Locked Out!

Mandy quickly locked the deadbolt on her door as soon as it closed. She was glad to get rid of that crazy neighbor of hers.

"Sure he's charming but he is crazy!" Mandy said to herself loudly. "I will NEVER ask him for anything — ever! Not even to borrow an egg." Mandy promised herself.

She turned on the light, and kicked her shoes off. She felt relieved to be finally flat on her bare feet. She went straight to the dining table and put down her food and her bag. She then went to the sink, washed her hands vigorously and dried them on the hand towel hanging beside the sink. She got a plate and took out a fork and knife but then decided to eat with her hands. She put the knife and fork back to the drawer and sat at the table. She opened her take out paper bag, got one chicken wing, placed it on the plate and began to eat. She took a bite of the wing and heard her stomach rumble. The chicken tasted so good she was chewing with her eyes closed.

And then she realized she had forgotten to take the Coke with her. It was still in her car! She lightly hit her head with her hand. It was a good thing she hadn't taken off her work clothes. She got up and washed her hands. She looked for her flip flops inside her cabinet and then wore them. She grabbed her car keys and slowly opened her apartment's door.

She peeked outside first, making sure that Xander was not in the hallway or by the elevator waiting. When she saw that it was clear, she dashed out to the hallway, quickly closed the door and made a run for the elevator. She extended her left arm to press the arrow going down even before she actually stopped running. The button going down lit up and she prayed with all her heart that she wouldn't bump into Xander while she was out.

She watched the numbers on the elevator change as she waited - 1, 2, 3, 4… She smiled.

"Just a few seconds from now and the elevator will be here," she thought. She looked down as she said the words and to her horror, she saw that she was wearing mismatched flip flops! She debated whether to go back to her apartment or to go down to her car. Just then, the elevator opened and it was empty so she just jumped in. She pressed "B" for basement where her car was.

She walked as fast as she could when the elevator opened to the basement. It was a good thing her slot was near so she just took a few minutes to get her Coke and make it back to the elevator. She pressed the arrow going up and waited again for the elevator.

She noticed that all the elevators were up and running now, maybe that was why the elevators were faster now, going up and down.

"Good thing they fixed all the elevators. That's lesser chance of me running into Xander," she thought.

She looked at the Coke she was holding. It was still cold and she could hear there were still some ice inside — it might not taste as good but at least it's cold. She couldn't wait to continue eating her buffalo wings. She promised that tomorrow's dinner would be better, something healthier to make up for all the junk she had been eating and drinking today.

The elevator finally came and in she went. Mandy had forgotten about Xander and her mismatched flip flops. Her stomach rumbled again. She could still taste the buffalo wings she had eaten.

The elevator stopped at the 5th floor and she hopped out, peeked into the hallway again and when she saw that it was empty, she walked fast to her apartment.

When she was in front of her door, she put her hand in her pocket. Her eyes grew wide when she realized something — she had forgotten to take her key card with her! What bad luck was she having tonight!

She inhaled and exhaled heavily, thinking of what she could do. There was probably no one in the front desk by now because it was already late. The only one who can open the door was the maintenance guy and the only way to get maintenance up there at this hour is to call him — by phone. But Mandy's phone was also inside her apartment. If only she knew someone she could borrow phone from.

"Nice flip flops." She heard a voice from behind her.

Mandy looked behind her and saw Xander pass by, on his way to the elevator. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He was carrying a towel and a water bottle. He looked like he was on his way to the gym.

Mandy's mind raced. She could ask Xander if he could lend her his phone to call maintenance but she would be owing Xander after that. But she doesn't want to stay outside all night, either.

"Wait!" Mandy called out. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

Xander stopped walking and slowly turned around.

"A favor? Uhm… it depends on what the favor is."

"I left my key card in there."

"And?" Xander slowly walked back to where Mandy was standing.

Mandy gulped . "And… I need to borrow your phone to call maintenance." She mumbled the last sentence.

Xander stopped in front of her apartment. Mandy was looking him straight in his eyes, hoping he would agree without very much torturing her about it.

Xander put his hand in his pocket and gave Mandy his phone — no words, no teasing, no nothing. Mandy was surprised.

"You wouldn't happen to have the maintenance's number, would you?"

Xander tapped on his phone and then handed it to Mandy again. The phone was already connecting the call to the maintenance guy.

Mandy turned around so that Xander couldn't hear the conversations. After a couple of minutes, Mandy ended the call and gave Xander back his phone. He was already squatting on the floor.

"Thank you," Mandy said softly.

"No problem. So, what did the guy say?"

"He said he'll be here in about 30 minutes." Mandy looked at her Coke. The paper cup is starting to get soft. When she remembered her buffalo wings, her stomach rumbled.

"I'm guessing you haven't eaten your chicken."

"Nope. I had to get this from the car because I forgot to bring it with me. But I also forgot to take the key card with me. And I also forgot my cellphone. And now I am here with you."

"And you also forgot to wear matching flip flops," Xander teased.

"Yeah, and that, too." Mandy agreed. She was just too tired and hungry to argue about it, especially since it was true.

"Tough night, huh?"

"Yeah, tough night." Mandy was tempted to sit beside him on the floor but it was a good thing she was wearing slippers already so her legs don't hurt that much.

"Okay, that's it. Come with me, please." Xander stood up and walked to his apartment.

"Wait, wait. What are we doing?" Mandy asked but she didn't move from her place.

"I'm gonna feed you. You're obviously hungry. And I don't want you to be in my conscience for letting you die of hunger out here." He had already opened the door and was waiting for Mandy to join her.

Mandy hesitated. She had just met Xander that night and going with him to his apartment doesn't feel right, let alone safe.

Xander must have read her mind — again.

"I promise to behave. I won't hurt you. I am just going to give you food. Cross my heart." Xander drew an imaginary "X" on his chest.

Though she had second thoughts, Mandy gave in. She was very hungry and she didn't want to stand in the hallway while waiting for the maintenance guy.

"Okay. But, how will the maintenance know I'm in your apartment when he gets here?"

"We'll just stick a note on your door." Xander went inside his apartment and got paper, a marker and a roll of tape.

"Here. Write the guy a note."

Mandy took the paper and marker and wrote:

"Mr. Maintenance, I'm here at Apartment 6. Thanks."

Xander handed her the tape and Mandy stuck the note onto her door, just below her apartment number.

"Now can we go?" Xander was starting to get impatient.

"One last thing, though. I don't think I should. I mean, you were clearly on your way out before you saw me out here. I don't want to be a bother. You should just go ahead with whatever you were planning to do earlier. I'll be okay, really. I'll just wait for maintenance here." Mandy talked so fast she felt breathless.

"You're kidding, right? Don't worry. It's no bother. I was on my way to the gym but I can just go tomorrow. Like I said earlier, I don't want you in my conscience for leaving you here hungry and alone. Now, let's go. I won't take no for an answer."

Xander motioned for Mandy to join him. Mandy looked at her apartment door and silently cursed the Coke she was holding. If it hadn't been for the Coke, she would be happily eating inside her apartment, chewing a sticky buffalo chicken wing.

"This is against my better judgment," Mandy said to Xander, "but okay."