Zane: The Atlantean Prince

CHAPTER 20: ZANE'S NEW APARTMENT

Zane and Tommy arrived at the five-floor apartment complex. He saw wet clothes hanging in front of each unit. The rooms have balconies facing the street, and he saw wet clothes hanging on almost every balcony. The five-story apartment building is in the middle of a transitional neighbourhood where the old buildings from the sixties and seventies were slowly being rehabbed or torn down, and new buildings are rising around. This apartment building belongs to the ones that are not yet renovated.

He wants to turn back, but Tommy has been kind to him. "I did not know that there was such a place in the First District. I thought everything here has been modernized."

"It's laundry day today." Tommy laughed. "The building is a little old but it is sturdy, and this is cheaper compared to other rooms for rent out there."

"A little?" He scanned the building again. Ir was too old in his opinion. "H-how much does it cost to rent a room here?" He just wished it would be cheaper to rent in an old apartment complex. He would take any room there if that's the case.

"Mine is just a hundred bucks a month. It is probably the same rate for you." He walked towards the entrance. Zane followed him. "That apartment complex right next to this building offers a five times higher rate, and the room is so small. It is not practical for us. We're not rich."

"What?!" He was shocked to hear a small room would cost five hundred bucks a month. He only saved one thousand five hundred bucks, his budget for the entire semester. That was the portion of the money he won in the tournament. The rest went to Anne's medical needs. "I don't think I could rent that much for a month."

He was sure his father would still give him some money, but he did not want to take the risk. He observed the interior of the small receiving area of the old apartment complex. It was tidy and minimalist. "Not bad," he said to himself.

"Excuse me, Brandon," Tommy called the middle-aged man stationed at the front desk. He is wearing a pink floral shirt with a pink scarf around his neck. It is a three-meter wide reception desk with a telephone and a log book on top of it.

"Tommy. Are you going to pay your rent today?" Brandon gave him a puzzled look and glanced at Zane. "Tomorrow is your due date."

"N-no, my father will send me money next week. I'll pay you by then. I'm sorry." He scratched his head, then cleared his throat. "My friend will rent the room next to mine."

"Oh, you brought a customer. Not bad. You can pay your rent next week." He smiled widely and his gaze turned to Zane. "You look familiar. I think I saw you somewhere."

"He is—" Zane quickly covered Tommy's mouth.

"I'm just a nobody, Brandon." He smiled. "Can I move in now?" He showed his huge backpack and his travelling bag.

"Well, you can, if you have the money to pay." He scanned Zane from head to toe. He even tiptoed to see his shoes. "I require a three-month deposit and one month advance. There is a one-year contract that you need to finish for you to get your deposit before you leave. This is my policy in my apartment complex. Take it or leave it."

"I will take it, Brandon." He is lucky enough to get a room this cheap. He does not care how it looks. He just needed to clean it and fix it.

"Four hundred bucks." He took the key from the drawer and placed it on top of the desk. "Here's the key. I don't have too much policy in my apartment complex; just be here before ten o'clock in the evening, or we will close the entrance door and stay outside. You can bring a friend, just don't do illegal drugs or I will kick you out. You can cook in your unit, just use an induction cooker. Gas stoves are not allowed. You can pay late for a month, but that's it. I understand you are just a student, but I am also running my business and I need to survive to keep this apartment complex running."

Zane pulled out his wallet and took five hundred bucks. "I am paying my friend's rent for this month."

Tommy was shocked. "No kidding?"

"You helped me find this great deal; it's just right to do some favour for you." He tapped him from his back.

"You have a good friend, Tommy. Your room is on the third floor at the end of the hallway. I just had it cleaned up earlier and was about to post a signboard for rent, just in case someone would be interested. Lucky for you to come early. There are beds and pillows in the room, the previous tenant also left some of his things there. He just left without paying his rent. What's your name again?"

"Zane, Zane Cole."

"Oh! Right! That one on the billboard across the school!" Brandon exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

He gave him an awkward smile. "T-thank you. We will go ahead." He pulled Tommy towards the stairs.

"Why are you ashamed of your achievements?" he asked while going upstairs. "You should be proud of it!"

"I just don't want to drag too much attention." He looked around. "There's no elevator?"

"There is, but it is broken, and the owner—Brandon—doesn't want it fixed. He said walking is good for our health. It's probably because it will cost him a fortune to fix it."

"He has a point there." They reached the third floor and walked towards the end of the hallway. "The whole place is clean."

"Indeed. This building is old but well-kept." He pointed to the door they passed by. "This is my room. Just knock if you need help."

"Thanks." They both went to his room. "Room 312."

Zane inserted the key into the keyhole and turned the knob. He pushed the door a bit. His jaw dropped upon seeing the interior. The room has enough space for him. It is clean and newly painted, far from his worst expectations.

He entered the room and checked the things the previous tenant left. "There's television, dining table, bed and pillows. I just need to buy a bed cover and pillowcases. He checked the bathroom and the shower. "This is awesome!" He opened the two-door built-in cabinet.

"I told you. This is the best place to find." Tommy grinned. "The guy just left two days ago. This room is really up for rent anytime." He pointed at the small billboard made of wood, placed on top of the table. Room for rent is written using black paint. "The new janitor probably forgot to post it outside."

"Thank you for your help. Appreciated!" He saved a lot of money and time in finding this room. "What a lucky day!"

"You take a rest. I will go to my room to hibernate. See you later, pal!" Tommy left the room and closed the door.

Zane looked around his unit. "I feel like I am becoming independent." He felt relief and sighed. "I will make my college life better than ever!"

***

"This is where I am staying, Dad?" Aera could not believe it. The apartment complex is too old. She imagined just one quite strong earthquake would make it collapse.

"No, Aera, the next building." He pointed at the new building right next to the old one. "I won't let you stay in that old building."

"Thank you, great god of Olympus!" She sighed as a sign of relief. "I thought you despise me so much, Dad, that you would throw me away there," she said, referring to the old building.

"Let's go there." Eurus walked towards the new apartment complex. Aera glanced at the old building. She had goosebumps all over her body. "It feels like a ghost is haunting the entire building." She quickly followed her father.