Love's Redemption

There was no response on the other end of the phone. There was just the sound of the call ending.

The door in front of me was still closed, but I knew I was right.

Moments later, the door opened to reveal Brandon in grey loungewear.

So, he was my new neighbor.

He hadn't stopped visiting me; he had moved in right across the hall.

He wasn't skipping night shifts; he had come early to stay here and protect me. But even though he lived right across from me, he hadn't told me.

Moreover, he must have planned to rent the apartment across from me when he helped fix my plumbing.

When I saw him, I understood everything.

"Come in," Brandon said calmly without a trace of embarrassment at being caught.

He hadn't done anything wrong by renting the apartment, so I was the one overreacting. Yet, I couldn't greet him calmly.

I stood at the doorway and stared at him. "Don't you think you owe me an explanation about what's going on?"

"Come in, and I'll explain." Brandon stepped aside.

I bit my lip and walked in.

Although I knew he was probably here for me, I was still angry that he had kept me in the dark.

I was stunned as soon as I saw his place. I had seen this place before, and I knew what it looked like. But now it was completely different.

All the previous items were gone. The living room had nothing but a couch. It was so empty it looked like it had been ransacked. It hardly looked lived-in.

"Where is everything?" I asked instinctively.

Brandon looked at me. "Have you been here before?"

He always answered questions with questions, and my irritation flared up again. I glared at him.

Under my stare, he pointed to a nearby room. "I stored everything in that room."

And all he needed in this place was a couch? NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.

Normally, one would expect a coffee table or a small table, something to put a cup or a phone on. If he didn't like clutter, how come he didn't clear out my parents' room when he stayed there?

I didn't ask that, but I did ask the obvious question. "Why did you rent the apartment across from mine?"

Brandon said, "The rent is cheap."

That was true; the rent prices here weren't high.

"But there are many apartments in this complex. Why rent the one directly across from me?" I thought back to hearing him take that call in his room.

Now, thinking back, I realized how clueless I'd been. He must have thought I was a little fool.

Brandon looked at me directly. "Because you're across my unit."

He was very straightforward.

I scoffed. "You're scarier than the guy that night. You've moved in right next to me."

Brandon frowned slightly. "I'm different from him. I'm here to protect you, and he's not."

I couldn't argue with that, but I was still angry. "You have ulterior motives."

Brandon was silent for a few seconds. "Yes."

He admitted it.

He was a straightforward person. He was bold enough to own up to his actions.

I was speechless and even angrier. "What does 'yes' mean?"

"I'm trying to get close to you," Brandon said, quite poetically.