Adjacent to a long list of cons, I can think of only one benefit to our union. At least with him, I’ll never have to worry about getting my heart broken again.
I text Michael a reluctant confirmation just as the car rolls to a stop in front of my building. Julian exits the front passenger seat and scans the street for threats before opening the back door for me.
My off-campus apartment is in a decent neighborhood, and typically, it’s mostly students milling about. But today, when I enter the building, there’s a group of serious-looking men in polos gathered around the lobby desk.
The frazzled property manager glances up at me from her computer screen, and I tug off my headphones.
“Gabriela Bianchi—apartment 402?”
“Yes, that’s me.” I frown. “What’s this about?”
A man with a lanyard steps forward to greet me.
“Miss Bianchi, I’m an inspector for the city. Unfortunately, it’s my job to inform you that we conducted an inspection today, and your apartment has been deemed unsafe for occupancy due to faulty wiring.”
A crushing sensation presses between my ribs as I try to process what that means.
“For how long?”
“My best guess?” He scratches at his scruff. “Months, if not longer. Your lease will be terminated, and the property manager can go over those details with you.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and watch the other students come and go, seemingly unbothered. When another group enters without being stopped, I glance up at Julian. His expression is unreadable, and I can’t tell if this seems strange to him. Either way, he doesn’t ask any questions.
“Is the whole building affected?”
“That’s still under review,” the inspector tells me. “I can’t provide more details on that right now, but for your safety, you’ll need to vacate immediately. You’ll have twenty-four hours to collect your belongings.”
Sensing my anxiety, Beppe pops his head out of the tote bag and assesses the situation. I don’t even realize I’m shaking until I try to pet him.
I’m attempting to organize my thoughts and put them into words, but my brain is already powering down into freeze mode. This tends to happen when I get too overwhelmed, and suddenly, the world around me blurs as static fills my ears.
Julian says something as he leads me to the bench along the wall, but his voice sounds like it’s underwater. He guides me onto the seat, and I close my eyes to focus on my breathing.
Beppe scrambles out of the tote bag still attached to my arm and curls up on my lap. That pressure grounds me, and I sink my fingers into his fur, absorbing his warmth. My heart rate slows, and one by one, my senses return.
Exhaustion weighs me down as the situation looms. It feels too big to manage, but I’ll have to figure it out—one way or another.
“Hey, Gabs.” A familiar voice infiltrates my thoughts as the bench creaks beside me. “I’m here.”
I open my eyes, wondering if I’m hallucinating when I see my cousin Abella sitting beside me. Her husband, Angelo, is here too, standing next to Julian.
It takes a moment for my throat to relax so I can verbalize a response.
“What are you doing here?”
“You texted me and asked me to come.” Abella frowns.
“I did?” Confusion creases my brows as I replay the last few minutes, almost certain I never used my phone.
She nods, concern flickering over her face. “What’s going on? Tell me what happened.”
“They said I have to move out.” My eyes dart across the room to the men in polos, and another wave of anxiety overtakes me.
I’m usually better at hiding my emotions, but there’s been so much change in my life recently, everything feels too disorienting.
“Why would you have to move out?” Abella asks.
“There’s an issue with the wiring,” Julian explains.
