Strategically Careless

Chapter 1

Blake’s POV

    “Hurry up! We still have a a few more loads of crap to bring up” I call out behind me to my best friend Katie who is slowly carrying boxes from the elevator into our new apartment. I carry the load of boxes I’m holding and drop them in the living room. 

    “I’m coming. Pull your panties out of your ass” Katie says walking into the apartment. “Did you see the cute guy out there? The one that held the elevator for us?” 

    “We have been here for all of 5 minutes and you have already found a guy to chase.” I say rolling my eyes

    “You make that sound like.a bad thing.” Katie says crossing her arms. “I’m single now and you have never been in a serious relationship. There is not harm in looking.” 

    “I’ve have relationships before” I scoff. “I have had many relationships.” I say crossing my arms too.

    “s*x is not a relationship.” Katie rolls her eyes. “Any guy you have had feeling for you ghost before you even save their number in your phone.”

    “If you weren’t my best friend I’d punch you right now.” I laugh

    “Oh yeah I’d like to see you try.” Katie laughs walking down the hall to put her boxes in her bedroom.

    My best friend Katie and I are moving into an apartment together in New York City! We’ve been talking about this since we were kids and its finally happening. We both come from the most boring small town in the world. We met when we were 7 years old when I moved in next door to her family. We quickly became best friends.... well more like sisters. We were inseparable as kids. Her parents sent her to a religious private school the next town over while I went to the public schools in town. So basically any second we weren’t in school we were together. But we made up for the lost time of not being together at school by having lots of sleepovers at her house. We used to stay up at night talking about moving in to an apartment together in New York City. We both found amazing jobs in the city after college and everything worked out for us to finally get an apartment together. Its nothing too fancy but its ours. I went to college down south just outside of Washington DC to study business. I’m not really sure exactly what I want to do with my life or where I want to live long term but its ok I’m young it will work itself out. My lack of direction has made life interesting to say the least. But now that I am on my own all I want is a normal life and this is my fresh start....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    “I swear if I see one more box today I’m going to scream.” Katie huffs from the other side of the living room laying on the ground. We’ve brought everything into the apartment and now we are working on unpacking. 

    “I know you’ve never been to New York before. Lets go do something!” Katie says excitedly rolling onto the stomach to look at me. “What do you want to do on your first day in the city?” 

    “I don’t know. What is there to do?” I shrug. I’ve never been to New York before but I moved here. Katie on the other hand has been to the city many times, she even went to college upstate so she is pretty familiar with how things work. Me on the other hand, I’m not as familiar with the city. 

    “What is there to do?!” Katie screams, over dramatic as ever. “Anything! Literally anything you could possibly imagine”

    “Someone is being a little over dramatic today.” I laugh rolling my eyes. “Lets go to a club. Or any place that doesn’t close at 9pm.”

    “Yeah lets go out! We can celebrate our first day of officially being roommates!” Katie cheers.

    “You’re going to get drunk and ditch me to make out with some guy aren’t you?” I fake being angry. 

    “Hopefully.” Katie smirks.

    “Oh god” I say rolling my eyes.

    “Ok lets go find something to wear.” Katie says standing up and running down the hall to her room.

    I get up and walk to my room and look at my empty closet. I’ve not unpacked any of my clothes yet, I only have two outfits that aren’t shoved in boxes. One dress with cut outs on the side or a sweater with a pair of jeans. Mmmmm..... the dress is more appropriate for a club but the sweater is nice and warm. Plus if Katie gets drunk I don’t want to be flashing my butt across the city to try to get her home. Yeah I’m going to go with the sweater. I dig thru my boxes until I see my hairbrush and brush my hair. I have fairly long, wavy, brown hair that goes to just below my shoulder blades. I keep the front pieces swooped back and tied behind my head because I don’t like my hair in my face. I rummage thru my bag and find my mascara and quickly apply it to my hazel, almond shaped eyes. Then I get a nude liquid lipstick and apply that as Katie walks in the room. She is wearing a short sequence dress that has a slit up to her hip and the neckline is very low. Thats her go to party dress. She hasn’t done anything with her straight, short, black hair. Her hair goes just down to her shoulders and there isn’t a lot she can do to style it so she normally keeps its this way. 

    “Ready to go?” She asks stepping into the room 

    “Yeah. Lets go.” I say putting my lipstick back away. I don’t wear makeup a lot but when I do its very little. I’m what Katie refers to as a tomboy because I don’t care too much about what I wear or how my hair looks. I dress more for comfort and practically that anything else. Katie on the other hand wears make up everyday and high heels. I don’t know how she walks in those all the time, they hurt me. I don’t know why she needs them, she is already taller than me. She is 5 foot 7 without heels while I’m 5 foot 2. 

    “Do you have a specific place in mind?” I ask turning towards her.

    “We can just pick a direction and walk that way until we find a place we think looks cool.” Katie shrugs.

    “Ok” I sigh. We walk out of the apartment locking it behind us and head to the elevator. After a couple seconds of waiting the elevator dings and the doors open. Katie and I get in the elevator and there is already a guy in the elevator. He looks younger, about our age with short, blonde spiked up hair. He looks normal but he is wearing a sweater vest. I saw him earlier he was in the elevator but he had a briefcase. 

    “Hey I’m Collin. I saw both of you carrying boxes in earlier.” He introduces himself. Just then my phone dings and I pull it out of my back pocket. “Are you new here?” 

    Katie turns to him and speaks for the both of us, “Yeah we are! I’m Katie and this is my best friend Blake. Its our first night in the city and we want to celebrate. Do you have any good suggestions?” I hear her ask reading thru my text.

    “I’m actually headed to a club nearby. My roommates band is playing and I am going to support them. You should come. Its just a couple blocks away.” Collin answers

    “What do you think Blake? Want to go?” Katie ask nudging me some getting my attention off my phone.

    “Yeah sure. I’m down for whatever.”  I shrug shoving my phone back in my pocket.

    Collin leads us down the street making polite small talk the whole way. He seems normal. He told us he is an accountant, that explains the sweater vest. He leads up to a club that has a line out front wrapped around the corner but he walks us to the front of the line and the bouncer lets up in without question. Weird. I know I’m new to the city but I feel like there is a line for a reason. There are a few people in here but  its getting more crowded by the second. I look around at my surroundings. Immediately I notice a gut in a ripped  muscle tee shirt and ripped pants on the other side of the club. He’s very attractive. Tall, muscular build, brown hair tussled to the side and bright blue eyes I can see even over here. 

    “My roommate should be around here somewhere” Collin says looking around the club. “Oh there he is.” Collin says waving off in the distance then walking away leaving Katie and I alone. 

    “So you definitely like him.” I comment once he is out of ear shot.

    “What are you talking about?” Katie shrugs but starts blushing 

    “You didn’t stop flirting with him the entire walk here.” I comment

    “I wasn’t flirting. I am just being nice.” Katie denies

    “Fine. I’ll give you ten dollars if you don’t kiss him by the end of the night.” I shrug.

    “You’re on.” Katie says shaking my hand. “And I’ll give you ten dollars if I do kiss him.” She shrugs too confident in herself. But I know my girl, she isn’t wearing that dress to not make a statement or catch someone’s eye. 

    “Deal.” I nod. “I’m going to get a drink, want anything?” I ask. 

    “Not yet.” She shakes her head. I head over to the bar and order a drink. Vodka’s my go to but lets start off shoe and have a vodka lemonade. I turn around at the bar and see that Collin has brought the attractive guy I saw earlier over to talk to Katie. Hmm guess thats his roommate he was talking about. Yeah he looks like he would be in a band. 

    “Here’s your drink miss” the bartender says sliding the glass across the bar. The hot guy turns away from Katie and Collin looking towards the stage. I turn around too and face the bartender handing him some cash. He takes it and smiles. I grab my drink and turn around to see that the the hot guy has left Collin and Katie and now Katie is blushing a lot. Let me give them some space. I’m not going to c**k block my bestie. She just got out of a 3 year relationship, she needs a rebound. Katie doesn’t do rebounds though, she goes from one long term relationship to the next. I wonder around some looking at my phone and find myself near the dance floor. I take a sip of my drink as a guy comes up behind me, that didn’t take long.

    “Booo!” He says jumping in front of me. Weird. 

    “Wow you got me.” I say sarcastically taking a sip of my drink and looking at my phone. I forgot to answer my text earlier.

    “Whats go interesting on that phone that is more entertaining than this club?” The guys asks 

    “Nothing. But I don’t go walking up to strangers trying to scare them like some weirdo.” I shrug.

    “Would a weirdo offer to bu you a drink?” The guy says crossing his arms. I put my phone up in my pocket, its pretty obvious I’m not going to get to reply to the text right now. I look up at the guy. He’s pretty attractive too. Tan skin, tall, muscular with a scar going across his left eyebrow. He has black hair slicked back but one piece falling forward across his forehead. Well hello mr tall dark and handsome. He has a vintage band t-shirt on with an unbuttoned nicer shirt over it with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows just enough to show the bottom part of a sleeve tattoo. 

    “Yeah. But I want a drink and this place to waayyy to expensive.” I shrug. “I was waiting on someone to offer otherwise I will go broke.” I laugh.

    “So you were waiting for me?” He smirks and leans towards me some.

    “Actually my money was on the guy by the stage would be the first one to make a move.” I comment crossing my arms and motioning behind him. The guy turns around to see the guy I was talking about. 

    “Yeah thats what I thought tooo so I decided I have to make a move first.” The guy shrugs. 

    “Ok! We might as well go ahead and get that drink, my friend aready ditched me for a guy.”

    “Whose you’re friends?” The guy asks looking around. I turn around and point to Katie who is heavily making out with Collin in the corner of the club. 

    “That one.”  I smile.

    “Well in that case. I can keep you company. I’m Liam.” the guy finally introduces himself.

    “Blake.” I smile. “Lets get a drink.” I say chugging what’s left of my vodka lemonade. 

    “Ok.” He smiles then we walk to the bar together.

    “What do you want to drink?” He yells as the music gets louder. The clubs really packed now and the band takes the stage.

    “Shots” I yell over the music.

    “Really? Are you sure?” The asks me surprised.

    “Yeah! Don’t worry. I can hold my own.” I smile at him.

    “Ok. If your sure” he says before turning to the bartender who is ignoring the other customers standing by us for the whole exchange. I keep my eyes focused on the stage. So far the bands pretty good, they’re playing covers of songs. The guy that was talking to Katie and Collin earlier is the singer, he’s pretty good.

    “Ok. I have a pretty high tolerance so don’t feel like you have to keep up with me.” Liam says in my ear so I can hear him.

    “So do I” I yell back at him.

    “Is that a challenge?” He smirks.

    “I have a pretty high tolerance so don’t feel like you have to keep up with me.”  I repeat the words he used with a smile. The bartender sends down a row of shots in front of us on the bar as we stare at each other. I’m always up for a challenge. I guess this is how my nights going to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Next Morning.....

    I walk into the lobby of my building as the elevator door dings and a man gets on and holds the door when he sees me. “Thanks.” I say as I get on the elevator.

    “No problem.” The guy says. I feel like I recognize that voice. I turn to look at the guy in the elevator to see the attractive guy I saw at the club last night when I first got there, the singer guy.

    “Hey you played at the club I was in last night. You’re good.” I say to the guy.

    “Yeah I guess so. Thanls.” He shrugs. “Are you Katie’s roommate?” 

    “Yea? How do you know Katie?” I ask crossing my arms defensively.

    “I don’t but she really seemed to get to know my roommate.” He comments.

    “Oh you’re Collin’s roommate” I nod

    “Yeah I am. The names Colby.” He smiles. “Blake? Right?” He asks hesitantly

    “Yeah. Nice to meet you.” I nod as the elevator dings. “This is my floor. See ya around.” I wave then turn to walk out of the elevator.

    “If you see Collin telling him that I got breakfast.” Colby calls out from the elevator.

    I walk thru the hall to our apartment and quietly open the door incase Katie’s still asleep. “Just getting home?” Katie asks crossing her arms as she walks into the living room still in her pajamas.

    “So?”  I shrug. “You were having fun in the club so I figured I could too.” I smirk

    “So?” Katie says annoyed. “Details!” She squeals.

    “Details? Oh tell Collin his roommate got breakfast for him.” I smile as Katie blushes showing she’s been caught. Just then Collin come walking into the room with a smile.

    “What did her get?” Collin asks excitedly. “It doesn’t matter. I’m starving.” He says before waking out the door.

    “So am I. What to get food?” I ask Katie.

    “Yes! Lets go.” Katie says grabbing her phone off the coffee table.

    Katie and I walk to the end of the block until we see a coffee shop that has pastries and breakfast foods. It smells amazing so we both head inside not even having to talk about it. There is a line that Katie and I get in the back of.

    “So are you going to tell me?” Katie asks turning to me.    

    “There isn’t much to tell.” I shrug. “Nothing happened. I talked to a guy and he offered to buy me a drink. We talked for a little while but you know I’m trying to be better so I decided it was time to go home.”  I explain.

    “So you were being better by not coming home until this morning?” Katie ask with a skeptical look.

    “Yeah. I told him I was bored and was going to leave so he offered to walk me home. He said that the city can be dangerous at night for a girl all by herself. So I agreed that he could walk me home.” I explain

    “And it took you 6 hours to walk a couple of blocks?” Katie asks

    “Well you know I am not good with directions” I laugh. “We walked the wrong way out of the bar and ended up somewhere I’ve never been. We walked in circles for awhile. Long story short I finally found our building this morning.” I explain. I’m good at a lot fo things, but directions are not one of the things.

    “Ok I believe you.” Katie says rolling her eyes. “I’m glad you’re trying to be better and you didn’t use that guy as a distraction like normal.” She smiles. “Now my turn. I kissed Collin last night” she says excitedly.

    “Yeah I saw. And I could have figured it out based on the fact that he was in our apartment this morning.” I smirk.

    “I owe you ten dollars.” Katie blushes. “But we only kissed, We fell asleep watching a movie last night.” Katie clarifies.

    “Oh ok sure.” I tease. The line dies down and we are up next. “Lets order our food. You’re paying since you lost the bet.” I smirk

    “Ugh fine.” Katie sighs

    We order our food and the cashier said it would probably take at least 20 minutes. Katie is going to wait for the food while I go back to the apartment to shower and change clothes. She is going to bring the food when its ready. I feel gross from moving all day yesterday, then spending hours at a club, then walking around the city all night. I’m sure I stink.

    Katie shows up right as I an getting out of the shower. “I’m back and I brought food!” She chirps.

    “Coming” I say wrapping my towel around me and walking into the kitchen where she is putting down the food. “I was thinking since you start your new job tomorrow and I start my new job Monday, lets explore today!”

    “Ok!” Katies says excitedly.

    “Ok let me change and then we can eat and go” I say walking out of the kitchen and down the hall to my bedroom. I hear a knock on our apartment door just as I make it to my room.

    “I got it’ Katie calls out. “Hey what’s up” I hear Katie squeak across the whole apartment. I throw on a t-shirt with a grey zip up jacket and some patterned working leggings and tennis shoes.

    I walk out to the living room to see Katie standing there looking kind of upset. “Whats wrong? Who was at the door?” I ask concerned.    

    “Collin. He left his phone here.” Katie mumbles. “I thought he was coming back to ask me out or ask for my phone number at least.” She says quietly.

    “Oh Katie. I’m sorry.” I pat her arm. She smiles some and I go to the kitchen to get our food. “What do you want to do today?” I ask from the kitchen trying to take her mind off it. I hear Collin walk thru the hall back to the living room to the front door.

    “Found it. Thanks.” He say “I realize there was something else I forgot this morning.” 

    “Oh what’s that?  I can help you look.” Katie offers. 

    “I forgot to get your number and ask if you wanted to hangout sometime.” I hear Collin ask. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. I’m happy for my friend. “So what do you say?” Collin asks nervously.

    “Sure that sounds great!” Katie says obviously trying to hold back her excitement. I wait in the kitchen until I don’t hear anything anymore. Collin must have left. 

    I walk around the corner in the kitchen, “I was thinking.....” I stop once I see Katie and Collin making out and slowly back out of the room. Guess I’m eating breakfast by myself. I take a seat on my bed and start eating my food.

    “Come back out here Blake!” Katie yells from the living room. I get off my bed careful not to spill any food. Katie’s alone in the living room this time. “Collin and Colby are going to be our tour guides.” She informs me

    “Yay now I have someone to be scarred with while you play kissy face with Collin” I comment sarcastically while rolling my eyes.

    “Are you seriously going out dressed like that?” Katie questions.

    “Whats wrong with what I’m wearing?” I ask looking down at myself.

    “You dress like a boy.” Katie says rolling her eyes. “One of these days I am going to get you to start caring about fashion.” She rolls her eyes walking to the kitchen to get her food.

    “Not likely. I like being comfortable.”  I yell after her taking a seat on the couch. I live living with my best friend, it makes it so much more convenient when I want to get on her nerves.