Shane checked the address scribbled on his hand again. It was a pretty good neighborhood really. There were actually trees and greenery. And it wasn't too far from either the skatepark, Storm Chargers, or the college campus.
He looked up to see Dustin and Tori sitting on a second story balcony, their legs dangling through the railing. Tori spotted him and pointed, causing Dustin to shout.
"Dude! C'mon up!"
"Be right there," he waved. As he skated to the building, he saw them stand and go back into the apartment.
He jumped his skateboard up the porch steps, then kicked it up to his waiting hand. He ran up the external stairs of the building. The individual apartment doors were external, but facing each other in the center of the building. It shielded the door from the elements, and each apartment got its own balcony on the opposite side.
"So? What do you think?" Dustin met him at the apartment door. Shane knew it said a lot for his friend's enthusiasm for the place that he was that anxious for an answer before he even saw it.
"The location's cool," he slapped hands with Dustin and moved past him into the apartment. He dumped his helmet, skateboard, and backpack on the floor as he went.
It was small, but not tiny. About what two teenagers on a ninja academy payroll could afford. There was a living room with connected kitchen, and two bedrooms and a bathroom down the hall.
"There's a laundry room in the basement, but there are hookups in here in case we get a washer and dryer. You know, for washing ninja stuff."
"Or you could wash those at the Academy. I know I won't be washing mine at the dorm." Tori walked out of the kitchen, handing Shane a coke.
"So what do you think?" Dustin asked again, clearly eager for his friend's approval.
"It's great!" Shane nodded, looking around again before turning back to his friends. "And I think I got a job where I can actually afford it," he added with a gleam in his eye.
"Dude!" Dustin jumped forward to give him a hug. "That's great! So what is it? Is it gonna work out with the teaching?"
"Actually it'll work out better than I could have hoped."
"And?" Dustin asked impatiently. "What is it?"
"Leave him alone, Dustin," Tori intervened. "Because if we're sharing stories, you still haven't told me what happened with Marah."
"Dude, you talked to Marah?" Shane didn't miss that Dustin blushed and threw a dirty look at Tori. "What happened?"
Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Shane looked over strangely, but the others didn't seem at all surprised.
"Saved by the pizza," Dustin said relieved.
"You're not saved," Tori warned. "You still have to tell me."
"We haven't even signed a lease yet, and you've ordered a pizza to an apartment that isn't ours?" Shane asked, disbelieving.
"Dustin's final test," she explained, moving toward the door as they heard the knock again. "If your favorite pizza place couldn't find us in a timely manner, it wasn't worth it."
"Priorities, dude," Dustin said, and Shane nodded.
"So are you going to tell me about his job or what?" Dustin asked, sitting on the living room floor.
"You won't believe it!" he started, sitting beside him.
"No storytelling till I get back! Or else!" Tori shouted from the door.
"Or else what?"
"You guys can pay for this pizza yourselves, you know!"
They grinned and waited till she returned, box in hand.