe you called me for a reason."

"Finn told me you have an apartment for rent and I am looking for one," I sigh.