I blinked in confusion as I glanced around me, trying to figure out where I was. Currently, I was standing in a forest, the thin trees towering over me. Bright stars dotted the velvety black sky, lighting up the night like tiny lanterns. Snow covered the ground beneath me, the cold seeping into my sneakers. 

Where the hell am I? It doesn't snow in Florida so how is this forest covered in it? Does that mean I'm not in Florida anymore? Honestly, that would be a blessing.

I glanced around again, looking for anything that could tell me where I was or what direction I should go in. It was faint, but I could see a yellow light glowing in the distance between the trees. 

The forest was dead silent, something I didn't realize until I began walking. The crunch of snow beneath my shoes was oddly satisfying, the sound echoing through the trees. Somewhere off in the distance I could hear an owl hooting.

The light got brighter when I broke through the tree line, finding a large log cabin sitting in the clearing. It was so much bigger than any cabin I've seen before. I didn't even know they made them that big!

I slowly approached, the steps creaking under my weight as I headed for the door. As soon as my knuckles made contact with the wood, it creaked open, the inside of the cabin pitch black. It was a strange contrast considering the outside was lit up enough to pierce through the woods.

Someone grabbed my shoulder and I whipped around, darkness encasing me as the cabin in the woods disappeared.

-ˋˏ ༻❅༺ ˎˊ-

My eyes slid open, staring up at the ceiling of the living room. I could still see that cabin vividly in my mind, something I found strange because I rarely remembered my dreams. This one I could recall completely as if it hadn't been just a dream.

I pushed myself up with a sigh, running a hand through my hair, still feeling exhausted. I've been running around like crazy the past few days, applying to every business I came across. So far, I've received ten rejections and the rest haven't bothered even replying.

My eyes fell on the business card that sat on the coffee table. Am I making a mistake here, letting my pride ruin what might just be the best opportunity I'll ever receive? There was a part of me that screamed about how it was a terrible idea to trust him and yet... there was another part of me that wanted to hope I could.

Something in my life needed to change before I broke completely.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up the card and grabbed my phone, slowly entering the number. My heart hammered in my chest as my thumb hovered over the call button.

'Don't think about it, just do it. If you think about it, it'll never happen. Just press the damn button!'

My thumb obeyed and the phone began to ring. I held my breath as I held it to my ear. What the hell do I even say? What if the offer is no longer on the table? What if -

"Hello?" answered Kaz, but he sounded tired as if he had just woken up.

"Um... hi. This is Jay. Jay Sears. You told me to call you, so..."

There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. "Though I'm not surprised you finally called, I must say you caught me off guard with the time. Could you not have waited until the sun rose?"

"What are you talking about?" I scowled, glancing at the clock. "It's only... oh... shit." It was almost four in the morning.

Kaz chuckled tiredly. "I have your number now. I'll call you in the morning and we can discuss the details of the job, hm?"

"Oh yeah, sure -" The line went dead before I could even finish my sentence, making me scowl again. "Rude ass."

I tossed my phone onto the table and fell back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. I considered going back to sleep, but I didn't want to risk missing his call. Instead, I decided to turn on the TV and browse until I found something interesting to watch.

The sheer amount of infomercials playing at four in the morning was ridiculous, though it did fill me with nostalgia. I remember staying up late when I was young, watching infomercials because there was nothing better on at the time. Most of the products are built to solve problems that people don't even have, but there are a few that actually seemed cool.

Before I knew it, I had drifted off again.

-ˋˏ ༻❅༺ ˎˊ-

I was pulled roughly from sleep when a loud ringing echoed throughout the apartment. I cried out in surprise, rolling off the couch with a groan. The coffee table vibrated and it took me a minute to realize it was my phone.

Cursing, I quickly sat up, grabbing my phone and answering it quickly. "Hello?"

"Good morning. I'm calling about your car's extended war -"

I ended the call more aggressively than necessary, releasing a sigh as I dropped it back onto the table. My chin was sore from where I had hit the ground and I had a massive headache.

Maybe choosing a nuclear bomb warning as my ringtone wasn't the smartest idea in the world. Though, it's never bothered me before. I guess I'm more on edge about this Kaz thing that I'd like to admit.

There was a banging on the floor. I assumed it was the angry old man living in the apartment beneath me, pounding his roof with a broom handle like you see in movies. I rarely make noise yet he's always quick to let me know when I do.

It almost makes me want to throw a party just to spite him, but that's more effort than I'm willing to put in toward someone I don't even like.

My stomach growled, begging for food as if it hadn't eaten in weeks, so I pulled myself to my feet. There was a single TV dinner left in the freezer. Spaghetti and meatballs probably wasn't the healthiest breakfast in the world, but it was tasty food.

I placed the TV dinner in the microwave, the old machine whirring to life once the timer was set. Wondering what time it was, I glanced at the clock to find that it was just past noon.

Kaz said he was going to call in the morning, right? My brow furrowed. Had I missed his call? I quickly headed over to the couch, picking my phone up off the table to check my notifications. 

There were no missed calls.

Did he change his mind about giving me a job? Honestly, I wouldn't blame him if he did but shit. I finally got up the nerve to call him and he gave me hope by saying he would call me back. 

Damn it, I waited too long.

With a sigh, I started toward the kitchen again when there was a pounding on my door. I recognized the distinctive knocking instantly and I felt dread fill me. 

"I know you're in there, Sears!" My landlord pounded her fist against my door, her voice easily penetrating the wood. "Open this door right now!"

She can't prove that I'm actually in the apartment. It's not like she's a superhuman with the ability to see through walls. Even so, I found myself ducking down behind the island, being careful not to make a sound.

Cap came padding out of the hall, sitting in front of me with an annoyed look on his face. His tail swished back and forth angrily, ears twitching every time she banged on the door.

I put my finger to my lips, urging him to remain quiet. As if disappointed in me, he just shook his head before turning and leaving the room. You know life has gone wrong when even your cat is disappointed in your life choices...

"You can't hide forever! You think you can just run from your responsibility, huh? You better have my money!"

'Of course, I don't have your damn money,' I scowled, running a hand through my short hair. Would she care that I got fired? Probably not. She's not exactly the caring type, caring only about getting paid. I guess I have to give her some credit, though. I've been late so many times on my rent and she hasn't kicked me out.

Granted, I had the money ready when she finally came pounding on my door. Something tells me that played a large role in it.

I paused, peering over the island. 

The banging had stopped, but had she walked away? I tried to recall the sound of her footsteps but I had been too wrapped up in my thoughts. She wasn't a woman to give up so easily. What if another tenant had caught her eye and they also owed her money? She would surely leave me alone for that.

I considered peering through the peephole. I don't actually know if people on the outside can see when someone is looking through the peephole. If she is still outside and I check, she might see me. Is that a risk that I'm willing to take? No way, I'm going to avoid her as long as I -

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"I knew you were in there, you little shit! Open this door right now before I kick it down!!"

I glared at the microwave, feeling betrayed by its loud ass beeping. Well, there's no running from it now... Taking a deep breath, I slowly approached the door, trying to appear as if I had just woken up.

Greta Winslow was a tiny, round woman with curly brown hair that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were quite pretty, somewhere between hazel and blue, but they were narrowed and filled with annoyance. 

I cleared my throat, trying to act as if I hadn't just been hiding in the kitchen from her. "Good morning, Miss Winslow. I didn't hear you, sorry about that."

Her eyes narrowed further, arms crossed against her chest. "Didn't hear me, huh? Yeah right. Do I look like I was born yesterday?!"

"Uh, no ma'am," I replied timidly, speaking without thinking, as usual. "You look quite aged. Like fine cheddar."

God, I'm an idiot. It's a miracle I've survived as long as I have.

She scoffed, holding out her hand. "Where is my rent, Sears? You're late!"

I cleared my throat again, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. "Yes, ma'am. The thing is, I was recently fired so I haven't been able to get together enough to give you the full amount. I've put out a bunch of applications but the market is flooded at the moment and -"

"I don't give a shit about your life story," she snapped angrily, face red from her anger. "You said you don't have the full amount. How much you got, then?"

"Oh, uh..." I fumbled around in the pockets of my shorts, pulling out a wad of bills. Before I could count them, she snatched them from my hand. I watched nervously as she licked her finger and began to count out the bills.

"You've gotta be kidding me. Is this a joke to you?" she questioned, waving the cash at me.

My lips parted to let her know that no, it was definitely not a joke, but she cut me off.

"I didn't ask for your response!"

You kind of did...

"Twenty freaking bucks... in dollar bills! I've had it up to here with you, Sears!" She held her free hand above her head to illustrate her point. "Pack your shit, I want you out of my building!"

"If I could just have a few more -"

"A few more what?" she snapped. "A few more days? Weeks? Years? You've been late since the day you moved in here!"

"I was on time for the first few months -"

"It doesn't count when you pay in advance, dumbass."

"I still think I deserve at least a little credit for -"

"Credit? You're a useless waste of space that can't even pay her rent on time and you want credit?" Greta scoffed in disbelief. "Fine, I'll make you a deal. If you can pack your shit and get out of my building by the end of tomorrow, I'll give you credit for it!"

I could only watch as she turned on her heel and waddled away quickly, muttering under her breath about ungrateful tenants and useless kids. I groaned in frustration, hitting the doorframe repeatedly with my forehead.

I'm royally screwed!

A large hand suddenly grabbed the top of my head, stopping me from hitting it against the doorframe again. With wide eyes, I slowly turned my head.

Standing in front of me was a massive guy, both in height and muscle. His skin was a dark, eyes black and his buzzcut hair a rich brown. His face looked familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place where I had seen it before.

"Uh... hi?"

He released my head and took a step back, revealing Kaz Colson wearing an amused expression on his face.

"Well, shit."