Bill's Apartment

[Bill Hartmann]

Bill flipped the pages of the magazine, looking for something that didn't resemble a fashion add or tips about dating. It didn't seem to be working. He sighed and tossed the magazine to the glass, coffee table. It hit with a very unsatisfying woosh. Across from him the television buzzed meaninglessly about the news but he wasn't really paying attention.

There was something else on his mind today, a girl he had seen walking the streets with her boyfriend. She'd clung to him with her angelic smile and beautiful blonde locks. It wasn't that he loved this woman, far from it, but she reminded him of everything he'd once had... and everything he missed.

"Oh man..." he sighed.

Stretched out across the large couch, Bill crossed his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, though doing thinking more than staring. He was almost lost in his thoughts when the door bell rang and he jumped up from his perch on the couch, startled.

[[Apartment made =] ]]

[Emmaline]

Emma had heard that someone new had moved into the apartment nears hers and she remembered how she’d been welcomed into town so she decided to extend the courtesy to this new person. Although Emma was more withdrawn and shy she figured why not try and reach out since this was a new town. She didn’t really know what had caused this change in her since she didn’t really trust strangers, maybe it had been since she’d talked a little to Logan, but she figured she’d try it. Not like much more could happen to her now that she was expecting. She was now four months pregnant and was starting to show, but with her bigger shirt nobody could really tell, which is what Emma wanted for now.

She walked to the door and sighed before she reached out and rang the bell. She didn’t know who this new person was, she’d just heard they were a guy. But she was interested to meet them, she wanted some new friends seeing as she really only knew Logan since getting here. She waited for the door to open, standing there with the brownies she’d made to give to the new person.

[Bill Hartmann]

In an almost awkward movement, he rolled off the couch and into a stand, the door bell rang courteously once more and for a second Bill worried that Jehovah's witnesses might have been hitting up the neighborhood. He reached the door in about two seconds, normal walking speed, and stopped at a nearby mirror to make sure he didn't have any form of couch-hair. Satisfied, Bill reached out to open the door, expecting to see the face of his sister smiling back at him. Instead he found a face he hardly recognized.

"Uh, hello?" he could only imagine how his expression looked.

Had his sister sent over a friend for a message or something like that? The girl didn't look like anyone he'd known and, seeing as he was new in town, he hardly figured that she'd been someone he'd seen around here. She stood a little shorter than him with obsidian hair, trimmed nicely to frame beautiful eyes that reminded him of his sister. Okay, if she was a witness he'd at least hear her out.

"Can I help you? Wait, that wasn't your parking space out there was it?" he asked, slightly guilty.

[Emmaline]

Emma shifted slightly while she waited. For an instant she had the urge to just leave and not wait for the door to open, but that’d be rude since she’d already rung the bell. But being as she wasn’t used to new people she couldn’t help but doubt things. She was just so worried it’d end up like her old home back home. Where she’d get hurt for trying for once to reach out and be nice to someone. It always happened to her and it always made her less able to face people. But she had started this so she was going to finish it, it could be a quick conversation if she needed. Just say hi and welcome him, give him the brownies and leave, that simple.

Emma saw the door open and saw a good look man, who seemed to look nice. He looked confused though, which wasn’t really what Emma was expecting, but since they didn’t know each other it slowly made sense to her. ”Hi.” She said, feeling nervous suddenly, like she could somehow do something wrong.

It was Emma’s turn to be confused. She thought for a moment before she shook her head. ”Oh, umm…no.” She said shaking her head. ”Well I heard you’re new in town and I live a few apartments down so I thought I’d say hi and welcome you to town.” She said, biting her bottom lip nervously. ”I brought you brownies.” She added then, holding them out to him.

[Bill Hartmann]

"For me? You didn't have to, I mean that's nice of you," Bill couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. It was just like at home, people over here made the effort to know one another and be nice to others, "Oh yeah, that would be me. I just moved in about a week ago."

She looked a little nervous, like she had expected him to jump out at her or slam the door in her face. But Bill could tell just by her manners that she wasn't the type of girl guy's did that to. Bill could never imagine being rude to a girl, especially one as nice as this. He held out his hand, not sure if she'd give it a good shake because she was already holding a small plate with the baked goods on it.

"I'm Bill by the way, Bill Hartmann," he offered with a smile, hoping that he hadn't scared her off with his parking spot guilt trips. Really, she hadn't had her blinker on or anything...

[Emmaline]

Emma smiled at him when he said it was nice of her. ”Yeah. I know but when I moved in I had someone welcome me and I thought I’d be the one to welcome you. Since I was one of the newest ones here.” Emma said shrugging. She was feeling a little more confident now that he hadn’t been a jerk and slammed the door in her face or something. She nodded slightly when he said he’d moved in about a week again. ”Do you like it so far?” She asked then, just to make conversation.

Emma waited slightly though, not sure what to say at the moment. When he held out her hand, she moved the plate to balance it on one hand before she shook his hand. She heard him say his name and she nodded. ”I’m Emmaline Sykes. It’s Emma for short though.” She said smiling back at him. ”It’s nice to meet you.” She added then. She thought he was pretty nice, although she still wasn’t sure why he’d thought he’d stolen her parking space, it was nice that he asked though. Although she wasn’t the type of person to try and find the one who stole her spot, she would have just let it go.

[Bill Hartmann]

"Pleasure to meet you," he smiled, giving her hand a light shake, "Yeah it's not bad here. Pretty cozy. And the neighbors are nice, obviously."

Bill grinned. Emma reminded him way too much of his sister, only she was a lot louder than the petite woman that stood smiling at his door step. Had he been anyone else he might have already sized her up for a date but Bill's mind seemed as far away from dating as possible; it was stuck on making friends right now and Emma seemed to be the sort of friend he was looking for.

"Did you want to come in for a cup of coffee or something? I mean, my place is fairly clean if you ignore the boxes I haven't unpacked," Bill hoped he didn't sound like he was hitting on her, he'd really just wanted a conversation that didn't leave him alone with his thoughts.

If everyone in this town was as nice as Emma than he wouldn't have a problem blending in and obtaining a social life that didnt involve who was next to plow the field. Okay, those days were so long gone that that particular joke wasn't really funny but he couldn't help his optimistic nature from dictating his attitude.

[Emmaline]

Emma nodded slightly and smiled at him. ”Yeah it is. But I’m glad you like it.” She said still smiling. ”Yeah they are. Especially to new people.”

Bill seemed different from most of the guys Emma had ever met. He sort of reminded her of her brother or Logan. They were both nice to her, in two different ways though. Her brother took care of her, it was his job. Logan was just nice to her because he could be, something Emma wasn’t used to with guys. She always managed to find the jerks but he definitely didn’t seem like one, he seemed much nicer.

Emma heard his question and thought for a moment. She wasn’t sure but she figured if he was nice enough to offer what should she have to worry about. ”Um sure, that sounds good. If you really don’t mind.” She said adding the last part then. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to intrude on him. ”It’s ok though.” She said, she didn’t care about the boxes. She waited for him though before she moved or anything, she didn’t just want to walk in, it wasn’t like her.

[Bill Hartmann]

Bill moved into his apartment, holding the door for Emma as she walked in. There wasn't much to it. The main room had a black sofa, a glass coffee table, and a large television set with a few plants on either side. The kitchen connected with the living room and three bar stools hugged an island with a shiny black countertop. A set of stairs led up to the bedroom and upstairs bathroom, located right by a large window that overlooked the parking lot below.

"Not much but it was better than staying with the 'rents," he joked, poking around his kitchen for some sign of coffee beans or even mugs to put them in, "sit anywhere you like, just watch out for the boxes."

Bill found his coffee bag in a large box by the door and yanked the bag out, prepairing the coffee like he was a chef working on a master piece. He poured the neccesary amount into the pot after placing the filter down and hit the brew button. It perked to life and Bill turned back to Emma.

"And I don't mind by the way," he pointed to the brownies that now rested on the table, "I owe you a nice cup of coffee. Hopefully you don't mind decaf because I couldn't find the regular one. I think I left it at my old place..." he laughed, leaning on the counter as he waited for the coffee to continue and Emma to respond.

[Emmaline]

Emma walked in by Bill as he held the door and smiled slightly. She looked around the apartment slightly when she got in. The layout wasn’t much different from her apartment, except she had different furniture in hers. She looked out the window and saw he had a view of the parking lot, it was better then her view, being of the building next door. She smiled slightly to herself at the thought, it was weird where people put windows sometimes. It didn’t make sense.

Emma made her way over and sat down on the couch as she listened to what Bill said. ”It’s nice though. But yeah definitely better then staying with them.” She said laughing slightly. She had had a horrible life growing up with abusive parents and she knew what it was like wanting to get away. She pushed the thought from her head and looked up. ”Well at least you got a better view then me. My apartment window looks out right onto the building next door. Not much there.” She said smiling.

She watched Bill search for the coffee and thought of offering to help look but he’d found it before she’d even opened her mouth. She watched him start to make the coffee and looked around then. When he turned back to her she looked up and smiled again.

She nodded when he said he didn’t mind. ”Oh it was nothing.” She said shrugging at the brownies. She really didn’t have a problem cooking, she’d grown up cooking for her family, it was her job. ”Nope, decaf is fine. But I understand that. I left a bunch at my old place when I move. Luckily my brother shipped it here for me.” She said then.