All is not what it seems (closed to AngelofyourNighmares)

[CFMB_fan]

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Name: Adrian Ham
Age 51
Height: 6 ft
Eyes: Piercing Blue
Hair: Black, with grey highlights and slightly balding, so cropped short
Build: Tall, broad like a rugby player but also carries some middle age spread
Profession: Accountant

It was early September, and time for Adrian to advertise the top floor ‘studio flat’ which Adrian had done since his wife passed away. The space was otherwise wasted, and he at times liked some company in the place. and so had decided to offer his top floor area to mostly Post-grad students attending the local prestigious University. He was situated close to the Priestgate campus, once a Church of England college.

Adrian read the advert for the last time before reaching to click on Send. By mid Monday morning, the advert will be on the University’s accommodation website.

Room available for Rent.

A room is available in an Edwardian town house close to the town centre and the university. The room is situated on the top floor and includes an en-suite shower/WC and a kitchenette. Access to the ground floor full kitchen is available with notification. There is also access to a bath on another level if required. The Location of the house is on Priestgate's way if you want to view the location on Google Maps.

I am an officially recognised service provider to the University, and have relevant references from the Accommodation Office.

House is fully modernised internally whilst keeping its Edwardian period charm and character. Mod-cons includes both a wireless and cable network accessing Virgin Media's 150 GB service. The room also has a TV access point for cable TV (Tivo) as well as ‘standard’ TV. There is storage space for a push bike if required; as well as a smoking area in the back garden should you indulge.

Rent for the flat for a young professional would be in the region of £800. However I have chosen to rent to a student, preferably one studying a postgraduate qualification but not limited to. To that end, with a suitable character reference and an official letter stating that you are indeed a bona file student, rent will be in the region of £550 (negotiable in part). As I work from home most days, I would prefer the quieter study-conscious character rather than a party animal.

Please call me on 07123 567890

Having pressed sent, he opened up Light-room on his desktop, his photo cataloging and basic editing suite; and spend the next hour or so on the Sunday afternoon editing some photos he had recently taken, before feeling his eyes starting to feel slightly screen fatigued.

He put the desktop to sleep, and looked up at some of his portraits he had taken, before leaving the office, turning the light off as he did so, and headed downstairs, and poured himself a bottle of ale from the beer fridge, as he settled himself into the sweet spot, and reached for his tablet. Moments later, he was immersed in Pink Floyd, enjoying the sound, as he thought of the weekend, What else is better than enjoying a Sunday afternoon, music and a good ale. He looked at the wall, and saw the portrait of his wife, taken before she was diagnosed with what turned out to be a fatal case of cancer. He quickly shook away those thoughts. He needed to relax.

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[AngelofyourNighmares]

Lydia Jones
21
https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M720b9c81a84a90b162c6ad1cb412f5e8o2&pid=15.1&H=240&W=160&P=0
Studying: doctorate in Psychology

Lydia was ready to take on the world and so much more, but she was also very nervous being this far away from home as well. She knew she was taking on alot going to school full time, and working part time at a local cafe. She sighed to herself, she could do this she often wondered if she would be able to or not but she had gotten this far, and this was something she had wanted for a very long time.

She needed a place to live, something she could afford, the dorms just were not for her. She needed quiet and liked to be alone, She needed now more then ever to focus on her studies and nothing else a distraction was the last thing she needed.

She sat in the small dorm room looking around, her roommate was nice enough, but definantly there to party and not to do much else. To much of a distraction.

She would wait until the morning and then she would log onto the local university accomidation page.. for now she wanted sleep...

~~~~

The next morning Lydia woke up and took a quick shower, and was grateful for her afternoon classes, she had a few things to look into this morning... the first thing was to grab a small breakfast so she went to the campus cafeteria and had herself a bagel with cream cheese, thank ful that she had brought her lap-top with her as she headed out to the quad.

She took a deep breath and opened up the lap-top and went to the site she needed, to find herself a more quiet living arrangement. She did what she set out to do, and in moments, she found a housing arrangement that seemed almost way to perfect for her, she sighed to herself and quickly wrote the phone number down, before heading back to her dorm room. She took a deep breath put her things down, and grabbed her cell phone and then dialed the number.

She waited feeling a bit nervous, this was all new to her.. she waited for the other voice to pick up on the line.

 

[CFMB_fan]

Monday Morning

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"Hello, I'm Lydia." The voice was clearly nervous, and had a slight American accent to it. "I'm calling about the room, is it still...?"

"Yes it is Lydia..in fact you are the first caller I've received today...."

Adrian was in his office when the phone rang. Glancing at the screen informed him of an unknown number, and so unsure if it was business or soem one for the flat, he spoke in a polite friendly manner. He was working on a set of spreadsheets for a local client, in this case a charity shop whom he knew the manager, and so always helped with the accounts before they were sent to their official accountant.

They chatted for a while as Adrian gave Lydia a quick pen picture of the house and area, set in a nice leafy suburb of the old English Market town. The university was rather small, but for Psychology and other subjects, had a renown reputation internationally.

"Well I will see you around four, and please do not forget your character reference and your student ID card. No student ID, no agreement I'm afraid...."

They said their farewells and he resumed to his work, reviewing the client's first quarter accounts, cross referencing the spreadsheet with receipts and invoices.

As 4pm approached, he headed down stairs into the kitchen, and put the kettle onto boil, as well as the Espresso machine. It wasn't long before he hear the doorbell.

Still in his shorts and fleece 1/2 zipped jumper, the unzip unfastened exposing part of his chest, he walked down the long hallway to the front door, and opened the door, looking out onto the street below.

There he saw Lydia and smiled.

"Lydia Jones?" he inquired offering her his right hand.

"Please come in, tea or coffee?"

And he lead Lydia down the long hallway to the back well appointed kitchen, his own photographs of his wife and landscape hanging up on the walls.

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[AngelofyourNighmares]

When she called, she honestly had no idea why she was so nervous in the first place, it wasn't as if she was making a presentation, or anything like that she was calling about a room.

When he told her it was still open she had remembered letting out that deep breath that she had been holding in, thanking god that it was still open.

She was glad it was just her in the dorm room when she made the phone call, so she could have e peace and quiet, something she didn't get around there that often. The whole time she was calling the number, and preparing to call the number, she felt her hands shaking and she wasn't sure why, his voice was friendly enough. Relax she told herself.

She listened carefully as he spoke to her, and she gave him her full attention. She was grateful for the information he had given her, he seemed intelligent, which she really liked.

She listened to what he told her she would need to bring with her, and she had already started planning to gather everything up as soon as she got off the phone as not to forget anything.

She hung up the phone with him and then got the information together that he needed smiling to herself grateful that no-one had answered the ad before she had.

She had changed into a dress and draped a white sweater over it before grabbing her bag with her keys, her student ID and her character reference form, she then headed out of the dorms and then headed to the address that was on the ad.

She took a deep breath when she got there and smoothed her dress out, feeling nervous once more, she didn't know why but she didn't want to disappoint and she really wanted this room.

She finally rang the doorbell and awaited for him to answer the door and when he did she greeted him with her bright smile.

She smiled and took his hand in hers shaking it. "Yes sir." She answered softly.

"Tea please." She said thoughtfully.

She started to follow him admiring the home as she did so.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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"Tea please?"

"Of course" as he offered Lydia a chair n the kitchen, and started to reboil the kettle.

As an accountant, Adrian was now self employed, having worked for a large multi-national in London before leaving when his wife Jane was diagnosed with cancer, a battle that she finally lost. They had decided to move to a small market town and set up a small accountancy practice, which Adrian had in part maintained whilst Jane was seeking medical treatment.

He decided not to return to the panic race in the city, maintained their, or rather now his own practice, supporting local companies in the town. He enjoyed it, and he made enough money not to have t worry about cash, he owned his home out right, and had spent money on converting it into what it was now. Sure he could have earned more in the capital, but he would not have had the quality of life.

Many of the other houses on the road had been converted into flats, but not his. It was an old Edwardian town house, with a basement and three floors, the top floor having been converted into a studio flat, for the nurse that looked after his wife in her final months. Converting it into a lodgings for a student was a simple matter.

It had a short front garden, and several steps up to the front door. The street had old trees, starting to turn color with Autumn approaching. The cars in the street were sensible middle class SUVs and the like with the odd sporty model; one of whom was his.

He saw Lydia glance to her sides as she walked towards the kitchen, past the stairs on left hand side, and the stairs to the basement under the stairs. On the right hand side were the doors to the front lounge and the back dining room, which were ajar. The walls of the hallway were adorned with various canvas printed photos hanging on the wall, together with photos of him and Jane, his wife.

He looked at her whilst he waited for the kettle to boil. She was rather attractive with long blondish hair and a cute smile. Her attire was smart casual, suggestive of he r feminine curves but actually revealing very little.

The kitchen was large, and clearly two rooms converted into one, with a large window along one side overlooking the patio/decking area in front of the conservatory. To the back of the kitchen was a door that lead to a utility room containing an old an old fashioned larder, as well as a tall standing freezer and a washer/dryer.

In the middle of the kitchen was an old farmhouse style oak table, as well as a breakfast bar, with a wine fridge underneath.

He offered Lydia chair as he started to make a pot of tea for Lydia, using Twinnings Tea bags. He sipped his own coffee, finishing the drink as he looked at her again, young cute and pretty, not in a stunning sense but an alluring girl next door sort of manner.

It wasn't long before he placed the T-pot in front of Lydia together with a mug and a bottle of milk, he still had his milk delivered by the milkman.

"Sugar?" he inquired smiling as she sat in a chair at the table.

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

She still felt rather nervous, but The gentleman before her seemed genuine, so she knew she had nothing to worry or fret over.

She fiddled with the ring she wore on her finger, something she often did, when she was trying to calm her nerves down... nothing to be nervous over.. your here to look at a room, nothing more nothing less.

Lydia had so much to do, so many errands still to run, and her mind was a little all over the place, but her main focus was on getting this room,she already knew she would love it here... she knew that before she had rang the doorbell, it was a beautiful home. She had to remember this was business just like anything else, but she wanted this man to like her and respect her as she would him.

She did not want to make a bad impression. She was quite capable of handling this.

For a older man it didn't escape her that he was rather attractive.. but she noticed he had kind eyes, when he opened the door... but there was also a... no no no Lydia you are not here to psychoanalyze this man. She shook her head at herself, sometimes she found it hard to seperate her "work" from the human kind, not everyone she crossed needed psychotherapy.

She drew her thoughts back to the present task at hand. She tucked a strand of loss hair behind her ear. She made sure she had placed her phone on silence once more, there was nothing more rude in her opinion then a phone going off in the middle of a meeting of any sort. She was looking at his pictures as she followed him towards the kitchen.

His home was stunning she thought to herself, at least the parts she had seen so far... but it was the pictures that had really gained her attention. There were many photos of him and another woman, who was so stunningly breathtaking, and the photos were so beautifully taken as well, she figured it must be his wife and then thought to herself that he was a very lucky man.

She carefully sat down to the seat that he offered her. She smiled shyly up at him, again she told herself to remain calm.

She looked around the room, feeling a little awkward just sitting there the room was beautiful just as everything else had been. She shuffled through her bag for a moment making sure all her paperwork and student Id was there when he was ready for it, she hated to be unprepared for anything.

''This is a beautiful kitchen.'' She found herself saying outloud.

She watched as he prepared the tea, she always felt awkward having others do for her. She waited patiently.

She smiled up gently when he placed the teapot before her, and a mug, she was a little surprised by the jug of milk, but she had to say something about delivered fresh milk was much more appealing then buying it in the store.

"Please." She said softly as he passed her the sugar and she thanked him with another soft smile.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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'This is a beautiful kitchen.''

"Thank you Lydia, and well I do like it. Jane and I moved in a while ago to make this our final home. This town is a lovely place to live, minimal crime, lovely market and town centre, and 30 minutes away, some gorgeous walking country."

Adrian sighed before he continued.

"Pity Jane isnt here to enjoy it..."

He sipped his own mug of tea before he grinned and looked at Lydia.

"So please, tell me about your self. Why should I offer you the room Lydia?"

 

[AngelofyourNighmares]

I hated to make small talk, I think to myself.. I was never very good at it, but the home was beautiful, and when one thought something was beautiful, they should always express that.

She smiled and looked up at him, as he began talking about his home some. Jane must be his wife, she thought to herself. She took a sip of her tea as she looked at him, she wanted to ask if the woman in the pictures was Jane so she could tell him how beautiful she was, but she didn't think now was a appropriate time for that, no she knew now was not.

She noticed he paused and sighed momentarily, but she didn't really think much of it at the moment.

Her eyes met his and she saw it again, that flash of sadness... or maybe that was just in her mind, she wasn't sure.

She again, looked at him when he grinned at her, he had a nice smile she thought to herself.

"There is not really a lot to tell of myself, I am quiet, I enjoy reading, writing, I am here to recieve my post graduate in psychology, I am very passionant about that, I eventually want to open my own office, I am from america, California to be exact." She took a deep breath, she never was one to talk of herself.

"I think I deserve the room, cause as I said I am quiet, I won't cause you any problems, I also work part time, so I wouldn't constantly be around to be a bother to you. I take my schooling very seriously.. living in the dorms.. is not a good place to get the quiet one so needs to study and to have a peace of mind.'' She said and took a deep breath.

 

[CFMB_fan]

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"There is not really a lot to tell of myself, I am quiet, I enjoy reading, writing, I am here to receive my post graduate in psychology, I am very passionate about that, I eventually want to open my own office, I am from America, California to be exact."

Adrian listened intently as she spoke.

"I thought I detected a Western accent on your voice Lydia..."

"I think I deserve the room, cause as I said I am quiet, I won't cause you any problems, I also work part time, so I wouldn't constantly be around to be a bother to you. I take my schooling very seriously.. living in the dorms.. is not a good place to get the quiet one so needs to study and to have a peace of mind.''

Adrian smiled as she tried to sell herself to him, grinning at her modesty.

"Well, I'm glad you are a quiet type, a previous occupant was asked to leave after she seemed to treat her room as a brothel, different guts every night it seemed. And she was a screamer on top of that..." giggling at the previous occupant's expense.

They continued chatting as they drank their tea, as Adrian spoke about the local area, the amenities in greater detail and the like; as well as the local park - also part of the Uni Campus, Priest-gate's Campus, and that it was a short cut to the town in the summer months.

Finally they had finished their drinks as Adrian smiled.

"Well do you want to go and see the room Lydia?"

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[AngelofyourNighmares]

I tell him about myself, what there is to tell at least, and you listen intently.

It made her smile that he listened to her so intently, she wasnt used to men being that way.

I explained why I felt I deserve the room, and I think I have made a pretty good pitch, or at least I am hoping that I have.

His grin made her smile softly, she was nothing if not honest In everything that she did and said, or at least that was her goal to always be that way.

She listened to him carefully as he spoke about his last tenant. She giggled a bit at his storyz MP he did not have to worry about any of that with her, she was not that type of girl, she wasnt a completely innocent girl, but she didn't get around it anything like that.

It was nice hearing about the local area as she listened to him intently. "Thank you for telling me about this.. I appreciate it. " She said softly and smiled brightly.

So finished the rest of her tea as she gave him a shy smile.

"I would like that thank you." She said softly.

 

[CFMB_fan]

The Tour

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"Please, follow me...."

As they stood up, he also made a few comments about the kitchen.

"Your room doesn't have an oven Lydia just a dual microwave combi oven, but you are more than welcome to use the small oven in here. Through the back is the utility/laundry room with a chest freezer which will have space for you to store stuff in should you wish to. There is also space to keep a push bike should you want to, I ride regularly at weekends and in the summer months some evenings if I can... "

Adrian started the guided tour, showing her the back dining room, with a large table set for 6 people, but clearly large enough for 8 or possibly ten if they are close friends. The dining room itself back out onto a conservatory, which had patio doors opening onto the garden and decking area. Looking up would reveal a small outcrop from the first floor made with glass bricks. As he led her into the conservatory, a camera tripod could be seen.

“This room gets the afternoon sun.” he offered and so gets lovely and hot in the summer as does the garden.

He led her back into the hall way and showed her the door to the basement as he opened it, and led her down a set of stairs, a motion sensor turning on the lights. As you descend down the stairs, there is a matted area and a flat screen and a rowing machine. “Happy for you to use the gym area if you wish. You can watch Youtube fitness-blender videos if you want to or anything else like that! There is also an Apple TV if you are an Apple type of gal, allowingyou to stream the content from your Iphone or Ipad.”

At the base of the stairs on the other side was another door, clearly locked.

Adrian led her back up to the stairs into the hallway and the front room, one length fitted with bespoke furniture, a large flat screen TV mounted as if a cinema screen. There was leather covered furniture and again more photos of Adrian and Jane, as well as his own photos printed onto canvas blocks.

He led her up to the first floor…

“Out of bounds please. ” “This is my floor.” Looking around, there was a door over the kitchen area which was ajar and looked like it led into an office. There was another door over the door to the living room; and another door leading to a small room over the front door and hallway. The door was clearly blocked by a piece of furniture.

"The second floor is a guest floor with two bedrooms and a smaller dump room over the front of the house. Over the kitchen was a large bathroom, nicely fitted out with a bath and a shower leading into the bath. "

He paused as he inhaled deeply before continuing his sales pitch.

“Happy for you to use this bath, I have my own on my floor. Also if you have friends or parents staying, as long as you let me know, I am more than happy for them to use these rooms as long as you wash and tidy up afterwards.”


Finally he led her up to the final floor, a door at the top of the stairs with a lock. He led her inside to show her a studio flat, with a small en-suite bathroom over the lower bathroom, with a shower, sink and toilet. The main room had a double bed, a simple iron affair, and fitted wardrobe units around the bed; together with fitted units along one wall which included a long, deep desk. At the other end was a small kitchen with a kettle a small fridge and an electric hob.

Along the wall with the units was also a desk area and book shelves. There were also power sockets, including a couple with inbuilt USB ports. There was also a cable for the network point.

“So what do you think Lydia?” as he lent against the desk area watching Lydia as she walked around the room, opening the doors and draws as all viewers do.

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