We were considered the "new ones" I guess you could say, although we'd been here for about a year now. Not one new comer came through yet considering the small complex it was. Here at the Bourg Inn everyone knew everybody, and everybody knew everyone. You'd walk into the lobby and say "Hello Tom" as you make your way to the elevator on the right, visit the breakfast buffet and say "hello" as you pass each person sitting at the tables. And don't forget Mr. Bilges, the old man living alone who never really comes out but can't pass up giving out homemade goods to everyone in the complex during every special occasion. We'd gotten used to it here in London and this little 2 room apartment was just perfect for me and Dylan. There's even a swimming pool and hot tub which we manage to visit 90% of the time during summer.
Me and Dyl slipped on our bathing suits, grabbed our towels and did the daily routine of running downstairs to grab a soda and then out to the poolside it was. We always took the same two lawn chairs, that were never taken, near the corner of the fence but just perfect for tanning on days like these. I could see Mrs. Dabny taking a sip of her usual tea, Teresa and her 2 little kids, Sophie and Eric, who were splashing in the pool, Bonnie and Von having their daily chat at the table with an umbrella, and Danny who was reading his daily newspaper with either a beer or coffee, beer on this hot day. We slapped on some sunblock so we wouldn't burn, creeped up our sunglasses onto our eyes and laid back in our chairs to enjoy this beautiful day.
Some time had passed about an hour of resting our eyes and having small chats with one another. Dylan was in the middle of telling me a not so interesting story when I couldn't help but notice a tall slender man standing over by the entrance gate to the pool holding a little girls hand. He had brown hair covered by a backwards black hat and a pair of black raybans matching mine covering his eyes. I didn't study him much but going by what I could see he had a toned body partially covered by tattoos. The reason he had caught my eye is I had never seen him here before. It's not normal to spot someone so unfamiliar around here. I interrupted Dylan as I pointed my finger over to him.
"Who is that?" she asked.
"I have no idea" I replied trying not to stare at him.
"Well he is extremely good looking" she said with a smirk.
"Dylan!" I laughed as I jokingly hit her arm.
"Don't even, he's probably old, and a father" I laughed glancing at the little girl he was still holding onto.
We both took one last look before I turned to Mrs. Dabny who was in the chair to the left of me. I tapped her shoulder as she turned her head away from her magazine to face me.
"Who is that" I slightly whispered as I pointed my finger in his direction again.
"Oh..that boy, that boy is Harry" she replied in her strong british accent. I just looked at her with a confused face.
"He's the new boy. New to the complex that is, everyone in town knows his name."
"But how?" Dylan stuttered quietly.
"He grew up here in downtown London, I've known him ever since he was just a young chipper." she paused and stared at us hesitantly before looking away.
"That about all you need to know"
"No! I'm curious" I shot back not taking no for an answer. Mrs. Dabny hesitated for a second but then leaned in a little closer to me and Dylan.
"He's had a rough life" she continued. "His parents died when he was just 16, he's had no one to watch over him. He has no one but his little sister"
We both were silent for a moment.
"Wow..that's sad." Dylan mumbled.
"Well we should go make him feel welcome" I said as I began to sit up before my arm was stopped by Mrs. Dabny.
"No. He keeps to himself, doesn't talk much. No ones seen him around ever since his parents died..he's secretive and I have a feeling he'd like to keep it that way" she whispered in a deep tone of voice.
"It wouldn't hurt to be polite.." I replied. Mrs. Dabny gave me the "whatever you say" look as she returned her view to the magazine. Me and Dylan took one last look at the boy before he had vanished into the doors that went into the lobby.