Chapter 3

• I start packing everything into my bag, pick up my phone which had fallen a bit far away, and grimace when I see the lines crossing the screen. As I was about to get up, I see a hand extended towards me. When I look up, I notice Bornout offering me a smile, although it was just a slight lift of the lips, to be honest. Embarrassed, I accept his help and stand up.
• "Are you okay?"
• His voice, rough and firm, seemed like the most sensual male voice I had heard so far. I swallow and nod slowly.
• "Yes, although now I have to buy a new phone," I mutter sarcastically, showing what used to be the screen of my phone. "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Bornout."
• Wanting to say more but feeling uncomfortable, I smile apologetically and walk towards the exit. As soon as I pass through the glass doors, I fill my lungs with air. I walk to the corner and stand there for a while until I manage to hail a taxi. As soon as I get in, I give the driver my address and slump into the seat with regret as I look at my phone again, trying to see if it would turn on, but clearly it wasn't going to happen this time. After a long half"hour journey through the crowded streets, I finally arrive home. I pay the taxi driver and get out. As I enter, Michael, an older man with gray hair who was the receptionist, greets me warmly. I walk past him and stand in front of the elevator where there was already a curly"haired, copper"haired guy waiting with a corgi dog in his hands, and as the elevator arrives, we both get in."
• "You're going to the fifth floor, right?" he turns with a smile as he had already pressed the button, causing the doors to close.
• "Do you know how weird it is for a guy I don't know to know what floor I'm going to?" I reply with a smirk.
• "You're right about that, you don't know me but I know you," he answers, lowering the puppy to come sniff me. "You're my neighbor, you live in 503 and I'm in 502."
• As the doors open, the dog happily trots out to the door of the apartment right in front of mine. We both advance as I rummage in my bag for the keys.
• "If you need anything, you can find me," he says, catching my attention. "I'm Guillian and he's Kenji, and you are?"
• "Eryn."
• "The pleasure is all mine, Eryn."
• He opens the door to his apartment, letting Kenji in first, and then closes the door behind him. I stood outside for a few seconds until I found my keys. As soon as I open the door, I quickly enter, dropping my things on the floor and closing the door behind me. I had to talk about all this with Allie. On the way to my room, I stopped in the kitchen to make myself a strawberry and mint tea. When I get to my room, I sit in the desk chair and turn on my laptop. While waiting for it to load, I decide to change into a white knitted sweater and light yellow shorts. When the computer is ready, I log into Skype and call Allie.
• "Why did you hang up on me?" she asks as she accepts the video call. "I've been calling you all the time."
• "I broke my phone."
• "It doesn't surprise me with how clumsy you are, and it's the third one in less than a year," she accuses with a smile.
• "Hey, this time it wasn't my fault," I quickly excuse myself. "It was Bornout's body that happened."
• And so I began my story from my interview to the moment my body collided with Christian Bornout's " where I had to give a detailed description of what he looked like " the awkward encounter, and also about my neighbors Guillian and Kenji.
• "It seems like your day was full of interesting things," she nods energetically.
• "I'm afraid they won't give me the job because of the incident."
• "It was an accident, accidents happen."
• "I know, but I..." I interrupt myself mid"sentence because someone was knocking on my door. "Give me a second, someone is at my door.""
• I leave the empty cup on the desk and walk towards the door, through the peephole I notice a man in a UPS uniform, intrigued more than anything, I open the door.
• "Miss Pryest?" he asks, looking at the table full of papers.
• "It's me."
• "This package is for you," he announces, handing me a not very large box. "And please give me a signature here."
• I tuck the box under my arm and take the tablet with my name on it, I quickly sign and hand it back to the man who just nods and leaves me with doubt. I return to where the computer was. Allie, seeing me with the box, raises an eyebrow with curiosity shining in her eyes, without saying anything I open the cardboard box finding a slightly smaller box with the Apple logo and a small note that said:
• "I hope this makes up for the loss of the other.
• Christian Bornout."
• "Is it the latest iPhone?" Allie asks, surprised. "Damn, that thing is worth over a thousand dollars!"
• "I can't accept this, Allie," I respond instantly. "One, because there's no reason for him to give it to me and two, because I'm not ready to have one of these yet."
• And of course, I was right considering that previous phones had gone through accidents like falling in water or getting lost. And an iPhone X was going to be my downfall. I end the call with Allie promising to let her know if I got the job, I lean back in the chair putting my feet on the desk and press the phone screen to start exploring what it had. It seemed that he had arranged for it to have my same number, which wasn't so strange considering it was on my job application. As soon as I enter the messages, I notice one from the same person who sent it to me:
• "Good evening, Miss Pryest."
• "Good evening, Mr. Bornout," I quickly write and then add: "You didn't have to give me a phone."
• I leave the phone on the desk and walk to the living room where I pull the curtains a little since it was already sunset and the light coming in made the place seem like it was about to catch fire. I lie down on the long white couch and turn on the TV to watch a movie on Netflix, which I wasn't going to watch because I was so tired from everything that had happened during the day, and without much trouble, I let myself fall asleep while listening to the sound of the phone receiving a message. I would read it the next day.