The Neighbour ✔️

CHAPTER FOUR

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C L A R I S S A

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A light tap erupts on the wood of my door. "Coming!" I shout, walking towards it. I open up and see Kiera looking at me with a smile and a beautiful bunch of pastel pink tulips.

"Hey!" She smiles, "happy moving in plus one day!" She cheers, handing them over to me.

"Awh, Kiera, you shouldn't have!" I grin brightly, taking them from her. "They're beautiful. Thank you. Come on in, come on in!" I say, stepping aside and inviting her into my home. As I closing the door I make eye contact with Artie who immediately looks away and then locks his door, walking away. He must be going out again. Work, maybe?

Kiera sits on the sofa and look at my TV stand and chuckles. "Have you been robbed?"

I giggle along whilst placing my flowers into a new vase. "I've ordered one, it'll be delivered tomorrow."

"Ah, great. How you settling in?" She cheerfully slaps her open hands against her knees. She is such a happy spirit.

"Good!" I nod, bring the vase over to the TV stand and placing it in the centre. "Artie helped me build my desk and drawer which was surprising."

"Who's Artie?" She scoff with amusement whilst looking at me.

"Oh, Arthur." I correct myself, sitting down next to to her. "He told me prefers to go by Artie."

"That's more than he's ever told me. He didn't even tell me his name. I just found out after a delivery was left at my flat for him. I thought I'd be nice and take it in for him, and then when I went to drop it round, he told me to mind my own business and "not take his shit in ever again"." She explains, using her fingers to make quotation marks. "I try to avoid him as much as I can."

"How long you both lived here?" I frown, thinking about my contact with him only a day ago.

"I moved in about 18 months ago. He moved in about 13 months ago. He just appeared too. I didn't see him unpack or anything just one day he spawned in like a Sims character who's unlocked his flat."

I chuckle, looking down at my lap. "I think something must be doing on to make him act like he does. Do you know what he does for work?"

"Not a clue. He must work from home a lot because I only ever see him leave the house like once a week." She giggles. "He's such a good looking bloke though, isn't he?"

"Yeah," I laugh. "Just a shame about his bloody attitude." I say a little quieter, remembering the thinness of the walls.

"Tell me about it." She rolls her eyes. "Anyway, how did the interview go?"

I smile at her for taking an interest in me. It's nice to talk about me more often. When I dated Eddie, it was always about how his day was, if he'd had enough sleep, what he was up to at the weekend. He never cared about my interests. "I like to think it went well. I bonded fairly well with Joy so I think I may have a good chance." I reply, crossing my fingers on one hand.

"Well, I will cross my fingers and toes for you." She jokes, playfully crossing her fingers also whilst pulling and funny face, making me laugh.