One Night With My Neighbor

Lily's POV“We’re only going for a week,” Mum said, zipping her overnight bag. “Be good, Lily. Don’t leave the doors unlocked. And if you need anything…”“I’ll be fine,” I cut in. Mum gave me a look. “You’re nineteen, not forty.”“I know that, Mum.”Dad was already checking his watch by the front door. “Text us when you get home from work tomorrow,” he said. “I will.” Mum hugged me tight. “There’s money on the counter for food. Don’t order takeaway every night.” “I won’t.” They left. The house felt bigger the second the door closed, just quieter. I already knew who lived in the apartment at the back of the house. His name was Ethan. I’d seen him for months. Sometimes carrying shopping bags past the kitchen window. Sometimes coming home late, keys quiet in the lock. He was older, mid-twenties, maybe. Tall. Dark hair that always looked a little messy. He never said much when we passed in the hallway, just a nod or a low “hey.” But I thought about him. A lot. That evening, a

There was still no response. The kitchen was empty. I checked the bathroom. Empty too. My stomach tightened. His phone charger was gone from the wall. The jacket that usually hung behind the door was gone too.I walked faster. The apartment looked different. Not messy, not lived in. Just very empty. I stopped in the middle of the room. “I don't understand.” I rushed to the connecting door and opened it. My parents' side of the house was quiet. Of course, Mum and Dad had already travelled and they were not yet back. I checked just in case Ethan might be there but he wasn't.I was alone again. But this time, I didn't feel excited about it. I went back into Ethan's apartment, with my eyes scanning the place once again. There was no written note, not even a message.Then I laughed. It was a small, stupid laugh. Of course. What had I expected? That one night would suddenly become something more? I had known him for months, barely spoken to him, then thrown myself into his life the first mo

The library closed early on Thursday. Jake and I still had half a chapter left for the group project in psych class. We walked back to my apartment with the same stack of textbooks he always carried. “Your notes are better than mine,” he said, dropping the bag on my kitchen table. “If I fail this, my dad splits the rent money.” I laughed softly. We sat down and opened the books. Jake leaned close while we worked. After a while he stopped writing and looked at me. “You were so sweet last time,” he said in a low voice. “But you’re a slut who needs more than one cock. You already know it.”I felt my face get warm. He had whispered those exact words against my ear when he fucked me. I still remembered how it felt. Jake smiled. “There’s a party tomorrow night at the blue house on Maple Street. Starts at nine. Come. My hockey friends will be there. You’ll like them.”I should have refused. Instead I nodded. Friday moved too slowly. I finished my shift at the campus café, showered, and pul

My hand moved from his shirt to his shoulder. His hand also tightened slightly around my waist. We stood from the sofa still close to each other. My back touched the edge of the bed. Ryan stopped. He looked into my eyes. “You sure?” My heart was pounding. I wanted it so I nodded anyways.Ryan leaned in again, and I closed my eyes as he kissed me again. I pulled him closer, just as a loud knock suddenly came from the door. We both froze. “Mr. Ryan?” a man's voice called from outside.I opened my eyes. Ryan stared toward the door. “Who is that?”Then the handle began to turn. And neither of us had time to move. The door was locked so the handle stopped moving. I held my breath.Ryan looked at the door, then back at me.“Mr. Ryan?” the voice called again.Ryan lowered his voice.“Give me a second.”He took one step toward the door.I caught his hand. “Wait.”He looked at me. I didn't know why I stopped him. Maybe because I didn't want the moment to end or because I was suddenly afraid th

The party went on with cake, speeches, and more dancing. Ryan and I stayed apart most of the time. We laughed with other people and yes, continued acting normal, but every look between us actually felt fun.Near midnight, the crowd got smaller. People started leaving for their rooms. I said goodnight to my cousin and walked toward the elevators. Ryan was already there. He was alone. We rode up together without saying anything. I could only hear our soft breathing.When the doors opened on his floor, I followed him. No one was in the hall. Inside his room, the door closed behind us. Ryan pulled me close right away and kissed me hard. I kissed him back the same way.His hands moved into my hair, and our bodies pressed together. “I thought about this all day,” he said against my mouth.“Me too,” I said.We took our clothes off again. Ryan undid the buttons of my shirt and slid it off my shoulders, his palms brushing over my bare boobs. I opened his belt, pushed his pants and underwear do