NEXT DOOR

ARIANA'S POV

The rest of the day passed by quietly. Classes ended, and instead of heading straight home, I followed Maya to her place.

We had a project to work on anyway. We sat on her bed with our laptops, going over notes, and correcting each other. At some point, we drifted into studying for upcoming tests.

It helped to keep my mind busy. Thankfully, Maya didn't bring up any conversation about Scott and I was really grateful for that.

By the time I left, the sky was already dark so I got home late.

The compound was quiet.

I dropped my bag inside, changed into something comfortable, and grabbed the trash.

It was my usual routine. I stepped outside, heading toward the bin.

Just then, a car drove in.

I barely paid attention at first until it slowed right in front of the apartment next to mine. I glanced over absentmindedly as the door opened and someone stepped out.

My heart skipped.

What the….

Wait… wait, no way.

No fucking way.

I blinked twice and almost slapped myself.

Since when did I start imagining things? Or was the alcohol from last night still having effects on me?

What the fuck was professor Thiago doing here?

He shut the door behind him like he didn’t just walk straight out of my thoughts.

My heart began pounding hard.

Hold on…

My gaze shifted slowly… from him… to the door behind him. My mind went blank for a second, refusing to process what I was seeing.

Was he…

No way. It can't be…

I stopped walking completely. He must’ve sensed it because he paused too, then he turned.

Our eyes met.

My breath hitched.

My fingers went loose as the trash bag slipped from my hand and hit the ground with a dull thud.

Last week, someone moved into the apartment next to mine. I remembered seeing a car one evening, boxes being carried in, but I didn’t pay attention. It didn’t matter to me, and I never even saw the person.

But now…

Now I knew it was him. Professor Thiago… my neighbor.

Then something clicked.

Last night, he offered to take me home. And he actually brought me here.

Which meant, he already knew.

He knew we lived in the same place. He knew how close we were. But he didn’t know I was going to be his student. Maybe to him, I was just some random drunk stranger he picked up.

I didn’t realise how long I stood there, staring and trying to make sense of it all until I felt a drop of water land on my arm.

I blinked, looking up slightly.

Rain.

Shit.

I blinked again as another drop hit my skin. The rain didn’t ease in slowly—it came all at once.

Within seconds, my shirt clung to my body. Water slid down my face, into my eyes, my fingers tightening around nothing in particular.

I tried to move but I couldn’t.

A loud crack of thunder tore through the sky as I stumbled backwards, hands flying to my ears.

My whole body began trembling as a memory flashed in my head…

Darkness, rain hitting glass, voices, then… a loud crash.

My breath caught sharply. It felt like I had been thrown back into that tragic night.

I blinked hard, but my vision only blurred more.

No. No, no—

Tears slipped out before I could stop them, the memory replaying over and over in my head.

“Ms. Castillo.” I heard a voice but it sounded distant.

I didn’t respond.

Another thunder cracked, and my shoulders flinched violently.

“Ms. Castillo.” The voice sounded closer this time.

Still, I couldn’t move.

My lips parted, but nothing came out. My hands shook harder now as my chest rose and fell unevenly.

The rain kept falling, and the memory kept dragging me under with it. I pressed my hands to my head, trying to force it away, but the tears kept coming, mixing with the rain on my face.

Just then, a warm grip closed around my arm.

I flinched instantly, my body reacting before my mind caught up.

“What are you doing? Get out of the rain.” It was Professor Thiago. His voice sounded clearer now.

I turned my head slowly to him.

His brows was furrowed in confusion.

Another crack of thunder rolled across the sky.

I flinched again, lips trembling. I hadn’t even realized I had taken a step back until his grip tightened slightly.

“Hey.” He called out. “Look at me.”

I obeyed instantly, staring up at his blue eyes.

His hand shifted from my arm to my wrist firmly. “Come on.” He said, pulling me forward.

I stumbled slightly, my legs weak, but he didn’t loosen his hold.

The rain soaked both of us completely as he pulled me toward his door. I barely heard the keys before the lock clicked.

The door opened, and we stepped inside. He shut it behind us as the sound echoed.

The rain and thunder were still loud outside, but they sounded distant now.

I stood there, dripping water onto his floor. My fingers still trembled slightly as I sniffled.

He turned immediately. “What the hell was that?” He asked, voice low but firm.

My lips parted, but nothing came out.

His gaze dropped to my trembling hands and soaked shirt. A slow exhale left him. “Sit.”

My legs gave in quickly as I dropped onto the nearest couch.

He ran a hand through his damp hair, like he was trying to rein something in, then walked off without another word.

I stayed still, fingers curling into the fabric beneath me. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second.

The memory had faded slightly, slowly retreating back to whatever corner of my mind it always crawled back into after one of these episodes.

But the feeling never really left, it never did. Just rain and thunder… that was all it took.

Years later and I still reacted the same way.

I hated it. I hated how something as normal as a rainy evening could reduce me to this.

I felt weak and barely able to breathe.

Scott knew about it.

Whenever it rained and he wasn't with me, he would video call.

Sometimes, he would show up at my apartment.

Back then, I thought it meant something. I thought it meant he genuinely cared. Maybe that was why this breakup hurt so much.

My throat tightened as another distant rumble echoed outside.

Instinctively, my fingers curled tighter.

Scott wasn't coming.

He wasn't mine anymore, he had never really been.

I swallowed hard and stared down at my hands.

Today, Professor Thiago had been here. He had pulled me out of the rain and brought me inside.

But this wasn't something I could expect from him everytime.

He was my professor.

My chest tightened.

Eventually, rain would come again and I would be all alone.

I heard footsteps and my eyes flew open.

A towel landed beside me. “Dry yourself.”

I stared at it for a moment before taking it. My hands still weren’t steady as I pressed it against my face. It absorbed the water instantly.

He had already changed into dry clothes. He didn’t sit, he just stood there watching me.

It made me feel exposed.

“Take that off.” His voice cut through the silence.

I paused. “What?” My voice was low.

“Your shirt. It’s soaked.”

I hesitated for a moment, then pulled it off slowly. Cold air hit my skin, making goosebumps rise instantly.

Thankfully, I was wearing a singlet.

He looked away immediately. “Wait here.” he muttered, already walking away.

He came back with a shirt and tossed it toward me. “Wear this.”

I caught it weakly.

It was warm, and clean. His scent lingered faintly on it.

I slipped it on slowly while he leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, watching me again—this time more carefully.

“What happened out there?” he asked.

I looked down at my hands as the trembling began to ease slowly.“I don’t like the sound of thunder,” I replied softly.

My response sounded ridiculous.

His brows pulled together slightly. “That wasn’t just about ‘not liking thunder.’”

I didn’t answer bcause he was right, and I didn’t want to explain.

Silence settled again.

Then, he pushed off the wall and walked closer.

My breath caught as he stopped in front of me and squatted slightly, bringing himself to my level. “Does it happen often?” He asked carefully.

Those blue eyes didn’t soften, they just studied me.

God.

Those eyes.

I shook my head. “Not really.”

He kept looking at me a moment longer like he was trying to figure something out.

I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be figured out. I just wanted to stop thinking about everything.

Then a realization hit me.

Last night, when I had climbed onto his lap, I hadn’t thought about Scott even once.

Just silence, and heat… nothing else.

My gaze drifted to his lips before I knew it. My fingers tightened slightly against the couch.

Maybe… that kind of silence could happen again.

I looked back up at him. “Distract me,” I breathed softly.

His brows pulled together instantly. “What?”

A long silence stretched between us. I swallowed hard as another rumble of thunder echoed outside.

My chest tightened as those painful memories began flashing in my head again.

"Please." I begged, voice shaky.

His gaze held mine. “Ms. Cast…”

I placed my hands on his chest. "I just need it to stop.”

His gaze dropped to my hand resting against his chest. Something flickered across his face before it disappeared.

"Ariana..."

My breath caught. It was the first time he had called me Ariana.

Slowly, his fingers closed around my wrist.

My pulse jumped as his blue eyes lifted to mine. Then he exhaled sharply.

"You have no idea what you're asking for.”