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By the time I made it to the fourth floor, sweat was dripping off me as if I had just run a marathon. Since it was a warm May afternoon, the corridors of the apartment building were hot and muggy.
The door to 4C was ajar and a gorgeous girl with long blonde hair and stunning blue eyes was looking at me with her mouth open.
"Oh my God! How did you lug those things up by yourself?! You should have told me you needed help!"
She stepped out from the doorway and grabbed the handle of one of the suitcases. Her attempt to lift it was laughable. The cheap plastic sides of the suitcase strained up with her effort, but remained unmoved.
"Pull," I wheezed as I tried to catch my breath, the exertion of dragging my luggage up the stairs taking its toll. I waved towards the bottom of the suitcase and was able to sputter out, "Wheels."
Claire took my direction and started pulling the suitcase towards her and inside the apartment. After we managed to drag the suitcases inside, we both plopped down on the couch.
"Well," I said after I caught my breath. "That was an inauspicious introduction. I guess I should say nice to meet you."
Claire laughed as she sat up on the couch. "I'd give you a welcome hug, but I have to admit that I'd rather settle for a welcome handshake."
I looked down at my sweat-drenched t-shirt and jeans that were sticking to my legs like wet cement. "I don't blame you, I'm a mess."
Claire grinned as she swept her hand, indicating the apartment. "Welcome to your new home."
Even though we had only talked on the phone, Claire and I had immediately hit it off. She was a year younger than I was and seemed as laid back as I was buttoned up. I decided that I would definitely let her rub off on me.
I surveyed the apartment, pleased that it looked just like the pictures she had sent me. The living room was small but comfortably furnished with a few knickknacks and pictures. The kitchen was more of a wall with a counter and appliances lined up against it rather than a separate room. A small breakfast table separated the kitchen from the living room. I knew the bedrooms were small too, but my room came furnished so I had one less thing to worry about.
The main feature that I had loved about the apartment was the small balcony off the living room. I stood up to look out the sliding glass doors. It looked out onto 1st Avenue and I could see people hanging out on their stoops.
"I love it!" I said with enthusiasm as I turned my head to look at Claire. "I can't believe I'm finally here. I always dreamed of living in New York, but now it's actually a reality."
"I'm happy you're here. The last roommate I had snored so loud that I could hear her through the bedroom wall. The only thing that saved me was stockpiling earplugs."
Claire rose and stood next to me, peering out the sliding glass window as well. She was much taller than I was with a willowy figure. I figured she had to be about five nine even without any shoes since she was barefoot. With my dark brown hair that was escaping my messy ponytail and a figure that had hips showing my love of junk food, I felt squat and average next to her.
But I wasn't here to compete for attention. The last thing I wanted to do after having just broken off my engagement was to start dating again. This time was for me, to establish myself as the person I had always imagined I could be. And I was grateful that I wasn't doing it alone. From our phone conversations, I already felt as though Claire was a friend.
"Let me show you your bedroom."
Claire opened one of three doors off the living room, ushering me inside. "I know it's small but mine’s the same size. I barely spend any time in mine anyway."
"It's perfect," I said, looking around the room. And it was. Even though it was small and cramped, it was mine. I could do whatever I wanted to it without having to check with someone else to see if they were okay with it. I still thought of Sean every now and then, and a part of me missed him. He had been a part of my life for ten years and I still loved him and wanted the best for him. As dull as I had found Sean in our relationship, he had always been kind and considerate. He was a good person. I was the one that had changed the rules mid-game.
After Claire showed me the bathroom and helped me lug my suitcases into my room, she plopped down on my bed. I was grateful that she seemed to consider me a new friend, instead of someone just sleeping in the next room. As excited as I was to start my new life, it made it a lot less scary to have a ready-made friend.
"So, what do you want to do on your first official day as a New Yorker?"
I practically jumped up and down in excitement. "I don't know. Maybe we can just walk around and explore the neighborhood. I can't even think about unpacking right now."
"Sure. I'll show you around the 'hood, and then we can stop by Max's Tavern. It's a bar a couple of blocks away."
I looked at myself in the mirror that was above the dresser in my bedroom and grimaced. "Let me try to make myself look like a human being first. My hair looks like I stuck my finger in an outlet."
Claire laughed as she walked out of my room. "Sure, take your time."
I opened one of my suitcases and fished out my toiletries as well as a fresh pair of jeans and a tank top. Claire was flipping through a magazine when I made my way into the bathroom. It was a relief to change into clothes that weren't sticking to me. It was even more of a relief to wash off the grime of traveling from my face and put on fresh make-up.
"Tada," I announced as I stepped out of the bathroom. "This is as good as it's going to get today, but at least I don't feel gross anymore."
"You look fine," Claire replied as she dropped the magazine and stood. She was wearing shorts that accentuated just how long her legs were and a cute little tee that looked like it was sized for a toddler. It was a good thing that Claire was such a nice girl. It could be easy to be jealous of someone so effortlessly gorgeous.
Claire took me to all her local haunts and she seemed to know everyone on a first name basis. She had that easy charm that made everyone want to smile and talk to her. Claire was a good guide, explaining the different neighborhoods in New York and showing me where all the important places were, like the nearest grocery store and pharmacy. It was exciting just to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. And the East Village had plenty of atmosphere. It was a little grittier and a little dirtier than the New York I had seen through Carrie Bradshaw's eyes, but it didn't make me lov
