The city's waking up.

Block by block stores opened up for business. Cars streamed through streets that stretched on for miles. Civilians spilled onto sidewalks, all the while the sky yawned out the sun.

And there on the sidewalk, was a girl. Not just any girl.

That girl was Jerri.

At first glance, one can only describe her as a dainty woman. Small, sometimes gets lost in a crowd. Almost child-like in her actions.

But, as everyone knows, looks can be deceiving.

"Hey, Jerri!"

Jerri's eyes focused on a small redhead from afar that waved at her with one hand and held a cup carrier in the other.

It was her friend Cana. A tiny woman just like herself, just an inch shorter.

Jerri waved back at her enthusiastically while both met at the steps of her apartment building.

"Hey little bird," Jerri greeted.

"Tweet tweet." Cana smiled at the mention of her nickname."I was getting coffee on my way to work when I saw they were giving away free hot chocolate, then I thought Jerri likes hot chocolate so I got you some hot chocolate Jerri." She shook the carrier a little before focusing on a red splotch on Jerri's face. "You have a little something on your cheek. Can I lick it?"

Jerri's eyes flicked down to her cheek before taking out a handkerchief to quickly wipe the area. She looked down at the red swipe on the white hanky.

"Oh," Jerri snorted,"that's jam. Or jelly." She brought the hanky up closer and glared at it quizzically."Or was it marmalade. . ."

"I could have licked it,"her friend pouted.

While Jerri looked around for a distraction, her eyes fell on the bright pink colored "coffee" Cana bought.

"Are you sure that's coffee?"

Whatever it was, it wasn't coffee. Coffee didn't come pink with a blue swirl topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

Cana's face brightened up."It's unicorn drool."

With a nervous laugh, Jerri pocketed her handkerchief with a smile."How about you tell me all about it in my apartment?" She patted Cana's shoulder waiting for her answer.

"Okay," Cana agreed with a shrug.

They both made their way into the building and up to Jerri's apartment.

Cana stood humming the elevator music she just heard while her poor friend struggled to unlock her door. Every time she asked to help, Jerri would decline. She hated watching her friend struggle which was why she would always ask to help. Even if the answer was always no.

"Do you need an-"

"Nope."

Jerri shouldered the door with a grunt in hopes it might budge. She shouldered it again, this time jiggling the keys in the lock.

"So what's got you up early bird? Catching worms?" Cana laughed at her own joke. A series of ha has.

"Oh, you know." Jerri composed herself with a huff and went back to the lock."Boss calls," She finally nudged the door open with success,"I answer." She turned toward Cana, leading her inside with a triumphant smile.

Cana skipped inside to the counter and sat the cup carrier down. The only thing on her mind was trying her new drink. And try she did.

Jerri shut the door with a hard shove and placed her keys on the holder near the door. She turned to see Cana, eyes closed in ecstasy as she practically sucked the life out of her drink.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." With quick strides, Jerri made it to her to pry the cup from Cana's, surprisingly, strong grip."Any more sucking and you'll be bouncing off the walls." She held the cup out of her reach.

"No," Cana whined."I'll sip it," she compromised.

Jerri handed her the cup back, albeit reluctantly, knowing how her friend got when she had too much sugar. It was like a very cute energizer bunny on steroids. Not as pretty as it sounds.

"I don't want to see you with no more unicorn drool, okay?" Jerri reached for her own sugary drink while Cana nodded her head and took slow sips from her straw.

Satisfied with her friend's nod she sipped at her own drink.

"So, got any news for me?" Jerri questioned.

"Um," Cana looked up in thought,"Starbucks' giving out free hot chocolate."

"Okay." Jerri drawled, looking down at her own hot chocolate then looked back at Cana."Anything else?"

Cana twirled her hair with her finger."Spike's thinking about getting a new haircut, George and Joan are looking for a new babysitter, Lightning's been looking for you, there's a mob boss in town, aaannd you're getting a new neighbor,"Cana finished.

"New neighbor?" Jerri perked up at this."Is it a guy?" she asked excitedly.

Cana taps her lips thinking about what she heard."Uhh, he's some gray-haired fellow, I think."

Jerri's smile dropped. She had nothing against the elderly. Not at all. She just wanted a new friend she could mess with from time to time. And you know, steal their food from time to time because she was sure she was running out.

"Oh," Jerri stuck her bottom lip out only to replace it with a smile."Thanks for the info."

She sat her cup down and wrapped Cana in a bear hug that she recuperated.

"Come on. Time for you to go to work."

Cana gasped."Work!"

She flew out of Jerri's arms and ran to the door. Pardon, runs into the door.

"Oh!" Cana steps back in surprise.

Against her better judgment, Jerri's lips lift into a smile.

"The knob Cana. Turn the knob," she instructed patiently, walking up to her side.

Cana slowly looked down and twisted the knob, laughing when the door opened. She let herself out and over her shoulder said,"See you later."

Jerri stood in her doorway making sure Cana made it to the elevator. Once she stepped in, two more people stepped out carrying boxes. One of which, took their time leering at her redheaded friend.

Her eyes narrowed for a split second until they get closer. One had gray hair just like Cana said. Definitely not elderly. They were her new neighbors. Though Cana said neighbor, not neighbors.

"The fuck you lookin' at?"

Jerri's hand lifted to her chest at his crass language. Such boldness. She couldn't help but smile.

"Hi," she gave them a wave,"I'm Jerri your new neighbor."

When they stepped closer she took notice of them both.

The one that swore at her had a faded scar above his lip and tattoos that could be seen through his white t-shirt. Plus, something she's never seen before. Golden eyes. His only redeeming quality so far in her eyes. The other one looked rather young to have gray hair. Probably an unthought out fashion choice. They both looked handsome either way.

"I'm not moving in. He is." Golden eyes nodded to his friend who was trying to balance a box while unlocking the door.

"Can't you see I'm in need of help here?" He was having problems opening his door as well.

"I didn't have to come help your sorry arse."

"Well, you're just standing there. Be useful and help me out here!" he said, exasperated.

Golden eyes dropped the box he was holding to the ground without a care and turned to leave.

"I'm getting more boxes."

He goes leaving his friend to drop his own box to tackle the door. He paused mid jiggle to lift his eyes to Jerri.

"You're still here."

It wasn't a question, she knew. She was too curious to leave the comfort of her doorway.

"You have to put your shoulder into it."

His brows furrowed in confusion before realizing she was giving him advice about the door.

"Oh, thanks," he smiled and opened his door on the first shove.

He disappeared into the apartment momentarily before reappearing to introduce himself to Jerri.

"I'm Tom. Your new neighbor." He held out his hand for her to shake, hoping she didn't notice his clammy hands.

Too enraptured with his crystal blue eyes, without looking down at his hand, she took it.

"I gathered."

While the two were busy gazing into each other's eyes, they didn't hear golden eyes come back with more boxes.

"Come help or you're bringing up all this shit yourself."

Tom rolled his eyes at his friend before looking to Jerri."That lovely human being is Eli. Don't mind him."

They both simultaneously realize they're both holding hands and let go with a nervous laugh.

"Well, it was nice meeting you and your lovely human being." She gave him a cheeky smile before going into her apartment and closing the door.

"You too," he quietly said to the closed door.

Come nighttime, Jerri found herself singing and twirling around her kitchen while putting up food and dishes.

"Sweet dreams are made of cheese, who am I to diss a brie. I cheddar the world and the feta cheese, everybody's looking for Stilt-"

Her singing got cut off by the sudden thumping coming from next door. It hummed through the wall so loud the plates in her cabinets began to shake.

Maybe he was getting abducted by aliens.

She sat the plate on the counter and rushed next door. The closer she got the louder the noise and she wasn't sure Tom would hear her knocking. So she wrapped her fist as hard as she could until he answered.

The music quieted down before the door abruptly swung open to reveal a shirtless Tom whose skin glistened with a sheen of perspiration.

"Yeah?"

Her eyes lingered on his torso before traveling down further to his black basketball shorts.

His lips twitched in amusement before getting her attention again. "Yeah?" He leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed.

Jerri released a lip she didn't know she was biting and her eyes shot to his."Huh. . .uhh. . .you think you can tone the abduction down a little?" She offered, pinching her thumb and forefinger close together.

"The. . ." he trailed off in confusion.

"The loud. . ." she waved both her hands in the air flippantly.

"Oh, the music," he smiled,"I'll turn it down."

"Okay," she breathed, giving him a lingering glance before finally leaving.

He watched her leave and shook his head in amusement before going back inside too.

Sometime later Jerri's in bed on the precipice of sleep when the music starts again.

Too tired to get up and too lazy to move, she wound up sleeping with a pillow over her ears.

For a week.

Every night the walls hummed and shook with the sound of his radio turned up as high as it could possibly go.

Jerri lost sleep to the point of dark circles appearing under her eyes. With dragging feet and half-lidded eyes, Cana ends up running from her in fear, suspecting her to be a zombie.
She didn't even get to have her hot chocolate that week.

On the seventh day of that week, Jerri's had enough.

She trudged her way to Tom's door that night to end his little nightly workouts. Only, he wasn't there. The music's blasting, but no one was there to answer the door.

Then why is the radio on?! she thought.

A lightbulb appeared over her head with an idea and she took her time walking back to her apartment.

When she does, she ambled around her home with the occasional yawn and gathered several materials.

Bobby pins from the bathroom, chalk from the kitchen, a scrap of paper, a pen, and an aluminum bat from under her bed.

After, she went back to his apartment, sat everything on the floor, and proceeded to pick his lock with her bobby pins.

Casually leaning on the wall, she thought of how she assumed Tom was a good guy. He seemed nicer than his friend. Talked with an air of sincerity. Cute. Apparently not.

The lock gave with ease to her surprise. That doesn't deter her from her goal though. She slipped the pins into her hair and picked up her things from the floor and strolled into his apartment.

The music practically blasts her in the face when she walked in. She left the door open and sat the chalk, paper, and pin on his counter taking the bat with her.

Past the empty boxes and trash, the music became significantly louder the closer she got to his bedroom.

And there the noise maker was. A black stereo that sat atop his dresser.

Without even turning it off, Jerri swung her bat into the stereo with all her strength. Each ding and crack resonated in the room as she swung and swung and swung until the sound warped and pieces are strewn all over his room.

With a deep breath, she wiped the perspiration that gathered on her forehead. She took the bat to the counter in the kitchen and swapped it for the piece of chalk before going back to the bedroom to gather the pieces of the broken stereo.

She scattered them around the apartment taking her precious time tracing each chunk with the piece of chalk like a crime scene.

Once all was said and done she leaves him a note on his kitchen counter and sashayed back to her apartment gripping both ends of her bat and holding it behind her head.