One Night With My Neighbor III

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 moment I had the chance. He enjoyed it, maybe that was all. The thought hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I closed the connecting door and went back to my room. For the rest of the day, I checked my phone too many times. There was nothing. The next day passed. Still nothing. Then another. Ethan didn't return. I stopped opening the connecting door. I stopped looking through the kitchen window whenever I heard footsteps outside. I told myself I didn't care. I was terrible at lying to myself.

A week later, Mum and Dad finally returned. I was sitting on the couch when they came in. Mum dropped her bag beside the door.

“You look miserable.”

“College.”

Dad glanced at me. “Already?”

“It's stressful.”

“Classes haven't even started again.”

I gave him a look. “Exactly. That's why it's stressful.”

Mum laughed and disappeared toward the kitchen. I stayed where I was. Then Dad said something that made me look up.

“We need to talk.”

I frowned. “About what?”

“The house.”

I felt nervous for reasons I didn't understand. “What about it?”

Dad sat down opposite me. “We've sold it.”

I stared at him. “You've what?”

Mum came back into the room. “We've been planning it for months.”

“Months?”

“We wanted to wait until everything was finalized.”

I looked between them. “You sold the house?”

“Yes.”

“Where are we going?”

Dad smiled slightly. “We already found somewhere.”

I stood. “You're serious?”

“Lily…”

“No, because this is insane. You just came back from a trip and casually told me we're moving?”

Mum sighed. “We wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, congratulations. I'm surprised.”

Dad laughed. I didn't. My mind was already somewhere else. The apartment. Ethan's apartment. Suddenly, the empty rooms made sense. He had moved. Of course he had. The house was sold. He probably knew before I did. I was hurt then I asked “When?”

“Soon.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Later that night, I recalled I had left my necklace at Ethan's apartment so I went to get it. I had turned to leave after picking it when a voice came from behind me.

“Lily”

I turned around slowly. Ethan stood in the doorway. For one second, I couldn't breathe. Then anger hit me. “You.”

He smiled. “Me.”

I crossed the room and hit his chest. Not hard but hard enough. “Where the hell have you been?”

His smile disappeared. “Lily…”

“No.”

I hit him again. “You disappeared.”

“I know.”

“You left.”

“I had to.”

“You could have told me!”

“I couldn't.”

I stopped. My chest was rising too fast. He looked tired. His hair was messier than usual, and there was a small suitcase behind him. I looked at it. Then at him. “You moved and you think this is funny? Go away.”

“Lily.”

“Go.” I shouted louder.

He caught my hand. I tried to pull away. He didn't let me. “I really had to travel.”

“For what?”

He hesitated. Then he glanced around the empty apartment. “For this.”

I frowned. “This?”

“The property.”

“What about it?”

He looked back at me. “I bought it.”

I stared at him. “Wait, is this a joke, you mean you were the one that bought our house. You're lying.”

“I wish I was. It would've made the paperwork easier. I did bought the property.”

So you knew all this, you knew the sale was happening and you didn't tell me?”

“Your parents asked me not to discuss it until everything was complete.” I looked away. He stepped closer. “I left because I had to finalize the last part of the deal.”

“For days and you couldn't send one message?”

His face changed. That question really landed well on him. “I should have. I was wrong.”

I folded my arms. “You made me think you disappeared.”

I thought about calling you.”

“Why didn't you?”

“Because I wanted to explain it properly.”

“You're terrible at explaining things.”

“I've noticed.”

I tried not to smile but eventually did.

“Lily, I'm not going anywhere.”

Something inside me finally loosened. All the anger, the waiting, the stupid thoughts I'd had while staring at my phone. I stepped closer. “You better not.”

“I won't.”

I kissed him deeply. He immediately pulled me closer, but I quickly pressed a hand against his chest. “Don't start,” I whispered, trying not to laugh. “My parents are back.”

He groaned softly, resting his forehead against mine. “You're the one who kissed me.”

“I know,” I said. “That was my mistake.” I chuckled.

Months later, my parents had moved into their new house. I was back in college. And Ethan was still there for me. Sometimes he picked me up after class. Sometimes I cooked at his place. Sometimes we argued over stupid things and refused to speak for ten minutes before one of us gave up.

One evening, I stood by the door with my bag over my shoulder. Ethan leaned against the wall, watching me. I smiled. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“That means something.”

He walked closer. I waited. Then he asked, quietly “How many nights?”

I smiled. “As many as you want.”