Impression

I froze while looking at his face. He eyed me up while smirking and said, “Hello new neighbor.”

I was too confused with the situation, so I stopped myself from answering. I was simply too afraid of mumbling something embarrassing again.

He was still holding my heavy package, the box full of books I mailed from my old apartment. Without saying a word, I decided to grab it from his hands. I accidently touched his hand while doing it and jumped back so abruptly that it made me lose my balance. I dropped the package on the floor and quickly closed my eyes preparing myself to fall but unexpectedly that man grabbed me in a waist and protected me.

I couldn't believe how fast and strong he was, but instead of admiring his strength, I was desperately holding my bathrobe so I wouldn't end up half-naked. More than that, my biggest concern at the moment was that he was too close!

His face was just less than two inches away from mine! I felt his breath on my face. I was looking straight into his eyes, my heart was pounding, and I felt like was about to have a panic attack. Basically, I felt like the most primitive, virgin heroin from some third-rated romance. I couldn’t help it, I loved the way he embraced me, I loved his hands touching me, even though there were no emotions in it at all. But it was enough for me.

I felt pathetic. My whole body was desperately crying out for this moment to last… But of course, it didn’t.

He helped me to stand straight, it took him two seconds to do that, then he took a step back.

“T-thank you!” I mumbled, “Thank you for bringing my package and for… helping me just now…”

I felt like my face was going to explode from redness. I wouldn’t dare to look him in the eye, so turn my head away and looked down.

“You welcome, Miss Anastasia,” his voice sounded politely but I could not notice that devilish smirk of his again. He turned around and walked to his apartment door.

“Wait!” I shouted without any thought, “What’s your name? I mean… you already know mine, so…”

“Let’s say… You can call me Tom,” he said with his back to me and walked into his apartment, which was, as I only realized now, right opposite to mine.

I stayed silently in the same position for some time before my mind could process, what exactly happened. My heart was still pounding proving certain lack of my sanity. How could an intelligent woman react the way, I reacted in front of him? Am I that desperate? Was it my hormones trying to prove that I need a man immediately? Was it my brain watching the situation saying, “not my problem”?

“I surely am going crazy!” I whispered to myself. Then I walked back to my apartment while pushing the heavy box through the threshold.

“God… I have his smell on me,” I almost cried, because I knew I won’t be able to stop thinking about him for at least a while.

“Tom… is it his real name? What was that “let’s say, you can call me Tom” about?” I wondered.

I needed some reference for my book anyway and now I knew, what he looks like up closely, so I could start with writing down a basic description.

“From today, I know he is agile and quite strong, he could know some martial arts too. He is also well built, I could feel a lot of muscles in those arms and chest…”

I had to stop there. I felt the sensation of his arms holding me all over again. I got the impression, that I'm losing roughly all my professional reasoning. I grabbed the bottle of wine and poured another glass, then I drank almost all of it in one go. Then I slapped my face begging my brain to restart and bring back my rationality.

“Where was I? Face! Let’s focus on his face… professionally,” that’s what I told myself.

“Strong jawline, underlined cheekbones and tall forehead. Porcelain-like complexion, light coral, and pink lips, not too thin, he also has little dimples when he smirks, which is quite adorable.  Eyes… Asian, wide, black. His stare is mysterious and commanding…”

Then I remembered something more about his gaze. I felt there was an indescribable and petrifying void in his eyes. Even when mimic muscles moved to build a smile on his face, his eyes stayed emotionless. That thought disturbed me a lot.

“Isn’t he just a little too perfect for my psychopathic novel character? Or is it just me trying to tone him up to fit characters description?” I wondered.

Eventually I chased away the thought of my new neighbor having a sociopathic personality the moment I finished the bottle of wine.

I was emotionally exhausted as a result of entire day, so I quickly fell asleep in my large and comfortable bed, absolutely ignoring the fact that it wasn’t even ten o’clock.

All of a sudden, I heard knocking. I wasn’t too loud, but I always was a light sleeper, so I got out of the bed trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

When I heard the knocking again, I knew there was someone at the door. I came closer and asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s me Tom,” I heard his deep voice again.

“Just a minute!” I shouted in panic, again, searching for something to wear.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up. I’ll come back another day.”

“No!” I called out without thinking, “Please wait, I’m almost done…”

I wore a dress, which was much easier than the pants I was trying to get into when he brought me the package and I run to the door as fast as I could.

“Good evening,” I tried to sound as composed as possible while attempting to calm my breathing.

“Good evening…” he smirked again. I thought that he must have found it hugely entertaining that I end up flustered each time we meet.

“I thought I’d invite you to some dinner at my apartment. I figured that you may not have eaten all day because of unpacking. Please treat it as a small welcoming gift.”

I found it really odd. How could he invite me to his apartment? Not to mention, this late at night and ME! A person he barely met today! How?!

But that was the point where my rationality stepped aside. I heart was pounding so loud as if it was shouting, “Who cares! He invited you over to HIS apartment! What are you waiting for?!”

Finally, my semi-logical reasoning found an excuse that going to his place might help in my research a lot.

I thanked for his thoughtfulness and followed him.

The lighting inside was quite low building a distinctive mood. I couldn’t see many details, but I noticed many pictures in frames hanging on every single wall, dark, wooden cabinet, and a desk. All the furniture was black, and I could only distinguish them from the rest of the darkened room because of the light wood floor.

“Hope you like noodles. I’m a master chef when it comes to making noodles,” he said and smiled proudly.

His grin caught me slightly off guard and I laughed then said, ”I love noodles.”

Of course, my “stupid heroin mode” activated as soon as I saw his smile. I really wanted to slap myself for reacting that way again and again.

“Then, please wait one more minute. The serving for two is coming up,” by all means he used that alluring smile of his with every word.

While he was busy in the kitchen, I decided to walk around his spacious salon. One object caught my eye, something that looked like a wooden jewellery casket. It was about ten inches long and four inches wide and it had most beautiful jade ornaments I had ever seen. The item was so captivating that I wasn’t even aware of the moment I touched it and when I did, I blankly opened it.

Inside, I found an astonishing knife with a blade smooth as a mirror. It surely wasn’t a kitchen knife… Suddenly I had a thought that it could be similar to a weapon that Mr. Payton was killed with!

“You really shouldn’t have seen it.”

I froze up hearing his voice which went exceptionally cold and terrifying.

Tom grabbed the knife from behind me. He did it so swiftly that it felt like the blade simply disappeared right before my eyes and materialize in his grasp.

I turned around and faced his petrifying glare.

I felt chill running down my spine, and I could catch a breath. That second, I knew coming there was a huge mistake. Moreover, I shouldn’t had opened the box, although I wasn't sure what made me do it, it wasn't like me at all.

He simply stood with that knife in his hand staring at me in silence. That silence was horrifying. A thousand times over I would rather hear him shout in anger. I felt like I should apologize in instant somehow, plead him, beg...

“I’m so…”

He didn’t let me finish. He swinged the knife and cut my throat.

I jumped up trembling hysterically and grabbing my neck with my hands trying to stop the bleeding. It was only few seconds later when I realized I could breathe and I’m in my bed.

I just woke up from the worst, and most realistic nightmare I had.