My Life Coaches are the Seven Deadly Sins

"Kinda." Jake shrugged as he passed Jack the top of the counter, making sure the ledge didn't swing and hit him in the face. If it wasn't so awkward to carry, just one of them would have been enough.

I darted forward to get the elevator, "So, uh, anything else to do around here?" Insert foot in mouth once again. I glanced around… maybe a hole would open up… no?

Jack seemed to think about it before answering, "There's a lake, private property, but open to the public most of the time. Check it out."

I nodded hesitantly, "Uh, want to, add each other? I've got snap and WeChat, oh, and discord."

Jake nodded, "Yeah, in a sec."

I felt the tension just leave, nice, I didn't totally fumble that. I walked in front so I could get the door, Dillon was unpacking his essentials while they made trips. I had to admit, I was glad Dillon had basically strong armed me into coming today. I might just have started off with one, if not three new friends.

"That's the last of it Lynn," Jack called as he tried to keep the door from slamming shut with his foot.

I almost choked hearing the name, bowing my head to hide my smile. He'd heard it earlier but he thought he'd heard wrong.

"Gotcha, food should be ready in ten minutes, me and Max will swing by for pick up then meet you guys back at the apartment?" Dillon called as he closed up a box of non-essentials.

"Kay, key?" Jake asked as he handed me his phone.

I quickly entered his number and saved it under his name. I also sent myself a text with Jake's name. As I was looking to add details I realized…I still didn't know their last names, but, this was good. A moment later Jack also handed me his phone. I repeated the process, then saved both numbers.

Dillon tossed his old apartment key to Jake as he nodded to me, "Don't know about you mate, but I'm already starving."

I glanced at the time, it was already after two, time flies. Following Dillon into the restaurant so I could help bring the bags out. Yeash, you'd think they were feeding ten people! We had to make two trips, I even buckled the food in the backseat to make sure it survived the trip to the apartment. No need for burritos to roll all over Dillon's car.

Thankfully, Jake and Jack were waiting by the truck to help carry the food in. This time they all gathered on the living room floor to eat. I tried not to stare as Jake and Jack both ate all four of their double steak burritos. As the duo was working on their sides… I was still struggling to finish my first burrito.

Upside to smaller appetite, I can still afford to eat.

We made three more trips to the new apartment, it was already dark so they decided to eat out. A local sub shop had been dubious with the amount of food they ordered, but had brought the seven foot-long sandwiches to the table. I ate half of one of the foot longs while the others devoured the rest. Then! Dillon ordered two sandwiches to go…

I glanced down at my paper plate… if I ate anymore… they'd have to roll me out.

Jake and Jack had work tomorrow, so Dillon planned to stay at his new place and just unpack. That meant… I would have Dillon's old apartment all to myself… Dillon kept up the conversation light, but I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"So yeah, the binder is now the laptop stand, I took mine with me, let see. I left the original sheets and comforter for the bed, oh, that towel I stole from a hotel last year, if you don't tell I won't. Hmm… anything else before I boogie?" Dillon asked glancing around the much emptier apartment.

I looked at my pitiful belongings, all stuffed into three bags. "Uh, I don't think so… but I have your number…" I glanced around the room… was I… really going to get to stay… for two weeks? Dillon was putting a lot of trust in a stranger. What if I trashed the place… Dillon was still on the lease.

Dillon patted me on the shoulder, "Call if ya need me mate, or text. I'll probably be up late, then the day after tomorrow you still up to help me unpack some?"

I nodded, "Yeah, sure, after the gym right? Tenish?"

Dillon winked as he headed for the door, "Sounds like a plan mate, anything left in the fridge is up for grabs, I'll text if I think of anything I left behind."

"Okay, uh, thanks… for letting me stay." I added as Dillon was already at the door, slipping his shoes on. While they'd been at the diner Dillon had paid us all cash… I still had the burrito from lunch… if this was a scam… no. I still had two weeks before I have to decide anything. If a shoe was going to drop, I needed to be ready for it.

Dillon grinned, "Life if ruff mate, you got this." Then he was gone. I waited a moment before walking over to from the inside. Dillon still had a key until I signed over the lease, but the bolt could only be unlocked from the inside.

I walked around… kind of unpacking, but… I wasn't really sure what to do first… At least until I raised my arm and smelled myself. Laundry. First laundry… just then my phone went off. Pulling it out of my back pocket I saw the text from Robby.

Hey, Max, dropped by your place, Arianna said you two broke up? Where you at?

I sighed… of course Robby found out first. I was a little annoyed Robby couldn't just give me some space. It's not like I was still ten, for Christ's sake, I'm already twenty-four. I started typing out a message, then retracted it several times. Eventually I sent a short message.

New apartment, just need some space. TTYL.

The response was immediate.

Luv ya Scrub, we're just worried, chat Friday?

I rolled my eyes, Jesus Christ, I just said I needed space. Fine. I responded knowing Robby could hear my irritation. Then I threw my phone on the bed then went to go start a load of laundry. This whole air drying was going to take some time to get used to.

After the laundry was started I decided to take a long bath. My showers at the motel had been iffy at best. I glanced in the cupboard, score! Snagging the largest plastic cup I headed to the bathroom.

Hello new speakers. I started a podcast then placed my phone in the cup, listening for the best surround sound, I left the cup against the corner wall. Now the phone was safe from splash damage.

I paused the podcast as I filled the tub, too bad I didn't have bath salts or candles… I shook the memory of Arianna away, she'd gotten me into them… soon the steaming bath was full. Pushing play on my podcast, I slowly eased myself into the almost too hot water.

This, this was a luxury… I only had the stolen sample shampoo from the motel and their finger sized bar of soap so no bubbles, but just the near boiling hot water was enough. I let my favorite true crime podcasts play as I enjoyed his first bath in months.

Clang! I jolted up, looking around for the source of the sound. The podcast had stopped… I must have fallen asleep. I shivered raising my body out of the noticeably chilled water. Glancing around I realized my phone wasn't peeking out the cup. I lifted myself enough to see my phone face down in the sink…

I shivered as I glanced back at the still standing cup…

"Weird…" I muttered as I turned on the hot water to warm up with a shower. Washing my hair and brushing my teeth under the warm water while mentally I added more items to the list of things I still needed. Definitely have to pick up more toothpaste. The motel's travel size bottle was nearly empty. As I stepped out of the bathtub I realized I could hear the podcast again… looking up… my phone was in the cup again.