Chapter 1: NOTHING

I was always told that doing good deeds would pay off one day. What a fucking joke.

My entire life had been one long shitshow. No girlfriend, no friends, no real future, just an endless cycle of work, games, and sleep. I’d spent years being the "nice guy," the low-key one who never stepped on anyone’s toes, always careful not to hurt other people’s feelings.

And what did that get me?

Absolutely nothing.

I was drowning in debt. My sister kept showing up like clockwork, asking for money because her gambling-addict husband had once again blown through everything they had. I knew I should’ve said no, but every time I saw her tired face I caved and handed it over. Because of her, I’d been forced to move into this tiny, rundown apartment. My wallet was so empty I was surprised a fly didn’t fly out every time I opened it. It was that bad...

"God..." I muttered.

It was ten minutes to midnight, and I was completely out of cigarettes. Living in one of the shittiest neighborhoods in the city meant going out this late wasn’t exactly smart, but the craving won.

Thankfully, the walk to the gas station was uneventful. I turned the corner and spotted the bright fluorescent lights ahead. A couple of workers were lounging behind the building, smoking. One tired-looking guy was filling up his car, shoulders slumped like he might fall asleep on the pump.

The automatic doors slid open with a ding. Inside, the night clerk, a guy I saw almost every day, was scrolling on his phone behind the counter. Another man was browsing the snack aisle.

"Hey, Chance," the clerk greeted me first.

"What’s up?" I replied, pulling out my credit card. I still had no idea what his name was. Funny how he knew mine but I’d never bothered to ask.

"Same as usual," I said, pointing at the cigarettes behind him.

He rang me up. My heart beat a little faster as I waited for the card to go through. By some miracle, it did. I let out a quiet breath, grabbed the pack, and stuffed it into my coat pocket.

"Thanks, man. Have a good night."

"You too."

I stepped back out into the cool night air and started walking home, hands buried in my pockets.

A block later, I saw them, a couple walking together all happy. The girl was laughing softly at something the guy said, leaning into his side. They looked happy. Comfortable. In love.

A sharp pang of jealousy twisted in my chest. I quickly looked away and kept walking.

That’s when the sky opened up. Cold rain started pouring down, heavy and relentless. I pulled my hood over my head, but it didn’t help much. By the time I turned the final corner, I was already soaked.

My apartment building loomed ahead, a tired, five-story concrete block that had clearly seen better days. Peeling paint, flickering entrance light, and the constant smell of dampness and cheap food. I lived on the first floor, which at least meant no stairs when I was this exhausted.

I pushed open the creaky metal door, stepped inside the dimly lit hallway, and shook the water off my jacket. A few seconds later, I reached my own door, fished out my keys, and unlocked it.

The moment I stepped inside my small apartment and closed the door behind me, the familiar silence wrapped around me again.

I grabbed a cheap bottle of whiskey from the fridge, twisted the cap off, and took it with me to the bedroom. The window creaked as I slid it open just a crack. Rain was still falling outside. I lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and Chanced it down with a swig of warm whiskey.

For a moment, everything was quiet.

Then it started.

Moans. Loud, shameless, feminine moans coming from the apartment right across the hall. That fucking guy again.

I gritted my teeth so hard my jaw ached. I hated him. Hated everything about him. Every other night he brought home a new woman, sometimes two, and fucked them loud enough for the whole floor to hear. I was sure he did it on purpose. Rubbing it in the face of everyone stuck in this shithole.

I took another angry drag, trying to ignore the sounds.

That’s when I noticed movement outside. A small black cat, sleek as a shadow, was sprinting across the wet street with a massive dog hot on its heels. The dog barked furiously as the cat bolted up a skinny tree near the building. Its claws scrambled for grip on the wet bark.

The dog’s owner, some bald, tattooed asshole, strolled up laughing. He pulled out his phone and started recording the terrified cat, clearly entertained. His friend, probably girlfriend, was beside him, laughing at the poor animal as well.

The cat’s glowing eyes suddenly locked onto mine. I kept smoking, staring back.

The cat slipped lower. Its tail was now dangerously close to the snapping jaws of the dog below.

"Fuck me..." I muttered, flicking the cigarette away. "Always the good guy, huh?"

I killed the rest of the cigarette, grabbed my keys, and stormed out of my apartment without even putting on a jacket.

I walked straight up to the tree.

"Take your dog, man," I said coldly. "Is scaring a cat really that funny to you?"

The guy turned, sizing me up with a nasty smirk. "The fuck you talking about? Imma put three hot ones in you if you don’t fuck off, homeboy."

"Fuck you."

"Oh, you done fucked up now..."

Before he could finish, the black cat leaped from the tree and landed perfectly on my shoulder, hissing aggressively at the dog. The big dog lunged forward, but I simply took a step back, unflinching. I flipped the owner off, turned around, and walked back toward the building like nothing happened.

Once inside my apartment, I closed the door. The cat jumped down gracefully and immediately rubbed itself against my leg, purring. I crouched and scratched its head. After a moment, it flopped onto its back and exposed its belly.

"Oh?" A small smile tugged at my lips. "You like belly rubs? First time I’ve seen a cat ask for that."

The cat meowed softly and purred louder as I rubbed its soft belly.

Then the moans from across the hall started again. Louder this time. The woman was practically screaming in pleasure.

My jaw clenched. Anger flared hot in my chest. I stood up, stormed to my door, and marched across the hallway, fist raised to pound on his door.

But I stopped myself at the last second.

"Fuck this..."