Page 11 of Game on, Love
My lips pursed in a thin line, stopping myself from both laughing and crying. I couldn’t lose it, not right now.
Axel walked out to us, his posture matching Vedant’s as he shook his head.
“Your bathroom isn’t that bad, but most stuff is ruined; I think the leak was started there, and thankfully, your collateral was in waterproof packaging, so that should be all fine, too.”
Oh, right.
I had honestly forgotten about that, but I nodded anyway before pulling my phone out and calling my building manager.
It took him two minutes before he was standing next to us.
“It’s a cascade water leak,” He grumbled as he stepped inside my flat to take a look. “The pipe in the flat two floors above you had an issue, and well, by the looks of it, I would say you got lucky.”
Vedant opened his mouth, his eyes pointed, but I nudged his shoulder and shook my head.
Yeah, the guy was being a bit insensitive but it wasn’t his problem.
“What pipe was it?” Axel asked, but his tone wasn’t pleasant.
“Ah, just the main supply line, all clean water, your clothes should be fine…” His voice faded as he walked in further to check everything out.
I chewed on my lower lip as I went over all the other things that would require replacing and fixing.
“Right, I can’t give you an exact date, but it would take at least a month to get the water issue fixed; we need to cut the main electric line in this row and then a couple of weeks to get anything else fixed and inspected.” He wasn’t even looking at either of us, just making notes as he spoke. And by judging Vedant and Axel’s posture, neither of them were happy about it. “You got insurance?”
“Yeah,” I sighed. That clearly meant all of it needed replacing, and none of it would be fixable.
“Good, take pictures and pack your dry stuff. Anything that is wet, you can pick up later. Let me know once you’re done, andI can…” I tuned him out. I wondered if moving out would be a better solution; I had considered doing it anyway.
“Yeah, she can stay with me, it’s fine.”
What?
My head jerked up, unsure who suggested this. My eyes were wide as I tried to figure it out.
Living witheitherof them would be a stupid idea.
“Great, would you mind writing the forwarding address?”
When the building manager handed his phone to Vedant, a part of me felt relief, even though the other part of me had alarm bells ringingloudly.
“Right then, anything else?” The building manager looked up, a small sympathetic smile on his face and listening to the logical side of my brain, I nodded.
If Vedant suggested I stay with him for a while, I wouldn’t mind moving out entirely.
“Uh, I think I’ll take this and give you my notice. This month’s rent has been paid already, and I’m on a rolling contract.” His smile dropped a little, but he nodded regardless. “Thanks. I’ll get my stuff out and send you and the agent a formal notice in the morning.”
A single nod and he was gone.
Two hours later, so were we.
4
Oliver
THE ALARM BLARED THROUGHthe silence of my room, a soft but persistent sound that pulled me from the haze of sleep. I groaned, shifting under the warm covers, as I tried to remember why I had set an alarm when it was supposed to be my day off. But before my brain could make sense of anything, a faint yell echoed outside my door, and my eyes shot open.
What the hell?