"Kinda." Jake shrugged as he passed Jack the top of the counter, making sure the ledge didn't swing and hit him in the face. If it wasn't so awkward to carry, just one of them would have been enough.
Max darted forward to get the elevator, "So, uh, anything else to do around here?" Insert foot in mouth once again.
Jack seemed to think about it before answering, "There's a lake, private property, but open to the public most of the time. Check it out."
Max nodded hesitantly, "Uh, want to, add each other? I've got snap and WeChat, oh, and discord."
Jake nodded, "Yeah, in a sec."
Max couldn't stop grinning, nice, he didn't totally fumble that. Max walked in front so he could get the door, Dillon was unpacking his essentials while they made trips. Max had to admit, he was glad Dillon had basically strong armed him into coming today. He might just have started off with two, if not three new friends.
"That's the last of it Lynn," Jack called as he tried to keep the door from slamming shut with his foot.
Max almost choked hearing the name, he bowed his head to hide his smile. He'd heard it earlier but he thought he'd heard wrong.
"Gotcha, food should be ready in ten minutes, me and Max will swing by for pick up then meet you guys back at the apartment?" Dillon called as he closed up a box of non-essentials.
"Kay, key?" Jake asked as he handed his phone to Max. Max quickly entered his number and saved it under his name. He also sent himself a text with Jake's name, he still didn't know their last names, but, this was good. A moment later Jack also handed him his phone. Max repeated the process, then saved both numbers.
Dillon tossed his old apartment key as he nodded to Max, "Don't know about you mate, but I'm already starving."
Max glanced at the time, it was already after two, time flies. Max followed Dillon into the restaurant to help bring the bags out. Yeash, you'd think they were feeding ten people! They had to make two trips, Max even buckled the food in the backseat to make sure it survived the trip to the apartment.
Thankfully, Jake and Jack were waiting by the truck to help carry the food in. This time they all gathered on the living room floor to eat. Max tried not to stare as Jake and Jack both ate all four of their double steak burritos. Max had struggled to finish his first one… he wasn't sure he could afford to eat like them… even if he wanted to.
They made three more trips to the new apartment, it was already dark so they decided to eat out. A local sub shop had been dubious with the amount of food they ordered, but had brought the seven foot-long sandwiches to the table. Max ate half of one of the foot longs while the others devoured the rest. Then! Dillon ordered two sandwiches to go…
Jake and Jack had work tomorrow, so Dillon planned to stay at his new place and just unpack. That meant… Max would have Dillon's old apartment all to himself… he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"So yeah, the binder is now the laptop stand, I took mine with me, let see. I left the original sheets and comforter for the bed, oh, that towel I stole from a hotel last year, if you don't tell I won't. Hmm… anything else before I boogie?" Dillon asked glancing around the much emptier apartment.
Max looked at his pitiful belongings, all stuffed into three bags. "Uh, I don't think so… but I have your number…" Max glanced around the room… was he… really going to get to stay… for two weeks? What if he trashed the place… Dillon was still on the lease.
Dillon patted Max on the shoulder, "Call if ya need me mate, or text. I'll probably be up late, then the day after tomorrow you still up to help me unpack some?"
Max nodded, "Yeah, sure, after the gym right? Tenish?"
Dillon winked as he headed for the door, "Sounds like a plan mate, anything left in the fridge is up for grabs, I'll text if I think of anything I left behind."
"Okay, uh, thanks… for letting me stay." Max added as Dillon was already at the door, slipping his shoes on. He'd already paid him the cash $75… he had the burrito from lunch… if this was a scam… no, he still had two weeks before he had to decide anything.
Dillon grinned, "Life if ruff mate, you got this." Then he was gone. Max walked up, locking the door from the inside. Dillon still had a key until he signed over the lease, but the bolt could only be unlocked from the inside.
Max walked around… unsure of what to do first… laundry. First laundry… just then his phone went off. Pulling it out of his back pocket, a text from Robby.
Hey, Max, dropped by your place, Arianna said you two broke up? Where you at?
Max sighed… of course Robby found out first. He was a little annoyed Robby couldn't just give him some space. He wasn't ten anymore, he was already twenty-four. Max typed out a message, then retracted it several times. Eventually he sent a short message.
New apartment, just need some space. TTYL.
The response was immediate.
Luv ya Scrub, we're just worried, chat Friday?
Max rolled his eyes, Jesus Christ, he'd just said he needed space. Fine. Max threw his phone on the bed then went to go start a load of laundry. This whole air drying was going to take some time to get used to.
Max decided to take a long bath, his showers at the motel had been iffy at best. Max set up his phone in one of the larger plastic cups, one to keep it safe from slash damage, two the cup would act as a makeshift speaker of sorts.
This, this was a luxury… he only had the stolen sample shampoo from the motel and their finger sized bar of soap so no bubbles, but just the near boiling hot water was enough. Max let his favorite true crime podcasts play as he enjoyed his first bath in months.
Max jolted awake, he'd fallen asleep in the tub, the water had chilled considerably. Glancing around, he saw his phone had fallen… strange… the cup was still standing on the sink counter… but his phone was in the sink…
"Weird…" Max turned on the hot water to warm up with a shower. Washing his hair and brushing his teeth under the warm water while he added more items to the list of things he still needed. He'd have to pick up more toothpaste. The motel's travel size bottle was nearly empty. As he opened the glass door… his phone was in the cup again.